Western Switzerland, home to Lausanne, is in the heart of the French-speaking region, only a few hours by train away from popular destinations in France, Italy, and Germany. With the Alps rising majestically only ten miles away, the surrounding view is stunning.The ancient streets of Lausanne ring and reverberate with live music, avant-garde theater, and other entertainment during July’s Festival de la Cité, a major highlight for summer session students.
The university campus, located just outside the city center, is home to around 10,000 students, 2,000 of which come from 86 different countries. Extensive sports centers as well as a number of cultural organizations are available for your enjoyment and an opportunity to augment your study of the French language.
Click
here to watch a video about life at UNIL.
Disclaimer:
Due to the continued impact of COVID-19, applicants should be aware that changes to academic calendars may occur with little or no notice. Students are encouraged to either wait to book travel or book travel that allows for changes with no financial penalty.
Applicants should also be aware that processing of visas may be impacted or halted by specific countries. Failure to secure the necessary visa may result in inability to participate in this program.
Participants on this program may be required to self-quarantine prior to the start of their program for a specified period of time. Students are responsible for arranging (logistics and financial) their travel appropriately to ensure self-quarantine is completed prior to the start of the program.
Room and Board:
All exchange students are guaranteed placement in one of the university’s student residences which are located about 10 minutes by public transportation to the campus. There are single rooms, studio flats, and flats for two or more persons. Please go to the university’s Housing Foundation (FMEL) website for the different residences and the options that are offered: www.fmel.ch. Students who wish other accommodation from the standard student residence can request accommodation lists from the Housing Service. Click here for more information.
Dates:
Fall: September to early February
Spring: Mid-February to Mid-June
The University of Lausanne (UNIL) is one of Europe’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning. Originally founded as a school of theology in 1537, it became a university in 1890. Today, it is a comprehensive university with seven school and faculties, and one of the only Swiss university with offerings in English at the undergraduate level. The Université de Lausanne is beautifully set on the shores of Lake Leman (also known as Lake Geneva) in the Dorigny Plains of Switzerland.
Please note the UNIL offers limited courses taught in English at the undergraduate level; each school/college determines if undergraduate students are permitted to take graduate level courses. The most options available in English are in Business and Economics, Biology, and English literature. Ideally, applicants should have taken at least one 200 level college French course prior to participation in this program. However,
prior knowledge of French is not required as long as the applicant's desired classes are taught in English; you can view courses taught in English here: UNIL_courses_in_English_2019-2020_20191204.pdf.
To see all available courses, click
here for the course search feature, or
here to see the departments available--clicking on a department will allow you to view details and access a general course list.
Academic Areas:
Business
French Language
Humanities
Social Sciences
Theology and Religious Studies
Grading Scale:
Lausanne Grade UM Grade
6.0 (excellent) A
5.5 (very good) A-
5 (good) B
4.5 (satisfactory) C+
4 (pass) C
0 – 3.9 (fail) F
Credit Equivalency:
1 ECTS credit = .5 UM credit
Lausanne (pronouced loh-
san) is a hilly, lakeside city, serving as the Vaud canton's capital and Switzerland's 4th largest city. Today, Lausanne is home to a grand Gothic cathedral, a medieval city center, a bustling art & music scene as well as several museums and the International Olympic Committee. Lausanne's roots were as Lousonna, a stop for the Romans on their way from Italy to Gaul.
Steamships operate on the lake, giving the people of Lausanne an alternate option to the train for their travel around the lake. Nearby are
UNESCO recognized wine trellises,
the home of Charlie Chaplin and
Freddie Mercury's statue in Montreaux.
If you have questions about attending this UM Partner Program, please contact Corey Rodriguez for more information at c.rosenthal@miami.edu .
