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Bachelor FAQ
The profession of
Communication Systems Engineer
EPFL Communication Systems
Engineer diploma: what next?
I want my own startup.
The
EPFL Curriculum in Communication Systems
Why choose EPFL?
EPFL and the Bologna ruling
(Bachelor, Masters, PhD)?
Is the EPFL Masters an
Engineering Degree?
Is the curriculum general or
specialized?
Studies in Communication Systems
What's the
study plan?
Are
there options in the Bachelor program?
Are computer rooms
available?
What's
campus like?
Internships and
Mobility
May I do an exchange year with Mobility?
Can I go to Eurecom at
Nice?
What is the
Masters Thesis ?
What's an Industry Internship?
Languages
What do I
need to speak?
How
good must my English be?
Where does everyone come
from?
Getting admitted to the Bachelor program
What are the admission
requirements?
Practical and Financial
Financial
Issues
What
Fellowships are available ?
Is my own health insurance
valid in Switzerland?
Am I allowed to work in
Switzerland while studying?
Is an identity card sufficient
to enter Switzerland?
When does the academic year
begin?
How to
Apply?
The profession of Communication
Systems Engineer
EPFL
Communication Systems Engineer diploma: what
next?
A degree from EPFL has a truly exceptional reputation
internationally. And, as communication technology touches
practically all daily activities, graduates of the EPFL
Communication Systems program are present in extremely varied
fields such as development, research, operational and
management. EPFL graduates are attractive to firms of all
shapes and sizes. The job market is encouraging, see this recent
article.
I want
my own startup.
Numerous graduates from EPFL
have either started their own companies, or are in the process
of doing so. Some, namely Logitech, have become an
international organization, those like Dartfish are on their way,
while others such as routeRank (http://travel.panda.org/),
Ilion security SA or
Quividi, are just
beginning on the Scientific Park located on the campus. EPFL
has a program that encourages enterprise creation during and
after studies, through facilities, networking and coaching
seminars.
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The EPFL Curriculum in Communication
Systems
Why choose EPFL?
The Shanghai
Academic Ranking of World Universities, 2008, named EPFL number
one in continental Europe. Professors at EPFL are recruited for
their internationally recognized excellence, many of them being
highly prestigious in their fields. Teaching and research are
intimately linked at EPFL; EPFL bachelor students already carry
out research projects within the labs.
EPFL and the Bologna ruling (Bachelor,
Masters, PhD)?
Yes, EPFL was even one of the
first European universities to comply with the Bologna ruling.
Is the EPFL Masters an
Engineering Degree?
Yes, the EPFL Masters
degree is officially recognized by the Swiss University
Conference as an Engineering Degree (fr: Ing. EPFL, de: ETH
Ing.). In France it's also officially recognized by the
Commission française du Titre d'Ingénieur-e
(CTI). The EPFL Masters is equivalent to a "Masters
Degree" obtained from the best American universities.
Is the curriculum general or
specialized?
An education in Communication
Systems at EPFL is both general and high tech. Students are
trained simultaneously in research and state of the art
technology through constant interaction with the laboratories.
Such an education allows graduates to immediately perform as
qualified engineers, yet is sufficiently broad to allow for
diversified careers in technology or management.
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Studies in
Communication Systems
What's the study plan?
The
Bachelor program has math, physics, computer science,
electronics, information sciences (signal treatment, coding,
cryptology, information theory). See ssc.epfl.ch for a complete
bachelor program course list. The Masters program contains
increasingly specialized courses covering the fields of:
information security, mobile communication and sensor networks,
Internet, web and closed networks, signals, images and sound.
Within a Masters program, it's possible to also select a
secondary, or minor, study field. Examples: a major in
management with a minor in spatial technology; a major in
Computer Engineering with a minor in Bio-computing.
Are there options in the Bachelor
program?
EPFL encourages their students to
«excel in one thing». From the second year of
Communication Systems, students select specific courses and a
research project within a laboratory to attain that goal.
Are computer rooms
available?
Yes, many of them. EPFL
facilities are outstanding, whether in computer installations,
academic premises, or laboratory equipment. poseidon.epfl.ch provides
support and assistance to both personal and EPFL computers. See
also here.
What's campus
like?
Have a look here or
from the top.
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Internships and Mobility
May I do an exchange year with
Mobility?
Yes. EPFL participates in all
major exchange programs (Erasmus, as well as programs with
North America, Japan, China, India). In either third year
Bachelor or the first year Masters program its possible to
benefit from Mobility. Its also possible to do an industrial
6-month internship anywhere in the world. The Master's thesis
can also be conducted abroad. These three options can be
combined.
Can I go to
Eurecom at Nice?
Yes, you can. As EPFL is a
founding member, all students admitted to the Masters program
have the option to attend Eurecom, finishing with an EPFL
Masters degree in Communication Systems.
What is the Masters Thesis
?
The last semester of the Masters program
is devoted to an individual research project in a lab at EPFL,
another university or in industry. At the end of this last
semester, the student produces a written paper, the master
thesis. For a list of last year's topics, click here.
What's an Industry
Internship?
A six-month period spent working
and earning a salary within a company is called an Industry
Internship. It is not mandatory. It delays the degree by six
months but yields working experience and exposure to
international environments. More than 2000 companies are in our
database.
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Languages
What
do I need to speak?
Most Bachelor classes
are in French, with some classes duplicated in German and a
very few given in English. All the Masters level classes are in
English.
How good must my
English be?
It's advised to have 550 points
in TOEFL at written test, or 213 points at
the computer test or to get the Cambridge in advanced
English (CAE), at least by the end of the Bachelor program.
EPFL's language center gives free lessons to students, at
various levels.
Where does
everyone come from?
EPFL is international.
About 50% of Communication Systems students come from the
French or German regions of Switzerland, the other half come
from all over the world, see here.
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Getting admitted to the Bachelor
program
What are the admission
requirements?
You can be admitted with a
Swiss Maturity.
For holders of an
International Baccalaureate, the students must have:
- 38 points out of 42 (excluding bonus points)
- the following topics in Highers: mathematics,
physics, chemistry or biology, one modern
language;
- three of the following topics in Standard Level:
natural sciences, geography, history, economy, one
modern language or applied math.
Other admissions situations are explained on bachelor.epfl.ch.
Holders of a Baccalaureate or equivalent who do not
meet the entry conditions can take a special
admission exam from the CMS (Centre de
Mathématiques Spéciales. More info at
cms.epfl.ch).
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Practical and Financial
Financial
Issues
EPFL is a public
institution and fees are modest. See Student
Affairs sae.epfl.ch for
details, including cost of living and housing
information.
What Fellowships are available
?
Research fellowships are
available to students who have distinguished
themselves during their Bachelor studies and have a
strong interest in research, see master.epfl.ch.
The foundation of EPFL Students grants
fellowships to students in need who have
succesfully completed one year of EPFL studies.
See
sae.epfl.ch
Is my own health insurance
valid in Switzerland?
In Switzerland, health insurance is
compulsory. If you are coming from EU-countries,
you must fill out the European E111 form or the
"European Health Insurance Card" from
your insurance company. When coming from outside
EU-countries, ask for exemption from the Organe
Cantonal de contrôle to remain affiliated
with your own insurance. If you do not qualify for
an exemption or if your insurance coverage should
not be, find detailed information in the Student
Affairs web pages.
Am I allowed to work in
Switzerland while studying?
If
you are a student from outside the EU, Swiss Law
does not allow you to work during your first 6
months in Switzerland. After this period, you may
work part time (15h/week) during the semester and
full time during the holidays. If you are coming
from EU-countries, you are allowed to work from the
1st day after your arrival. In both cases you must
ask for a certificate from our Social Service: http://www.epfl.ch/soc/social/versionAnglais/work.html
Is an identity
card sufficient to enter
Switzerland?
Yes, for students coming from
EU-countries.
When does the academic year
begin?
The academic year is
divided into two semesters. Each semester lasts 14
weeks and runs roughly from mid-September to
Christmas, then from mid-February to the end of
May.
See the
Academic calendar for precise dates.
How to Apply
See bachelor.epfl.ch.
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