The UNIL Masters Scholarship supports high-achieving graduates of foreign universities at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. It provides CHF1,600 per month for the minimum statutory duration of an eligible master’s programme. The current 2027/2028 application closes on 1 November 2026.
The grant is partial support because UNIL says it does not cover Switzerland’s full living costs. Applicants need an eligible foreign degree, outstanding results and the required language level. The application also carries a CHF200 non-refundable administrative fee and a detailed document process.
UNIL Masters Scholarship Details
UNIL awards around ten excellence scholarships annually. Applicants must obtain a foreign university degree equivalent to a Swiss bachelor’s before starting the selected master’s. Students already enrolled at UNIL are not eligible under the stated rules.
The scholarship application also serves as the master’s admission application. There is no need to submit a separate application to the Admissions Office. The chosen programme still determines academic admission and any additional entry conditions.
Institution / location | University of Lausanne, Switzerland |
|---|---|
Level / audience | Eligible master’s; high-achieving foreign-university graduates |
Support | CHF1,600 monthly; most registration fees waived |
Remaining fee | CHF80 each semester; CHF200 application administrative fee |
Duration | Minimum statutory length of the selected eligible master’s |
Deadline | 1 November 2026; no closing hour stated |
Stay Updated with Guidance Gem
Follow Guidance Gem for scholarship and career updates. Check each opportunity’s official source before applying.
Use the channels below to receive new guides and application reminders.
UNIL Masters Scholarship Benefits
The monthly scholarship is CHF1,600. Standard course registration fees are waived, but CHF80 per semester remains payable. Withdrawal from the master’s leads to suspension of the scholarship.
UNIL estimates roughly CHF2,000 per month is needed to live in Lausanne. It advises applicants to arrange additional personal resources. Housing is guaranteed through FMEL for scholarship holders, but the student must pay rent.
For a different graduate-funding model, compare Clarendon Scholarship. Its institution and admission process differ from UNIL’s partial monthly grant.
Eligibility
Applicants need a foreign university qualification recognised as equivalent to a Swiss bachelor’s degree. Outstanding academic results and C1 proficiency in the programme’s teaching language are required. Final-year bachelor’s students may apply if they complete the degree before the master’s begins.
Some master’s are excluded, including medicine, specified education and health programmes, Sustainable Management and Technology, Human Taphonomy and MAS continuing-education routes. Law is restricted to the listed eligible specialisms. Finance, psychology, arts and nursing applicants must also check additional admission conditions.
Applicants considering a distinct international master’s can review Erasmus Mundus NOHA Scholarship. Its subject, mobility and selection conditions are separate.
Requirements and Documents
Upload one PDF with the documents in UNIL’s requested order. It includes a CV with photo, a one-to-two-page covering letter, degree and transcript evidence, language evidence where required, school-leaving diploma, passport and fee-payment proof. Provide authenticated translations where the document language requires them.
Two referees send their letters directly from professional email addresses after online registration. Applicants with degrees from states outside the Lisbon Convention process must also post university-certified academic copies in a sealed envelope. UNIL does not accept a notary or Hague Apostille as a substitute for that university certification.
How to Apply for the UNIL Masters Scholarship
Choose an eligible master’s and read its teaching-language and admission rules. Then prepare the ordered PDF and pay the administrative fee under UNIL’s instructions. Check whether the separate certified-copy postal requirement applies to your awarding country.
Submit the scholarship application online before arranging the referee emails. Have both referees send their letters by the deadline. Where required, post the university-certified documents in time to meet the stated postmark cutoff.
For a specialist master’s route in fire safety, see IMFSE Scholarship. Compare subject fit and current funding terms before choosing an application.
Application Deadline
The current call closes on 1 November 2026. Online registration and recommendation emails are due by that date. Required certified-copy mail is assessed using the 1 November postmark date.
UNIL gives no closing hour or timezone on its official scholarship page. Incomplete files will not be considered, so the online form alone is insufficient. Coordinate referee letters and any postal documents before the final date. UNIL says the Selection Board decides in March and notifies applicants in early April.
Frequently Asked Questions
These UNIL Masters Scholarship questions explain the grant’s main costs and document distinctions. They follow UNIL’s current scholarship page and FAQ. The programme-specific admission requirements must also be checked.
Applicants should distinguish admission fees from remaining semester fees. They should also separate the PDF upload from referee and postal requirements. These steps are parts of one complete scholarship application.
Does the scholarship cover all living costs?
No. UNIL explicitly says the CHF1,600 monthly grant does not cover the full cost of living in Switzerland.
Is there an application fee?
Yes. A CHF200 administrative fee is required and is non-refundable.
Must I apply separately for master’s admission?
No. The scholarship application also acts as the application to the selected master’s.
Can I apply before completing my bachelor’s?
Yes, provided the qualifying degree is obtained before the chosen master’s begins.
Who sends the recommendation letters?
The two authors send their letters directly from professional email addresses after online registration.
Are certified postal copies always required?
No. The extra postal process applies to degrees from states that have not ratified the Lisbon Convention, under UNIL’s stated rules.
Conclusion
The UNIL Masters Scholarship provides monthly support and registration-fee relief for selected foreign-university graduates. It remains partial funding, with rent and additional living costs to budget. Programme eligibility, C1 language rules and the complete application file are central decisions.
Prepare the ordered PDF, fee evidence and referee arrangements before submission. Check the certified-copy process for your awarding country. Complete all applicable steps by 1 November 2026 and rely on UNIL for current admission and selection instructions.
