Financial assistance and fees waiver from UNIL
If you are experiencing financial problems, UNIL can offer you support. Under certain conditions, you can be exempted from paying semester fees or apply for one-off financial assistance.
Financial assistance from UNIL
The University of Lausanne has a social fund aimed at students who are experiencing one-off or long-term financial difficulties. Financial assistance can be granted in addition to a study grant from the canton, if the grant offered is not enough or if your application is turned down. SASME can also help by offering an advance while you are waiting for a cantonal grant.
Before you apply, please read Rectorate Directive 3.5 to check the eligibility requirements and criteria for being granted financial assistance.
Requests for financial assistance should be submitted using the financial assistance application form, which you can download below, accompanied by the relevant supporting evidence. The request must be sent directly by email at affaires.sociales@unil.ch. Should you have first any questions, you can make an appointment to talk to one of our social counsellors or come into the office during opening hours.
Our social counsellor will examine your application during a face-to-face meeting with you and decide whether it should be referred to UNIL’s Social Assistance Committee (Conseil des aides sociales).
Requests for financial assistance can be submitted at any time of year!
Service des affaires sociales et de la mobilité étudiante (SASME)
Questions and request for waiver by email:
affaires.sociales@unil.ch. Please indicate your phone number.
Partial university fees waiver
SASME examines applications for a partial waiver of course enrolment fees (students who are granted a waiver pay CHF 180 per semester instead of CHF 580) and refers them to UNIL’s Social Assistance Committee (Conseil des aides sociales) for a decision, provided the student fulfils the relevant conditions.
Requests for a waiver should be submitted using the fee waiver application form, which you can download below, accompanied by the relevant supporting evidence. Please send your request by email at affaires.sociales@unil.ch. You can also make an appointment to talk to one of our social counsellors or come into the office during working hours.
Before you apply, please read Rectorate Directive 3.5 to check the eligibility requirements and criteria for being granted a partial waiver of enrolment fees.
Unlike a request for financial assistance, applications for a partial waiver from course enrolment fees must reach SASME by 25 September at the latest for the autumn semester or the academic year and 25 February for the spring semester.
After these dates, SASME won’t accept any application for a partial waiver of course enrolment fees.
Finally, students whose waiting period for their cantonal study grant application is longer than the usual deadline communicated by the Cantonal Office can submit a request for a partial waiver within the aforementioned deadlines.
Therefore, please note that students in receipt of a study grant from the canton are not entitled to apply for a partial waiver of course enrolment fees, since these are included in the amount of the cantonal grant.
Service des affaires sociales et de la mobilité étudiante (SASME)
Questions and request for waiver by email:
affaires.sociales@unil.ch. Please indicate your phone number.
FAQ
No, SASME cannot provide support for a 2nd Bachelor or a 2nd Master.
Is there a deadline for applying for SASME financial aid? There is a deadline set at 25 September / 25 February for the semi-annual tax reduction. There is no deadline for applying for financial assistance.
Between CHF 100.- and CHF 700.-
Yes, if you are Swiss, have a C permit or are a recognised refugee, and have applied for a cantonal grant beforehand.
Yes, provided you have completed your first Bachelor's/Master's degree at UNIL, and have validated 60 Bachelor's credits and 30 Master's credits.
Yes, you can benefit from both a semester fee waiver and a monthly grant.
If your application is complete, you should expect to receive an answer within two weeks.
Yes, if the amount granted by the cantonal grant appears to be insufficient to cover your monthly budget.
Yes, you can apply for a scholarship at UNIL if you have been refused a cantonal grant.
Yes, the SASME can make an advance on a cantonal grant, provided you apply to the canton as soon as possible.
As a general rule, it is the parents' canton of residence that is decisive for a cantonal grant application.