 She graduated from Yesayan Parochial School and the English High School in Constantinople, gaining fluency in Armenian, English and French at an early age.In 1915, during the height of the Armenian Genocide, Der Nersessian and her sister Arax (by then orphans) were forced to leave for Europe, where they took up residence in Geneva.Der Nersessian studied at the University of Geneva for several years until settling in Paris, France in 1919.