USI - Università della Svizzera italiana : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details

About USI - Università della Svizzera italiana

USI is a young and agile university that offers its students a quality education and an enhancing study experience. International faculty teach students with an interdisciplinary, engaging, and interactive approach, leaving room for practical application.

The quality of the study curricula is complemented by USI's small size, its cosmopolitan environment, and its informal and dynamic culture.

These elements make USI a hub of opportunity open to the world, where students can engage in direct dialogue with their professors and define their educational path, discover unexpected horizons, and embrace international careers.

Who we are

USI. Create freely,
act responsibly.

Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) is one of the 12 certified public universities in Switzerland and member of swissuniversities. It is organised in six faculties and is active in several study and research areas, among which: architecture, communication sciences, computational science, data science, economics, health studies, humanities, informatics, law, medicine and biomedicine.

USI is a young and lively university, a hub of opportunity open to the world where students are offered a quality interdisciplinary education in which they can be fully engaged and take centre stage, and where our researchers can count on having the space to freely pursue their initiative.

3'922 students and 1'008 professors and researchers, hailing from 114 countries, convene every day on the four campuses in Lugano, Mendrisio and Bellinzona. The relatively small size of the campuses encourages the free flow and open exchange of ideas. USI encourages faculty, students and researchers to develop their potential, and appreciates their curiosity and willingness to experiment with new ways of thinking, learning, teaching and working.

Established in 1996, USI is in constant evolution, always taking on new challenges while remaining true to its three guiding principles: quality, openness and responsibility.

Why USI

Seven reasons for choosing USI:

Quality of the Swiss university system
International faculty
Leading interdisciplinary education
Teacher/student ratio 1 to 7
Strong ties with the business world
Flexible structure, open to the exchange of ideas
International, dynamic and welcoming environment

Mission

Based on the Law that regulates the Università della Svizzera italiana, USI mission consists of:

providing quality education
conducting internationally relevant scientific research;
contributing to the development of the region by enabling the transfer of knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship and cultural and scientific debate in their areas of competence.

Vision

USI aspires to become the natural choice for those yearning to grow intellectually, humanly, and responsibly.

USI envisions to be a way for the future and strives to be known as:

An institution that believes in diversity
A hub for great talent
A partner of choice for knowledge transfer
A knowledge lab
A place where senses and aesthetics, in addition to logic and reason, are fostered
A model employer
A region-wide campus

Values

In pursuit of its mission, USI draws inspiration from three main values:

quality
openness
responsibility

Moreover, USI has made some specific commitments: to gender equality in the organisation of public events and to sustainable development.

About USI - Università della Svizzera italiana

USI is a young and agile university that offers its students a quality education and an enhancing study experience. International faculty teach students with an interdisciplinary, engaging, and interactive approach, leaving room for practical application.

The quality of the study curricula is complemented by USI's small size, its cosmopolitan environment, and its informal and dynamic culture.

These elements make USI a hub of opportunity open to the world, where students can engage in direct dialogue with their professors and define their educational path, discover unexpected horizons, and embrace international careers.

Who we are

USI. Create freely,
act responsibly.

Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) is one of the 12 certified public universities in Switzerland and member of swissuniversities. It is organised in six faculties and is active in several study and research areas, among which: architecture, communication sciences, computational science, data science, economics, health studies, humanities, informatics, law, medicine and biomedicine.

USI is a young and lively university, a hub of opportunity open to the world where students are offered a quality interdisciplinary education in which they can be fully engaged and take centre stage, and where our researchers can count on having the space to freely pursue their initiative.

3'922 students and 1'008 professors and researchers, hailing from 114 countries, convene every day on the four campuses in Lugano, Mendrisio and Bellinzona. The relatively small size of the campuses encourages the free flow and open exchange of ideas. USI encourages faculty, students and researchers to develop their potential, and appreciates their curiosity and willingness to experiment with new ways of thinking, learning, teaching and working.

Established in 1996, USI is in constant evolution, always taking on new challenges while remaining true to its three guiding principles: quality, openness and responsibility.

Why USI

Seven reasons for choosing USI:

Quality of the Swiss university system
International faculty
Leading interdisciplinary education
Teacher/student ratio 1 to 7
Strong ties with the business world
Flexible structure, open to the exchange of ideas
International, dynamic and welcoming environment

Mission

Based on the Law that regulates the Università della Svizzera italiana, USI mission consists of:

providing quality education
conducting internationally relevant scientific research;
contributing to the development of the region by enabling the transfer of knowledge, innovation, entrepreneurship and cultural and scientific debate in their areas of competence.

Vision

USI aspires to become the natural choice for those yearning to grow intellectually, humanly, and responsibly.

USI envisions to be a way for the future and strives to be known as:

An institution that believes in diversity
A hub for great talent
A partner of choice for knowledge transfer
A knowledge lab
A place where senses and aesthetics, in addition to logic and reason, are fostered
A model employer
A region-wide campus

Values

In pursuit of its mission, USI draws inspiration from three main values:

quality
openness
responsibility

Moreover, USI has made some specific commitments: to gender equality in the organisation of public events and to sustainable development.

Available programmes

Arts and Humanities (3)

Bachelor of Arts in Italian Language, Literature and Civilization

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

Bachelor of Science in Architecture

Engineering and Technology (3)

Bachelor of Science in Data Science

Bachelor of Science in Informatics

Social Sciences and Management (3)

Bachelor of Arts in Economics

Bachelor of Science in Communication

Bachelor of Theology

Arts and Humanities (5)

Master of Arts in History and Theory of Art and Architecture

Master of Arts in Italian language, Literature and Civilization

Master of Arts in Philosophy

Master of Science in Architecture

Business and Management (5)

Master of Science in Digital Fashion Communication

Master of Science in Finance

Master of Science in Management

Master of Science in Marketing and Transformative Economy

Engineering and Technology (5)

Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence

Master of Science in Computational Sciences

Master of Science in Financial Technology and Computing

Master of Science in Informatics

Master of Science in Management and Informatics

Master of Science in Software and Data Engineering

Life Sciences and Medicine (5)

Master of Science in Cognitive Psychology in Health Communication

Social Sciences and Management (5)

Master in Scienza, filosofia e teologia delle religioni

Master of Arts in Diritto canonico ed ecclesiastico comparato

Master of Arts in International Tourism

Master of Arts in Interreligious Dialogue: Science, Philosophy and Theology of Religions

Master of Arts in Public Management and Policy

Master of Science in Communication, Management and Health

View All

University information

Admission to the Undergraduate programmes:

1. Swiss diplomas, awarded in Switzerland

Maturità federale and Maturità cantonale recognised by the appropriate Federal Commission;
Maturità commerciale cantonale (Scuola cantonale di commercio, Bellinzona);
Final diploma from a university of applied sciences or diploma of a technical college recognised by the appropriate federal authorities: in these cases, where the field of study selected is the same as the previous one, the single Faculties may recommend admitting candidates to an advanced level of the programme and exempt them from particular examinations or from the internship period.
School-leaving certificates issued by Swiss schools abroad are equally accepted.

2. Foreign diplomas

Applicants in possession of foreign secondary education and/or of a foreign university diploma considered to be equivalent are admitted to the undergraduate programme. As a rule, reference is made to the guidelines of the University Admissions Commission of the Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities (swissuniversities). Where equivalence cannot be unequivocally defined, candidates may be invited to attend an interview or to sit a test, and supplementary, pre-university courses may be prescribed.

Admission to the Postgraduate programmes:

1. General requirements:

Bachelor's (undergraduate) degree from an acknowledged university. Holders of a Bachelor’s degree are admitted unconditionally to a Master’s program in the same subject area. Admission to programs in other subject areas can be subject to the addition of levelling courses, by assessement of the competent Faculty in charge of evaluating the application.

2. Specific requirements:

Please refer to the individual Master programme websites, in the Admissions secton.

3. Language

The admission to English-language Master programmes at USI requires a good command of English.
Find out more about English level and official language certificate required for admission.

Total students

3,865

UG students

41%

PG students

59%

International students

2,686

UG students

35%

PG students

65%

Total faculty staff

459

Domestic staff

28%

Int'l staff

72%

Student life

Seven reasons for choosing USI:

Quality of the Swiss university system
International faculty
Leading interdisciplinary education
Teacher/student ratio 1 to 7
Strong ties with the business world
Flexible structure, open to the exchange of ideas
International, dynamic and welcoming environment

These elements make USI a hub of opportunity open to the world, where students can engage in direct dialogue with their professors and define their educational path, discover unexpected horizons and embrace international careers.

The University, through the Career Service, offers to its students a series of activities and contact services with the job market.

In particular, the Service:

promotes and develops internship opportunities, coordinating curricular internships;
helps students who are seeking their first jobs, providing counselling and career-oriented services;
organises information sessions on a variety of companies and organisations, in the private and public sector, nationally and internationally.

Cost of Living

Accomodation

$18,800

(Approx. amount)

Food

$6,880

(Approx. amount)

Transport

$790

(Approx. amount)

Utilities

$3,980

(Approx. amount)

Tuition fees

Overall Tuition Fees

Domestic

Starts from

4,000 CHF

International

Starts from

8,000 CHF

Scholarships

Selecting the right scholarship can be a daunting process. With countless options available, students often find themselves overwhelmed and confused. The decision can be especially stressful for those facing financial constraints or pursuing specific academic or career goals.

To help students navigate this challenging process, we recommend the following articles:

Rankings & Ratings

USI - Università della Svizzera italiana is one of the top public universities in Lugano, Switzerland. It is ranked #=405 in QS World University Rankings 2025.