If you hold a bachelor’s degree from outside Switzerland and want to study a Master’s in Lausanne, UNIL Master’s Grants could help you pay for it. The University of Lausanne gives these grants to a small number of top international applicants each year. A single application covers both the scholarship and your admission.
This guide explains what UNIL Master’s Grants cover, who qualifies and how to apply. It also gives honest advice on costs, because this scholarship does not cover everything.
What Are UNIL Master’s Grants?
UNIL Master’s Grants are excellence-based scholarships for international students starting a Master’s at the University of Lausanne. According to UNIL’s page, the university awards around ten per year, so competition is tough.
Your scholarship application also serves as your UNIL admission application. You don’t send a separate application to the Admissions Office.
Key Benefits: What the Grant Covers
According to UNIL’s official page:
- CHF 1,600 per month, paid for the minimum statutory length of your chosen Master’s (typically 1.5 or 2 years).
- Payment period: a third-party page says payments run from 15 September to 15 July, ten months a year. Confirm this with UNIL.
- Reduced fees: scholarship holders are exempt from the fixed registration fees, except for a CHF 80 fee each semester.
- Housing access: UNIL says it guarantees accommodation through the Student Housing Foundation of Lausanne (FMEL), but you pay the rent.
The part many blogs skip
UNIL states clearly that this is not a full scholarship. Authorities estimate living costs in Lausanne at about CHF 2,000 per month, so you need extra funds. Also budget for health insurance, which you may have to arrange yourself.
If you are weighing this against fully funded options, read it as partial support. It helps a lot, but it isn’t enough on its own.
Who UNIL Master’s Grants Are For
Final-year bachelor’s students
You can apply while finishing your bachelor’s, as long as you complete it before the Master’s begins.
Bachelor’s graduates
This is the core group. UNIL says bachelor-level applicants get priority.
Holders of a foreign Master’s
You can apply, but UNIL says bachelor-level applicants get priority. Anyone doing a second degree must declare it and provide transcripts and a course description.
Not for current UNIL students
You must not be registered at UNIL, and not already enrolled in a UNIL Master’s or preparatory year.
Detailed Eligibility Criteria
From UNIL’s official page:
- Degree: a degree from a foreign university, equivalent to a Swiss bachelor’s (180 ECTS), obtained before the Master’s starts. You must have graduated only from a foreign university.
- Academic level: exceptional results. UNIL doesn’t publish a grade list by country.
- Registration: not currently registered at UNIL.
- Language: C1 level in the language of instruction. That means French for French-taught programmes and English for English-taught ones. You don’t need a certificate if your mother tongue or bachelor’s language matches the teaching language.
- Age: no limit, but visa rules for some countries may apply. Check with the Swiss diplomatic representation in your country.
Accepted language tests (per UNIL)
- English: TOEFL iBT 100, Academic IELTS 7, CAE (Grade B), CPE (Grade C), TOEIC 850.
- French: DALF C1/C2, TCF C1 or higher, TELC C1, UNIL’s “Le Fil” C1 certificate.
- Certificates must be no more than two years old.
Excluded programmes
- Medicine
- Sciences and Practices of Education
- Law, except International and Comparative Law, Legal Theory, and International Tax Law and Policy
- Physical Education and Sport Didactics
- Health Sciences
- Sustainable Management & Technology
- Human Taphonomy
- All MAS programmes
Psychology and Finance have extra rules. For psychology, UNIL says foreign bachelor’s holders need a place in a psychology Master’s in their bachelor’s country. Finance has similar proof requirements. Read the details if you’re applying there.
Step-by-Step Application Process
- Pick your Master’s. Check it isn’t excluded, and confirm the teaching language.
- Check your degree and language. Make sure your degree is equivalent to a Swiss bachelor’s and that you have the right certificate.
- Prepare your documents. Transcripts and certificates take the longest.
- Apply online by 1 November. Upload your full application as a single PDF. UNIL says emailed PDFs and incomplete files are not considered.
- Pay the CHF 200 administrative fee. It is non-refundable, even if you withdraw or are refused.
- Ask for recommendation letters. Authors send them directly to the scholarship office from a professional email address. UNIL accepts letters only after you submit the online application.
- Mail certified copies if needed. If your bachelor’s is from a country that hasn’t ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention, you must also post certified university documents in a sealed envelope to the SASME office in Lausanne. The postmark must be dated by 1 November. Applicants from Lisbon Convention countries don’t send paper copies.
- Wait for the results.
Tip for African applicants: Check early whether your country has ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention. If it hasn’t, you’ll need to plan for postage and certification well before the deadline.
Required Documents Checklist
According to UNIL’s page:
- Complete application as one PDF, including transcripts and degree documents
- Detailed description of remaining coursework, if you are still studying
- Official certificate, if your degree is awarded but the diploma is pending
- Language certificate, if required
- Proof of payment of the CHF 200 fee
- Recommendation letters from teaching staff or employers, sent directly by the authors to mastergrants@unil.ch (UNIL allows more than two)
- Certified paper copies by post, only if your bachelor’s is from a non-Lisbon country
- Second-degree declaration, transcripts and course description, if you’re pursuing another degree
The exact attachments list is on the official application form, so check it there.
Important Deadlines and Timeline
UNIL’s official page lists a deadline of 1 November each year for study starting the following academic year, in autumn or in spring where the programme allows. The published timeline is:
- 1 November: application deadline (and postmark deadline for mailed documents).
- November to December: the scholarship office and Admissions Office process applications.
- December to January: incomplete or rejected applications are notified.
- January to February: complete files go to faculties to check eligibility.
- February to March: faculty rejections are notified.
- March: the Selection Board chooses recipients.
- Early April: candidates learn the outcome.
UNIL says decisions can’t be appealed.
Flag this: the official page I could read describes the previous cycle, and a third-party page gives 1 November 2026 for the upcoming one. Always confirm the exact date on UNIL’s site.
Common Mistakes to Avoid and Insider Tips
Mistakes
- Applying to an excluded programme. Check the list before you spend money on the fee.
- Sending documents by email. UNIL says emailed PDFs and incomplete files aren’t considered.
- Forgetting the paper copies. If you need to mail certified documents, a late postmark can sink you.
- Sending recommendation letters too early. UNIL accepts them only after you submit the online application.
- Using an old language certificate. UNIL wants certificates no more than two years old.
- Assuming it pays for everything. Plan for the gap between CHF 1,600 and about CHF 2,000.
- Skipping the FAQ before emailing. UNIL says it won’t reply to questions the FAQ already answers.
Insider tips
- Choose your referees well. Pick teachers or employers who can describe your academic strength in detail.
- Prepare your funds. Switzerland may ask for proof of means for a visa, so plan ahead and ask the Swiss representation in your country.
- Start the paperwork early. Certifying degrees can take weeks.
- Aim for a programme where your results stand out. The selection is based on academic excellence, so a strong match to your degree helps.
- Apply to more than one scheme. Competition is strong, so compare options such as the ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship, the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the Clarendon Fund Scholarships or the Chevening Scholarships.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do UNIL Master’s Grants pay?
UNIL lists CHF 1,600 per month for the minimum statutory length of your programme. It says this is not a full scholarship, because living costs are estimated at about CHF 2,000 per month.
How many grants are awarded each year?
Around ten, according to UNIL.
Can African students apply?
Yes, if you hold a foreign bachelor’s degree equivalent to a Swiss bachelor’s and meet the other rules. Check visa rules with the Swiss representation in your country.
Do I need to speak French?
Only if your Master’s is taught in French. For English-taught programmes, you need C1 English, unless your mother tongue or bachelor’s language is English.
Is there an application fee?
Yes. UNIL charges a CHF 200 administrative fee, which is non-refundable. You don’t pay it again if you’re later admitted as a regular student.
Do I apply for admission separately?
No. The scholarship application also serves as your UNIL admission application.
Can I appeal a rejection?
No. UNIL says decisions can’t be appealed.
What if I withdraw from the Master’s?
UNIL says withdrawing suspends the scholarship, and the grant ends early if you definitively fail after the first year.
Conclusion: Your Next Steps
UNIL Master’s Grants can make a Swiss Master’s more affordable, but only for strong, well-prepared applicants, and you’ll still need other funds. Move now:
- Check your programme isn’t excluded.
- Confirm your language certificate.
- Gather your documents and certify them early.
- Ask your referees.
- Submit your single PDF and pay the fee before the deadline.
Apply carefully, plan your budget honestly and keep a backup option.
Apply HERE: UNIL Master’s Grants
Author’s note: Amounts, deadlines and rules can change between cycles. Please confirm everything on the official UNIL website before you apply.