SGM Engineering Internship – STI - School of Engineering

Engineering Internship

The industrial internship is an integral part of your Master cursus in Mechanical Engineering. It is an excellent opportunity for you to get a crucial insight into the day-to-day work-flow in industry and also offer to the company your broad expertise and skills in Mechanical Engineering.

Types of internships and content

The internship has several aims such as: the immersion of the student into the professional world, emphasizing the importance of team work, getting acquainted with a company’s processes and requirements expected from a professional engineer in Mechanical Engineering. The internship experience should test the student’s abilities and skills acquired at the EPFL.

Within the framework of the Master’s study plan, several forms of internships are possible :

Internships lasting between 2 and 6 months. It occurs in most of the company’s departments where the student’s knowledge can be profitable. Depending on the available time, the activity could have a more advanced objective, and should call for the skills acquired by the student during his cursus.

A Master project carried out in the industry can validate an internship.

Procedure for students

The internship in industry is a mandatory step of your Master degree and has to take place prior to starting your Master Project in a Laboratory.

In case of a 2-6 month internship:

Find an internship position and in case you have found it by yourself, without using the IS-A portal, have the subject validated by your section deputy.

Inform the STI coordinator that you have found your internship.
Cancel all ongoing applications by gently notifying the companies. This step is extremely important to keep a good relationship with future employers.
Transmit the EPFL internship agreement to the employer and have it filled out and signed by the employer and the section deputy of GM. The signing of the agreement is mandatory.

Transmit a copy of the agreement to the secretariat of GM.
If you are a non-Swiss/EU citizen, ask the company to request a work authorization for the duration of the internship. More information here.
Once all the details of our internship have been settled, enter or edit the details of your internship on the IS-A internship portal (not in your study plan). Upload a copy of the signed internship agreement.
If your internship takes place during an academic semester, make sure to update your FRAC according to the following table.
At the end of the internship, fill out the evaluation report that will be sent to you by e-mail. The evaluation procedure starts 2 weeks prior to the official ending of the internship. Both the student and the supervisor will fill out an evaluation report.

In case of a master project in industry:

Find a master project in industry by contacting the professors of GM.
A master subject can also be found through the IS-A Internship portal. In this case, it is mandatory to find a professor willing to supervise you before you accept the offer from the company. Make sure to comply with the following directions: Coordinated Master Thesis in Industry.
All administrative details of your master project in industry have to be settled between the employer and the professor supervising your work. A special Master project agreement (link only accessible to Professors) can be signed on request by the supervising professor or the partner company.
Once all the details of your Master project have been settled, register your project in your study plan.
Update your FRAC according to the table.