Who can apply?
FSLE accommodation is reserved exclusively for students and trainees, meaning people who:
- study full-time or part-time at a recognised school in Switzerland;
- or have an internship contract in Switzerland;
- or have doctoral or post-doctoral status in Switzerland.
You must be able to provide a document proving your training throughout the lease. Any end, interruption or extension of your training must be reported to FSLE immediately.
EPFL interns and doctoral students for a stay of 1 to 3 months: seven ground-floor rooms at Le Chablais are reserved for EPFL. Send your request to the EPFL housing office (external site, opens in a new tab), not to FSLE.
Documents to provide
Prepare all documents before starting your application: an incomplete file may be rejected.
For you
- A colour copy of a valid identity document, with a legible signature.
- A certificate of enrolment valid for the coming semester or year, or your application for admission if you do not have a certificate yet, or your contract (apprenticeship, doctorate, internship).
- If applicable, an Erasmus or scholarship certificate.
- If you already live in Switzerland: an extract from the debt enforcement register (Canton of Vaud information (external site, opens in a new tab), order online on ch.ch (external site, opens in a new tab)).
- If you are under 18: the RL form (in French) completed and signed by your legal representatives, with a colour copy of their signed ID. Parents applying for their child under 18 follow the same process: the application is the child’s, and the RL form is attached to it.
For your guarantor
- A colour copy of a valid identity document, with a legible signature.
- A bank statement and/or the last three payslips, to assess their solvency.
Your guarantor signs the lease with you. They do not need to be Swiss or to live in Switzerland. If payments are late, FSLE may send them reminders and claim payment from them (General Terms and Conditions, art. 10).
Once a room is allocated
FSLE reviews your application. If a room is allocated to you, FSLE confirms it in writing and you have 7 days to confirm the room. You then pay:
| Amount | Use | Deadline under the General Terms and Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Two-month rent advance (tourist tax included where applicable) | Payment of the first and last month | 7 days after you have confirmed your interest in concluding the lease (art. 11) |
| Rental deposit of one month’s rent | Usually returned 2 months after you move out | 7 days after that same confirmation (art. 12) |
| Furniture deposit (amount depends on the accommodation) | Returned 30 days after you move out | 30 days after you have confirmed taking the room (art. 13) |
These amounts must be received no later than the day of the key handover. Do not make any payment before FSLE’s confirmation; transaction fees (transfer and exchange) are your responsibility. If you end up not studying in Lausanne, the full amount paid, without banking fees, is refunded within 30 days of FSLE receiving proof.
Refund at the end of the lease: the rental deposit is usually returned within two months of your departure and cannot be returned early; the furniture deposit thirty days after your departure. See the moving-out guide.
As soon as the advance is received, FSLE sends you the lease by email or post. You sign it with your guarantor and thereby accept the General Terms and Conditions; if time is too short, it is signed at the key handover. Keys are handed over at an on-site appointment: see the arrival guide.