Residence Permit

In order for you to live and study in study in Switzerland, you will need a residence permit - regardless of your visa requirements. You must register with the residents’ registration office (Einwohnerkontrolle) at your place of residence within 14 days of entering Switzerland. Your registration and the related documents are subject to a fee. Please note that the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts will not cover these costs.

As soon as you registered at the residents’ registration office, the migration office will be issuing you a Residence Permit. Please prepare the following documents before travelling to Switzerland (digital & printed version) as you will need to present those to the migration office or the residents’ registration office after your arrival
You will need to bring the following documents:

  1. A valid passport or ID
  2. An admission confirmation letter from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
  3. A tenancy agreement
  4. A copy of your health insurance policy covering your stay in Switzerland
  5. Proof of sufficient financial means; this may be a bank statement or (in the case of EU/EFTA students) a letter from your parents or from a guarantor residing in Switzerland confirming they will support you with monthly payments of CHF 1,750 or more
  6. sufficient cash to cover the following fees:
    - approximately CHF 40 (certificate of registration)
    - approximately CHF 70 (EU countries) /  CHF 250 (non-EU countries) (ID card fee)

Students from EU and EFTA countries residing in the Canton of Lucerne: To apply for a residence permit, you must send the documents below directly to the migration office after registering at the residents’ registration office. 

Documents:

  • Canton of Lucerne: Form 6, Canton of Zug: Form A1
  • Confirmation of enrollment
  • Proof of financial means (e.g. bank statement) or signed letter of guarantee from parents
You will receive an appointment from the migration office to register your data. After a few weeks, you will receive your residence permit. Non-EU citizens receive an identity card with biometric data.

The residence permit is usually issued for one year. It is extendable for the duration of the study programme. Please note that a new proof of sufficient financial means must be submitted with each application for residence permit extension.

The information on this page is for information purposes only and supplied without liability. The underlying regulations may have changed since the information was last updated. For legally binding information, please consult the website of the residents' registration office in charge.