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ALaRI Alumni Web-Site

Frequently asked questions


1. I am interested in Master of Advanced Studies program. Can you please give me the details on Fees, Course Starting date etc?

Answer: The tution fees for the various courses have been explained comprehensively on the ALaRI website: www.alari.ch under the Admission -> Tution fees tab. For course starting dates kindly refer to the Academic Schedule on the ALaRI website.

2. I have applied for the one year MAS post graduate program with scholarship request. The current status in my online application is "Waiting List". Does it imply that i have got admission to MAS program without scholarship as of now?

Answer: It implies that you may have scholarship. We contact you as soon as we will find a scholarship for you.

3. I'll finish all the required documents by two weeks from now. I know that's the deadline is by tomorrow. But just I heard about the program yesterday and please it's very crucial to me. If you can help me hot to handle it?

Answer: You can register your application online and inform your situation by email to master@alari.ch.

4. I am interested without scholarship. Please let me know what do I have to do next and it will be really helpful if you let me know the fees structure that I will have to look at, in the 2 years of the course.

Answer: The tution fees for the various courses have been explained comprehensively on the ALaRI website:www.alari.ch under the Admission -> Tution fees tab.

5. Does applying with and without scholarship in any way affect my chances of securing Admission at ALaRI ?

Answer: We have to exanimate if your application is eligible for admission at ALaRI master program.

6. I applied to ALaRI in June. My application was marked and is under process till date. May I know when the results are to be out. Please tell me the decision as soon as possible.

Answer: You will be informed about your admittance or rejection for the ALaRI Master Program and a possible scholarship by July.

7. I want to have some information about other existent scholarship which could cover at least some of my university tuition fees or are there any job opportunities which I could follow. On the other hand, I want to know that how much is the per month living cost?

Answer: All questions regarding scholarships have been comprehensively answered under the Scholarship section on the website and the FAQ list.
Although living expenses may vary widely from person to person depending upon his/her lifestyle a fair estimate of monthly expenses is given below:
Grocery - 100-200 CHF
Insurance - 10-25 CHF (with subsidy)
Phone - 10 CHF (min) for a postpaid connection or a prepaid recharge.
ALaRI room rent - 300-350 CHF.

8. I have changed may Study Options concerning the scholarship. I want to change some of my personal information but I can't because of an error in the photo file. How can I fix this error?

Answer: A possible answer could be that the applicant should contact ALaRI at master@alari.ch to resolve the issue.

9. What kinds of scholarships are available for the students?

Answer: There are three kinds of scholarships for the students. One is "full scholarship" which would include both the tuition fee and the accommodation. The second would take care of only the tuition fee and the last one would take care of the accommodation only. Depending on your requirements you can choose one of these on the last of the application form.

10. Is there a possibility to study at ALaRI if I do not get a scholarship?

Answer: There is still the possibility to study without scholarships. However you will have to fund yourself.For more information please contact Prof. Sami (sami@alari.ch) or Dr. Umberto Bondi (bondi@alari.ch).

11. I haven't graduated yet, because right now, I am in my final year at the university and I'll do my final exams in June, but my certificate will take September to be issued (due to routine paper work),so I haven't uploaded a certificate, will my application still be considered?

Answer: Your application will be considered. You are supposed to produce an up-to- date transcript and marksheets as part of your application. However your admission can be confirmed only upon your producing the original degree certificate.

12. I am very interested in your program: Master of Advanced Studies in Embedded Systems Design and I want to apply for the program and scholarship. Please send me information about the program and how to apply.

Answer: Adequate information is available on the website that answers this question satisfactorily. Plus this question overlaps with question 1.

13. I want you to please assist me that how can I send my Recommendation to university. Can I or my Referee send the scanned Recommendations through email?

Answer: Detailed information regarding Recommendation Letters is available on the ALaRI website:www.alari.ch under Admission -> Application Procedure -> Recommendation Letters.


14. I Did my undergraduate (B tech),I actually wanted to add value to my work by pursuing a Master in Embeded System Design (ESD), I want to know the different between Master Advanced Studies and Master of Science ?

Answer : We have two Master programs in Embedded System (you may find all details on the web site: www.alari.ch ):

- the one-year Master of Advanced Studies; it is conceived as a sort of "executive" Master - it is typically oriented to persons who have already some working experience. This Master can be followed either in one year or (for employees living not too far from Lugano, or who can organize in s uitable way their life) it can be "spread" over two years (following some courses one year and the other ones the following year);
- the two-year Master of Science program, typically oriented to students who have acquired a Bachelor degree and want to pursue towards graduate education.
As for entry to a Doctoral program; Europe adopts a credit-based approach (referred to as ECTS - European Credit Transfer System). Since the MSc is part of an institutional track of education, entry credits from previous courses are carefully evaluated; the MSc course provides no less than 120 credits (ECTS). A student coming out of MSc has the requested amount of credits for applying to a PhD program in an European (and US) university. In the case of MAS, the admission committee evaluated the entry curriculum without validating individual credits; the MAS provides no less than 70 credits (ECTS, again). Possibility of entering a doctoral programs depends not only on credits provided by the MAS but on credits acquired in previous studies as well.

15. Is it possible to have a part-time job during the Master Program and how can I apply?

Answer: It is possible to work at ALaRI and more in general in the University of Lugano while doing the full-time Master Program (MAS and MSc). You can recover your living cost by performing part-time jobs proposed by University of Lugano, ALaRI institute in particular.
You should on the application form (last page) if you are interested in a part-time job. All avaiable part-time jobs are on ALaRI Intranet platform ("ALaRI Jobs" section).

16. What types of part-jobs are available at the University of Lugano? How much can I earn per month?

Answer: There are several types of part-time jobs available at the University of Lugano. These may include taking care of the ALaRI website, designing databases, and doing administrative office work.
When being accepted for a part-time job at ALaRI, you will earn the most SFr. 350 per month. This will cover part of your living expenses - much depends on your expectations.

17. Can I find Job/Placement after the completion of the Master Program?

Answer: The ALaRI Institute collaborates with companies and research centers, so as to offer entering positions and internships for ALaRI Master Students. Such Institutions are usually offering entering positions, internships or PhD study programs. All available positions of Job/Placement can be found under "Career Center" on the ALaRI Intranet platform.

18. Will the university help me in finding accommodation in Lugano?

Answer: If you get the scholarship for accommodation, or the scholarship which includes tuition fee and accommodation, ALaRI will take care of your accommodation. I don't ALaRI will help you to find accommodation in Lugano for price 350 CHF / room that you will share with another student.

19. What sort of accommodation is provided for the ALaRI students?

Answer: ALaRI provides apartments with standard living conditions. These would include a living room, a kitchen, one or two bathrooms and two or three bedrooms, etc. There are 2 persons in one bedroom and 4-6 persons in apartment. There is also possibility to pay and be in bedroom alone.

20. Do I need a work permit to apply for a part-time job or intership?

Answer: Yes. The possibility to work depends on the type of residence permit you have. In Switzerland, persons with a permit B or C are allowed to work. Exchange students are usually given a permit B, but that is not the rule. You will also need the permission of the University of Lugano to be able to work.
Work permit for intership can be organized during your stay at the ALaRI Institute. You can apply for an intership after graduation of ALaRI master program.

21. Do I need a health insurance during my stay in Switzerland?

Answer: Yes, you have to prove that you have a valid health insurance during your stay in Switzerland. If you are selected for the ALaRI Master Program, you should either extend your health insurance you have in your home country to cover also Switzerland or make a contract with a Swiss health insurance company. More information you can find here www.eestec.unisi.ch

22. Is it possible to attend only part of the courses?

Answer: The Master Program courses are also open to professionals who wish to broaden or update their knowledge in the field of embedded systems. For more information, please contact the ALaRI Program Manager, Umberto Bondi: bondi@alari.ch.

23. Is it possible to do my thesis in ALaRI?

Answer: Yes, it is possible to do thesis at ALaRI. Look for open positions in the website: www.alari.ch.

24. How are courses organized?

Answer: Courses usually start at 9:00 a.m. and last until afternoon, usually not longer than 6:00 p.m. with break for lunch around 12:00 a.m.

25. How are exams organized?

Answer: There is no specific examination period. Exams are sometimes just after the end of courses, and sometimes after some period in agreement with Professor.





Università della Contact us: ALaRI, University of Lugano Phone: +41.58.666.4706; +41.58.666.4709
Svizzera italiana alumni.alari@usi.ch Via G. Buffi 13, CH 6904 Lugano Fax: +41.58.666.4647