Please find some answers below, or in some cases links to the relevant EPFL pages, to questions on topics such as: entry requirements, cost, campus life, how to apply and other useful items.
For anything else, please do not hesitate to contact us.
What types of skills will I learn in the EPFL DH Master program?
With a mix of computer science, digital humanities, social & human sciences and optional courses, the EPFL Master of Science in Digital Humanities endeavours to teach broad set of interdisciplinary skills which can be applied to real-world projects.
The detailed study plan contains course descriptions which elaborate on this in more detail, and don’t hesitate to contact our team or the teaching faculty for more details.
What types of backgrounds do DH engineering students have?
The DH Master at at EPFL is truly interdisciplinary and thus has welcomed students from a wide variety of backgrounds, including: computer science, communication systems, life sciences, civil engineering, microengineering, electrical engineering and physics.
What is the potential job market for digital humanities engineers?
Potential employment opportunities for EPFL engineers with a Master of Science in Digital Humanities include both more ‘traditional’ ICT roles in addition to careers which demand greater interdisciplinary skills. For example, some alumni have been employed as data scientists in different industries, others remain in academia and some follow their passions to become entrepreneurs.
Some additional examples of positions in this field are: user experience designer, data journalist and AI specialist for the creative industries (media, music, video games, fashion), data scientist in the humanitarian sector and more.
What is the teaching language for the EPFL DH Master?
English
What are the admission requirements for the EPFL DH Master?
For EPFL students:
– You must hold or be completing an EPFL Bachelor degree (B.S.)
– You must have a solid basis of programming, algebra, statistics, signal processing. A strong interest in the digital humanities is expected.
For students from other universities:
– Candidates must have a Bachelor Degree (B.S.) in Computer Science, Communication Systems or Data Science from a recognized university, with excellent academic records. A Bachelor Degree in Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Micro Engineering or related field may also be accepted.
– Candidates must have a solid basis of programming, algebra, statistics, signal processing. A strong interest in the digital humanities is expected.
An intensive language course is offered to all students that have been admitted. The course starts 4 weeks before the beginning of the semester.
The official ‘Master admission criteria and application‘ page contains the most up-to-date and detailed information on this topic.
A brief outline can also be found in the DH Master Brochure.
Is a 4.5 average on my EPFL Bachelor mandatory?
No, EPFL rules have changed. As of the 2025/26 academic year EPFL Bachelor students do not have to have a 4.5 average on their Bachelor to be admissible to Specialized Master’s.
Is it true that the 4.5 average rule does not exist anymore for EPFL Bachelor students?
Yes, as of the 2025/26 academic year EPFL Bachelor students do not need to have a 4.5 average on their Bachelor to be admissible to Specialized Master’s.
I’m a second year EPFL student, what do you recommend I do?
- Follow SHS classes given by our DH faculty members
- Get good grades (remember EPFL’s 4.5 average rule)
- Contact the DH labs for bachelor semester projects
- Contact us at the section
Do internships have to be done in Switzerland?
No, internships can be done in Switzerland or abroad.
How can I apply to the EPFL DH Master?
All details on applying to EPFL can be found on the ‘online application‘ page, and this process is done entirely online.
Please verify these dates at the time of application; however, as of writing, there are two deadlines per year:
- 15 December– applications open from mid-November to 15 December
- 31 March – applications open from 16 December to 31 March
How much does it cost to take the EPFL DH Master?
Detailed information in this area can be found on EPFL’s “Financing your studies” page. Areas covered include:
Cost of living
Study taxes
Scholorships
Working
What is life like on the EPFL campus in Lausanne?
We’re of course very biased, but both EPFL and Lausanne itself have a lot to offer. Much more detail can be found by browsing through the following pages:
EPFL campus
EPFL campus tour (video)
Study management
Lausanne Tourism
What other EPFL web pages may be of interest to me when considering an EPFL DH Master?
There are of course many EPFL pages on a large variety of subjects; however, more generally, here are some that may be of interest:
EPFL ‘Master’s studies’ page
EPFL MOOCs catalogue
EPFL Youtube
EPFL Twitter
EPFL Instagram
What are the Rules and Regulations of the DH Master program?
The rule book in English can be found here (.pdf).
Please note that the French version (.docx) is the official version, and the English version is for information.