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Global Opportunities

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  1. Global Opportunities
  2. Outgoing students
  3. Exchange Programmes
  4. Where can I go?
  5. Destinations in Europe
  6. SWITZERLAND
  7. University of Geneva

University of Geneva

Please find useful information below about University of Geneva as an exchange destination. Learn more about the location, the campus, courses and student life!

About 

The University of Geneva (UNIGE) was founded in 1559 and is one of Europe’s leading academic institutions. With over four centuries of academic tradition, it has established itself as a center of excellence in education and research. Situated in the heart of the international city of Geneva, the university is integrated into a wide network of global organizations, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the International Red Cross. This strong international focus enables UNIGE to engage in multidisciplinary research and education that addresses global challenges.

The university hosts nearly 19,000 students from all corners of the world, making UNIGE a dynamic and diverse academic community. The university offers a wide range of educational opportunities, with 613 study programs, including 136 Bachelor's and Master's degrees, 87 doctoral programs, and 343 continuing education options.

With 9 faculties and 13 interfaculty centers, UNIGE is an interdisciplinary hub that encourages collaboration between various fields of knowledge. It is particularly renowned for its forefront research in areas like molecular biology, bioinformatics, astrophysics, and the physics of elementary particles. 

UNIGE has a large network of global partnerships, working closely with 430 partner institutions across 73 countries. These collaborations range from joint research projects to student exchanges, with more than 175 joint projects conducted with leading universities worldwide.

Consult UNIGE on QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.

Location

The university’s location in Geneva, a city recognized for its international diplomacy and humanitarian work, gives it a good position to influence global policy, particularly in areas such as public health, conflict resolution, and global governance.

Geneva is  described as a cosmopolitan city, large enough to offer global culture and opportunity, yet small enough to remain welcoming. Situated between the Alps and the Jura mountains, and situated at the southwestern tip of Switzerland on the shores of Lake Geneva, the city enjoys a good location at the heart of Western and Central Europe.

As a true diverse city, Geneva is home to more than 180 nationalities. Its neighborhoods reflect this diversity through a wide variety international cuisine and communities representing cultures from across the globe. The city has many parks, lakeside promenades, and green spaces which offer peaceful places for relaxation.

In terms of the cultural life, Geneva hosts one of Europe’s most renowned opera houses, as well as a mix of film festivals, theaters and concert venues. The University of Geneva is actively embedded into this cultural field, with its popular film club, choir, and numerous student associations contributing to the city’s artistic vibe.

UNIGE is located across several districts of the eastern part of Geneva as well as in the nearby city of Carouge. The university has over 70 different locations that combine renovated buildings and newly-built spaces.

More information about the UNIGE Campus is available here. There is also a map of the UNIGE buildings available here.

Level of competitiveness

This exchange is only open to students studying a Modern Language in the School of the Arts.

For competitiveness level, please enquire with the STA Year Abroad team.

Language of Instruction

French is the language of instruction and examination, as that is the target language of Modern Language students who study here, although there are a few courses taught in English. The course catalogue is available here, which presents the language of instruction for each course.

In order to participate in undergraduate courses taught in French, students are recommended to have a B2 French level. For French literature courses in the Faculty of Arts/Humanities, there is a mandatory C1 French level.

Academic Calendar

The academic year is split into 2 semesters: a fall and a spring semester.

 The fall semester begins in September and ends in December. There is an examination period between January and February, with exact dates confirmed by each Faculty.

 The spring semester begins in February and ends in May. There is an examination period between May and June, with exact dates confirmed by each Faculty.

There is a mandatory Welcome and Orientation Session organized at the beginning of each semester. This is hosted by the Academic Exchange Office and guides students through administrative matters. An additional Faculty information session will also be organized by the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation, which is mandatory to attend.

 There is also a video published by the university on how the timetables are structured, available here.

Courses

Students are required to fill a provisional list of courses within the preliminary study plan during the online registration process for their exchange. The selection of courses should be made based on the course catalogue, available here. Courses which have a name in French are taught in French and courses which have a name in English are taught in English.

Prior approval is required for the exchange study plan from the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation. The enrolment process will be described during an information session by the specific Faculty. The procedure of choosing classes for the study plan is described on this page. There are multiple restrictions concerning the study plan which can be consulted in this document.

For the Faculty of Translation and Interpretation at University of Geneva, the list of courses offered for exchange students is available on this link. All undergraduate students in exchange can select the courses from the “Bachelor en communication multilingue” level.

UNIGE offers French courses through its Maison de Langues department. There are 3 categories of French courses: general, theme-based and specialized.

Credits

Students must enrol on a full courseload: 30 ECTS per semester / 60 ECTS for the full academic year (equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits per semester / 120 Queen mary credits for the full academic year). 

Each semester has 30 ECTS credit with an academic year at UNIGE having 60 ECTS credits. Courses are offered annually or by semester and each ECTS credit represents approximately 25-30 academic hours (including studying). “A” courses are autumn semester courses, “P” courses are spring courses and “AN” are annual courses. Modules consist of a set of lectures, seminars (travaux pratiques) and evaluations (papers or exams).

Grading

Most of the assessments at University of Geneva take place at the end of the semester, with limited modules have continuous assessment available. UNIGE uses a grading scale ranging from 0 to 6.00, with 4.00 representing the passing grade required for each module. This is equivalent with the ECTS system of letters from A to F. More information about grade conversion can be found in this welcome guide.

Find out more about Queen Mary's credit transfer and grade conversion process.

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Accommodation

University accommodation: University of Geneva collaborates with Cité Universitaire to provide accommodation to its exchange students in its 2 buildings. Incoming students will receive a form in their letter of acceptance which needs to be filled by the given deadline.

Rooms provided by UNIGE are on a first-come first-served basis and are not guaranteed.

More information about the university accommodation can be consulted on this website.

The university also manages its own accommodation halls with individual bedrooms in shared flats and studios, with a total of 800 housing spaces. The registration is conducted through the centralized university platform, logetud. Information about the halls of residence, types of rooms and prices can be found here.

Private accommodation: The University hosts ads for private housing through its Accommodation Office. These advertisements are posted on the ISIs platform of UNIGE. Please note that the University of Geneva does not verify the accuracy of the advertisements and their truth and only acts as an intermediary for publishing them.

More information about accessing the private advertisements for housing can be consulted on this webpage. The rules for eligibility in UNIGE accommodation are available here.

The University of Geneva also provides an internal webpage for registered students to contact other partners offering private accommodation such as private student campuses. The link is available here.

Queen Mary students who intend to look for private accommodation are advised to follow the partner’s guidance as soon as possible to begin their accommodation search safely. Guidance about searching for private accommodation safely is also available on the QMplus resource page, “Pre-departure” tab from early spring.

Cost of living

University of Geneva provides information on the cost of living as a student here. The webpage also provides information about work authorizations for exchange students. You can find more general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Geneva here. Living expenses can vary depending on individual lifestyle, especially in Switzerland where renting private accommodation can be as (if not more) expensive than renting privately in London. Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.  

Important: Students considering to live and study in Switzerland must be realistic about financial matters, this being one of the most expensive cities in the world. In the decision-making process, Queen Mary students must calculate their forecasted budget with confirmed funding to which they will have access against the rising cost of living. 

 

Support services

Students can access a range of dedicated services for medical, psychological, social and special-needs support.

Advisory and Counselling Services

The University of Geneva provides a comprehensive Student Health Service (Service Santé des Étudiant-es, SSE) that offers support for academic, personal, or social challenges. This is ensured through HES-SO Genève. Information about support services available can be consulted here.

  • Psychological Support: Free and confidential consultations with psychologists are available through the Student Health Service. 
  • Medical Consultations: The SSE also provides medical consultations to address general physical health concerns and offers preventive health care.  More information is available here. In case of emergencies, the university also provides first aid and medical support through its clinics (“infirmieries”). The locations and more details can be consulted on this page.
  • The medical service also runs campaigns and therapeutic groups (for mindfulness and stress relief), plus peer-support through “Sentinelles” and “Relais Santé” students who are trained to guide their peers. In the past, initiatives such as the Mental Health Awareness Week were hosted by the student groups.

Professional and Career Support / Social Assistance

Career support: The University of Geneva offers complex career support services to help students prepare for professional life during and after their studies. Through the Career Service (Centre de Carrière), students have access to personalised guidance, including individual appointments for CV and cover letter review, mock interviews, career orientation, and job-search strategies. More information about one-to-one sessions is available here.

Additionally, UNIGE offers a Career Mentoring Programme, which connects students with experienced professionals and UNIGE alumni who provide personalised advice on career planning, industry expectations, and professional growth. . Details on the mentoring programme can be found here.

Social office: UNIGE’s Social Office (Bureau Social) supports students with administrative, financial or personal difficulties such insurance, or other social challenges. More information can be consulted here.

Well-being coaching: The “Vie de Campus” (Campus Life) service offers individual coaching appointments and workshops to help students navigate academic stress, well-being goals, and personal development.  More information can be found here.

Support for Students with Disabilities / additional needs

UNIGE’s office for students with additional needs: part of the Student Health Service, supports students with diagnosed disabilities or disorders. It works closely with faculties to arrange accommodations, particularly for assessments and continuous evaluation. More information about this service is available on the HES-SO website.

Student life

The University of Geneva hosts a large and diverse network of student associations covering academic interests, culture, sports, political engagement, sustainability, and student welfare. Over 100 active associations are listed on AGORA, UNIGE’s official platform for student organisations, where students can explore activities, events, and opportunities for involvement.

The ful list of AGORA student associations is available here.

Sporting activities

The University of Geneva offers a dynamic sports programme through its Campus Life platform (Vie de Campus). The full catalogue of available sports can be found here.

Cultural activities:

Cultural life at UNIGE is supported by the Culture side within Vie de Campus, which organises a broad range of artistic and cultural events throughout the year. Students can attend concerts, exhibitions, theatre performances, talks, and creative workshops. More information about cultural activities can be found here.

UNIGE also hosts regular film screenings through its Ciné-Club, which presents a curated selection of films, often accompanied by discussions or thematic evenings. Information about the Ciné-Club programme is available here.

Students interested in developing personal or professional skills can also participate in activities such as “Boostez vos soft skills”, an interactive programme designed to strengthen communication, teamwork, creativity, and leadership. Details about this programme are available here.

 

 

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