Applying to the MAs in Translation

To study at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and be admitted to the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting (FTI), you must:

• Fulfill the enrollment requirements of UNIGE and hold a university diploma
• Fulfill the FTI's admission conditions

What are the FTI's admission conditions ?

You must:

• (A) pass the entrance exam
• (B) fulfill the admission conditions based on your application file
• or (C) be a student in your last year of the BA in Multilingual Communication at the FTI

(A) If you already hold a university diploma : You will still have to sit for the FTI entrance exam.

(B) If you hold a BA in the same branch of studies and your diploma is deemed to be equivalent: if you do not change language combinations, the FTI may decide to admit you without requiring you to sit for some or all of the admission tests.

Exemption requests
You may request exemption from the entrance exam when registering online. The Faculty's exemption committee will examine each application individually. To have an idea of how your previous degree compares to the FTI’s BA programme, look at the curriculum of the Bachelor in Multilingual Communication. In particular, pay attention to the number of translation credits required for each language combination.

(C) If you are in the last year of your BA in Multilingual Communication at the FTI:
as long as you do not change language combinations, you will be admitted to the MA in Translation programme without having to sit for the entrance exam (on condition that you have passed all your BA exams). To register for the MA, you simply have to send an email to Marie-Laure Cudet before 31 August 2024.

Also have a look at the general description page for this programme.

What does the entrance exam consist of?

Description of the entrance exam

You will have to pass a test for each of your language pairs (B-A) :

By language pair, we mean the combination of your A language with one of your B languages. You must sit for a test for each of your pairs (B1-A, B2-A, B3-A), which will allow us to both verify your knowledge and writing skills in your native language (A), as well as your understanding of your passive languages (B).

The aim of the entrance exam is for us to ensure that applicants are able to understand the meaning and nuances of a text written in their passive language and express themselves perfectly in their active language.

For the summary component, you will be given a text in your B language. You will then be asked to present the main ideas of the text in your A language in a style that is fitting and natural. This exercise will require you to distinguish essential from nonessential information and present it in a well-structured form. When evaluating your A language skills, we will be looking at the wealth and precision of your vocabulary, as well as your command of spelling, syntax and punctuation.

The second part of the exam consists of questions that will test your understanding of specific nuances in the B language text. Your answers will also allow us to evaluate your written expression in your A language in a less restrictive context than the summary exercise.

Each of the tests will be marked on a scale from 0 to 6. In order to pass the entrance exam, you must obtain a minimum mark of 4 on one or several of the language pair tests.

What happens if I fail?

If all of your marks are below 4, you will not be able to begin the MA in Translation programme the following academic year. You do, however, have the option of sitting for the entrance exam a second time.
If your mark is below 4 for one language pair, but you obtain at least 4 for your other language pairs, you can resit the test that you have failed. In the meantime, you can begin your studies with the language combination for which you have been accepted.

How strong do my language skills need to be?

You must have a perfect command of your A language: you must be able to write a logical, well-structured text in an appropriate style. For your B languages, we recommend that you have at least a C1 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

B2 level of French for applicants who don't have French in their language combination

Besides passing the FTI entrance exam, the University requires you to have at least a B2 level in French to enrol. Go to the University's webpage for information on the French exam and verify whether or not you fulfil one of the exemption conditions. If this is not the case, you can either submit one of the diplomas listed on the page (see section two of “Exemption from the French exam”) or sit for the French exam.
If you decide to sit for the exam, the University's admission services will have you write it in Geneva two to three weeks before the beginning of the semester. If you fail, you will not be able to begin your studies at the FTI.

Where and when will the entrance exam take place?

The entrance exam will take place online from 15 to 17 April 2025.
Results will be published on 13 June 2025.

How do I apply?

Prepare the documents to be uploaded: list.

Apply online to register for the FTI entrance exam and apply to enroll at UNIGE.

We accept applications from 15 January to 28 February 2025.

The FTI will send you an email mid-March to invite you to sit for the entrance exam. Please remember to check your email around this time, as well as your spam folder.

Add a language to your combination:

If you're in the last year of your BA at the FTI or if you've already started the MA in Translation at the FTI, you can add a language to your combination by contacting the FTI student secretary at admission-fti@unige.ch .

The tuition fee is CHF 500 per semester of study for both Swiss and foreign students.

Student Secretariat

Admissions and enrolment

Marie-Laure CUDET
Campus building: Uni Mail
Office: 6256
Telephone: +41 (0)22 37 98708
email: admission-fti@unige.ch

Office hours: Monday - Thursday, 10:00 - 12:00 am / 2:00 - 4:00 pm