Academic Requirements
In order to maintain a low student-faculty ratio, we seek to enroll no more than 40 students each year. The selection process is highly competitive and based upon the strengths of each individual record of academic and or professional achievement in general, and in the field of dispute settlement in particular, if applicable. For a succinct overview of the programme and application requirements, refer to the MIDS Programme Presentation 2012.
To be considered for the program, applicants must have received, or expect to receive by the summer of 2013, at least a first complete law degree (such as a Bologna Master degree, a J.D. or an LL.B.).
The MIDS may consider candidates from other academic areas who have at least a Master degree or its recognized equivalent. These applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether or not they can be considered for admission. These candidates may submit an explanation or a description of their preparation for success in the MIDS curriculum.
Language Requirements
Applicants whose primary language is not English or who did not receive their university education in the English language must submit official standardized test results (TOEFL or IELTS). The admissions committee looks for a TOEFL score of at least 79 points on the Internet-based TOEFL or an IELTS overall score of at least 5.5.
Applicants with at least two years of professional experience in English, as well as those who have completed full-time university studies in English, may request a waiver of this requirement.
The admissions committee reserves the right to request a TOEFL or IELTS score from applicants who request a waiver but whose written English presents significant weaknesses. Advanced proficiency in English (written and oral) is necessary to succeed in the MIDS curriculum.
A passive understanding of French is an asset, though not a requisite.
Apply Now
To apply to the program, applicants must submit a complete application file, containing all the following documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- A completed application form;
- Photocopy of passport;
- An up-to-date curriculum vitae/résumé;
- A personal statement/essay demonstrating the applicant's interest in the field of dispute settlement, including concrete examples if possible. Max. 400 words; longer essays might not be read.
- Two recent letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional teachers/supervisors (one of each if possible);
- Copies of relevant degrees and diplomas, with an officially certified translation into English, if not in English or French;
- Copies of official transcripts/records of university courses/examinations attempted and grades obtained, with the same need for translation as above;
- The tables of contents and 10-page excerpts of the most important papers written in the course of university studies or otherwise, if available in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish;
- Official TOEFL or IELTS scores.
There is no application fee.
If you are not sure which documents to translate, check with our admissions office first, to save unnecessary costs.
The application form can be completed and submitted online.
We prefer to receive documents via e-mail. If you choose postal mail, please do not staple or bind the pages of your application and do not send original documents, as all submitted materials become the property of the LL.M. program upon receipt and will be neither returned to the applicant nor forwarded to other schools or agencies.
Please submit your application materials to: info@mids.ch
Our postal address is:
MIDS - Geneva LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement
Villa Moynier
PO Box 67
Rue de Lausanne 120 B
1211 Geneva 21
Switzerland
Communicating with the Admissions Office
A notification will be sent to you confirming receipt of your application, followed by a message indicating whether your application is complete.
Our admissions office deals exclusively with applications to the MIDS LL.M. program. Inquiries regarding other programs, including PhD programs at the University of Geneva or the Graduate Institute, should be addressed to their respective secretariats.
Scholarship Applications
The MIDS program does not offer any scholarships. We have been able to secure a number of scholarships from a local sponsor, one of the largest Geneva foundations. These scholarships cover the total tuition fees as well as CHF 15,000 toward living expenses during the 10 months of the program. Partial scholarship may also be available.
Our sponsor has established strict eligibility criteria:
- Demonstrated financial need on the part of candidates as well as their immediate and extended families, employers and any other persons who might otherwise have been able to contribute toward financing their MIDS studies;
- Failure to secure loans or scholarships from other available sources, including employers, banks, governments and private providers;
- Coming from a country considered to have a developing economy.
After admission decisions are made by the MIDS admissions committee, qualified scholarship applications are forwarded to our sponsor by priority of their admission ratings. The final scholarship decision is made by the sponsor and communicated to the MIDS admissions office within a few weeks.
In addition to the scholarship application form, please submit the following supporting documents, translated into English if necessary (English translations do not need to be officially certified):
- Copies of official statements of income (your own and/or any other relevant persons, family members or other, whom you might call on for support);
- Official statement from a bank or other savings institution, and/or tax forms, indicating available funds and assets;
- Copies of responses to your other scholarship and/or loan requests, including from employers if applicable.
While our admission process is "need-blind", meaning that we do not consider any financial factors when making admission decisions, we do ask you to submit your scholarship application at the same time as your application for admission, to ensure timely processing. The scholarship application deadline is
1 February 2013.
