University of Lucerne

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About the University of Lucerne

The University of Lucerne traces its roots back to a theological school of the 16th century, but it has only existed as a modern university since 2000. The theological school became a faculty in 1938, the Faculty of Humanities was created in 1993, and on 21 May 2000 Lucerne voters approved the University Act with a 72 per cent “yes”. The university began operating on 1 October 2000 with the Faculty of Theology and the Faculty of Humanities.^[2] Law followed in 2001, Economics and Management in 2016, Health Sciences and Medicine (a faculty since 2023) and Behavioural Sciences and Psychology in 2024.^[2]

It now has six faculties, a Graduate Academy and a Further Education Academy.^[7] In autumn 2025 it had 4,131 students, with 95 chairs and 140 partner universities.^[1] The university had fewer than 300 students in 2000.^[2]

How is the University of Lucerne ranked?

We could not confirm a position for the University of Lucerne in the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026. None of the university pages we read names a position in a global ranking.

The university describes itself as Switzerland’s youngest university, with around 4,100 students and over 700 employees; that is a self-description, not a ranking result.^[7] Rankings differ by publisher and year. How we compile rankings.

What can you study at the University of Lucerne?

The six faculties are Theology, Humanities and Social Sciences, Law, Economics and Management, Health Sciences and Medicine, and Behavioural Sciences and Psychology.^[7] The university’s A-to-Z list includes programmes in:^[10]

• Cultural and Social Anthropology, Cultural Studies, History, Jewish Studies, Philosophy, Religion Studies and Sociology
• Political Sciences and Philosophy, Politics and Economics
• Social and Communication Sciences
• Law, including double degrees and “Master Plus” options with economics, health policy and international relations
• Economics and Management
• Health Sciences (BSc and MSc), Medicine (MA) and Psychology (BSc)

Bachelor’s programmes last six semesters (three years).^[3] Most programmes are taught in German; the master’s in Health Sciences is the exception and is taught entirely in English.^[3]

How much does the University of Lucerne cost?

These are the amounts for bachelor’s, master’s and diploma studies in the university’s fee sheet dated April 2024; we found no newer fee sheet, so confirm the current amounts with the university.^[4] Fees are charged per semester, so our calculation puts a year at CHF 2,230 for educational foreigners and CHF 1,630 for educational residents.

Who is an “educational foreigner”?

In the university’s terms, these are students of foreign nationality who also had their legal residence abroad when they obtained their university entrance qualification. Everyone else counts as an educational resident.^[4]

Other fees

• Examination fee: CHF 70 per semester, CHF 420 in total for a bachelor’s and CHF 210 for a master’s. If you change subject, the examination fee starts again.^[4]
• Doctoral studies: CHF 240 per semester for educational residents and CHF 340 for educational foreigners (CHF 225 semester fee, CHF 100 surcharge for educational foreigners, CHF 15 contribution). The examination fee is billed at the end of the doctorate.^[4]
• Joint master’s Religion, Economics and Politics: CHF 915 per semester for educational foreigners, because the surcharge is CHF 100 instead of CHF 300.^[4]
• Application fee: CHF 100, with a further CHF 150 (CHF 250 in total) for late applications.^[8]

Tuition is only part of the bill: for living costs see our Switzerland guide and the Study in Switzerland guide.

How do you apply to the University of Lucerne?

You register for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes through the university’s online portal, UniPortal, and the Admissions Office checks your qualifications.^[8] We give no deadlines here because they change every year; the application page lists them, including later dates for applicants from countries with and without a visa requirement.^[8]

• Bachelor’s: a Swiss federal or cantonal maturity certificate gives access. A non-Swiss upper secondary certificate must correspond essentially to a Swiss Gymnasium maturity certificate: general education with at least six general subjects in the last three years, the highest possible secondary certificate in the country of issue, and access to all faculties there. For certain countries extra conditions apply, listed on the swissuniversities website, and if the ECUS supplementary examination is required, you can only apply for the autumn semester.^[5]
• Master’s: a bachelor’s degree of at least three years (180 ECTS) from a recognised university qualifies, provided it meets the content requirements of the master’s. The faculty first checks that the content matches the Lucerne bachelor’s; conditions can apply, and if more than 60 ECTS of extra coursework are needed, admission is only possible to the bachelor’s.^[5]
• Doctorate: a master’s degree from a recognised university, and in most faculties a supervisor who confirms supervision before you apply.^[5]

The application fee is CHF 100 and must be paid before the application is completed, by credit card or bank transfer.^[8] Fee invoices are sent by email in mid-January for the spring semester and mid-July for the autumn semester.^[8]

Which language level do you need?

German is the main language of instruction, so all applicants whose school-leaving certificate is not in German must prove sufficient German for both bachelor’s and master’s programmes. This can be a language certificate, a university degree taught in German, or at least three years of German-language secondary education in Switzerland. Master’s programmes taught entirely in English do not require German. Holders of a Swiss university entrance qualification need no proof.^[5]

Accepted certificates include the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 or C2, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, TestDaF with an average of TDN 4 and at least TDN 3 in every part, DSH (results 2 and 3) and the Austrian language diploma at C1 or C2. C1 is a very advanced level on the CEFR, the European scale from A1 to C2. You do not need the proof when you apply, but you must provide it by the start of the programme.^[5]

For programmes taught entirely in English, proof of English may be required; the requirement is set in the study regulations of the faculty, and the guidelines do not name a level.^[5]

More about studying in Switzerland

• Switzerland: best universities
• Study in Switzerland: complete guide
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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