Master'sSwitzerland · Computer Science / AI / Data Science

MSc Data Science

EPFL – École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

✓ Last verified Oct 4, 2026

Entry requirements

Prior degree: Bachelor's in Computer Science or Communication Systems with excellent academic recordRequired
Bachelor's in another related science or engineering field considered on dossier analysisPreferred
Calculus, discrete mathematics, linear algebra and probabilityRequired
Algorithms, data structures and databasesRequired
Programming in Python, Java or C++ and software development experienceRequired
Operating systems, computer architecture and theory of computationRequired

Accepted English tests: Programme taught entirely in English; 'candidates must have strong English language skills. English language certificates (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS) are welcome but not required.' No minimum scores published.
Expectations about your university: Holistic review explicitly considers 'the ranking of their university' (no list or tiering of universities published)
Other requirements: No minimum GPA: 'While no minimum GPA is specified, candidates are expected to have excellent grades at the Bachelor's level.' Holistic review of academic record, ranking of university, background in the field, statement of purpose and recommendation letters. Additional credits may be required to fill gaps; meeting criteria is no guarantee of admission. General EPFL Master rules: competitive admission, only excellent academic records and references have good chances; evaluation also includes factors related to compliance with export-control and embargo legislation. Holders of a Master's in the same or a similar field are not eligible. One Master application per academic year. Documents: CV, degree copy, complete transcripts, statement of purpose (max 1000 words), contact details of three academic referees who upload letters themselves (application not processed with fewer than two letters), passport/ID. Documents not in English, French, German or Italian need legalized translations. Application fee CHF 150 for a foreign Bachelor's degree. TOEFL/GRE scores welcome but not compulsory. Admission valid only for the next academic year start. An intensive French course is offered to admitted students four weeks before the semester.