Definition of general education

As a rule, a foreign certificate of upper secondary studies must be essentially equivalent to a Swiss Maturity Certificate, regarding branches of study, hours, and overall length of studies. To determine equivalency, the University of Geneva bases its decisions on the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region("Lisbon Convention"), the "Recommendations for the Assessment of Foreign Upper Secondary School-Leaving Certificates" (in French), and the work of the Swissuniversities Commission d'admission et d'équivalences.

Therefore, the foreign secondary studies diploma must:

• represent, in the country where it is awarded, the highest possible level of secondary or high-school studies;
• grant general access, in the country where it is awarded, to university studies;
• have been earned through an unabridged course of study, in most cases carried out within an educational institution;
• cover ancient languages, modern languages, mathematics, natural sciences, or human and social sciences;
• have been issued by the State, or, if not, by an institution recognized by the State and duly authorized to issue this type of diploma;
• exhibit characteristics of general education.

An upper secondary school-leaving certificate is considered general education if it covers six branches of study that are followed, as a rule, during each of the three final years of upper secondary studies, as indicated in the list below:

1. First language (native language)
2. Second language
3. Mathematics
4. Natural sciences (biology, chemistry, or physics)
5. Human and social sciences (geography, history, or economics/law)
6. Elective : one subject from branches 2, 4, or 5, or computer science, or philosophy. (computer science and philosophy can only be chosen as a 6th branch of study)

In certain cases, to ensure better equivalency, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) may stipulate complementary requirements in addition to obtaining the diploma, a specific branch of the diploma, or the general educational character of the diploma. These requirements may be :

• earning a specific grade average and/or specific honors;
• acquiring a proof of admission in the target field from a university recognized by UNIGE in the country where the secondary studies diploma was awarded. An attestation for distance learning cannot be taken into account;
• successful completion of two years of study in a university and a program  recognized by UNIGE in a country that have signed or ratified the Lisbon Convention;
• successfully passing the French test;
• successfully passing the ECUS exam.

These requirements are specified in the general enrollment conditions.

Additionally, foreign applicants may be asked to provide evidence that they have not been eliminated from another university or institution of higher education due to failing exams or for any other reason.

In all cases, the applicants are responsible for providing proof that they meet enrollment conditions of the University of Geneva.