French exam

A good knowledge of French is required for admission to the University of Lausanne.

Candidates to a Bachelor programme whose mother tongue is not French and who have no Swiss secondary school diploma, but who are exempted from the Complementary Examination of Swiss Higher Education Institutions (ECUS), must pass a French exam before final registration on a Bachelor programme.

Candidates admited to a preparatory programme taught in French leading to a Master programme must also pass a French exam before final registration on a preparatory programme unless they speak French as a mother tongue or they hold a Swiss secondary school diploma (maturité) or their previous university studies where fully followed in French.

You can find an example of the exam on the website of the French as a foreign language school.

Cases where this requirement does not appear to be necessary are decided by the Rectorate whose decision is final.

Candidates who fail the French exam are not admitted for registration.

This exam takes place on 22 August 2024 (autumn semester) and on 30 January 2025 (spring semester). 
Exemption

Students holding one of the following diplomas can be exempted from the French exam providing that they have been obtained within the last three years before the start of studies at UNIL:

Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF Tout public) niveau B1

Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF Tout public) niveau B2

Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF Tout public) niveau C1

Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF Tout public) niveau C2

Test de connaissance du français (TCF Tout public) niveau B1, obtained with the 5 tests

Test d'évaluation du français (TEF) de la Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris niveau 3 minimum, accompagné des 2 épreuves facultatives niveau 3 minimum

European Language Certificate (TELC) niveau B1

Passeport des langues fide de la Confédération suisse, niveau B1

Certificat de qualification en français (degrés B1, B2 ou C1) from the FIL at EFLE (intensive French courses)

Attestation d'une année d'études complète avec obtention d'au moins 60 crédits ECTS à:

. l'Ecole de langue et de civilisation française de l'Université de Genève;
. l'Institut de langue et civilisation françaises de l'Université de Neuchâtel;
. l'Ecole de français langue étrangère de l'Université de Lausanne (année préparatoire).

A copy of the diploma or certificate must be transmitted with the application.

Candidates required to pass the ECUS are exempt from the French exam.

Vacation courses at UNIL

French courses for regular students at UNIL

NOTE

the French version of the registration conditions prevails