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.

Requests for financial assistance should be submitted using the financial assistance application form, which you can download in the margin, 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.

UNIL offers various forms of assistance:

• Monthly grants, designed to offset a student’s loss of earnings;
• One-off financial assistance, to cover expenses associated with a particular situation (such as rent or health insurance arrears, the need to return home following the death of a close relative, funding for a placement associated with your studies, moving out in response to violence in the family home, etc.);
• One-off financial assistance to cover medical expenses (obligatory contribution to health-care costs, payment of annual excess, necessary medical expenses not covered by the Federal Health Insurance Act (LAMal), such as dental costs, etc.);
• Partial waiver of enrolment fees (students who are granted a waiver pay CHF 180 per semester instead of CHF 580).

Before you apply, please read Rectorate Directive 3.5 to check the eligibility requirements and criteria for being granted financial assistance.

Please contact us to make an appointment by email if you feel concerned. Please don't forget to communicate your phone number.