INSTRUCTIONSTOAPPLICANTS

InternationalMasterofAdvancedStudies
inDevelopmentStudies(IMAS)
1.APPLICATIONTOTHEIMASPROGRAMME
Ifyoufulfiltheentryrequirements,werequestyoutokindlyreturn thedulycompletedapplicationform
andalltheaccompanyingdocumentstotheIMASAdmissionsOffice.If,forsomereason,youareunable
toprovidealltherequireddocuments,pleaseindicatethesereasons.TheIMASExecutiveCommitteewilltake
adecisionaboutwhetherornottoconsideryourapplication. Intheabsenceofavalidexplanation,all
incompleteapplicationswillbereturnedtothesenderandwillnotbeconsidered.

2.DEADLINEFORSUBMISSIONOFAPPLICATIONFORMS
Wemustreceivecompleteapplicationsnolaterthanthefinaldeadlineof15April2009.

3.DOCUMENTSTOBEPROVIDEDWITHTHEAPPLICATION
3.1Shortbiography:allapplicantsmustprovideashort,2to3pagespersonaldescriptionofthemselves.
The purposeof this document is todescribe the applicants educational and professional background in
his/herownwords.Eachapplicantmustevaluatehis/herpersonalandprofessionalbackgroundintermsofhis
orherproposedfieldofstudy.HowdoestheIMASprogrammefitinwiththeapplicantsownexperience,
bothprofessionalandpersonal?Theaimofthisdocumentistoenabletheapplicanttoassesshisorherown
potentialroleandmotivationsasasocialplayer.Suchanevaluationisveryoftennotpossibleintraditional
curriculumvitae.Indeed,theExecutiveCommitteeisseekingtodiscovereachapplicantseducationaland
socialcreativityandpotential.

3.2 Letterofsupportfromthecurrentemployerandatestimonialfromthehostinstitution (ifthe

employerisalsothehostinstitution,onlyoneletterisnecessary).Seepoint4,below.
3.3IfascholarshiprequesthasbeenmadetotheIMAS,mustbeincluded: lettersoftheinstitutionswhich
havebeencontacted,confirming(ordenying)afinancialsupportexternaltotheIMAS,accordinglyto
theIMASprocedures(seescholarshipform).
3.4.Pleaseprovidephotocopiesofthefollowingdocuments,originalsmayberequestedatalaterdate.
a) certificates/diplomas obtained, such as: completion of schooling, completion of apprenticeship,
completion of secondary education, baccalaureate diploma, technical training, degree/masters certificate,
furthereducationcertificates.Pleaseensurethatallhighereducationcertificatesincludedetailsofthegrades
andqualificationsobtained.
b)referencelettersfromemployer(s)coveringthelastfiveyearsofemployment;
c)certificatesorreferenceslettersobtainedfollowingthecompletionofEnglishlanguagecoursesthatwill
enabletheExecutiveCommitteetoassessknowledgeofEnglishofnonAnglophoneapplicants;
d)certificatesorreferencelettersobtainedfollowingthecompletionofFrenchlanguagecoursesthatwill
enabletheExecutiveCommitteetoassessknowledgeofFrench(ifany)ofnonFrancophoneapplicants.
Pleasenote:atanytimeinterviewsmaybeorganizedtoassesstheknowledgeofEnglish.

4.SUPPORTFROMTHEHOSTINSTITUTION(seeart.3.2andart.5oftheRegulations).
4.SUPPORTFROMTHEHOSTINSTITUTION
Support from the host institution: the host institution has to write a letter (to be enclosed with the
candidatesapplicationform)inwhichitexplainstherelevanceofthechosentopictoitsownactivities:what
arethelinksbetweenthechosentopicandtheobjectivesoftheinstitution?Willtheinstitutionbeableto
applytheresultsofthefieldbasedresearch?Finally,thehostinstitutionwillhavetooutlinethetypeof
assistanceitwillprovidetothecandidateincludingaccesstoinformation,logisticalsupport,institutional
supportand,possibly,financialsupport.
Support from the employer: a letter of support from the current employer must contain the following
information:
a)HowtheIMASprogrammecanassisttheapplicantinthedischargeofthepostanddutieshe/shecurrently
occupiesorisseekingtoapplyfor;
b) The tasks accomplished and the responsibilities of the applicant in the most recent post he/she has
occupied(duringthelastyear).

5.KNOWLEDGEOFLANGUAGES
ThelanguagesofinstructionforthefirstPhaseofthecourseareFrench(Bamako),Spanish(Lima)and
English(Hanoi). TheworkinglanguagesduringthethirdPhaseof the courseare English, Frenchand
Spanish. It is therefore vital that all applicants have an excellent knowledge of at least one of these
languages.Inordertoensureabettercommunicationbetweenapplicants,aworkingknowledgeofoneofthe
other languages is strongly recommended. The Executive Committee reserves the right to request that
applicantstakealanguagetestintheircountryofresidence. Intheeventofanunsuccessfultestresult,
admissiontotheIMASprogrammewillberefused.

6.ENTRYVISA
a)Firstphase:
Dependingontheirnationality,applicantswillhavetoobtainentryvisasforthecountriesinwhichtheyplan
tofollowthefirstmoduleofthecourse(Mali,Peru,Vietnam).Applicantsareresponsibleforobtainingthe
relevant information and for applying for visas once their application to the IMAS has been accepted.
Applicantsareadvisedthattheyshouldhaveapassportthatisvalidforatleastoneyearafterthedateof
entryintothecountry.
b)Thirdphase:
Oncompletionofthefirstmodule,applicantswillhavetotakethenecessarystepstoobtainaSwissvisa.
AdministrativesupportwillbeprovidedtoapplicantsfromtheSouth.

7.MARRIEDSTUDENTS
Forlogisticalreasons,applicantsspousesandchildrenarenotundertheresponsibilityoftheIMAS!

8.LIFEINGENEVA
a)Climate
GenevaissituatedinatemperateregionandfromFebruarytoMarchthetemperaturescanaverage
0Corless.Applicantsarethereforeadvisedtoensurethattheyareequippedwithwarmclothingaswellas
waterproofclothing(therearefrequentrains).
b)Costofliving(boardandtransportinphase1and3)
Pleasenotethatthetuitionfees(23.500CHF)aresupposedtocovertheminimalneedsofthestudents
withoutspousenorchildreninordertoliveabroad(VietnamSwitzerland).

IMAS,December2008