Frequently Asked Questions
APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Can I apply if I have just graduated from High School?
Admission conditions for the GISP require applicants to show proof of prior enrollment at a university. This implies that students just finishing High School or having just obtained equivalent diplomas (such as the International Bachelor - IB) are not eligible to the GISP.
Can I apply if I am a graduate student (=Master level, or already holding a Master degree)?
Graduate students are eligible to the GISP. They should nevertheless bear in mind that the GISP teachings (pace, work-load, exam requirements) correspond to an undergraduate level.
Am I sure to be admitted into the GISP once I have correctly followed the application procedure?
Admission to the GISP is selective, so students (including exchange students) have no guarantee to be admitted into the program by our selection committee. All applicants will be informed during the first two weeks of November about the status of their application.
What should I do if I don't have proof of my proficiency in French?
We insist on you taking one of the French exams mentioned on our website because it makes it easier for us to determine whether your level of French is sufficient or not. We would hate to have you come to Geneva and realize once here that your knowledge is too weak, as this could lead to you failing the French module at the end of the GISP.
If you cannot take the exam before you apply, please make sure you document your level of French as precisely as possible: how many hours? for how long? what was the content of the French course? etc.
How do I know whether I will be considered as an exchange student?
The status of "exchange student" relates to the amount of tuition fees that is charged to GISP participants. Students coming from partners of the University of Geneva will have followed the appropriate application and/or selection procedure at their home university, and it is their home students advisor/coordinator who will have nominated the students to the International Relations of the University of Geneva.
Students from partner universities should thus contact their home outbound coordinator to find out about the procedure to be nominated to the GISP as an exchange student.
How do I go about paying the GISP fees?
Payment instructions will be given to all accepted applicants. No payment has to be made during the application phase.
PREPARATION OF YOUR STAY IN GENEVA:
How do I know whether I need a visa before entering Switzerland?
All non-EU citizens need a student visa to enter Switzerland and to settle in Geneva for the duration of the GISP. This procedure is not required for citizens from EU/AELE countries (EU countries + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and is facilitated for students from Canada and Japan.
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What should I do to apply for a visa?
If you need a visa to enter the country, you need to go to the closest Swiss consular office (embassy or consulate) with the visa-request form and the letter of acceptance that will be sent to all selected students by the GISP coordinator. The visa-request form may be downloaded online.
When will I need to be in Geneva to be instructed about the GISP? When am I expected to leave Geneva after completing the GISP?
GISP students will be invited to an orientation day, which will take place during the week prior to the beginning of the program.
Closing social events will be organized after the end of the program, so students are advised to plan on staying until early June / mid-June in Geneva.
If I need a visa, will I have the possibility to extend my stay in Switzerland beyond the GISP?
The duration of your visa and residence permit will be adapted to the duration of the GISP, i.e. running until June. No extension will be possible.
Students starting a complete program a the University of Geneva in September, i.e. after the GISP, will have to start a new visa procedure, using the documents provided upon enrolment to such a program.
THE PROGRAM:
Do I have to take all GISP modules?
The GISP is designed as a coherent whole, so we advise students to take all modules. However, it is the students' responsibility to do so, and class attendance is not compulsory. Each module will be assessed by a final exam covering the entire module, so students should be aware that they may not successfully pass the exam (i.e. not be getting the attached credits) if they did not attend the corresponding classes.
How are GISP exams organized?
GISP final exams consist of the French exam (2-hour written test and 30-minute oral evaluation) and of the module exams (six 3-hour written exams - one per module). The latter covers the whole content of the corresponding module (lectures, on-site activities and assigned readings).
What happens if I fail one GISP exam?
Failed exams will appear on your transcript, although they will not prevent you from obtaining the credits attached to the other module(s) whose exam you have succesfully passed.
Do I have to take all GISP exams?
Students are under no obligation to take all the exams, but they stand to obtain the corresponding credits if they do so (maximum credits for the modules' section: 18 ECTS). Like failed exams (see above), "no-shows" will appear on your transcript.
Can I work while participating in the GISP?
The GISP schedule does not provide for much free time for students to have a job besides their studies, so students are not encouraged to do so. Legally speaking, while Swiss, AELE- and EU-citizens can work up to 20 hours a week with their student status, non EU-citizens entering Switzerland with a student visa are unfortunately not allowed to work for the first 6 months of their stay.