Exchange studies

EPFL students have the opportunity to study a year abroad in third year, and may also leave for their Master’s thesis. More information can be found on the web page. Administrative procedures for a third year on exchange are carried out during second year by the student. The SAE will contact all second year students in due time, with all necessary information.

• The average at minimum 4.5 is required at the end of the propedeutic year (1st year) non repeated (the repeaters will be lastly chosen)
• Choose the country and host university, contact the Mobility officer (cyril.cayron@epfl.ch);
• Check the application deadlines: http://sac.epfl.ch/bachelor-exchange/application-procedure;
• Read reports from former students which left in exchange with the universities of your choice (1st and 2^nd choices) – Inform Dr Cyril Cayron before November 30_^th;
• Prepare a study plan that takes into account obligatory courses from the official SMX study plan. Contact Dr Cyril Cayron if needed;
• Submit your study plan as an Excel spreadsheet to cyril.cayron@epfl.ch and meet to discuss it. If the host university does not offer any official semester projects, it is possible to ask a professor for an unpaid research project of a duration corresponding to the required number of credit-hours (1 credit requires 14 hours in the lab). The professor in charge must write a letter (in french or english) to cyril.cayron@epfl.ch, specifying the student’s name, the title of the project, and that the project was carried out in a satisfactory manner. A final report must be handed in (electronic form), but it doesn’t have to be graded.

• In case of limited places, the candidates will be chosen on file.
• Keep in touch by email with Cyril Cayron during the exchange year and notify him of any change to the study plan.

Missing credits

The 3rd year study students who has not passed all the required credits (not more than 10 missing credits) during the exchange year can be conditionally admitted in the Master.

For the Master thesis abroad

You will be allowed to start the Master thesis if you carried out the mandatory engineering internship and you are missing no more than 8 credits to complete your master cycle. These credits can be obtained in parallel to the Master thesis (with the agreement of your supervisors) or during the semester following the Master thesis.

The Master thesis abroad must be followed by an academic member (Prof. and MER) at SMX

• Identify the field of research of interest – check IMX website for groups in the field (IMX Laboratories);
• Contact a member of staff IMMX/SMX related to the field;
• Discuss possibilities outside EPFL.

Possible source for funding of master thesis outside EPFL:
http://www.zenokarlschindler-foundation.ch/masters-thesis-grant.html