The University of Lausanne (UNIL) is a public university with a campus on the shore of Lake Geneva. It dates from 1537 and has had the name and status of a university since 1890.[1][2] Its last statistical yearbook that we could read counts 16,908 students in autumn 2022, of whom 4,372 held a foreign nationality.[3] In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 it is 129th.[4]
Bachelor’s and master’s students pay a course registration fee of CHF 500 and semester fees of CHF 80, so CHF 580 per semester; the directive does not set a different rate by nationality.[5] Applicants with a secondary diploma from a non-French-speaking country sit a French exam at level B1 unless exempt, and master’s teaching is at level C1.[6][7]
Key facts
| Official name | Université de Lausanne (UNIL) |
| Location | Lausanne, Switzerland; the university moved progressively from the city centre to the campus at Dorigny from 1970 (postal address Bâtiment Unicentre, 1015 Lausanne)[5][1] |
| Type | Public university[8] |
| Founded | 1537 as a school for pastors; named and recognised as a university in 1890[1] |
| Students | 16,908 in autumn 2022 (latest yearbook we could read), of which 4,372 foreign nationals[3] |
| Faculties | Seven: Theology and Religious Studies; Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration; Arts; Social and Political Sciences, Sport and Psychology; Business and Economics (HEC); Geosciences and Environment; Biology and Medicine[2] |
| Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 | 129th[4] |
| Fees, bachelor’s and master’s | CHF 500 course registration (exam fees included) + CHF 80 semester fees = CHF 580 per semester[5] |
| Fees, doctorate | CHF 80 semester fees; CHF 200 matriculation in the first semester; CHF 500 thesis defence[5] |
| Administrative fee for foreign diplomas | CHF 200, non-refundable, when applying with a foreign secondary or university diploma[9] |
| French entry exam | Level B1 (CEFR) is the minimum for applicants with a secondary diploma from a non-French-speaking country[6] |
| Language level in master’s teaching | C1[7] |
| Official website | unil.ch |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About the University of Lausanne
The University of Lausanne was founded in 1537 to train pastors and was then the only Protestant school of theology in the French language. In 1890 the academy received the name and status of a university.[1] In 1970 it began to move from the centre of Lausanne to Dorigny, and in 2003 two new faculties were created, Biology and Medicine and Geosciences and Environment.[1]
The campus lies on the shore of Lake Geneva.[2] UNIL has seven faculties (see the key facts above).[2] For other Swiss universities see our Switzerland ranking.
How is the University of Lausanne ranked?
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 the University of Lausanne is 129th. THE’s profile lists 14,645 students, 23 percent of them international,[4] while UNIL’s own yearbook counts 16,908 students for autumn 2022.[3] The two numbers come from different years and counting methods, and neither source explains the gap.
We could not confirm a position in the QS World University Rankings 2027, because QS blocks automated access and none of the sources we read gave the 2027 figure. Wikipedia’s infobox lists “=212” for the QS edition of 2026.[8] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at the University of Lausanne?
UNIL has seven faculties:[2]
- Theology and Religious Studies (FTSR)
- Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration (FDCA)
- Arts (Lettres)
- Social and Political Sciences, Sport and Psychology (SSP)
- Business and Economics (HEC)
- Geosciences and Environment (GSE)
- Biology and Medicine (FBM)
It offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes, a Master of Advanced Studies, a bachelor’s route without a maturity certificate and a school of French as a foreign language (EFLE).[9] The official programme pages list the full range, which we did not count.
How much does the University of Lausanne cost?
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Course registration fee, bachelor’s and master’s (exam fees included) | CHF 500 per semester |
| Semester fees | CHF 80 per semester |
| Bachelor’s and master’s in total | CHF 580 per semester |
| Doctorate | CHF 80 per semester, plus CHF 200 matriculation in the first semester and CHF 500 for the thesis defence |
These are the amounts in UNIL’s Directive 3.2 on fees and deadlines, whose revision table has its latest entry on 2 December 2025.[5] The directive names no academic year and sets no different rate by nationality or residence for bachelor’s and master’s students. For two semesters the bachelor’s and master’s total is CHF 1,160 (our addition).
Other fees from the directive
- Applicants with a foreign secondary or university diploma pay a CHF 200 administrative fee for the examination of their file; the same applies to master’s and doctoral applicants who do not hold a Swiss bachelor’s or master’s degree.[5] The fee is not refunded even if the application is withdrawn or refused.[9]
- A late application that is accepted carries a surcharge of CHF 200.[5]
- Students on full leave pay CHF 50 plus the CHF 80 semester fees; students on restricted leave pay CHF 130 plus CHF 80.[5]
Tuition is only part of the bill. For rent and living costs in Lausanne see our Switzerland guide and the Study in Switzerland guide.
How do you apply to the University of Lausanne?
The route depends on your diploma and the level.
- Bachelor’s with a Swiss maturity certificate: a cantonal gymnasial maturity recognised by the Confederation, a certificate of the Swiss Maturity Commission, or a vocational or specialised maturity completed by the supplementary examination (“passerelle Dubs”) gives access and exempts you from the French exam.[10]
- Bachelor’s with a foreign diploma: your diploma must be essentially equivalent, in hours and subjects, to a Swiss gymnasial maturity. It must be the highest secondary diploma in its country, obtained after at least 12 years of study, and it must give general access to university there. Professional, technical or commercial secondary diplomas are not recognised. Depending on the country, UNIL may also require minimum grades, supplementary entrance exams or a confirmation of admission from a university in your home country. The list of country conditions is valid for the academic year 2026-2027 only.[9]
- Master’s with a foreign bachelor’s: you need a university degree that UNIL judges equivalent to a Swiss bachelor’s, in the same or a related field. Having 180 ECTS credits is not enough; you must hold the awarded degree. Finance, psychology, medicine, arts and nursing sciences have additional conditions.[7]
Applications are made online. Documents not written in French, English, German or Italian need an official translation.[9] We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme.
Which language level do you need?
Applicants whose secondary diploma comes from a non-French-speaking country take a French exam before their registration becomes effective. It lasts about an hour and a half and tests reading, writing and listening at CEFR level B1, which UNIL gives as the minimum. A second attempt is allowed at the earliest in the next session; a second failure is eliminatory.[6]
You may be exempt if you obtained one of these within the three years before your studies start: DELF B1 or B2, DALF C1 or C2, TCF (all five tests) at B1, TEF at level 3 or above with the two optional tests, TELC B1, the Swiss fide passport at B1, or the CQF of the Lausanne EFLE at B1 in all four exams. A full year with at least 60 ECTS credits at the Geneva, Neuchâtel or Lausanne French-language schools also exempts you.[6] Holders of the Swiss maturity certificates listed above need no French exam.[10]
For master’s programmes the teaching language level corresponds to C1.[7]
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are tuition fees at the University of Lausanne?
Bachelor’s and master’s students pay CHF 500 course registration and CHF 80 semester fees, CHF 580 per semester in total. The directive sets no different rate by nationality.[5]
Do international students pay more at UNIL?
Do I need to speak French to study at the University of Lausanne?
How is the University of Lausanne ranked?
It is 129th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027.[4] We could not confirm a QS 2027 position.
How do I apply with a foreign diploma?
Check whether your diploma is equivalent to a Swiss gymnasial maturity using the country list for 2026-2027, then apply online and pay the CHF 200 administrative fee.[9]
More about studying in Switzerland
- Switzerland: best universities
- Study in Switzerland: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Switzerland
- Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH)
- EPFL
- ETH Zurich
- FHNW
- Franklin Switzerland
- Geneva Graduate Institute
- HES-SO
- IMD Business School
- Università della Svizzera italiana (USI)
- University of Basel
- University of Bern
- University of Fribourg
- University of Geneva
- University of Lucerne
- University of Neuchâtel
- University of St.Gallen (HSG)
- University of Zurich
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW)
- Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK)
Sources
[1] UNIL: History of the University of Lausanne (in French) (page updated 2 Nov 2026)
[2] UNIL: Key figures (in French) (page updated 26 Aug 2026; the page lists the faculties and describes the campus, but its figures are in charts we could not read)
[3] UNIL: Annuaire statistique 2022-2023 (PDF, in French) (figures for autumn 2022; the newer yearbooks were not accessible)
[4] Times Higher Education: University of Lausanne (page without a date; World University Rankings 2027 data)
[5] UNIL: Directive 3.2 on fees and deadlines (PDF, in French) (latest revision entry 2 Dec 2025; names no academic year)
[6] UNIL, School of French as a Foreign Language: French exam for registration (in French) (page updated 27 Oct 2026)
[7] UNIL: Master’s with a foreign bachelor’s, conditions and steps (in French) (page updated 20 May 2026)
[8] Wikipedia: University of Lausanne (type of institution; QS 2026 infobox entry)
[9] UNIL: Bachelor’s with a foreign diploma, conditions and steps (in French) (page updated 27 May 2026)
[10] UNIL: Bachelor’s with a Swiss diploma, conditions and steps (in French) (page updated 1 May 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.