Payment Policy and Procedures
It is Webster Geneva’s policy that students are responsible for their charges. This responsibility includes reviewing their bill upon reception, forwarding the bill to parents or guardians as applicable and ensuring that payments are made by the due date. Students with overdue balances risk being dropped from courses. Tuition and other fees must be paid in full in order for students to register for each new term. Registration may be denied to those students whose bills are not fully paid by the established deadlines. No diplomas or transcripts may be released until all debts to Webster Geneva are paid in full.
Organizations, individuals and third-party sponsors paying for a student’s educational expenses at Webster Geneva are requested to submit a statement of financial responsibility. Upon request, the Business Office will send invoices directly to sponsors.
Students may Drop classes (before the end of the first week), and will only forfeit their deposit; however, those who proceed with a Withdrawal after attending more than one week of classes will be invoiced according to our policy below.
Each semester/term is invoiced individually. A 16-week bachelor semester may include individual 8- week courses as part of the overall registration, yet part-time students may register for an 8-week term individually. Masters courses are generally delivered in 8-week terms.
Tuition Refunds
The Business Office processes requests from students for tuition refunds after they have processed a Drop (before the end of Week 1) or Withdrawal (thereafter) from their undergraduate or graduate courses through their Academic Advisor and/or the campus Registrar.
Tuition refunds are contingent on the drop or withdrawal date. It is the undergraduate/graduate student's responsibility to file a “Drop” or “Withdrawal” form (or send an email stating their intention to Drop or Withdraw) with their academic advisors.
Tuition waivers for dropped courses are automatic, per the below chart. In these cases, the charges are expunged from the student's account except for the tuition deposit, if less than 8 weeks before the beginning of semester.
The rates for tuition waivers for withdrawals are according to the schedule below. They are based upon the date of withdrawal as authorized by the official who submits the withdrawal request.
Flat-fee (bachelor) tuition refunds are made only if Drops and/or Withdrawals reduces the total credit load below 12 credit hours (financial aid packages may be affected as a result of this procedure).
The following applies to any overall 16-week semester or any individual 8-week term registration:
| Week of Classes | 16-Week Semester (including the full-time “flat” bachelor rate*) |
8-Week Classes (including 8-week course for part-time bachelors and masters) |
4-Week Summer Classes (bachelors) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 (Drop of Course Schedule) | 100% tuition refund except tuition deposit | 100% tuition refund except tuition deposit | 100% tuition refund except tuition deposit |
| Week 2 (Withdrawal) | 75% tuition refund* | 75% tuition refund* | 25% tuition refund* |
| Week 3 (Withdrawal) | 50% tuition refund | 50% tuition refund | 0% |
| Week 4 (Withdrawal) | 25% tuition refund | 25% tuition refund | 0% |
| Week 5 (Withdrawal) | 0% | 0% | n/a |
| Week 6 (Withdrawal) | 0% | 0% | n/a |
| Week 7 (Withdrawal) | 0% | 0% | n/a |
| Week 8 (and beyond) | 0% | 0% | n/a |
* Exceptions: If the student does not qualify for a waiver and wishes to petition for a percentage refund due to special circumstances (e.g., medical emergency), the student must submit a letter of explanation of the special circumstances to the advisor. Additional documentation (such as a doctor's letter of verification) is required.
Refund of Fees: The matriculation fee, media, art and other class fees are non-refundable.
Following an offer of admission to the Webster Geneva Campus, a tuition deposit of CHF 1,500 is requested to confirm your intention to enroll. This reserves your place at Webster Geneva Campus, and initiates other services on campus in preparation for your academic registration to classes and campus orientation program.
For applicants who will require a student visa to live in Switzerland (non-local, non-EU citizens), the deposit will allow us to release your official visa invitation (“attestation”) letter so you can begin the process.
Tuition deposits can be paid remotely via bank transfer, a secure global payment network Flywire or in person at the Business Office by credit card (details provided upon admission). Your tuition deposit will appear as a credit on your student account, and it will be applied toward your first tuition invoice at Webster.
More Information
Tuition deposits are highly encouraged as soon as you decide to enroll at the Webster Geneva Campus.
International (non-local, non-EU) Students: Tuition deposits are also strongly encouraged by four months in advance of the start date (or immediately after an offer of admission is extended, if under four months), since the Swiss student visa process can take between 2 and 3 months to process after documents have been submitted to the Swiss Consulates.
Specific Fall Semester Deadlines for Deposit may be announced and published each year on the “Welcome” website for new students, given that this is the largest intake of new student enrollments each year.
Swiss Citizens (and local residents on a Swiss permit): Your tuition deposit will initiate the course registration process. We request a deposit 2 months (8 weeks) prior to the term (or as soon after your decision to enroll as possible). If your admission is shortly before the start of classes, you may be approved for expedited registration (and you will be invoiced for the first term accordingly).
Bachelor and Master Deposit Refunds
Early deposits can be refunded upon request in writing to the Business Office up to two months (8 weeks) prior to the semester start date, if your enrollment plans change.
However, if under the 8 weeks prior to the start date, your deposit will be forfeited. Exceptions are always granted in unexpected, documented cases where a student visa is denied, or an exception may be approved for a documented health condition (or similar emergency) prevents enrollment.
If for any reason you need to defer your start date to a future term/semester, your deposit may not be refunded, but would be applied toward that first semester invoice.
Invoices for the semester are generated after your academic course registration, which is typically between 4 to 6 weeks prior to the start date. Invoices are sent via email (your tuition deposits are applied to the student account and will appear as a credit towards your first bill). They are payable before the term begins and no later than Friday of “Week 1” of the term.
Enrollment Cancellation
Webster Geneva “Drop/Add” policy allows a student to make changes to their enrollment commitment (ie, either to revise or cancel their course schedule). This can affect billing, as follows:
"Drop" Deadlines and Refunds
Bachelor students dropping individual courses may change the ‘rate’ of tuition (if below 12 credits). It is important to reconfirm with the Business Office if this is the case.
If a bachelor or master student fully “Drops” their full schedule/enrollment by Friday of Week 1 of the term, through formal communication to their academic advisor or campus Registrar (either by signing a ‘drop’ request in person or by written email), the full tuition except the initial tuition deposit will be credited and refunded.
Course Enrollment Withdrawals and Refunds
Beyond Week 1 of the term, there are financial implications for your enrollment, as you made a commitment to the course schedule. Students have the option to “Withdraw” from a course, for some weeks into the term, and this appears as an official “W” on the academic transcript. Always refer to the Withdrawal policy, and consult with Academic Advising, if you are considering to Withdraw. Note that a Withdrawal from a specific course (or courses) full-time students may not change your obligation to the full-time, flat fee rate of tuition.
Withdrawal from your full enrollment (withdrawing from all courses in the semester) has various implications. A portion of tuition may be refundable (see Withdrawal policy).
Payment Methods
Tuition and fees may be paid for using one of the options listed below, or by contacting the Business Office.
Bank Transfer/e-banking
Bank: UBS SA
Address: UBS SA, Rue de la Confédération 2, 1204 Geneva
Beneficiary (Remit to): FONDATION WEBSTER
IBAN Code: CH98 0024 0240 2900 5200 A
Swift (BIC): UBSWCHZH80A
Please increase the amount you pay by the appropriate bank fees/charges.
Credit Card
American Express, Mastercard, Visa, etc. are accepted. Please note that credit card payments can only be made in person in the Business Office; credit card information offered by telephone or email is not accepted.
For international payments only, credit card payments can be accepted by Flywire, the Secure global payment network that simplifies paying your tuition fees from your home country.
*Please note that Webster Geneva does not accept any payments in cash.
Natasha Kazarova
Senior Accountant at Business Office
Phone +41 22 959 8042
Email: geneva.businessoffice@webster.edu