University of Lausanne (UNIL): Admission, Fees and Requirements for International Students

The University of Lausanne (Université de Lausanne, UNIL) is the public university of the Canton of Vaud on the shore of Lake Geneva. It traces its roots to an academy founded in 1537 and became a university in 1890. It is not EPFL: the two share the Dorigny campus, but UNIL covers business (HEC Lausanne), law, forensic and criminal sciences, humanities, social sciences, biology and medicine. International students pay the same as Swiss students: $690 (CHF 580) per semester. Bachelor's programmes are taught in French. Holders of a Russian or Kazakh school certificate are admitted after two years of university study at home in the same subject plus a French test.

Who UNIL suits

UNIL is the choice for economics and management (HEC Lausanne), law, forensic science at the School of Criminal Justice, psychology, political science, geosciences and environment, and biology. It has no engineering: that sits next door at EPFL.

It fits you if you:

• already study at a home university in the subject you want to continue in Lausanne;
• are prepared to take a bachelor's in French;
• are aiming for a master's and looking at English-taught HEC programmes such as finance, information systems or actuarial science;
• want to compete for the university's master's scholarship.

Look elsewhere if:

• you are leaving school and want an English-taught bachelor's: in Lausanne that route is the private EHL, not UNIL;
• you are changing field after your first home years: UNIL credits two years only in the subject you apply for, or requires an admission certificate for it;
• you want dentistry or veterinary medicine, which UNIL does not teach.

Bachelor's admission with a CIS school certificate

UNIL accepts a foreign certificate only if it essentially matches the Swiss gymnasial Matura. The key 2026/27 conditions for Russian and Kazakh certificates:

Russia and Kazakhstan have ratified the Lisbon Convention, so documents are uploaded as PDFs without posting certified copies. Documents not in French, English, German or Italian need an official translation in the same file as the original. The original admission certificate must arrive by 31 July.

Vocational, technical, teacher-training, evening and distance-learning certificates are not accepted. Russia and Kazakhstan are not subject to the ECUS supplementary exam, which UNIL sets for certificates it recognises but does not consider equal to the Matura.

Some bachelor's programmes add their own rules:

• medicine: registration with swissuniversities by 15 February, and foreign nationals are treated like Swiss applicants only with qualifying Swiss residence status (C permit, long-term work permit and similar). For someone moving to Switzerland to study, the route is effectively closed;
• pharmacy: only the first year is taught in Lausanne, followed by a mandatory transfer to the University of Geneva;
• humanities: without Latin or Ancient Greek on your certificate you take a basic course in one of them;
• sport sciences: a physical aptitude test in the summer before the start.

French: the UNIL test

If French is not your first language and you are not exempt, you must pass the test before final enrolment on a bachelor's. The minimum is B1, lower than Geneva's B2, but lectures are delivered for native speakers, so the real demand is higher than the formal threshold.

• Dates: 20 August 2026 for autumn, 4 February 2027 for spring.
• Exempting certificates: DELF B1 or B2, DALF C1 or C2, TCF tout public at B1 with all five parts, TEF level 3, telc B1, the fide language passport at B1, or the CQF certificate from UNIL's FIL courses.
• The certificate must date from within three years before the start of studies.
• One year with 60 ECTS on the preparatory programmes of the French-language schools at UNIL, UNIGE or the University of Neuchâtel also exempts you.

The late-August test falls after the visa decision. Uploading DELF B2 with your application removes that risk and makes the first semester easier. See French language tests: DELF, DALF and TCF.

Deadlines and application

How to apply:

1. Choose the programme and check the current country table.
2. Pay the $240 (CHF 200) fee by bank transfer to Université de Lausanne, referencing "Taxe administrative" and your name, and attach the receipt.
3. Upload photo, passport, CV, school certificate with grades for the last three years, university records, the admission certificate if required, and translations.
4. If your certificate is issued in summer, submit everything else on time and send the original before classes start (week 38).

Incomplete applications without a valid reason are not processed. Credit for previous study is decided by the faculty dean's office, and only after admission.

Master's programmes

You need a bachelor's degree UNIL considers equivalent to a Swiss one, in the same or a related field. If the fields differ, missing foundations must be made up before the master's, within the limit set by the study regulations.

Key points:

• master's teaching is at C1, in French or English depending on the programme;
• 180 ECTS alone is not enough: the degree must have been awarded;
• degrees from public or recognised universities with programmes comparable to Swiss ones are accepted;
• finance, psychology, medicine, humanities, nursing and human taphonomy have additional conditions;
• deadlines: 28 February with a visa and 30 April without for autumn; 30 September and 30 November for spring.

HEC Lausanne runs English-taught master's programmes including finance, information systems, actuarial science, and accounting and control. Check languages in the UNIL master's catalogue, as some conditions may change for 2027/28. More context: Master's in Switzerland.

UNIL Master's Scholarship

The scholarship pays $1,920 (CHF 1,600) a month for the minimum length of the programme. Holders are exempt from the course fee and pay only the $96 (CHF 80) semester charges. UNIL notes that the amount does not cover the full cost of living in Switzerland.

• Who can apply: applicants not currently enrolled at UNIL, with at least C1 in the programme language.
• Excluded: the School of Medicine master's and the Master of Law, except the specialisations in international and comparative law, legal theory, and international tax law and policy.
• Deadline: online application and reference letters by 1 November; applicants from non-Lisbon Convention countries post certified copies by the same date.
• What to include: a 1–2 page cover letter, degrees and transcripts, the bachelor's programme description, the school certificate, proof of the $240 (CHF 200) fee, and references sent from professional email addresses.
• Decision: the selection board meets in March and applicants hear in early April.

The scholarship application also counts as your master's application. Applying for it moves your timeline about four months earlier than the regular round.

Fees and budget in Lausanne

As a guide, UNIL puts a student's basic budget at about $2,460 (CHF 2,050) a month including university fees: food and daily costs $1,020–1,080 (CHF 850–900), rent excluding utilities $840–1,080 (CHF 700–900), insurance $180–360 (CHF 150–300), books and materials $120–180 (CHF 100–150). International students should plan for more, since the first month, rental deposits and furniture are not in that estimate. City comparisons: Cost of studying in Switzerland.

Housing

UNIL cannot house every student and says openly that the regional housing market is tight. The main student-room provider is the FMEL foundation, with residences near the campus and in town. Other options are rooms with private landlords and shared flats. The canton issues no residence permit without an address, so start searching as soon as you are admitted.

Visa, funds and work

Russian residents apply for a D visa at the Swiss Embassy in Moscow (appointments via moscow.visa@eda.admin.ch, fee RUB 8,700), which also serves residents of Belarus and Uzbekistan. Residents of Kazakhstan and Tajikistan apply in Astana. The Vaud population service (Service de la population) decides.

What Vaud asks of a university student:

• confirmation of enrolment and language level from the university;
• proof of funds for the whole period of study or a solvent financial sponsor;
• a place to live;
• a motivation letter, personal study plan, CV and copies of diplomas.

Unlike private schools, UNIL and EPFL students are not required to show payment of the first semester. A single course of study may last up to eight years.

Work: from six months after the start of studies, up to 15 hours a week, and full time in holidays. The job is declared in advance to the Service de la population and authorised by the cantonal employment service, with the university confirming it will not delay your studies.

Russian citizens should note Swiss sanctions: Article 20 of Ordinance SR 946.231.176.72 bars banks from accepting deposits above $119,800 (CHF 100,000) from Russian nationals and residents, unless they hold a Swiss, EEA or UK residence permit. Legal payment routes: How to pay for studies abroad from Russia. Visa procedure: Swiss student visa.

UNIL, EPFL or EHL: three Lausanne options

Step-by-step plan

1. Two years ahead: enrol at a home university in the subject you want in Lausanne.
2. One year ahead: aim for DELF B2 by January.
3. December–January: gather the certificate with three years of grades, transcripts and translations; pay the $240 (CHF 200) fee.
4. By 28 February: apply.
5. Spring: receive the decision; search for housing through FMEL and private listings.
6. May–June: apply for the D visa.
7. August: sit the French test on 20 August if you have no certificate.

Common mistakes

• Applying with two years in a different subject and no admission certificate for the target subject. The application will be rejected.
• Confusing UNIL with EPFL: they are separate institutions with different rules.
• Working to 30 April. Visa applicants must apply by 28 February.
• Treating the scholarship as full funding. $1,920 (CHF 1,600) a month does not cover all costs in Lausanne.
• Counting on a job in the first semester. Work is allowed only after six months.

FAQ

How much does the University of Lausanne cost?

$690 (CHF 580) per semester for all students, including internationals: $600 (CHF 500) in course fees plus $96 (CHF 80) in charges, or $1,390 (CHF 1,160) a year. The $240 (CHF 200) application fee is non-refundable.

Can I enter UNIL straight after secondary school?

Not with a Russian or Kazakh certificate. You need two successful years at a recognised university in the subject chosen in Lausanne, plus French. Otherwise the route is through a completed bachelor's degree.

What French level is required for a UNIL bachelor's?

At least B1 on the UNIL test, held on 20 August for the autumn semester. DELF B1 or B2, or DALF C1, obtained within three years before you start, exempts you. For comfortable study, aim for B2.

Does UNIL offer master's programmes in English?

Yes, part of the HEC Lausanne catalogue and some other faculties teach in English. Master's teaching is at C1. The UNIL master's catalogue lists the language and conditions of each programme.

How do I apply for the UNIL Master's Scholarship?

Submit online by 1 November with a cover letter, academic documents, references and proof of the $240 (CHF 200) fee. It pays $1,920 (CHF 1,600) a month plus a course-fee waiver, and decisions arrive in early April.

Does UNIL provide student housing?

It cannot house every student and warns that the housing market is tight. FMEL rents student rooms, and the rest of the market is private. Start searching right after admission.

How can StudyU help with a UNIL application?

Checking the route against UNIL's country table, and preparing the application, motivation letter, scholarship file and visa documents are provided under an agreement with StudyU. The University of Lausanne decides on admission and the scholarship, and the Canton of Vaud decides on the residence permit.

Sources

• UNIL: bachelor's with a foreign diploma — conditions, documents, 2026/27 deadlines
• UNIL: country requirements table, 2026/27 (PDF)
• UNIL: additional conditions, French test and ECUS
• UNIL: master's with a foreign bachelor's
• UNIL: Directive 3.2 on fees and deadlines (PDF)
• UNIL: Master's Scholarship
• UNIL: FAQ, student budget and housing
• UNIL: history
• swissuniversities: foreign certificates by country, 2026/27
• Canton of Vaud: stays for study, documents and side jobs
• Swiss Embassy in Russia: where to apply for a D visa, fees; Swiss Embassy in Kazakhstan
• Fedlex: Ordinance SR 946.231.176.72, Article 20, consolidated version of 21.09.2026
• EHL: bachelor's fees, 2027–2028 intakes (PDF)
• Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 30.09.2026 (€1 = $1.1355 = CHF 0.9478, so CHF 1 ≈ $1.1980), rounded to $1 below $100 and to $10 above. Facts checked on 01.10.2026.

For an overview, see Study in Switzerland, Bachelor's in Switzerland and the University of Geneva profile. Comparing Lausanne with other French-speaking universities for your profile is provided under an agreement with StudyU; the university makes the admission decision. To start, send us a request.

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