1. Before Arrival

Here you will find useful information that should help you as you prepare to make the move to UNIL.

General information about moving to Lausanne and Switzerland in general :

Checklist from the UNIL welcome center

Arriving in Switzerland

Are you a citizen of a non-EU/EEA country ?

- Then you need a VISA to travel to Switzerland and take up your employment

- Visa application needs to be submitted from abroad

- Consult the Swiss consular authorities in your country of residence as soon as possible after receiving your employment offer

- We recommend you to contact directly the ISTE secretariat (secretariat-iste@unil.ch) if you need specific information to begin your visa application process

For official information visit the following link : Visa – Entry to and residence in Switzerland

For both non-EU and EU citizens, a work permit is required before taking up employment in Switzerland. This permit is obtained after arrival in Switzwerland in your city of residence.

You would need your work contract as well as other documents, which would be provided to you by the ISTE secretariat (secretariat-iste@unil.ch) in order to obtain a residence permit.

• For practical information regarding the residence permit visit: Practical information – Residence permit – Canton of Vaud
• For general and specific information regarding entry, residence, working and free movement visit: State Secretariat for Migration SEM

You need to find a flat in Lausanne ? Check these useful pages to find your perfect flat :

• Shared Apartments
• Facebook Group
• FMEL

If you are searching for your own apartment, these links should be helpful :

• Comparis
• Apartments
• Anibis
• Studios modernes
• Lausanne studios
• ok logements
• Lausanne tourisme

Generally, the cost of living in Switzerland is high. However, the ultimate living cost of an individual will generally depend on living habits and preferences. Below is an indicative student budget.