Lake Zurich at golden hour with the Swiss Alps in the background and trees on the shoreline.

Switzerland Admission for the autumn semester closes at the end of April; scholarship applications run alongside and have earlier internal deadlines

University of Lucerne Master's Scholarship

Lucerne is Switzerland's smallest public university and one of its least known internationally, which is precisely why it is worth a look — competition for its scholarships is a fraction of what applicants face at Zurich, Geneva or St. Gallen. Founded in its modern form in 2000 with roots going back to 1600, it teaches law, economics, health sciences, cultural and social sciences, and theology, with English-taught Master's programmes in areas including international and business law, health sciences, and world society and global governance. Base tuition is low by international standards at roughly CHF 810 a semester, and the university's scholarship scheme adds a living contribution on top for outstanding international students. The campus sits directly beside Lucerne railway station on the lake, which removes the commuting cost that eats into student budgets in larger Swiss cities.

University of Lucerne

University-funded

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Coverage

Tuition + up to ~CHF 1,600/month living

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Base Tuition

~CHF 810/semester (~LKR 299,700)

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University Size

~3,300 Students — Small Cohorts

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Strong Bachelor's Record

A completed Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline with results in the upper band of your cohort. Sri Lankan first-class and strong second-upper graduates from Colombo, Peradeniya, Kelaniya and recognised private universities present well.

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Admission to a Lucerne Master's

The scholarship is tied to admission. Confirm which programmes are taught fully in English before applying — several Master's at Lucerne are German-language or bilingual.

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Demonstrated Financial Need

Awards combine academic merit with need. You will be asked for evidence of family income and of the funding gap between your resources and Swiss living costs, which run around CHF 21,000 a year.

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English Proficiency

IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 90 for the English-taught programmes, waived where your Bachelor's was taught and assessed entirely in English. German B2 is required only for German-language tracks.

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Confirm the programme language and entry rules

Check the specific Master's page for language of instruction and any prerequisite credits. Lucerne assesses curriculum equivalence and may prescribe supplementary coursework for non-Swiss bachelor's degrees.

Submit the admission application

Apply to the university's admissions office with certified transcripts, degree certificate and sworn translations. Non-EU applicants should submit well before the end-April deadline for the autumn semester.

Apply for the scholarship

Motivation letter setting out academic plans and need
Full financial documentation for you and your family
Academic references
Proof of English proficiency or a Medium of Instruction letter

Decision and confirmation

Scholarship outcomes are normally communicated over the summer for an autumn start. A funding confirmation is helpful for the Swiss student visa, which requires proof of roughly CHF 21,000 in accessible funds.

Visa application

Apply for the Swiss national D visa at the embassy handling Sri Lanka. Processing runs eight to twelve weeks and cannot be expedited, so hold the admission letter early.

Why Lucerne?

The University of Lucerne is deliberately small — around 3,300 students — which produces seminar-sized classes and genuine access to faculty. Its law and health sciences faculties are well regarded within Switzerland, and Lucerne itself is a compact, lakeside city with an hour's train connection to Zurich, Bern and Basel.