Summer Internships for BSc and MSc Students The School of Computer and Communication Sciences provides
internship opportunities in the Summer period for
students enrolled in BSc, MSc, or equivalent programmes in Computer Science or Engineering, Telecommunications, or Electrical Engineering. Internships are assigned
competitively to students with
excellent academic results.
During a period of
at least two months and including the whole month of August, internship students get the chance to learn new skills and to gain hands-on experience in their chosen field while working personally with leading senior scientists. Participating students will work in a research unit, typically to
solve problems which are usually part of major research efforts. Often, this will lead to
performing challenging programming or design tasks to prove new concepts. Being an intern at EPFL is a highly motivating learning and working experience in a competitive research environment, but it is also a great way to get familiar with another culture, to start building a network of connections in Switzerland, and to
get prepared for a global career! And, last but not least, it is a chance to spend some months in a region rich of natural attractions and offering a multitude of leisure opportunities.
PRACTICAL STEPS | DATES (every calendar year) |
Application by the student | Before 15th FEBRUARY |
IC decision on acceptance | End of FEBRUARY or beginning of MARCH |
Beginning of internship | Usually after 1st MAY |
End of internship | Usually before 1st SEPTEMBER |
The minimum duration of an internship is two months but longer stays are strongly encouraged. The exact duration depends on the availability of participating students and on the agreement of the hosting laboratories.
It is strongly recommended that the internship period includes the whole month of August to enable participation in some programme-wide activities.
Internships require full-time commitment (~40 hours/week). Therefore, participating students cannot attend another summer school or commit to other activities that could interfere with their work schedule.
WHO CAN APPLY? - Applicants must be enrolled in a 3- or 4-year BSc programme or a 1- or 2-year MSc programme (or equivalent undergraduate programmes). Students enrolled in PhD programmes are not eligible.
- Students in Indian institutions should submit their applications to the dedicated programme.
- The BSc or MSc programmes must be in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Communications, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
- Applicants, at the time of application, must be currently enrolled in the 2nd year BSc or above (therefore, they must have successfully completed their 1st study year of the BSc).
WHAT'S ON OFFER? - Scholarships: CHF 1,600.- per month (CHF 400.- per week).
HOW TO APPLY? MORE INFORMATION? - Please check the the FAQ below and write us if you cannot find the information you search.
HELP ADVERTISING? - Please write us to receive an A2 poster or download the PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions
"I will complete my MSc before this year summer break. Am I eligible for Summer@EPFL?"
Unfortunately not. To be eligible, you
must be still enrolled in a BSc or an MSc programme at the time of the internship.
"I am a PhD student. Is there any way to come to EPFL for my summer internship?"
Yes, certainly, but not through the Summer@EPFL programme. You need to organize your internship yourself, and for that you may want to contact researchers or faculty directly. If you decide to do that, be sure to include enough detail on yourself and on your specific interests on the research work of the lab--vague and generic letters have very small chances of success.
"Will you help with accommodation? Will I receive accommodation from EPFL?"
You will not receive accommodation on campus because there is none, and in principle you will be in charge of the accommodation. Yet, when offered an internship, the administrative personnel will almost invariably suggest a list of places where to look for it (billboards, student residences, etc.) or they may even find and offer you a place to stay. Finding an accommodation is not very easy in Lausanne, but do not worry: it is never a critical problem for an internship.
"Can I see the list of projects? Can I choose my project before applying?"
There is no list of predefined projects and therefore there is no way to choose a project in advance. Projects are suggested by the faculty directly to admitted candidates and can be discussed directly to find the best match between your research interests and the faculty goals. You should choose carefully your interests in the application web site, because this will be important information for the faculty in the selection process.
"What documents shall I send with my application?"
When you apply on the web, you receive a mail with a link to upload two documents: a CV and your transcripts. Transcripts can be in any form your university provides them and should cover the whole of your academic career (BSc and, if applicable, MSc so far). If you only have them in paper copy, please scan them. The only format we support is PDF.
"Are students from Indian universities eligible for this programme?"
No. EPFL has a special programme for Indian students (see the
relevant web site) and students from all IITs and IIIT Allahabad
must apply there.