DGS_Geneva_Switzerland

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PLEASE NOTE - the information below was written *before* the grant system was introduced and much of it may be out of date.

If you are a new fellow in Belgium, please take the time to write a new guide based on your experiences, and upload as a PDF with the template cover sheet on this website (see RKI or RIVM 2011 guides for inspiration).

Generic information concerning life as a fellow under grant can be found in the IF YOU CANNOT SEE A COUNTRY GUIDE FOR YOUR HOST SITE.doc on this website.

Many thanks.

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Useful information for the new EPIET fellows
based on the experience of the fellows of the last cohort(s)

Host country : Switzerland

Host institution : DGS, Geneva

Contract/ health insurance:

1. Necessary documents to sign the contract and to get a health insurance:

• Passport/identity card
• CV/ Certificates
• Judicial clearance
• EPIET admission letter
• Photos

2. Information about the health insurance :

Switzerland is a liberal health public system and you have to manage your private health insurance, that is compulsory. There are different possibilities and prices.
The minimum (with a 2000CHF franchise) is approximately around 240 CHF /month. This means that you cover all expenses until arrive to 2.000 CHF.

Anyway, before paying, check if your Country has a bilateral accord with Switzerland; if it does, you'll probably won't need to pay any Swiss insurance. You can find this information on http://www.europa.admin.ch/pub/best/f/index.htm or you can ask to the Service de l'Assurance Maladie de Genève.

Bank account :

1. Necessary documents to get a bank account :

The DGS in Geneva provided you with all the information need to open the account in a BCG bank.
Contract, identity document and residence permit.

2. Recommendations/Suggestions :

I suggest to open the bank account in a UBS bank. This is a personal experience, but with my permit L the BCG bank deny to give me a credit card VISA (after waiting for more than 5 months) and opposite in the UBS bank I got one in less than two weeks.
The only bank allowing to open a bank account without residence permit is Banquemigros: in case you have any problem with the residence permit (you could wait quite a lot to have it) it's your only possibility!

Accommodation :

1. Necessary documents to enter into a rental lease:

Contract, residence permit or a document declaring your permit is ongoing, identity card, bank account, assurance civil (you can do it in Geneva for almost 250 CHF par year)

2. Recommendations/Suggestions :

Start looking for an apartment as soon as possible. They are extremely expensive and difficult to find. There are several websites to look for lodging through the "régies". Also count with extra money cause usually you should be able to pay two or three months in advance as a deposit.
If you prefer to take the risk to sub-rent an apartment there are plenty of web sites to post your request and look at proposal.

Residence permit/card:

1. Necessary documents :

Contract, identity card, judicial clearance from your origin country.

2. Recommendations/Suggestions :

Type of residence permit: I got a Swiss residence permit -type L- and this means some restrictions in getting a credit card and in the possibility of being able to pay by credit. Important to discuss this in the moment of the contract.

Fun/Ideas/other useful suggestions/ contacts :

Expensive city. Food and house are really expensive. Drinking, theatre and small concerts are more affordable.
Buy a bicycle is a very good idea! You can move free around the whole town with it!
Winter is for skiing. Do not forget! If you don't have a car, the easiest way to go skiing is join one ski club. The CERN ski club is one of the cheapest and better organized.
In summer you can enjoy the lake, open air concerts and parks.
Beautiful places for excursion during the WE. There is a train card you buy for 12 or 24 months that gives 50% discounts on trains, buses, boats, cableway tickets.
Swiss people might be not very easy to know. If you don't mind, it's easy to socialize within the wide international community in the city. For the very first days a site as www.genevaonline.ch might be useful (you have to register as a member).

Bern / Federal Office :
You may work in Bern with the Federal Office.
Living in Geneva and travelling up and down is an option: it's tiring but Geneva seems a easier place to live. Otherwise, housing in Bern is probably easier to find than in Geneva but more expensive.
About Bern and the rest of Switzerland the Swiss EPIET fellows are probably a better source of information

GOOD LUCK!