European students only need to provide “plausible evidence” that they have sufficient financial means. Sufficient financial means are not defined by any specific monthly amount1.
Students are therefore in a privileged position compared to other EU citizens who are not engaged in gainful employment in Switzerland.
Legal basis: Art. 24 para. 4 Annex I AFMP; Art. 16 para. 1 ASEO
Generally, it is enough for students to submit a statement to the authorities. They can also provide this assurance by any other means of their choosing, notably by designating a guarantor (see the section on Non-European students on this subject).
At any rate, financial means are considered sufficient if they are above the threshold at which a Swiss person gets access to social assistance (access threshold)2.
Legal basis: Art. 24 para. 1 Annex I AFMP; Art. 16 para. 1 ASEO
In Geneva, the thresholds for access to social assistance are set according to the number of dependents and are as follows (for 2021):
| Number of persons | Assistance (Article 2 RIASI) |
Rent (Article 3 RIASI) |
Health insurance |
| 1 | 986 CHF | Up to 1.100 CHF | – 0-18 years: 126.50 CHF (average cantonal premium) |
| 2 | 1.508 CHF | Up to 1.300 CHF | – 19-25 years: 353 CHF (cantonal reference premium) |
| 3 | 1.833 CHF | Up to 1.500 CHF | – from 26 years: 497 CHF (cantonal reference premium) |
| 4 | 2.110 CHF | Up to 1.650 CHF | |
| 5 | 2.386 CHF | Up to 1.800 CHF |
(source: Form O available in French on the OCPM website).
In the assessment of an applicant’s financial situation, no importance is given to whether it is the applicant themself who is the source of their means, or whether these are provided by a third party3. On this topic, however, see the section on the right to engage in gainful employment.