Destination Switzerland: this guide takes you, in order, through what to do to study there on your own. You will find studies and admission, visa and residence permit, health insurance, housing, budget and funds, on arrival and working while you study, and every fact links to its official page.

Choosing a higher education institution and getting admitted

In Switzerland, a "higher education institution" means a university, a federal institute of technology (ETH/EPFL), a university of applied sciences or a university of teacher education. In French-speaking Switzerland, examples include the University of Geneva (UNIGE), the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and EPFL.

Admission requirements depend on the country where you obtained your secondary school-leaving certificate (for example the baccalauréat) and on the university you choose. swissuniversities publishes a country-by-country list for the 2026/27 academic year. Each university's own rules are always decisive.

An example from that list: with a baccalauréat from Senegal, the University of Geneva asks for a grade average of 12/20 plus a complementary exam called ECUS; EPFL asks for an entrance examination. Check the line for your country and your university before applying.

To get a residence permit, you must follow full-time studies (at least 20 hours of classes per week) and present a personal study plan. As a rule, a course lasting at most eight years is allowed.

  1. Find your country and your university in the swissuniversities list.
  2. Apply directly to the university (each university has its own calendar).
  3. Prepare proof of your language level: for a university, the SEM generally refers to level B2 (in a national language, possibly English), unless the university requires a preparatory language course.
  4. Keep your admission letter: you will need it for the visa and the residence permit.

Official links

The national D visa for studies

For studies lasting more than 90 days, nationals of every African country must obtain a national visa, called a "D visa", before entering Switzerland, according to the list of the SEM (State Secretariat for Migration) in its version of 3 April 2026. An exception applies if you already hold a valid residence permit from a Schengen country or a valid D visa.

You apply at the Swiss representation (embassy or consulate) in your country of residence. The SEM states that visa-required nationals who want to study in Switzerland must appear in person. The embassy does not decide: it forwards the file to the migration office of the canton where you will study.

Processing takes time. The Canton of Vaud asks you to apply at least two to three months before your planned date of entry. The Swiss Embassy in Senegal, for example, gives an indicative processing time of about 8 to 12 weeks.

There is no automatic right to a student permit: the canton can refuse an application even when the conditions are met. The exact documents and fees vary by embassy: always check the page of the Swiss representation in your country.

  1. National D visa application form, completed and signed
  2. Valid passport
  3. Admission (or enrolment) certificate from the school or university
  4. Diplomas obtained, CV and motivation letter
  5. Personal study plan: total length, target degree, plans after your studies
  6. Proof of financial means (bank statement, scholarship, or a financial guarantee signed by a sponsor)
  7. Written commitment to leave Switzerland after your studies (not required in every canton for Swiss higher education institutions)

Official links

Where are you from? Do you need a visa?

The rule depends on the country of your passport. Choose it to see the answer that applies to you.

You are from…

The rules for each group of countries

NationalitiesVisaGood to know
These nationalities:
Show the 54 countries

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Visa requiredYou must obtain a national D visa before entering Switzerland for studies lasting more than 90 days (SEM list, version of 3 April 2026). Apply in person at the Swiss embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence, at least two to three months before you leave. Exception: you already hold a valid Schengen residence permit or a valid D visa.
All nationalities except:
Show the 54 countries

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

It dependsFor your nationality, the visa requirement for more than 90 days depends on the country: check your country's line in the official SEM list (annex CH-1, list 1), then ask the Swiss representation in your country of residence.

Compulsory health insurance

In Switzerland, basic health insurance is compulsory. It is often called "LAMal" (KVG in German), after the federal health insurance law. Anyone settling in Switzerland must take out insurance within three months of arrival.

Students from a country outside the EU, EFTA and the United Kingdom can apply for exemption from this obligation, on one condition: having private insurance that covers as much as a Swiss health insurer. You apply to the competent authority in your canton.

The exemption lasts three years and can be extended for another three years at most. After that, you must take out Swiss insurance. In the Canton of Vaud, UNIL states that proof of insurance must be submitted to OVAM (the Vaud health insurance office) within three months of arrival.

  1. Compare your current insurance with Swiss requirements before you leave.
  2. Within three months of arrival: apply for exemption or join an approved Swiss health insurer.
  3. For a personal question, contact your canton's authority (list published by the FOPH).

Official links

Finding accommodation

The SEM requires students to show that they have suitable accommodation. For the permit, the canton may ask for a copy of the lease (the rental contract) or a written statement from the person housing you.

Finding accommodation is hard, especially around Lausanne. UNIL explains that the market is very closed and that agencies often ask for many guarantees, including a Swiss guarantor (a person in Switzerland who promises to pay if you do not).

Start early: UNIL advises not to wait for your admission decision before searching. Registration periods for some student residences last only a few days. Also plan for a rent guarantee (a blocked deposit), which can be up to three months' rent.

  1. Register as early as possible for student residences in your city.
  2. Use your university's housing platforms (for example the Unil-EPFL portal).
  3. Beware of offers that look too good and do not pay a deposit before checking the accommodation.

Official links

Your budget and the financial means to prove

To obtain the permit, you must prove that you have enough money for the whole length of your studies. The SEM accepts, for example, a confirmation from a bank recognised in Switzerland, a guaranteed scholarship, or a commitment signed by a solvent person living in Switzerland.

The required amount depends on the canton. In Geneva, the cantonal population and migration office (OCPM) states CHF 20,000 per year or CHF 2,500 per month (page updated on 28 August 2024). For another canton, ask its migration office.

For daily life, UNIL estimates the average student budget in Lausanne at about CHF 2,050 per month (amount shown on the official website on 30 October 2026). On arrival, also plan for significant costs: visa, residence permit, local taxes, rent guarantee.

  1. Rent excluding charges in Lausanne: CHF 700 to 900 per month (indicative, UNIL)
  2. Food and living costs: CHF 850 to 900 per month (indicative, UNIL)
  3. Public transport: CHF 55 per month (indicative, UNIL)
  4. Proof in Geneva: a bank statement in your name of at least CHF 20,000 for one year, or a financial guarantee from a sponsor

Official links

Steps on arrival and the residence permit

After entering Switzerland, you must register your arrival with your municipality of residence (residents' registration and foreigners' office). In the Canton of Vaud, the deadline is fourteen days from entry into Switzerland. Bring your passport and at least one passport-size photo.

You will then receive an invitation to record your biometric data (photo and fingerprints). It is used to produce your residence permit in credit-card format.

If your studies last more than one year, you normally receive a B permit; for less than one year, an L permit. In Geneva, a permit for studies lasting several years is issued for one year and renewed until the end of your studies. The canton also checks that you pass your exams on time.

  1. Canton of Vaud: municipal registration fee, normally CHF 15 to 30 depending on the municipality (amount shown on the official website on 30 October 2026)
  2. Canton of Vaud: biometric residence card, normally CHF 105 to 117, plus CHF 20 for biometric registration (amounts shown on the official website on 30 October 2026)
  3. Report any change of school or study plan to the migration office: a new authorisation is required.
  4. In Geneva, a B permit lapses (is no longer valid) after more than 6 months outside Switzerland.

Official links

Working during and after your studies

Students from outside the EU/EFTA enrolled at a Swiss higher education institution can be allowed to have a side job during their studies. According to the SEM, this is possible at the earliest six months after arrival, with a maximum of 15 hours per week outside the holidays.

The school must confirm that the job does not delay your studies, and you need an authorisation before you start. During the holidays, the rule varies by canton: Geneva allows up to 40 hours per week, Vaud allows full-time work.

After a degree from a Swiss higher education institution, you can apply for a six-month permit to look for a qualified job. You need sufficient financial means and accommodation. During those six months, work is limited to 15 hours per week, and this permit cannot be extended.

  1. In Geneva: apply with form E and a letter of agreement from the school; wait for the OCPM decision before starting.
  2. In the Canton of Vaud: notify the Population Service; the Employment Service grants the authorisation.
  3. Side jobs are reserved for students of higher education institutions (universities, federal institutes of technology, universities of applied sciences and of teacher education).

Official links

The other path

Do you hold an official scholarship? See what changes for you.

Study there with a scholarship

Other destinations

The same path, on your own, in the other countries GradMe covers: compare before you choose.