Université de Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland • Founded 1537 • World Rank #326
Overview
Founded in 1537, the Université de Lausanne (University of Lausanne) is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the suburban setting of the small city of Lausanne (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), Vaud.
Officially recognized by the Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation, Schweiz (State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation of Switzerland), Université de Lausanne (UNIL) is a large-sized coeducational Swiss higher education institution. Université de Lausanne (UNIL) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study.
International students are welcome to apply for enrollment. UNIL also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, as well as administrative services.
Location & Contact
Planning a visit to Université de Lausanne or following up with admissions? Location and contact details are listed below. Admissions email typically replies within 5–10 business days during peak season.
Academic Details
Scale, staffing, and recognition figures for Université de Lausanne are summarised below. These numbers help you size the institution against your shortlist and weigh academic depth alongside programme fit.
Academic Structures
Université de Lausanne's teaching organisation from faculties down to institutes. Faculty websites typically list their own programme catalogue, faculty bios, and contact information separately from the central site.
Unit 7 items
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Biology and Medicine
- Faculty of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Geosciences and Environment
- Faculty of Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration
- Faculty of Social and Political Sciences
- Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies
Degrees
Explore the degree tracks available at Université de Lausanne — from foundation routes through to doctoral programmes. Each level prepares graduates for distinct career or research trajectories.
Bachelor's 34 programs
Bachelor's programmes build foundational expertise, preparing graduates for entry-level professional roles and further postgraduate study.
- Ancient Civilizations
- Archaeology
- Art History
- Biology
- Classical Languages
- Computer Science
- Cultural Studies
- Earth Sciences
- Economics
- English
- Film
- Forensic Medicine and Dentistry
- French
- German
- Greek (Classical)
- History
- Italian
- Latin
- Law
- Linguistics
- Management
- Medicine
- Pharmacy
- Philosophy
- Political Sciences
- Psychology
- Religion
- Slavic Languages
- Social Sciences
- South Asian Studies
- Spanish
- Sports
- Theology
- Tibetan
Master's 63 programs
Master's programmes develop advanced specialised expertise, suited to senior industry positions and applied research.
- Accountancy
- Actuarial Science
- Architecture
- Archiving
- Art History
- Asian Studies
- Behavioural Sciences
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Biology
- Cinema and Television
- Civil Engineering
- Classical Languages
- Commercial Law
- Communication Studies
- Computer Science
- Criminal Law
- Development Studies
- Earth Sciences
- Economics
- Education
- English
- Environmental Studies
- European Union Law
- Finance
- Forensic Medicine and Dentistry
- French
- Geography
- Geology
- German
- Government
- Health Administration
- Health Sciences
- Heritage Preservation
- History
- Information Sciences
- Information Technology
- International Business
- Italian
- Law
- Leadership
- Library Science
- Management
- Medicine
- Modern Languages
- Molecular Biology
- Museum Studies
- Nursing
- Pharmacy
- Philosophy
- Political Sciences
- Postal Services
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Rehabilitation and Therapy
- Religion
- Social Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Spanish
- Sports
- Theology
- Town Planning
- Transport Management
- Urban Studies
Doctoral 25 programs
Doctoral programmes train independent researchers, leading to academic, scientific, and senior advisory careers.
- Applied Mathematics
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Criminology
- Earth Sciences
- Economics
- Educational Sciences
- Fine Arts
- Forensic Medicine and Dentistry
- Information Technology
- Law
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Medicine
- Natural Sciences
- Neurosciences
- Nursing
- Political Sciences
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Public Law
- Religious Studies
- Social Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Sports
- Theology
- Tourism
Faculties & Divisions
All faculties operate under Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation, Schweiz.
Arts (Faculty) 26 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Archaeology
- Archiving
- Art History
- Arts and Humanities
- Asian Studies
- Cinema and Television
- Classical Languages
- Communication Studies
- Comparative Literature
- Computer Science
- English
- Foreign Languages Education
- French
- German
- Heritage Preservation
- History
- History of Religion
- Italian
- Linguistics
- Medieval Studies
- Museum Studies
- Philosophy
- Slavic Languages
- South Asian Studies
- Spanish
- Translation and Interpretation
Biology and Medicine (Faculty) 16 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Behavioural Sciences
- Biology
- Business Administration
- Cardiology
- Computer Science
- Ecology
- Immunology
- Medicine
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Neurosciences
- Nursing
- Occupational Health
- Oncology
- Pharmacy
- Sports Management
Common Career Paths
- Physician
- Medical Researcher
- Clinical Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Business and Economics (Faculty) 19 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Accountancy
- Actuarial Science
- Administration
- Business Administration
- Criminal Law
- Economics
- Engineering Management
- Finance
- Health Administration
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- Information Sciences
- Information Technology
- International Business
- Law
- Logic
- Management
- Marketing
- Public Administration
- Tourism
Common Career Paths
- Business Analyst
- Operations Manager
- Strategy Consultant
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Geosciences and Environment (Faculty) 12 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Chemistry
- Development Studies
- Earth Sciences
- Ecology
- Environmental Studies
- Geography
- Geology
- Government
- Physics
- Town Planning
- Urban Studies
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Law, Criminal Justice and Public Administration (Faculty) 14 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Commercial Law
- Comparative Law
- Criminal Law
- Economics
- European Union Law
- Fiscal Law
- Information Technology
- International Law
- Labour Law
- Law
- Modern Languages
- Private Law
- Public Law
- Welfare and Protective Services
Common Career Paths
- Lawyer
- Legal Consultant
- Compliance Officer
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Social and Political Sciences (Faculty) 16 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Education
- Educational Sciences
- Human Resources
- Mathematics
- Neurosciences
- Physical Education
- Political Sciences
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Religion
- Social Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Sports
- Teacher Training
- Tourism
- Town Planning
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Theology and Religious Studies (Faculty) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Religious Studies
- Theology
Common Career Paths
- Religious Educator
- Pastoral Counsellor
- Faith Community Leader
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Public Administration (Graduate School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Public Administration
Criminal Justice (School) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Criminal Law
- Criminology
- Forensic Medicine and Dentistry
- Information Technology
- Protective Services
French as a Foreign Language (School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Foreign Languages Education
- French
Pharmacy (Unit) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Pharmacy
Common Career Paths
- Pharmacist
- Clinical Pharmacist
- Pharmaceutical Researcher
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Programs Offered
Search the Université de Lausanne programme catalogue or scan it by degree level. The catalogue updates periodically; recently added programmes may not yet appear in some search-engine results.
Bachelor's Degree
15 programmes
These 15 programmes make up Université de Lausanne's undergraduate catalogue. A bachelor's degree is the baseline credential for most graduate careers and advanced study.
Psychology Psychologie Psychology
Theology Théologie Religious Studies
Religious Studies Sciences des religions Religious Studies
Social Sciences Sciences sociales Social Sciences & Education
Political Science Science politique Politics & International Relations
Sport and Movement Science Sciences du mouvement et du sport Sport and Exercise Science
Letters (Humanities) Lettres Humanities & Cultural Studies
Management Business & Management
Economics Économie Economics
Geosciences and Environment Géosciences et environnement Earth Sciences & Geology
Forensic Science Science forensique Forensic Science
Law Droit Law
Pharmaceutical Sciences Sciences pharmaceutiques Pharmacy
Medicine Médecine Medicine
Biology Biologie Biological Sciences
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Master's Degree
44 programmes
There are 44 programmes to choose from at Université de Lausanne for graduates, aimed at advanced expertise, a career change, or a stepping stone toward doctoral research.
Accounting, Control and Finance Comptabilité, contrôle et finance Finance, Banking & Insurance
Social Sciences Sciences sociales Social Sciences & Education
Political Science Science politique Politics & International Relations
Digital Humanities Humanités numériques Humanities & Cultural Studies
Letters with Specialization Lettres avec spécialisation Humanities & Cultural Studies
Letters (Humanities) Lettres Humanities & Cultural Studies
Law and Economics Droit et économie Economics
Sustainable Management and Technology Management durable et technologie Business & Management
Actuarial Science Sciences actuarielles Economics
Psychology Psychologie Psychology
Finance Finance, Banking & Insurance
Information Systems and Digital Innovation Systèmes d'information et innovation numérique Computer Science & IT
Economics Économie Economics
Management Business & Management
Climate, Environment and Energy (Interdisciplinary) Études transdisciplinaires du climat, de l'environnement et de l'énergie Sustainable Development
Sustainability and Socio-Ecological Transformations Durabilité et transformations socio-écologiques Sustainable Development
Tourism Studies Études du tourisme Geography
Biogeosciences Biogéosciences Earth Sciences & Geology
Environmental Sciences Sciences de l'environnement Environmental Sciences
Religious Studies Sciences des religions avec ou sans spécialisation Religious Studies
Theology Théologie Religious Studies
Didactics of Physical Education Didactique de l'éducation physique Education & Teaching
Education Sciences and Practice Sciences et pratiques de l'éducation Education & Teaching
Sport and Movement Science Sciences du mouvement et du sport Sport and Exercise Science
Molecular Sciences of Life Sciences moléculaires du vivant Biochemistry
Medical Biology Biologie médicale Biochemistry
Behaviour, Evolution and Conservation Comportement, évolution et conservation Biological Sciences
Taphonomy (Human Remains) Taphonomie humaine Forensic Science
Public Policy and Management Politique et management publics Public Policy
Geography, Environment and Land Planning Géographie, environnement et aménagement Geography
Earth Sciences Sciences de la Terre Earth Sciences & Geology
Forensic Science (Digital Investigation Orientation) Science forensique, orientation investigation et identification numériques Forensic Science
Forensic Science (Physical Identification Orientation) Science forensique, orientation identification physique Forensic Science
Forensic Science (Chemical Orientation) Science forensique, orientation criminalistique chimique Forensic Science
Criminal Analysis and Trace Evidence Analyse criminelle et traçologie Forensic Science
Criminology and Security Criminologie et sécurité Criminal Law & Justice
Judicial Professions Professions judiciaires Criminal Law & Justice
Law, Criminality and Cybersecurity Droit, criminalité et sécurité des technologies de l'information Law
Law (Zurich-Lausanne Joint Programme) Droit des Universités de Zurich et Lausanne Law
Law Droit Law
Specialized Nursing Practice Pratique infirmière spécialisée Nursing
Health Sciences Sciences de la santé Health Sciences
Nursing Sciences Sciences infirmières Nursing
Medicine Médecine Medicine
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Doctorate
11 programmes
These 11 programmes make up Université de Lausanne's doctoral catalogue, where candidates work closely with supervisors to produce publishable, original research.
PhD in Nursing Sciences PhD - Sciences infirmières Nursing
PhD in Tourism Studies PhD - Études du tourisme Geography
PhD in Environmental Sciences PhD - Sciences de l'environnement Environmental Sciences
PhD in Earth Sciences PhD - Sciences de la Terre Earth Sciences & Geology
PhD in Geography PhD - Géographie Geography
Doctorate in Letters Doctorat ès Lettres Humanities & Cultural Studies
MD in Medicine MD - Médecine Medicine
MD-PhD in Medicine and Sciences MD-PhD - Médecine et sciences Medicine
PhD in Humanities and Social Sciences of Medicine and Health PhD - Sciences humaines et sociales de la médecine et de la santé Health Sciences
PhD in Neurosciences PhD - Neurosciences Neuroscience
PhD in Life Sciences PhD - Sciences de la vie Biological Sciences
No programmes match your filter in this level.
How to apply to Université de Lausanne
What applying to Université de Lausanne typically involves — research, eligibility check, document prep, submission, and follow-up.
- 1 Find a programme that fits your goals
Université de Lausanne's catalogue includes 70 programmes. Browse by level, identify candidates matching your prior qualifications, and note their entry requirements for the next step.
- 2 Confirm you meet the requirements
Entry requirements vary by programme and degree level. Verify academic minimums, language tests (if international), and any additional documents required for Université de Lausanne's admissions process.
- 3 Assemble your application package
Typical documents include academic transcripts, identity proof (passport or national ID), language proficiency test scores, a personal statement or motivation letter, and recommendation letters. International applicants should account for translation and notarisation time.
- 4 Submit your application
Submit your completed application through Université de Lausanne's official website at www.unil.ch. Most institutions use an online portal — register an account, complete the application form, and upload your prepared documents. Keep copies of all submissions and confirmation receipts.
- 5 Contact admissions and follow up
Follow up to confirm your application was received and is being processed. Reach the institution by phone at +41 (21) 692 1111. Admissions teams may request interviews or additional documents — respond promptly to keep your application active.
Frequently Asked Questions about Université de Lausanne
Below are the key facts most prospective students ask about Université de Lausanne, drawn directly from institutional records.
How old is Université de Lausanne?
The institution opened in 1537 (approximately 489 years ago).
What city is Université de Lausanne in?
Université de Lausanne operates from Lausanne, Switzerland.
Is Université de Lausanne public or private?
Université de Lausanne is a public institution.
How big is Université de Lausanne's student body?
Université de Lausanne serves approximately 10,000-14,999 students.
Where does Université de Lausanne stand in university rankings?
It ranks #326 globally and #6 in Switzerland.
What qualification levels does Université de Lausanne offer?
Université de Lausanne offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
How many faculties does Université de Lausanne have?
Université de Lausanne has 7 academic units.
Is Université de Lausanne officially recognised?
Université de Lausanne is accredited by Swiss Center of Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (OAQ), EQUIS.
How do I find Université de Lausanne online?
The institution's website is www.unil.ch.
Top-Ranked Universities in Switzerland
The institutions topping Switzerland's rankings give national context for Université de Lausanne. Context matters because employer perception in Switzerland often correlates with national rankings.
Members of European University Association (EUA)
Other European University Association (EUA) members offer mobility and exchange compatibility with Université de Lausanne. Exchange compatibility is one of the more practical benefits of shared network membership.
Faculties at Nearby Universities
Students considering Université de Lausanne often compare it against universities in the same region. Below are nearby institutions with comparable academic departments and student support structures, useful for cross-shortlisting.
Universities Often Compared with Université de Lausanne
Looking at Université de Lausanne through a comparison lens? These universities share similar academic positioning and are commonly considered against Université de Lausanne during the application process. Cross-comparison helps clarify the institutional fit beyond ranking signals.
