University of Lausanne Scholarships for International Students

The University of Lausanne is a research university in Lausanne, Switzerland. Established in 1537, it is the second oldest university in the country and one of the oldest universities in the world. It is composed of seven faculties that include the Faculties of Arts, Biology and Medicine, Business and Economics, Geosciences and Environment, Social and Political Sciences, Theology and Religious Studies, and Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration.

According to the university’s official website, there are approximately 15,600 students and 3,900 staff that study and work at the university. Among these numbers are a considerable number of international students who come from all over the world to study in one of Switzerland’s most prestigious universities.

Below are two postgraduate scholarships that a prospective international student can apply for at the University of Lausanne.

University of Lausanne Scholarships for International Students

Postgraduate Scholarships at University of Lausanne

1. UNIL Master’s Grants

• Scholarship Amount
  • 1600 Swiss francs (CHF) for the entire study period and waived registration fees for a master’s degree program
• Eligibility Criteria
  • must have received a bachelor’s degree from a foreign university before applying for an eligible master’s degree at the University of Lausanne
  • must have exceptional academic records
  • must have an English language level of C1 or a French language level of B2 depending on the course you’ve chosen
• Scholarship Link

The UNIL Master’s Grants are awarded by the University of Lausanne specifically for international students. They must have procured a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a reputable university outside Switzerland and must be applying for a master’s degree at the University of Lausanne. There are ten or so scholarships offered by the university, so competition is very high—this means that only those with exceptional academic merit will be considered for the grant.

This University of Lausanne scholarship covers a significant portion of fees, but not all. Other fees need to be taken care of that are not covered by the scholarship, and the university informs candidates of this beforehand. For a list of estimated living costs and study costs, please click here.

Additionally, there are some master’s degrees that are not eligible for funding by the university. You should take care to choose a course that is either covered by UNIL Master’s Grants or find another scholarship that can cover you. The university provides a list of eligible and non-eligible programs here.

To apply for a UNIL Master’s Grant, you must not have already applied for admission at the University of Lausanne. The application for the scholarship itself also serves as an application for admission. The first step of the application is to fill out the application form and collect your required documents.

The application form can be found here. All elements must be typed out digitally in either French or English, depending on the language your intended degree is taught in. You must also include a recent passport-sized photograph in JPEG format on the top-right corner of the form, and a handwritten signature on the bottom.

Several other documents are also required for this scholarship at University of Lausanne. You will need a copy of your high school diploma, including a certified translation if written in a language other than French, German, English, or Italian; certified copies of your grades and qualifications from universities you’ve attended; your bachelor degree’s program description; a comprehensive resume; a letter of motivation; two reference letters from a professor or instructor, sealed in envelopes; official language certificates in either English (minimum C1) or French (minimum B2), and a copy of the biometric page of your passport or other government-issued ID. More details on the required documents can be found here.

Additionally, you will also be asked to pay 200 Swiss francs as a fee for processing your application. This will not be refunded even if the application has been withdrawn or rejected. The deadline for applications is set for the 1^st of November, so make sure that your envelope has been postmarked before then.

You can expect to hear from the scholarships team in the following months. Those with incomplete applications or those that have been rejected for admission at the University of Lausanne will be informed by January. Those that have been accepted by the university but have been rejected for the faculty of their choice will be hearing back between February and March. Those that have been accepted for both admission to their chosen faculty and this University of Lausanne scholarship will be informed by early April.

2. Swiss Government Scholarships

• Scholarship Amount
  • CHF 1920 monthly allowance for twelve months, CHF 300 housing allowance, full health insurance, return flight allowance, public transportation card, sightseeing tours and special dinners for scholarship awardees, and other miscellaneous fees
• Eligibility Criteria
  • must have a master’s degree or equivalent from a university outside Switzerland, and must be enrolling for a master’s degree (arts) or doctorate degree (research) at the University of Lausanne
  • must possess outstanding academic records from past educational institutions and must possess the necessary language skills (English or French) for the desired program
  • must not have been living in Switzerland for over a year and must have not received a Swiss Government Scholarship in the past
• Scholarship Link

The Swiss Government Scholarships are a set of grants aimed at promoting international relations between Switzerland and the rest of the world. Awarded by the Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students (FCS), this scholarship is available at the University of Lausanne and is geared towards international students who are remarkable in their fields and wish to pursue further studies in Switzerland. There is a whole variety of eligible universities covered by this scholarship, and the University of Lausanne is one of them.

There are two kinds of Swiss Government Scholarships: research and arts. The research scholarships are for international students who have a master’s degree at the very least. They should be planning to take a doctorate or post-doctorate in Switzerland and should already have an academic adviser on standby. The arts scholarships, on the other hand, are for those planning on taking their first master’s degree. They should have a bachelor’s degree at the minimum, and only those from certain countries will be accepted.

The first step of the application is to visit the scholarship’s official website. Here, you will find more details about the scholarships and frequently asked questions about the application process.

You will also find what countries are eligible for this scholarship available at the University of Lausanne—the list is divided into two here and here. Each country has its separate ZIP file. Depending on where you’re from, requirements and deadlines may differ, so be sure to click your own country of citizenship.

The next step is to look for an academic advisor that is willing to support your scholarship application. You should be looking for a research supervisor that works in your particular field of interest. It will be your responsibility to find one, and neither the scholarships team nor the University of Lausanne can help you.

Once you’ve found a supervisor, make direct contact with them. Share your motivations for contacting them and your intention to apply for a Swiss Government Scholarship. You should also include copies of your resume, a cover letter, at least two reference letters, and a research proposal. Make a convincing argument as your application for the scholarship will be rejected without an academic supervisor. If they’re interested in working with you, they should be sending you an official letter confirming their interest in working with you on your research. They should also enclose a copy of their resume.

After that’s done, it’s time to contact official representatives or the Embassy of Switzerland in your country. They will be sending you a package with all the necessary forms, including the application form, research proposal form, letters of reference forms, and health certificate forms. Make copies of all of these forms besides the letters of reference, as you will be required to send two sets—one original and one copied. The reference letters should only be in the original set.

Besides filling out the official forms, you will be asked for a motivation letter, comprehensive resume, copy of the letter from your academic advisor, the academic advisor’s resume, photocopies of academic records and certificates from previous universities, and two copies of the biometric page of your passport/s.

Place both sets of your application documents into two separate envelopes. They should all be typed and printed. They should not be in plastic folders or binders and should not be bounded by paper clips or staplers. These documents should be sent back to the address indicated by the ZIP file, and from there they will be taking over the application process.

Candidates can expect to hear back from FCS by the end of May.

 

I hope that this article was helpful. If you are interested, visit the Europe Scholarships Page.