Geneva: Enriching but Expensive June 01, 2022

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

One of the most shocking aspects of this program was how much less work we received, at least in comparison to Wellesley. I was told this in advance, and have heard that this is typically the case at most non-US schools. We were only assigned 1-2 assignments for the whole semester in each class and weekly readings. It would have been much more difficult had we been actual graduate students and had work, thesis, and projects to complete on top of the coursework, but because we're only studying abroad and academics are our only responsibility it was much less intense but still very rewarding and enriching. The smaller workload also gave me a lot of flexible time to spend traveling.

On-site administration of your program

This is not a Wellesley sponsored program and it is a graduate institute so expect to have to handle everything yourself, from housing to food and transportation. It is not covered or done for you by the program like others but there is always someone available to help you and answer any questions you might have throughout the process which makes everything a lot easier. Eliane was a wonderful program coordinator.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Unfortunately towards the beginning of the semester we had to find alternative living arrangements because the housing is not flexible or communicative because it is seperate from the school. It also became a struggle towards the end because my departure did not coincide with the rent end date so I also had to find alternative housing then. The process was stressful but the housing itself is quite nice with very good amenities and space. The Grand Morillon is a beautiful student residence and the studios are well managed with cleaning every other week and your own bathroom and kitchen.

Again, this is a graduate school so they do not have a meal plan. They offer lunch at the school with student prices but they are still pricey and the school is 15 min away from housing and closed on weekends and dinner time so you cant get food there all the time. Grocery shopping is a must and prices in Geneva are very expensive so it wasn't he best experience.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Geneva is a very international city so there are multiple cultures present and most people speak English so I unfortunately didn't get the immersive french experience i was hoping for, however the french border is very close by and travel throughout Switzerland has also exposed me to a lot of Swiss culture which has been fun. It is very easy to integrate however since English is a common language.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I wasn't really sure about health insurance situation here in Switzerland for the entirety of my stay and unfortunately all my questions about it went unanswered. I did get COVID while here but because there are no longer any COVID restrictions in Switzerland I was able to adjust without much help and isolate. It happened right before my flight home however so I had to stay longer then anticipated thus I reccomend everyone to apply for their Permanent Residency with an expiration date beyond your expected return date just in case of emergencies like this.

Geneva is an extremely safe city with very little to no crime. I felt very safe here

I know I complained a lot in my other answers but my time in Geneva has been a real blessing. I've traveled so often thanks to it's central location in Europe and made some really cool friends thanks to that. The program itself has also really helped me grasp what kind of career I want out of international relations and giving me a better idea of the field as a whole. It was also a really cool experience being in a graduate school taking graduate level classes with graduate students and I learned a lot thanks to that. Overall, a wonderful experience despite all the technical hiccups here and there, I would definitely reccomend it to anyone, just be aware of the struggles beforehand.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

(1) Geneva is a VERY expensive city, I had to budget very well to afford everything, but luckily I received more financial aid then I anticipated which made finances much easier but the will not be the case for most people, so I reccomend keeping price in mind.

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

Unfortunately since Geneva is so international most people speak English which is why it wasn't as immersive as I would have liked but you will have opportunities to speak french for sure.

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