Students are recorded in the information systems with their identity data (full last name, full first name, date of birth, and gender) as they appear on the identification document (passport or ID card) provided during the admission process. All official education-related documents are issued with these complete data.
Students may indicate their usual last and first names by connecting to their profile on the people.epfl.ch application. Usual last and first names may only be a shortened version of their official last and first names (e.g., only the first part of the first name and the first part of the last name). Usual last and first names are not used to identify students in the information systems nor for issuing official education-related documents. Questions related to usual last and first names and the people.epfl.ch application should be addressed to the Service Desk.
To modify their official identity data (e.g., in case of marriage or divorce), students provide a new identification document to the Student Services Desk. These data replace the previous ones in the information systems and for issuing new official education-related documents. This change has no retroactive effect: documents issued previously with the earlier data are not replaced.
Exceptions to the above rules are only possible in the cases described below.
Justice decision
Sex change
Non-binarity
Justice decision
In case of a justice decision implying a change in identity data with a retroactive effect, already issued diplomas, transcripts, and diploma supplements may be replaced on the basis of the new data, provided that the student returns the original diplomas and transcripts. To that end, students provide the justice decision and their new identity document to the Student Services Desk.
This procedure is free of charge. It applies by analogy to former EPFL students who obtained one or several diplomas at EPFL. Because other documents (certificates, invoices, intermediate grade sheets, etc.) have a temporary use, they are not replaced.
Sex change
In case of a sex change (and subsequent first name change, if applicable), already issued diplomas, transcripts, and diploma supplements may be replaced on the basis of the new data, provided that the student returns the original diplomas and transcripts.
This procedure is free of charge. It applies by analogy to former EPFL students who obtained one or several diplomas at EPFL. Other documents (certificates, invoices, intermediate grade sheets, etc.) having a temporary use, they are not replaced.
Switzerland and several other countries allow official sex change on the basis of a simple request to the civil registry. To obtain the replacement of official documents, students from these countries provide their new identity document to the Student Services Desk.
Students from countries where such changes are not possible or require more complex procedures (e.g., medical certificate or exam) may obtain the replacement of official documents by addressing a motivated request to the Student Services Desk. In such a case, the new identity data is considered official and replace the earlier data in the information systems and for issuing new official education-related documents. These students provide their new identification document to the Student Services Desk if they obtain an official sex change at the civil registry later on.
Non-binarity
Currently EPFL is required to identify every student as male or female in the information systems and when issuing official education-related documents.
Non-binary students are however allowed to request that their diplomas be issued without the indications “Madame/Monsieur” and “né/née le.” These students address a motivated request to the Student Services Desk no later than the 30th of April directly before their graduation (in October following the successful completion of a Master’s program or in November following the successful completion of a Bachelor’s program).
Master’s diplomas specify the granting of the professional title related to the granted academic title (e.g., “ingénieur mathématicien EPF” or “physicienne EPF”). Because no non-binary formulation is currently provided for these professional titles, they must be in the feminine or masculine gender.