Certified true copies

When they send their application file by postal mail, applicants must include the scholastic/academic documents required for enrollment in the form of certified true copies if the originals were issued in countries that have not signed or ratified the Lisbon Convention (click here for a list of countries that are signatory to the convention).

The following are accepted as certified true copies:

  1. Documents issued by an institution which has an online verification system for diplomas and/or transcripts, as long as the verification system in question is official and available in one of the five following languages: French, English, German, Italian, or Spanish. All details and information required for online verification must be provided to UNIGE with your enrollment application. If the information provided is judged insufficient, or if there are any doubts regarding the trustworthiness of the online verification system, the University of Geneva always reserves the right to require certified true copies.;
  2. For China: documents (transcripts and diplomas) subject to the China Credentials Verification (CSSD, formerly CHESICC). The data and information necessary for verification must be provided directly in English and Chinese, with the application file;
  3. Documents (transcripts and diplomas) must be sent in an envelope sealed by the institution which issued the documents (OR sent directly by the institution which issued them);
  4. Copies with the original signature and ink stamp of the certifying authority. In this case, the signatures and stamps must be original and in one of the five following languages: French, English, German, Italian, or Spanish. Signatures and stamps must be originals, and must not be submitted to UNIGE as photocopies.

Notaries in Switzerland and in other countries are empowered to certify copies as certified true copies.

In addition, the following authorities may be empowered to do this ; it varies by country:

  • The schools and universities that issued the documents
  • Embassies and/or consulates of the countries where the documents were issued
  • For some countries: municipal governments or education ministries

Incomplete files, in particular those not including certified true copies as outlined above,  are declared inadmissible.

*Exception: candidates for complementary certificates and master's degrees from the Faculty of Social Sciences: registration procedure entirely online. In this case, for these applications, only points 1 and 2 apply, as well as the following additional point:

  • If the institution does not have an official online verification system (see point 1. above): you must indicate the name, function, e-mail address of the person in charge within the institution, and the link to the official page of the institution's website mentioning the designated person and his/her function.