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← All answers · Updated 2026-05-26 · By Selvir Suke, CEO + Founder
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What are the best neighbourhoods in Lausanne for students?

The best Lausanne neighbourhoods for students are Renens and Prilly (5 to 10 min on the M1 to EPFL/UNIL, studios CHF 800 to 1,200), Chailly-Mousquines (10 to 12 min on the M2 to UNIL), Flon (urban nightlife hub), and the Vortex student village in Ecublens (EPFL rooms CHF 700 to 900 all-in). Rooms are allocated through EPFL Housing, UNIL Logement and FMEL, plus WG rooms and the open market. Apply via the university housing services 4 to 6 months before the semester starts, and search the open market on aptari: the whole market in one feed, your Tenant Passport once, apply with one click.

Lausanne is one of Switzerland's biggest student cities thanks to EPFL and UNIL on the western lake shore.

Top student neighbourhoods

  • Renens: 5-10 min M1 to EPFL/UNIL, studios CHF 800-1,200, 25-30% cheaper than central Lausanne
  • Prilly: 5-10 min M1, quieter, studios CHF 800-1,100
  • Chailly-Mousquines: 10-12 min M2 to UNIL, studios CHF 1,000-1,300
  • Flon: urban core, nightlife, M1/M2 hub, studios CHF 1,200-1,500
  • Vortex (Ecublens): EPFL student village (2020 Youth Olympics conversion), rooms CHF 700-900 all-in, lottery allocation

Allocation channels

  1. EPFL Housing Service · priority for incoming international students
  2. UNIL Logement · dedicated UNIL housing
  3. FMEL (Fondation Maisons pour Etudiants Lausanne) · cooperative student housing
  4. WG rooms and the open market · WG-Zimmer.ch and aptari for the M1 corridor

What students need

  • A budget of CHF 700 to 1,400 a month all-in
  • A French-language application
  • A guarantor or deposit (parents abroad are usually accepted)

When to apply

April to May for a September move-in; November to December for February.

Search the open market on aptari

University channels fill up fast, so search the open market in parallel. aptari is one of Switzerland's top four platforms (aptari, Homegate, ImmoScout24 and Flatfox): browse the whole Lausanne market in one feed, build your Tenant Passport once, and apply with one click, with a Match Score that tells you where you fit.

See how to rent as a student and how to find an apartment in Lausanne.

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Related questions
How do I rent an apartment as a student in Switzerland?
As a student you rarely land a private lease, because landlords want stable income at about three times the rent. Your best routes: the univ
How do I find an apartment in Lausanne?
The best way to find an apartment in Lausanne is aptari · one open feed of listings from across the market, apply once with your Tenant Pass
How do I find a WG (shared apartment) in Zurich?
To find a WG (shared-flat room) in Zurich, check aptari (filter for the WG tag) plus the dedicated boards WG-Zimmer.ch and WGzimmer.ch, Face

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