Refugee students are welcome at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) to continue their studies or start in new programmes. The links below will guide you to the possibilities available and the departments that can help you with the procedures and provide you with the necessary information.
There are several ways to access studies at UNIL :
• Refugees having been granted asylum in Switzerland, who would like to start Bachelor studies without holding the required qualification, can be admitted to the entrance exam (Préalable). (Please refer to the Directive 3.16)
• Take classes as an auditor
• Advice on study offer from the Guidance and Careers Service (SOC)
• Submitting an application to the Admissions Service : in some cases a specific procedure may be applied for refugees having been granted asylum in Switzerland who are unable to provide some or all of their diplomas and/or transcripts.
• UNIL MOOCS
French is the official language at UNIL but there are programmes taught in English :
For French courses :
1) le FIL - Intensive French courses
2) School of French as a foreign language
You don't speak any French yet? Or not much? With the help of 10 situations in daily and academic life, this platform will give you the opportunity to familiarise yourself with French and get to know Lausanne.
Check your level of French or English
UNIL programmes taught in English : if you are a prospective student in a master's programme that is taught in English (HEC, Biology), we would like to draw your attention to the fact that you may have to do a preparatory year taught in French.
Tutoring and mentoring systems during your studies
Some faculties offer a tutoring / mentoring system :
o Law : contact: honor.felisberto@unil.ch
o ESC : contact: Romain.Voisard@unil.ch
o Lettres : please contact directly the sections
o SSP
o Biology : contact: Marie-Paul.Charnay@unil.ch
o Medicine : contact: Dimitri.Durr@unil.ch
At your service - useful information for your studies :
• Social Affairs and Student Mobility Office (SASME) : the SASME can be contacted for advice or, during your studies, for some extra financial support in case of a difficult social situation, for example for a integration grant for French courses at the School of French as a foreign language (EFLE) or for a reduction of the semester fees.
• Students’ website
• University fees and living costs
• Bibliothèque cantonale et universitaire
• Contact : Nathalie.Janz@unil.ch
