What resources does EPFL offer for new students starting the semester?

EPFL's website gathers a set of start-of-semester resources for new students on its "Top Resources for the New Semester" page. The listed entry points are: Getting Started, Academic Calendar, Cybersecurity, Student Life & Associations, Sports & Physical Activity, and Mental Health & Well-Being, plus a link to download the EPFL Campus app. These are the official starting points the site itself highlights for incoming students; use them if you are enrolling or visiting and need to orient yourself quickly.

The resource list at a glance

The page presents the following items, each linking to a different area of student life:

The site frames these as "valuable information to help you start the semester successfully," so treat the list as the recommended first pass rather than a complete catalogue of everything EPFL offers.

How to use these resources

1. Start with Getting Started. This is the orientation entry point for new students and the logical first click before anything else.
2. Check the Academic Calendar next. Semester dates determine when teaching, exams, and breaks fall, so confirm them before planning around them.
3. Download the EPFL Campus app. The site provides a direct download link, which suggests it is intended as a day-to-day companion on campus.
4. Branch into the topic areas as needed. Cybersecurity, Student Life & Associations, Sports & Physical Activity, and Mental Health & Well-Being are separate destinations, so pick the ones relevant to your situation rather than reading them all at once.

Expected result: after working through these, you should know where to find term dates, how to get oriented, what student groups and sports exist, and where well-being support lives.

What the site also shows about campus context

Beyond the resource list, the homepage surfaces material that gives a sense of what is happening at EPFL during the semester:

• News and research highlights, including a piece on cybersecurity weaknesses in everyday devices by Prof. Mathias Payer, head of EPFL's HexHive research group, who discusses how AI is changing how vulnerabilities are found.
• AI in the curriculum, with the site noting that more than 12,000 students returned to classes and asking how AI has transformed higher education.
• Profiles, such as a professor studying how the immune system changes the aging brain, and a PhD candidate describing how representing peers helps him "contribute in the here and now."
• Practical notices, including a "Double Deck construction site" item under practical information, and a "Support for our community" section listing current initiatives.

These are not onboarding steps, but they are useful for understanding the environment you are joining.

Common sticking points

• The resource list is a starting point, not a full guide. Each item leads to its own area; expect to navigate further once you click through.
• Dates and procedures change. The Academic Calendar is the authoritative source for term timing, so verify against it rather than relying on second-hand summaries.
• The app is a download, not a web page. If you are on a desktop, you may need to switch to a mobile device or follow the link to the relevant app store.
• Language and access details are not specified on the page. The site is presented in English (en-GB); if you need information in another language or details about login requirements, check the individual destination pages.

If your goal is simply to get oriented before or at the start of term, the six listed resources plus the campus app cover the essentials the university itself puts forward.