EPFL Magistrale, UNIL diplomas: a blow-dry for the photo
A day on stage, photographs for years to come.
By Manel, M BRUSH5 min read
N° 02
Lausanne
The essentials
For a graduation, a soft blow-dry is the safest choice: natural on stage, flattering in group photos, it holds all day without looking set. The EPFL Magistrale takes place on a Saturday in late September or early October, while at UNIL the dates vary by faculty.
A graduation lasts a whole day and leaves photographs for years. The hair therefore has to look beautiful on stage, in the class photo and in the pictures taken afterwards with the family.
A soft blow-dry ticks all three boxes: it reads as effortless rather than styled, and it ages gently into the evening.
The dates to note
The two universities on the Dorigny campus do not work the same way.
The EPFL Magistrale
The EPFL master's ceremony, the Magistrale, takes place on a Saturday in late September or early October. The 2026 edition was held on 3 October. The next official dates are 25 September 2027 and 30 September 2028. If this concerns you, you can already plan your appointment accordingly.
The UNIL ceremonies
At the University of Lausanne there is no single date: each faculty organises its own ceremonies. Several take place in November and December.
The School of Criminal Justice, for example, awards its diplomas on 6 November 2026. In medicine, bachelors are celebrated on the last Thursday before Christmas, and federal diplomas on the last Friday of April. The safest approach is to check the date with your faculty.
One day, many photos
A graduation ceremony moves through very different situations, and the hair goes through all of them:
- Walking on stage, under auditorium lighting, often photographed from a distance and in profile.
- The class photo, taken in a group, where you want to be recognisable at a glance.
- Family photos, outdoors, with wind and daylight.
- The drinks reception and the meal, which stretch the day into the evening.
Hair that is too elaborate tires in photographs as the hours pass. Hair that is too simple disappears in the group photo. Soft sits between the two.
Why soft
A soft blow-dry gives fluid lengths and slightly rounded ends. The round brush works each strand with less tension than a sleek finish and only rolls the ends, which cool in place before being released.
For a graduation, it has three qualities:
- It is photogenic from every angle. From the front, the ends frame the face; in profile, the line stays clean.
- It forgives. A strand that moves in a gust does not break the overall line.
- It ages well. By evening the movement has relaxed a little, but the style keeps its spirit.
If your hair is fine and falls flat quickly, a volume blow-dry will give it more presence in group photos.
In a class photo, you should be recognised at first glance, not have people searching for your hair.
Getting to campus without undoing your hair
The Dorigny campus stretches across Ecublens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Saint-Sulpice and, in small part, Lausanne. It is reached by the m1 metro, which serves the UNIL and EPFL stops from Lausanne-Flon.
A few precautions for the journey:
- No hood: a silk scarf draped loosely protects without flattening.
- Lengths in front of one shoulder on the metro, to keep them from rubbing against the seat back or a backpack.
- An umbrella, even under an uncertain sky, especially for autumn ceremonies.
For the November and December ceremonies, think about the cold and the wind too: the bise, dry and cold, has its longest spells between November and March. Our article on blow-dries and the bise gives the right habits.
And for photos taken outdoors, the one on outdoor photo sessions explains how to handle the wind in front of the camera.
Not only for the graduate
A graduation is also the family's day. A mother, a sister or a grandmother who will appear in every photo may want polished hair too.
Each chooses her length and finish when booking. A soft or sleek finish, depending on the hair, works with most ceremony outfits.
Once the diploma is in hand, the time often comes to update a professional profile photo. If you take the chance to have a few portraits done, our article on blow-dries for a profile photo will help you choose.
Booking before the ceremony
The simplest approach is to have your blow-dry on the morning itself or the day before. For a morning ceremony, the day before leaves more peace of mind.
On the booking page, you choose your length using three markers (the nape, the shoulders, the bottom of the ribs), then the finish, then a free slot.
No deposit is required: everything is settled on the day of the appointment. Come with clean hair, without oil, serum or styling product. The address is Avenue d'Yverdon 4, 1004 Lausanne.
Do you know your date? Book your soft blow-dry and step on stage with an easy mind.
Frequently asked questions
- What hair should you choose for a graduation?
- Natural, polished hair that holds all day: a soft blow-dry or a light, loose volume suits most hair and ceremony outfits.
- Where does the EPFL Magistrale take place?
- The Magistrale is held at EPFL, on the Dorigny campus. For the exact room and the day's programme, refer to the official Magistrale website.
- Should you tie your hair up for a graduation ceremony?
- It is not necessary. Loose, well-styled hair photographs very well; if you prefer to clear your face, a single strand pinned back is enough.
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