UQ Program: Bachelor of Arts
I went to Lausanne for two semesters during the second half of 2009 and the first half of 2010. Overall, I had an excellent time. I was initially quite worried about my level of French (I had done two and a half years of French at UQ, and I did not study French in school) but after the first few months most of the problems disappeared. The Swiss are very considerate when dealing with second language learners - a situation aided no doubt by the country's trilingual status. The hardest challenge wasn't always making myself understood, but rather being brave enough to risk embarrassment and make the effort in the first place.
It was quite hard to make friends at first, mostly due to the fact that a lot of the students had known each other since primary school and had already developed quite close friendship circles. Once I made a few friends, however, they introduced me to their other friends and after that it was much easier. I encourage anyone going to Lausanne to be quite aggressive in the friendship department, as most Swiss students won't chase you up for coffee or movie dates. This was something a lot of other exchange students mentioned, so it might be a cultural difference.
I found the courses to be very well structured and full of interesting content. I took some difficult courses offered to Swiss students, such as pragmatics, and I took some easier courses such as literature courses which were offered to students studying French. The difference between the two types of courses - those offered to international students and those which were regular courses - was quite large, with the regular courses requiring a decent level of comprehension. The teachers of both types of courses were very helpful, however, so I would suggest trying a wide variety of courses during the first week or two to see what you will enjoy.
Overall, I had a great time in Switzerland. I did a lot of traveling around Europe, and I met some people who I think will be friends for life. My French is now at the point where I can talk to people fairly easily, and watch the majority of films and read most books with few problems, which is an improvement I credit my exchange experience with providing. I would definitely recommend Switzerland to anyone who is trying to improve their French, or for anyone looking to study in a safe and welcoming environment.