Cost of living
The cost of living is an individual matter that depends on one's lifestyle. The following cost estimation has been designed to give a rough guideline of the costs that can be expected:
BUDGET HEADING | AMOUNT IN CHF/MONTH |
Rent | 700.00 |
Auxiliary costs (telephone, internet) | 100.00 |
Food | 400.00 |
Health cover, insurance | 470.00 |
Travel costs | 110.00 |
Clothes, laundry, hygiene | 150.00 |
Leisure, spending money | 170.00 |
Total | 2100.00 |
Switzerland's currency is the Swiss Franc. You will find the following abbreviations in use for the Swiss Franc: Fr., CHF, SFr.
In most cases, you can pay with a debit card in Switzerland. Many Swiss people use TWINT in their daily lives, so it’s often more convenient than cash. TWINT is the most popular mobile payment app in Switzerland. With TWINT, you can pay directly using your smartphone. To use it, you generally need a Swiss bank account or a prepaid solution. Once you’ve installed the app, you can easily make payments using a QR code or your smartphone. You can find information on how to set it up at your bank or on the TWINT website.
The fastest and easiest way to get Swiss francs in cash is to withdraw cash from the numerous ATMs at post offices and banks using a debit card. Most Swiss ATMs also accept credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, as well as debit cards like Cirrus or Maestro.
In order to open a bank account, international students need to bring their passport, residence permit, confirmation of study. Various banks offer special conditions for students.
To open a Swiss bank account you can either go to a Swiss bank or to a post office (post office account).
Post Bank
- PostFinance (education account)
Swiss Banks
- Luzerner Kantonalbank (account for young adults)
- UBS (banking package for students)
Before foreign students take up a job or internship, the employer must apply for a work permit from the Lucerne Labour Office of the Canton of Lucerne. Non-European students are not allowed to work during the first six months of their stay in Lucerne. More detailed information can be found on the website of the Office of Migration of the Canton of Lucerne (website only available in German, see section "Weitere Informationen / Merkblatt über die Erwerbstätigkeit von Studierenden").
In any case, it is necessary that studies remain the main purpose of the student's stay. Foreign students therefore require written authorisation from the university for part-time employment. The part-time work must neither interfere with their studies nor be a reason for extending the duration of their studies. For authorisation, please contact the student advisory service for your degree programme: Academic student advisors - University of Lucerne (unilu.ch)
