Presently, I am working in an Embassy in Berne for the last 3 years. I have got admission in IT Engineering in E.Business in an Institute in Geneva and they have issued me the Registration and everything.
Then I applied for a Student Permit in Geneva Permit Office on 31/5/2007. My studies are going to commence in Mid of September this year. Still I did,t get any answer from them. Then in the first week of August, I called to OCP (Permit issuing authority, Geneva) and the man dealing with my case told me that "you are too old" (i m 35). I told him that there is no age limitations to study anything. Then he said "The institute in which you got admission, is not good in Geneva" ... i told him that its a Swiss institute functioning for the last 20 years in Geneva..

Finally he told me that we will reply in next two weeks and still i did,t receive their written reply.

Can somebody help me this regard OR can advice me, what to do as i am very worried about it because I have already paid the Tuition Fee and other expanses to the Institute and its not refundable.
With best regards,
MoMi

I guess you need to find out if you can appeal after the letter will have come.

There is another thread on this forum about someone in Zurich being denied a student permit because they were over 30 years old. Apparently it's OK if you are doing a Masters or PhD course, but for a bachelor's you must be older than 30. It is not a restriction of the institution/university, but only a problem with the permit. She had also paid the tuition fee up front before knowing about this.

I dont know why the Permit issuing Authority has concern with Age limits or the standard/quality of Institute as the Institute has given me the Admission keeping in view all my personal information and the Institute is pure Swiss Institute functioning for the last several years????

The Question of being over aged must raised by the Institute, NOT the OCP (Permit issuing authority)..

Do you want to study or you are just afraid your tuition cannot be refund?

Are you sure the tuition cannot be refund even if your permit application will be rejected? It shoudn't be.

If you intend to study, why don't you study in University of Geneva or other recognized institutes? To fulfill the OCP because they are saying the institute that you are intended to study at is not good enough!

Yes of course i want to study IT Engineering. At the time of Registration, I raised this question before the Administrator there and He said that the Tuition Fee is NOT refundable in the case of rejection of the Permit. Regarding the Standard of the Institute, If its standard is not good, then why dont the OCP or any other Controlling Authority stops its of working?? and why its functioning for the last several years and many students are studying there???

I cannot get admission in the University of Geneve because, for this, I must have good knowledge of French which I dont posses.

did you check and get proof that you could be issued a permit? Do you have a diplomatic permit right now?

Yes i have a Legitimation Card (Diplomatic Permit) issued by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Bern.

But its far sure that my permit can be changed into a study permit. This has been confirmed by the FDFA in response to my inquiry about such purpose.

A legitimation card does not automatically entail full diplomatic privileges.

Similarly there's no automatism in the conversion of a Legitimation Card into a permit. Yes, it can be converted, however conversion is not a given.

Witness the case of an international worker (was it HCR - i can't remember), established in Geneva for nine years, whose application for conversion was rejected on appeal by the federal administrative tribunal.

I am fully aware of the fact that a Legitimation Card (Dip. Permit) cannot be converted into normal Swiss Resident Permit BUT it can be converted into a Study permit. Furthermore, if you spend more than 10 years with a Legitimation Card in any International Organization or Diplomatic Mission, you can apply for the Swiss Passport or Permit C. I know many people who have been working in Diplomatic Missions/UN Org, for more than 10 years and now they are Swiss Passport Holders.

In another case, one of my friend in Geneva has got a Student permit while he was on Tourist Visa to Switzerland and he,s 35+.

Not quite what I said. Both conversions are possible (i converted mine) however neither is guaranteed in any way shape or form.

Given that the said Institute does not refund the tuition fee, could they at the least offer their enrollees assistance with regards to dealing with the Swiss authorities?

I have explained the situation to the administrator of the Institute. Lets see what happens?
But the Institute is closed till 14/9.