UNIL Master’s grants for International to Study in Switzerland

by Samrach · September 1, 2022

What is a Masters Scholarship?

Masters Scholarships are scholarships for excellence awarded, exclusively to students who have graduated from a foreign university and whose academic results are of a very high level.

UNIL grants around ten scholarships a year.

The scholarship is granted for the minimum statutory period of the programme chosen by the student. It amounts to CHF 1,600 per month from 15 September to 15 July (or 10 months a year) for the complete duration of the masters (one and a half years or two years depending on the chosen masters), with the exception of cases of definitive failure after the first year.

Candidates are made aware of the fact that the sum of the scholarship awarded is not sufficient to live in Switzerland. It is not a fully funded scholarship.

With regard to this, we invite candidates to consult the page about the reference budget of a student at UNIL.

Students offered a scholarship will be exempt from the fixed registration fees for the courses, with the exception of the CHF 80.00 fees to be paid each semester.

What are the master programmes for which it is possible to apply for a Masters Scholarship?

The list of all master’s degrees at UNIL for which it is possible to apply, can be found at this address :

It is however not possible to apply for the following master programmes:

Master from the School of Medicine
Master in Sciences and Practices of Education
Master of Law. Exceptions: Open to applications for Masters Scholarships : Specialisms “International and Comparative Law”, “Legal Theory” and “International Tax Law and Policy”
Master of Science in Physical Education and Sport Didactics
Master of Science in Health Sciences
Master of Science in Sustainable Management & Technology
All MASs (3rd cycle programmes, Further Education programmes)

Additional requirements:

For the Master in psychology, students holding a foreign Bachelor in psychology must have obtained a place of study for a master in psychology at a university in the country where the bachelor was awarded.

What are the conditions necessary for applying for a Masters Scholarship?

To have obtained a foreign university degree considered equivalent to a Swiss university bachelor before the beginning of the masters programme at UNIL.
To have distinguished yourself during your studies, especially through particularly brilliant academic results.
To have a language level of at least C1 (according to the European Language Portfolio global scale) in French or at least C1 in English according to the language in which your chosen master is taught.
Not to be registered at UNIL
To have paid the CHF 200.00 Administrative fees (see document, “list of documents for an application”).

Withdrawal from the master programme will lead to the suspension of the scholarship.

How can I apply for a Masters Scholarship?

First of all, you do not have to apply for the master’s degree at the Admission Office (SII) of UNIL.

Candidates for the Masters Scholarship must apply online and upload their complete application file in PDF during the online application (refer to the document in the margin, “list of documents for an application”). Application files in PDF sent by email and incomplete application files will not be considered.

Additionally, for candidates with a bachelor issued from a university based in a State which did not ratify the Lisbon Recognition Convention (check your country here ), a certified copy in a sealed envelope of the university of the university documents has to be sent by postal mail. Please consult the procedure to follow regarding the certified copies here (see information in the blue box). The sealed envelope with the certified copies of the university must be sent to the following address within the deadline of 1 November (post mark), but only if the online application was filled in and sent successfully.

Université de Lausanne
Service des affaires sociales et de la mobilité étudiante (SASME)
Bâtiment Unicentre
CH – 1015 Lausanne
Switzerland

Candidates with a bachelor issued from a university based in a State which did ratify the Lisbon Recognition Convention (check your country here ) must not send certified copies by postal mail.

The application for the Masters Scholarship also serves as an application for admission to your chosen masters (and therefore an application to register at UNIL).

The deadline for an application is November 1st to begin a master’s degree during the following academic year, in the autumn semester or the spring semester (if the programme allows). The online application must be sent until that date. For the certified copies in a sealed envelope of the university (if required) the date of the post mark will attest to the date sent (last deadline November 1st).

Incomplete application files will not be considered! (Particularly those lacking the certified copies of the university documents in a sealed envelope of the university, if required)

Calendar of the selection process

1 November: Application deadline
November to December: Processing of applications by SASME and the Admissions Office (SII)
December to January: The SASME informs candidates whose application is incomplete or has not been accepted by the Admissions Office that their application for the scholarship has been unsuccessful.
January to February: Complete applications are transferred to the faculties for consideration of their eligibility for the chosen master’s degrees.
February to March: The SASME informs candidates whose application has not been accepted by the faculty.
March: The Selection Board for the Masters Scholarships selects the candidates who will be offered a Masters Scholarship.
Early April: Candidates are informed of the Selection Board’s decision.

NB: Decisions may not be appealed!

Official website