USI - Università della Svizzera italiana : Rankings, Fees & Courses Details | Top Universities
Ranking

# =405QS World University Rankings

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35Undergrad. & Postgrad. Programmes

International

69 % International students

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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

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.


3,865
41%
59%
2,686
35%
65%
459
28%
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.


More in detail:

  • The internship: Find an internship / job, Internship stories / Info stage
  • Application dossier
  • Career grants
  • Meet the companies
  • USI Career Forum
  • Long Night of the Careers
  • USI & Careers Guide

Cost of Living

Accomodation
$18,800
Food
$6,880
Transport
$790
Utilities
$3,980

Tuition fees

Overall Tuition Fees
Domestic
4,000 CHF
International
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.

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USI - Università della Svizzera italiana advanced Public Very High 8 yes 8000 2686 S 1604