2020 Edition Table of Contents

2020 edition Table of contents

WELCOME DAY �� 4 HOLIDAY CLASSES ��14

VISA AND RESIDENCE PERMITS ��4 FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES �� 15

VISA FOR STUDIES�� 4 RESIDENCE PERMIT �� 4 PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND GETTING TO Welcome to the University of THE CAMPUS �� 15 MUNICIPAL REGISTRATION OFFICES 7 Lausanne! UNIL-EPFL SPORTS CENTRE �� 15 RESIDENCY TAX AND EXEMPTION ��8 You will now be getting ready to spend one or two semesters pursuing your studies in Lausanne and we HEALTH AND EMERGENCIES �� 16 are delighted you will be joining us. This guide aims to HOUSING ��8 provide you with all the key information you need to plan for your time here as well as you can. FONDATION MAISONS POUR ÉTUDIANTS ESN ASSOCIATION �� 16 LAUSANNE (FMEL) �� 8 The Social Affairs and Student Mobility Office UNIL-EPFL ACCOMMODATION DATABASE �� 9 CONTACTS �� 17 (SASME) will be your main point of contact when you RENT GUARANTEE �� 9 arrive at UNIL. You can get in touch with us for any questions you may have about: HEALTH AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE 10 • visas, residence permits, accommodation, insu- STUDENTS FROM AN EU/EFTA MEMBER rance, etc. STATE (B OR L PERMIT)��10 • grants STUDENTS FROM NON EU/EFTA COUNTRIES (B OR L PERMIT) ��11 Any academic questions should be referred to one of USEFUL ADRESSES ��11 the mobility advisers in each of the seven faculties at UNIL. OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT �� 12 We hope you enjoy reading the guide and look forward to welcoming you on campus at the start of IT ACCESS AND STUDENT CARD 12 the new semester. CHOICE OF CLASSES �� 13 Social Affairs and Student Mobility Office (SASME) TEACHING LANGUAGE ��13 LIST OF COURSES TAUGHT IN ENGLISH �13 LANGUAGE LEVEL REQUIRED ��13 CREDITS ��14 MARK SCHEME ��14

FRENCH CLASSES �� 14

SCHOOL OF FRENCH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFLE) ��14 2 3 within 8 days of arriving in Switzer- sent a certificate from the accom- WELCOME DAY land. When you register, the commu- modation provider, their lease and nal office will submit a request for a a copy of their identity document. The Social Affairs and Student Mobility Office (SASME) organises a welcome residence permit to the Service de la day for exchange students each semester. Traditionally, this takes place the • Final certificate of enrolment, Population de Lausanne in the canton week before classes resume, on the Thursday for the autumn semester and the showing the exact period of study. of Vaud. The commune where you are start of the academic year, and on the Friday for the spring semester. living will ask for a number of docu- • Evidence of your financial re- This event is an opportunity for you to find out more about the various services ments to accompany the application sources (+ grant) such as: available to you at UNIL (the sports centre, library, language centre, learning for a residence permit. • A personal declaration from your French as a foreign language, etc.) and the faculty that will be hosting you for When you visit the communal of- bank with sufficient funds to co- your exchange. There will be a series of presentations during the information fice, you must in all cases complete ver the costs of study; session, after which you will have the chance to visit various stands, followed a cantonal declaration form (a blue by a social event. • Your parents’ financial resources: “arrival declaration” form for citizens a guarantee from your parents or SASME will send you an invitation by email in the weeks running up to the of EU/EFTA Member States or a a handwritten letter stating their event. yellow “arrival report” form for citizens willingness to provide financial of other countries). Before you visit support, with a copy of their iden- the Population office of the commune tity documents, copies of their where you are living, please check the VISA AND RESIDENCE last three pay slips and bank/pos- commune’s website or contact them tal account details; to find out exactly which documents PERMITS you need to provide before you arrive. • Financial resources from a third VISA FOR STUDIES A visa gives you permission to enter Requirements can vary from one dis- party/guarantor: a guarantee from Switzerland but not permission to trict to another. You will usually need guarantor or a handwritten letter reside. You will have to apply for a stating their willingness to provide To check whether you need a visa, to provide the following documents: residence permit when you arrive in financial support, with a copy of depending on your nationality, please Switzerland in all circumstances (cf. their identity document, copies see the Swiss Confederation website. • A valid passport or identity card below). of their last three pay slips and (with an entry visa for citizens of If you wish to stay in Switzerland for bank/postal account details Citizens of European Union (EU) and more than 90 days for study purpo- third countries) European Free Trade Association • If you work, your employment ses, you need to apply for a so-called • B, C or L permit if you already (EFTA) Member States do not need contract with a form from the “D” visa (or national visa) from the di- have one (which should not be the a visa. They may enter Switzerland Service de la population (SPOP) plomatic representation (embassy or case) freely with a valid identity docu- in the EU/EFTA or a third country consulate) closest to your home. You ment but must inform the Bureau du • A civil-status document depen- confirming you are in work; must submit the application from your contrôle de l’habitant/Office de la po- ding on your current situation (if country of residence, before you arrive • CHF 65.00 (EU/EFTA) or CHF pulation in the administrative district you are single: a birth certificate; in Switzerland. A visa application 117.00 (third country) + adminis- where they are living on arrival in the if married: a marriage certificate; takes between 2 and 3 months to be tration fee for your commune (de- country (cf. below). if divorced, your divorce decree) processed. You are therefore advised pending on where you live ; allow translated into a national lan- to submit your application in June at approximately CHF 30.00); guage or in English. the latest for the start of the academic RESIDENCE PERMIT • 2 (EU/EFTA) or 1 (third country) year in September (autumn semester) • Lease or tenancy agreement. If passport-sized photo(s). and in November for classes starting You must register with the authorities the lease or tenancy agreement is in February (spring semester). in the commune where you are living not in your name, you must pre-

4 5 Note that evidence of financial residents; Swiss students must register sources is only required for EU/EFTA as secondary residents. COMMUNAL REGISTRATION students and not for students from Certificates of residence, which are third countries, who have already issued while you are waiting for your supplied this information when ap- residence permit, cannot be obtained OFFICES plying for a D visa. immediately from communal offices. Lausanne Ecublens Communal registration formalities You will therefore have to go back for Lausanne, Crissier and Ecublens to the office again later. Check with Service du contrôle des habitants Administration communale can be completed online to save your commune to know how long it Direction de la sécurité et de l’éconi- Chemin de la Colline 5 time. However, you will still need to takes to issue, and how much it costs mie Case postale 133 visit the office in person, even if you (variable from one municipality to Rue du Port-Franc 18 1024 Ecublens VD have pre-registered online. Foreign another). Case postale 5354 students must register as primary re- 1002 Lausanne Renens Crissier Service de la population Commune de Crissier Rue de Lausanne 35 Ch. de Chisaz 1020 Renens Case postale 146 1023 Crissier 1 Chavannes-près- Echandens Contrôle des habitants Renens Route de la Gare 4 Office de la population Case postale 77 Case postale 36 CH-1026 Echandens Avenue de la Gare 46 1022 Chavannes-près-Renens St-Sulpice Morges Office communal de la population Contrôle des habitants Rue du Centre 60 Pl. de l’Hôtel-de-Ville 1 Case postale 201 Case postale 272 1025 St-Sulpice 1110 Morges 1

6 7 Note: you need to allow two mon- services at either UNIL or EPFL. They RESIDENCY TAX AND ths’ notice to terminate your tenan- have, however, checked the adverti- cy agreement with the FMEL – for sements, particularly with regard to example, you must notify them on 31 price. We also try to identify any fake EXEMPTION March to move out on 31 May. advertisements, which are designed to get you to hand over money for Foreign students residing in Switzerland to study must pay a residency tax. The accommodation that does not ac- tax is CHF 37.00 in Lausanne and the surrounding communes. It is included in UNIL-EPFL ACCOMMODA- tually exist. Despite our best efforts the rent for students who are housed by the FMEL. we cannot, unfortunately, ignore the Some students may be entitled to an exemption in certain circumstances: for TION DATABASE possibility that a fake advertisement Lausanne and the surrounding municipalities (Bussigny, Chavannes-près-Re- may slip through, given how cleverly nens, Crissier, Ecublens, Lutry, Pully, Romanel-sur-Lausanne and Saint-Sul- If, unfortunately, we have not been they are written. Here are some tips to pice), students with a foreign or Swiss study grant or a maintenance grant may able to secure accommodation help you avoid any problems: be able to claim dispensation. through FMEL for you, the University of Lausanne and the Ecole Polytech- • Find out as much as you can nique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) about accommodation that HOUSING run a joint accommodation database seems too cheap compared with reserved exclusively for their students. what else is available. For the Advertisements are published by indi- sake of comparison, the average bilateral exchange agreement (SEMP price of a room is around CHF 750 FONDATION MAISONS POUR universities excluded). viduals who want to let their accommodation or are looking for another per month. ÉTUDIANTS LAUSANNE Therefore, once you have been tenant to share with. • As far as possible, always visit the nominated by your home university accommodation before you take (FMEL) and been admitted to UNIL, we will let If you don’t yet have your UNIL credentials to log in to the database out a tenancy and pay any ad- you know by the beginning of June vance rent or a security deposit. The University of Lausanne does not at the latest, if you are arriving for the before you arrive, our department currently have a hall of residence on autumn semester, or the beginning of can send you regular updates of the • Never transfer money through campus. However, it works closely December, if you are arriving for the rooms advertised on the list, as a PDF funds transfer organisations such with the Fondation Maisons pour spring semester, whether we have file. If an advertisement interests you, as Western Union or MoneyGram. Etudiants Lausanne (FMEL), which just contact the person directly. been able to secure accommodation • If you are asked for a rent gua- welcomes over 2,500 students at 14 for you in an FMEL hall of residence. However, people generally want to rantee or initial rent payment, locations, mainly within the Lausanne If so, we will contact you in good time meet the student who will be living make the payment to an account urban area. to explain how to proceed so that you with them and it is strongly recom- held at a Swiss bank. As far as possible, we try to secure can choose your accommodation in mended that you visit the accommo- Finally, there are other ways of finding accommodation for our exchange one of its halls. You will be asked to dation concerned before you decided accommodation. To find out more, students in an FMEL hall of residence. pay a rent guarantee (see the “De- to rent it. As far as possible, it is please see our website. However, since FMEL has a limited posit or rent guarantee” section for advisable to arrive in Lausanne a few number of places available, unfor- more information) and your rent will days before classes begin to carry tunately we cannot guarantee accom- be payable by you. Please note that out your research and visit potential RENT GUARANTEE modation for all our exchange stu- the deadline for paying your rent accommodation. guarantee to the FMEL is very short. dents. Yet, we are able to guarantee Please note that the accommodation It is therefore essential to check your A rent guarantee (or deposit) is a sum accommodation to exchange stu- listed on our platform has not been e-mails frequently during this period. of money, generally equivalent to dents coming from overseas partner inspected by the accommodation three times your monthly rent, which Universities with whom UNIL have a 8 9 must be deposited and blocked in a Please note that a rent guarantee the service provider concerned international students in Switzer- bank account at the request of a lan- can represent a significant amount of and then apply for reimbursement land, and then have it recognised dlord (property company). The money money (for FMEL, allow between CHF from the insurwwance provider in by the OVAM (see above). can only be released and returned 1,200 and CHF 1,600, depending on your country of origin, subject to Note: health insurance policies for when you leave your accommodation, the type of accommodation). If you do an excess of CHF 92.00 per 30- foreign students are not subject to after the final inventory and statement not have sufficient funds to deposit day period, which is payable by the LAMal but the Federal Insurance of state of repair (agreed by the tenant this amount of money in a bank ac- you (this means that you pay the Contracts Act (LCA). This means that and landlord at the end of the tenan- count, there are companies that can first CHF 92.00 in each month of they have the right to require a medi- cy) has been signed, provided that you provide a guarantee on your behalf treatment). cal questionnaire when examining the have not caused any damage to the (Swisscaution, Firstcaution, etc.). To • If you are over 25 years old and student’s application for insurance accommodation and are not in arrears use this service, you will have to pay studying for a second qualifica- and are not under any obligation to with your rent. Otherwise, the landlord an annual contribution to the com- tion or a specialisation, you are accept them. can deduct the relevant amount from pany providing the guarantee. Most not necessarily covered under the the sum deposited in the bank ac- landlords are willing to use companies For further information, please visit European Health Insurance Card count, to pay for the repairs or cover of this kind. However, FMEL does not our website. scheme. Please contact the social unpaid rent. accept this type of guarantee. security authorities in your home country for more information. USEFUL ADRESSES

Office vaudois de l’assurance-maladie HEALTH AND ACCIDENT STUDENTS FROM NON EU/ Ch. de Mornex 40 1014 Lausanne EFTA COUNTRIES +41 (0) 21 557 47 47 INSURANCE www.vd.ch/ovam Health and accident insurance is compulsory in Switzerland. However, as a fo- (B OR L PERMIT) [email protected] reign student, it is possible to have your existing insurance recognised or, failing • If you have health insurance this, to take out specific insurance for foreign students at a reasonable price. LAMal Common Institution in your home country, you can Gibelinstrasse 25 l’Assurance-Maladie (OVAM) for apply to the Office Vaudois de 4503 Soleure STUDENTS FROM AN EU/ exemption from affiliation to a l’Assurance-Maladie (OVAM) +41 (0) 32 625 30 30 Swiss insurance scheme. for exemption from affiliation to EFTA MEMBER STATE (B www.kvg.org a Swiss insurance scheme by • Register with the LAMal Common [email protected] completing the form to check OR L PERMIT) Institution (KVG), which acts as the equivalence of your existing a link between the care provider cover. The form must be stamped and the social security system • Ask your insurance provider (so- and signed by your insurer, which in your country of origin. If you cial security, etc.) for a European must confirm that it offers similar present your European Health Health Insurance Card if you do cover to Swiss insurance (LAMal). not already have one; Insurance Card to care providers (doctors, hospitals, out-of-hours • If you do not have health insu- • Present your European Health medical services, etc.), the invoice rance in your home country or if Insurance Card and your student for the care you receive will be it does not offer equivalent cover card (Campus Card) or proof sent directly to the LAMal Com- to Swiss insurance, you can take of studies (certificate of enrol- mon Institution, which will pay out a health insurance policy for ment) to the Office Vaudois de 10 11 OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT CHOICE OF CLASSES As a foreign student, you can open a bank account for the period of time you If you have any questions concer- will be living in Switzerland. You will need your passport/identity card, a state- ning the choice of classes you are LIST OF COURSES TAUGHT ment/certificate of residence (see the “residence permit” section above) issued intending to take at UNIL, you should IN ENGLISH by the commune where you are living in Switzerland, and a certificate of enrol- contact the Mobility Adviser in your ment as a student. However, some banks may refuse your request or ask for a Faculty or School. They will be able to Some courses at UNIL are delivered large number of documents, depending on your nationality and how long you tell you about class times or how to in English. A list of classes taught in are intending to stay (less than six months). enrol for courses online. English can be found here: Registration for courses and exams www.unil.ch/formations takes place after the start of the se- IT ACCESS AND STUDENT CARD mester. You can therefore attend any For a more detailed description, classes you choose during the first please use the search engine below When you arrive at UNIL, please come to the SASME to collect your creden- few weeks of the semester before you (select “English” in the “Teaching lan- tials for the UNIL IT system (UNIL email and password) and your student card, make a final decision. guage” menu). which is known as a Campus Card. Information on using the IT services available to you, and in particular the use of your MyUnil account. Once you have For most courses, there is an exam Search courses your credentials, you will be asked to validate your account; please follow the during the session at the end of the Courses catalogue by faculty and instructions on the sheet provided with your credentials. semester (mid-January to early Fe- programme bruary for the autumn semester and Your student card will also need to be validated at one of the dedicated termi- mid-June to early July for the spring nals. semester); some courses, however, LANGUAGE LEVEL RE- do not have an exam at the end of the semester: in this case, you will be QUIRED assessed continuously during the semester or on the basis of coursework • Level B2 of the CEFR for regu- to hand in. There are no exams at the lar courses taught in French or end of the semester in the Faculty English. of Arts or the School of French as a Foreign Language (EFLE). • Level A1 for classes in the School of French as a Foreign Language during the semester and Holiday TEACHING LANGUAGE classes offered during the winter vacation. The EFLE offers only UNIL is a French-speaking university. two courses for complete begin- The main teaching language is there- ners (level A0) per semester, for a fore French. However, some Master’s total of five ECTS credits. programmes and several undergra- duate classes are taught in English. • No minimum level for six-week summer Holiday classes (level A1 Most language and literature courses required for three-week summer are taught in the language concerned. classes).

12 13 CREDITS MARK SCHEME FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES UNIL uses ECTS credits. 60 ECTS The mark scheme goes from 0 to 6, The UNIL Language Centre offers a wide range of language courses to UNIL credits represent one year of full-time where 6 is the highest and 4 is the students, free of charge. When you enrol, you will be asked to take a test to de- study. Credits linked to a teaching unit pass mark. termine your level in the language chosen. Enrolment with the Language Centre (course or module) are only granted is entirely separate from your online enrolment before you arrive. if the student passes the assessment for the unit concerned (written or oral Some Language Centre courses may entitle you to ECTS credits. However, examination, dissertation, continuous the courses you take will not appear on the final transcript sent to your home assessment, etc.). Exchange students university. are not obliged to take a minimum nu- Please see the Language Centre website for more information. mber of credits. However, we recom- mend that you do not aim for more than 30 credits per semester. PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND GETTING TO THE CAMPUS The UNIL campus is in Dorigny, around 10 minutes by metro from the centre of Lausanne. The campus is served by three stops on Transports Lausannois (TL) FRENCH CLASSES line M1 (UNIL-Chamberonne, UNIL-Mouline and UNIL-Sorge), for easy access to the building you need on campus. You can buy individual tickets or a season SCHOOL OF FRENCH AS A (EFLE free plan) option in addition to ticket directly from the TL website or via the mobile app. TL also has offices in the main subject area you are going Flon, at the exit from metro lines M1 and M2. to study. Class enrolments take place FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFLE) Parking places on campus are limited and a fee is charged. Priority is given shortly after the start of the semester. to students who live in areas that are further away and poorly served by public Your exchange at UNIL is an ideal You can find all the information you transport. You must register online before each semester. However, we strongly opportunity to learn French or per- need about the EFLE free plan web- encourage you to avoid travelling to UNIL by car. fect your knowledge of the language. site. EFLE classes are free for UNIL During your time here, you will be able students, exchange students included. to take French classes alongside your UNIL-EPFL SPORTS CENTRE study plan or incorporate them into it. HOLIDAY CLASSES The UNIL-EPFL Sports Centre is in the south of the campus, literally on the The School of French as a Foreign shore of the lake, and offers a wide range of sporting activities. Access to Language (EFLE), which is part of the Holiday classes give you the opportu- activities at the Sports Centre is free of charge for UNIL students, including Faculty of Arts at UNIL, offers a free nity to take intensive French classes exchange students. plan that has been specially designed before the start of your exchange for exchange students, which allows An access card is issued by the administrative office of the Sports Department semester(s). These are three- or six- you to select credit-bearing courses (Villa des sports) or can be obtained online. week intensive courses, combining from a vast range of options, while theory and practice, to give you the you are taking classes in your host grounding you need to live and study faculty. When you enrol online, you will in Lausanne. A fee is charged and need to select the “Plan Libre EFLE” some modules provide ECTS credits. 14 15 HEALTH AND EMERGENCIES CONTACTS The Health Centre is a service provided by UNIL and employs two nurses who Social Affairs and Student Mobility Office (SASME) offer free consultations. Their offices are in the Anthropole building, room 1056. Unicentre building – office 219 They can be contacted by phone on +41 21 692 25 77 or by email at accueil- [email protected] [email protected] +41 21 692 21 13 In the event of an emergency on campus, please dial the following number INCOMING SEMP students (Swiss-European Mobility Programme – ex- from your mobile: +41 21 692 20 00. For any emergency off campus, please ERASMUS): see this web page. Coordinator: Maria Velasco tel. +41 21 692 21 16 ESN ASSOCIATION Reception-secretary: Martine Salomoni Knight tel. +41 21 692 21 13 ESN-UNIL is an international students’ association whose aim is to help exchange students settle in to their host institution. The ESN-UNIL branch orga- INCOMING Exchange agreement students: nises a welcome week the week before the start of the academic year and runs Coordinator: a buddy scheme free of charge. This scheme is very useful for finding out how Olivier Goumoëns tel. +41 21 692 21 17 to take out a mobile phone contract in Switzerland, open a bank account, what Reception-secretary: formalities you need to complete with the commune where you live, etc. Virginie Durret tel. +41 21 692 21 13 The association also organises numerous events (parties, cultural outings, excursions, weekends, etc.) for exchange students throughout the year. UNIL student mobility manager: Its offices are in the Anthropole building (office 1128.1). For more information, Cédric Rychen tel. +41 21 692 21 14 please see the association’s website.

Cédric Rychen

Virginie Durret Olivier Goumoëns Martine S. Knight Maria Velasco

Impressum Layout by Published by Cédric Rychen Laurine Ndayiziga Edited by Cover by Laurine Ndayiziga Laurine Ndayiziga

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