USI Lugano Master's Merit Scholarship
Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) — based in Lugano, the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland — offers merit scholarships ranging from CHF 4,000 to CHF 16,000 per year (LKR 1.48M-5.92M/year) to outstanding international Master's applicants. USI is Switzerland's youngest public university (founded 1996) but has rapidly grown into a respected research institution, particularly strong in informatics (the Faculty of Informatics is one of Europe's top CS schools), economics, communication sciences, and architecture (Accademia di architettura at Mendrisio). All Master's programmes are taught in English. Sri Lankan applicants find USI an attractive smaller-university alternative to ETH Zurich or HSG, with more accessible admissions and a uniquely Italian-Swiss cultural experience.
Autumn Semester 2027: applications open December 2026; main deadline 30 April 2027 (with scholarship consideration); final deadline 30 June 2027
Università della Svizzera italiana
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
CHF 4,000 / 8,000 / 16,000 per Year
Duration
2 Years (renewable)
Application
Automatic at Admission
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
Università della Svizzera italiana — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
How you are considered
Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.
What it covers
CHF 4,000 / CHF 8,000 / CHF 16,000 (Per Year). This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.
Where we come in
We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
USI Master's Admission
You must be applying to or admitted to a USI Master's programme. USI offers Master's in Informatics (Software Engineering, AI, Computational Science), Economics, Finance, Management, Communication Sciences, Architecture, and Italian Culture. All Master's are taught in English.
Strong Academic Record
Awards are tiered by academic merit. Top tier (CHF 16,000) typically for first-class Bachelor's holders from recognised universities. Mid-tier (CHF 8,000) for solid second-upper. Lower tier (CHF 4,000) for adequate-but-not-exceptional profiles.
International Fee Status
Open to international students paying USI's non-Swiss tuition (~CHF 4,000 / semester for non-EU, EUR 2,000 / semester for EU). Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka are eligible.
English + Italian Proficiency
All Master's are English-taught — IELTS 6.5+ or TOEFL iBT 88+ required. Italian is NOT required for academic purposes but is useful for daily life in Lugano. Sri Lankan applicants with English-medium degrees may qualify for the MOI-letter waiver.
account_tree Application Process
Apply to USI Master's by 30 April
Submit your USI Master's application via the USI online portal by 30 April 2027 for full scholarship consideration. Applications received after this date (up to 30 June) are still considered for admission but may not be eligible for scholarship awards depending on remaining budget.
Submit application materials
Required: transcripts, motivation letter, CV, English proficiency, two recommendations. USI does not require GMAT/GRE for most Master's. Submit one application — no separate scholarship form.
Automatic scholarship review
USI's faculty admissions committees review applications for both admission and scholarship tier. There is no separate scholarship application — strength of academic record + motivation letter determines award tier. Decisions are communicated within 6-8 weeks of application.
Acceptance + Swiss D-visa
Successful applicants accept the Master's offer and scholarship via the USI portal. Use the offer + scholarship + financial documents to apply for the Swiss national D-visa at the Swiss Embassy in New Delhi (Sri Lankan applicants apply via Delhi).
Why USI?
USI is Switzerland's third public university to teach in a non-German/French language — its primary identity is Italian-Swiss. With campuses in Lugano (main) and Mendrisio (architecture), it offers a uniquely small-scale Swiss research experience. The Faculty of Informatics consistently ranks among Europe's top 50 CS schools (with strong AI research). The Lugano region offers excellent quality of life — Lake Lugano, easy access to Milan (1 hour by train) and Zurich (3 hours).
#251
QS World Ranking 2026
~3,000
Students (Small Scale)
1996
Year Founded
Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?
Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
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The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
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Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for Switzerland, in LKR as well as local currency.
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Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
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