ECUMENICAL INSTITUTE

PART OF THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

ATTACHED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GENEVA

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

ACADEMIC YEAR 2027-2028

COMPLEMENTARY CERTIFICATE (CC) IN ECUMENICAL STUDIES

GENERAL INFORMATION TO APPLICANTS

The Ecumenical Institute at Château de Bossey is the international centre for encounter, dialogue and formation of the World Council of Churches. Founded in 1946, the Institute brings together people from diverse churches, cultures and backgrounds for ecumenical learning, academic study and personal exchange. It focuses on education and formation of young emerging ecumenical leaders. The Institute is attached to the University of Geneva.

Complementary Certificate in Ecumenical Studies/le Certificat complémentaire d'études œcuméniques is a course for one academic semester from mid-September to end January and results in 30 ECTS credits (ECTS-European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, established 1988 by the European
Commission). CC course is part of what may be defined as classical graduate courses within the University of Geneva.

Study plan of CC course can be found in: here

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

The following guidelines ensure that your application is received in the best possible manner.

The Ecumenical Institute uses multiple criteria when selecting students for admission including:

• grade average during applicant’s upper secondary and post-secondary studies;


• accreditation by the University of Geneva of the applicant’s upper secondary and post-secondary studies;


• affinity between the applicant’s ecumenical motivation/plans and the ecumenical teaching and research carried out at the Ecumenical Institute;


• clear intention of the applicant’s church to make the best possible use of his/her ecumenical studies and experience in the future;


• aim to create annually a balanced student body, especially in terms of geographic context, church tradition and gender;


• priority for applicants under 35 years of age.

The CC course fee is CHF 15’650.00. This amount includes:

• Swiss student residence fees 300.00


• UNIGE semester fees 65.00


• Tuition 2’240.00


• Health and accident insurance 845.00


• Student allowance 500.00


• Study visits 500.00


• Full board & lodging in shared accommodation 11’200.00

The course fee does not include

• return travel expenses to and from the Ecumenical Institute, located in Bogis-Bossey, Switzerland


• any personal travel related expenses: passport, visas(s), vaccination(s), any pandemic related tests/medical certificates/other required processes in order to travel, travel insurance, etc.


• board and lodging expenses en route/at the Ecumenical Institute before and after the official course dates

Limited funds are available to cover part of the course fee for applicants who demonstrate financial need. All scholarship awards are decided at the same time as course admissions.
Partial scholarship award to assist with course costs at the Ecumenical Institute are awarded according to the following criteria:

• Scholarship award is considered to an applicant who demonstrates financial need.


• Priority is given to candidates seeking for a scholarship from the Ecumenical Institute for the first time.


• Priority is given to academically promising candidates in the age group of 22-30 years.


• Scholarship award is always partial, each applicant needs to make a minimum pledge (i.e. a promise to give money) of CHF 100.00 as a financial contribution towards the study course fees.

The tuition language at the Ecumenical Institute is English. You are asked to self-assess in the on-line application form your English language skills using as reference the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) language proficiency descriptors:

• Basic user (A1-beginner/A2-elementary)


• Independent user (B1-intermediate/B2-upper intermediate)


• Proficient user (C1-advanced/C2-proficiency)

Your personal statement gives further indication to assess your English language skills. In case you wish to be considered as a potential candidate to English as a Tool for Ecumenical Formation: Intensive English Summer Course (three months from mid-June), please, indicate this by selecting the corresponding option.

You may access the on-line application form only once; consequently collect all the documents in .pdf format before beginning the process and name them as follows: FAMILYNAME_Firstname_NameOfTheDocument.pdf,
example: TEST_Test_UpperSecondarySchoolCertificate.pdf

In case you become admitted, certified copies (i.e. a photocopy of a primary document that has on it an endorsement or certificate that it is a true copy of the primary document) may be requested at the time of enrolment to the University of Geneva. The original documents must always be presented to confirm the enrolment at the beginning of the studies.

The closing date for applications is 30 November 2025 for the academic year 2026-2027. Please apply well in advance before the closing date. End of February 2026 all applicants are informed in writing about the admission/non-admission decision. The Ecumenical Institute does not respond to telephone and/or electronic enquiries about admission decisions.

The on-line application form requires uploading electronically scanned documents listed below. The academic documents are accepted in one of the following languages: English OR French OR German OR Italian OR Spanish. Documents in any other languages must be translated by an officially registered translator into English.

A COMPLETE CC APPLICATION DOSSIER IS COMPOSED OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

 Documents to be uploaded:

1. One (1) passport-size photograph in digital form;


2. A copy of the upper secondary school certificate and transcript of records;


3. A copy of a university Bachelor’s degree certificate and a transcript of academic records in Christian theology, or in a closely related discipline;


4. Copies of certificate(s) and transcript(s) of academic records demonstrating at least three (3) years of theological studies, in case the university Bachelor’s degree is not in Christian theology or in a closely related discipline;


5. A personal statement of 800-1000 words in English exposing the following:
   
   
   
   • your ecumenical motivation and plans, experience in local, regional or global ecumenism and how studying at the Ecumenical Institute relates to these
   
   
   • indication of your English language proficiency level;
   
   
   
   


6. A curriculum vitae (CV) listing your academic, professional and church/ecumenical experience in English;


7. A recommendation letter from your church leadership indicating how your church intends to make the best possible use of your studies and experience at the Ecumenical Institute in the future in English OR French OR German OR Spanish;


8. Two (2) recommendation letters from faculty members well acquainted with your academic achievements in English OR French OR German OR Spanish;


9. A financial plan including all expenses and income in relation to the course costs in case you become admitted. If you have funds pledged by a third party, please, attach supporting document(s).

CLOSING DATE 30 NOVEMBER 2026.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND CC APPLICATION!