I cant comment on the legality of studying without the required permit but you could call the relevant canton where you made the application and they would be able to tell you whether you can start or not. The geneva canton will answer questions over the phone in English and you dont need to provide your name or any other details first if you want to ask annonymously. Although I dont think your situation is uncommon and think most students just start studying regardless of whether the permit has been approved.

When you do get your student permit it should be backdated to the date you arrived in the country. You will then also need to get Swiss medical insurance (or an approved alternative). This will also be backdated from your arrival date and you will need to pay monthly insurance costs for the time period since you arrived.

So in terms of medical costs, if you needed to go to a doctor now, you would have to pay the fee in full at the time (often 100-150chf). Once you have your permit and medical insurance sorted out you can then get this payment reimbursed.

If your 90 day tourist visa expires, and you still dont have your student permit, you can go back to the canton and ask for some kind of certificate or letter which states that you have applied for a student permit and are awaiting the outcome. This wont necessarily be accepted by border control guards if you are travelling outside of Switzerland but may be useful to at least have something that says you are allowed to be in Switzerland while your student application is being processed.

Thank you so much for this info, Rachel - are you studying in Geneva too? I think there is also a residency permit which cannot be obtained without a proper visa but I never knew what is the purpose of the residency permit - do you have any idea?

Kalok  

I think I misunderstood your question to begin with so I dont think that info applies to you. I had thought you were already in Switzerland and just waiting to get your student B permit (through the Office Cantonal de la Population).

How long is your course for?

Cheers Rachel and Reka, I will be there for 4 years.  I will be arriving in late August but there should be no problem for my entry as I don't need a visa to get into Switzerland.  I would most probably have submitted my application for a study visa before I leave for Switzerland, it's just that it might not have been issued before I leave, that's all.