University of Lucerne Admission 2027 for International Students

Admission at a glance

The University of Lucerne, Switzerland's youngest cantonal university, founded in 2000, teaches the great majority of its programmes in German and requires a non-native German speaker to show CEFR C1 proficiency, either through a C1-level language diploma or by having completed a prior degree taught in German, for admission to both bachelor's and master's study. A small set of master's programmes are taught entirely in English instead: the Master of Science in Health Sciences, the Master of Arts in Economics and Management, and the online Master's in Philosophy, Theology and Religions (PhilTeR); a non-native English speaker applying to one of these instead needs TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo English Test 120.

Applications for all study levels, bachelor's, master's and doctoral, go through the same online UniPortal system, and registration for the autumn semester opens 15 February and runs to the standard deadline of 30 April; the spring semester's window opens 15 September and closes 30 November. Every application, regardless of study level or faculty, carries the same CHF 100 fee, non-refundable and not transferable to another semester; a further CHF 150 surcharge applies to a late application where one is exceptionally accepted. On top of tuition, Lucerne charges an examination fee of CHF 70 a semester (CHF 420 total across a bachelor's degree, CHF 210 across a master's) and a CHF 20 student-organisation contribution.

Requirements

Bachelor

• A secondary school certificate the University of Lucerne recognises as granting access to higher education.
• CEFR C1 German for a non-native speaker, unless the applicant's prior schooling was conducted in German.
• Application through UniPortal within the published window: registration opens 15 February for the autumn semester, standard deadline 30 April.

Master

• A bachelor's degree the University of Lucerne recognises as equivalent; some programmes set further subject prerequisites.
• CEFR C1 German for most programmes, unless taught in English. Three master's programmes (Health Sciences; Economics and Management; the online PhilTeR programme) are taught entirely in English instead, requiring TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo English Test 120 for a non-native English speaker.
• Application through UniPortal within the same general window as bachelor's admission.

Full requirements and documents