Hi guys,

I am an international student -I live in Slovakia and consider to study in Switzerland. I am doing an admission process to an University in Geneva. Although I may obtain a full-tution scholarship, I will have to pay for non-academic expenses. However, I am from a socially weak class ( our family income is no more than 1500 CHF / month) ... so I will gain no financial support from my family.

Is it possible to apply for a job as a freshman and earn enough money ( per 20 hrs a week) to live at least a normal life ? ... without starving ..... well my dorm expence is 850 CHF / month ... and can you tell me what other expenses may I expect?

Will I get a student visa if my family cannot reasonably cover my studies?

Thank you very much for all your advice.

Ask the oracle:

http://www.ifm.ch/english/informatio...ent-budget.htm
http://switzerland.isyours.com/d/ein...um/budget.html
http://www.adh-geneva.ch/teaching/fi...nformation.php

It seems it will cost the total of your family budget or more per month.
The university site also have student job listing between 15-25 francs per hour.

Thank you very much .... so I should prepare 1800 - 2000 CHF per month for non - academic expenses ..... do you think that I can earn them by doing a part-time job?

No. Well, probably not. You will be putting yourself into a difficult situation and I'm not even sure you will get a student visa if you don't have money to live on.

If I were you, I'd go to university in Belgium.

As I applied for mine I had to show bank statements etc showing that I (or somebody else) would be able to support myself in Zurich. I do not know what the cut offs are, only that it convinced them.

Yes, I know plenty of people who survive just fine in the same situation.

Just make sure you are clever and find a cheap shared flat and keep your expenses as low as you can manage.

The question is not whether the OP can survive on that amount. The question is whether s/he can make this amount of money with a part time student job every month. What do you think?

Did the people you know already have permits or did they need to apply for them from outside? Did they have money in the bank to show they can support themselves or did they just get a job when they arrived?

It seems you know alot of people in the same situation as the OP, maybe you can elaborate? That would be great.