Fee waivers

Every student registered at the University of Geneva is required to pay a fee of CHF 500 per semester.

This fee is composed of two parts:

1. The fixed administrative fee of CHF 65.
2. The tutoring fee of CHF 435.

Students in difficult financial situations may ask to be made exempt from paying the tutoring fee. If their request is accepted, the exemption is valid for both academic semesters (Fall and Spring). Only the administrative fee of CHF 65/semester remains due.

The fixed fee of CHF 65 is mandatory for everyone. We therefore recommend that you pay at least this amount in order to avoid exmatriculation.

Types of fee waivers

It is possible to benefit from the exemption of the tutoring fees in two ways:

• Automatically: This is a statutory exemption depending on your status during your university studies. Visit the Admissions Office website (in French) for a list of all situations where the exemption is automatic. This type of exemption is managed directly by your Faculty and the Admissions Office.
• Upon request: Any student who is in a difficult financial situation, or who is not receiving a grant or loan, can apply for exemption. If an application for a cantonal grant is pending, one must wait for a negative decision from the canton before applying.

Fee waivers only concern UNIGE students. All the granting criteria are detailed in the Directive (in French), which is the authoritative document.

When to apply?

The application must be submitted between September 15 and 30 of each academic year. If the application is accepted, the exemption is valid for 2 semesters of the academic year.

Once the deadline has passed, the student may apply during the year only in the following cases:

• Following a late registration or for the spring semester (Autumn mobility or new registration).
• Following a grant refusal from the canton of Geneva or another canton.

How to apply?

All requests for exemption are made online via the fee exemption request form (in French). This form is available from September 15 to 30 of each academic year. For any technical question concerning the form, you will find a live chat available directly on the form page.

Once the application has been submitted, you will receive an e‑mail indicating the rest of the procedure. You will be asked to make an appointment with a manager to submit all the necessary documents to finalize your application. It is important to submit a complete file, otherwise your application will be rejected. You will receive an answer to your request in mid‑November. In the meantime, it is important that you pay the fixed administrative fee of CHF 65 in order to avoid being exmatriculated.

Questions?

If you have any questions, you can contact the person in charge at exo-taxes(at)unige.ch or at 022 379 77 27.

Helpful links and documents

• Directive on the exemption of tuition fees (in French)
• List of documents to submit (in French)
• Detailed procedure for applying for an exemption (in French)
• Grants and Loans Department (Service des Bourses et prêts d’étude, in French)
• List of the cantonal grant departments (in French)
• FAQ