🏔️University of Lucerne

Lucerne, Switzerland

A small, deliberately specialised Swiss university with no natural sciences faculty.

About Lucerne

Unlike Switzerland's larger cantonal universities, Lucerne deliberately doesn't run a natural sciences faculty — it focuses instead on Law, Theology, Humanities and, more recently, Health Sciences and Medicine. This gives it an unusually small, close-knit academic community for a Swiss public university.

Why students choose it

  • Deliberately specialised — no natural sciences faculty
  • Small, close-knit academic community
  • Strong Law, Theology and Health Sciences programmes

🎓 Free application support for Lucerne

Submit a free enquiry and Tutopiya's admissions team will guide you through your application to Lucerne — personal statement, interview prep and deadlines — at no cost, no obligation. Application fees are typically waived through our university partnerships.

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Typical entry grades

ABB (A Level)  ·  IB 32

Solid tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.

Tuition (international, per year)

Most public universities (minimal fees)

low tier for Switzerland — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.

Language of instruction

German (Bachelor's) — a small, specialised university without a natural sciences faculty.

Campus

campus campus, Lucerne

🏆 Scholarships to look into

Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or Lucerne's financial aid office.

Swiss public university tuition is already low for everyone, so scholarship schemes are smaller in number and mainly aimed at exceptional students or postgraduate/research applicants.

  • Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships: Federally funded, but mainly for postgraduate/research study and exchange, not undergraduate admission.
  • University excellence scholarships: ETH Zurich, EPFL and other universities offer a small number of merit-based awards for outstanding incoming students — competitive with limited places.

Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.

Popular courses

Law

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years for an undergraduate LLB (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia); typically a 3-year postgraduate JD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)

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Theology

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years

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Humanities

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years

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Health Sciences and Medicine

⏱️ Typical duration: 5–6 years where entered straight from school (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong); typically a 4-year postgraduate MD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)

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Typical entry: Requires Chemistry + Biology · Eignungstest / EMS (mandatory aptitude test for Medicine)

Social Sciences

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years

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Durations are typical for Switzerland — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.

Not sure which course fits your grades and interests? Run the full shortlist builder →

How to apply

Main intake(s)
September
Typical deadline
Varies widely by institution — ETH Zurich and EPFL close around 30 April

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5–7.0 overall (English-taught tracks)

Most Bachelor's programmes are German- or French-medium — proficiency in the language of instruction is usually required alongside or instead of English.

See where Lucerne ranks on your personal shortlist

Enter your grades and budget in the free Switzerland University Shortlist Builder to see whether Lucerne is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other Switzerland university that matches.

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More Switzerland universities

Lucerne FAQ

Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to Lucerne as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.

What grades do I need to get into Lucerne?

As a typical benchmark for international entry, Lucerne expects around ABB at A Level or 32 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for Lucerne's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on Lucerne's own admissions page before applying.

How much does Lucerne cost for international students?

International tuition at Lucerne typically falls in the Most public universities (minimal fees) range (low tier for Switzerland). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not Lucerne's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.

When is the application deadline for Lucerne?

Lucerne follows Switzerland's typical intake calendar: September, with applications generally due varies widely by institution — eth zurich and epfl close around 30 april. Always verify the exact date on Lucerne's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.

What IELTS score do I need for Lucerne?

Switzerland universities, including Lucerne, typically ask international applicants for 6.5–7.0 overall (English-taught tracks). Most Bachelor's programmes are German- or French-medium — proficiency in the language of instruction is usually required alongside or instead of English.

What is Lucerne known for?

A small, deliberately specialised Swiss university with no natural sciences faculty. Unlike Switzerland's larger cantonal universities, Lucerne deliberately doesn't run a natural sciences faculty — it focuses instead on Law, Theology, Humanities and, more recently, Health Sciences and Medicine. This gives it an unusually small, close-knit academic community for a Swiss public university.

Can I apply to Lucerne with IGCSE, A Level or IB qualifications?

Yes — Lucerne accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free Switzerland University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against Lucerne and every other Switzerland university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.

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