EPFL Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 92 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Which role are you interviewing for?
19 roles · 92 reportsCandidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at EPFL.
EPFL
PhD Student
Intern Difficult Negative experience No offer 1 round
Interview process
Technical screen Recruiter call
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
The interview lasted 50 minutes and focused on assessing my technical knowledge. The discussion revolved around the technical design process, and the only other topic covered was my reasons for pursuing the PhD program.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Could you explain the design choices made for this specific component?
- What drives your interest in this PhD program?
EPFL
Researcher
Mid Average Positive experience Accept offer 1 round
Interview process
Presentation
Interview formats
Technical Presentation
Had one meeting with the group leader, mostly about past research experience. The group leader asked me to present my previous research. During this, they asked critical questions that were almost exclusively technical-scientific in nature. Very few, if any, personal or skills-related questions.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Could you walk me through your research experience?
EPFL
Doctoral Student
Intern Average Neutral experience Decline offer 1 round
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
The interview is conducted over Zoom and typically lasts about 17 minutes, though the exact duration can depend on the interviewer. It includes a 2-minute introduction, a 10-minute discussion about your research experience, and a 5-minute conversation about your future work. You might meet with the Principal Investigator (PI) you preferred, or sometimes you could be interviewed by a post-doctoral fellow or another research fellow.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Can you introduce yourself?
- Could you describe your involvement in your master's research?
- How do your interests align with the future directions of this lab?
EPFL
Research Scientist
Mid Average Negative experience Decline offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Background check
Interview formats
Behavioral Other
Weird HR recruitment process : 1st interview with Lab Manager. Absolutely zero HR personnel/procedure/standards involved. 2nd interview with the HR "manager", who doesn't have any idea of the research field and asks typical clichè questions like "what's your biggest weakness", like in the 1990's. The worst HR interview I've ever had ; I was expecting EPFL to be much more professional and experienced in their HR's procedures. It turns out, after speaking with other EPFL employees, that ONLY the technical interviewers will decide on who to hire. The HR are only there to do the paperwork, certainly not deciding who to hire (maybe giving a feedback to the technical team ?) Not professional at all !
Confirmed questions3 questions
- Tell me about your previous/current job.
- What makes you want to apply at EPFL?
- What is your availability?
EPFL Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from EPFL interview reports.
“Can you compare the load rate on a real structure versus one from tests?”
Read reports →“Why do you want to pursue a PhD?”
Read reports →“Could you detail the entire process of developing a new scale?”
Read reports →“What do you wish to accomplish after completing your PhD/while completing your PhD?”
Read reports →“Were you asked about the Blue Brain Project?”
Read report →“Could you explain the design choices made for this specific component?”
Read report →“What are your general thoughts on engineering and mechanics?”
Read report →“What makes you want to apply at EPFL?”
Read report →“Could you elaborate on the research areas you're interested in pursuing for your PhD?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 92 EPFL interview reports.