Structure
HSG runs seven schools: the School of Management, the School of Finance, the School of Economics and Political Science, the Law School, the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Computer Science and the School of Medicine. These seven schools employ about 90 professors and more than 550 lecturers. Besides teaching, they also do research at the HSG’s 42 institutes and research centres. Well-known for high quality education and research as well as close links to national, international and private enterprises, the institutes prepare students for a career in management, economics, law and international law. The institutes provide opportunities for students to implement their knowledge on both the practical and research level, with over 100 spin-off companies attesting to the success of this concept. In addition, many are engaged in mandates with industry, public administration and political authorities.

A unique feature of studies at HSG are the compulsory Contextual Studies: Students have to take courses in related fields of social science and humanities to understand that economic decisions are always part and parcel of a social, cultural and historical framework and must therefore be understood in an integrative manner.

Academics
Since its founding, the education and training offered by the University of St.Gallen (HSG) have been characterised by a close affinity to the working world. The practical application of innovative management theories, close ties to the business world, and the success of our graduates, have all contributed to our status as one of the leading business universities in Europe.

Language of Instruction
The languages of instruction at the University of St.Gallen are German and English. A broad variety of Bachelor and Master programmes are offered in English (see table below).

German Language
You have the opportunity to take German language classes throughout your semester at the University of St.Gallen. While the intensive German course during the orientation programme may be your first experience with the language, we encourage you to continue learning the language during the semester in one of the many German language courses.

Internationalisation
HSG has had one of the highest numbers of international students for decades. Through its links with 200 partner universities worldwide, HSG offers many exchange and double degree opportunities. As a part of CEMS, PIM, APSIA, GBSN and UNICON networks, the university supports its global connections. Students from 80 different nations are represented in our international student population of 34%, and the 700 guest students contribute to a truly international campus
An international focus is essential for our university. We are active on several levels: HSG hubs in Singapore and Sao Paulo, the Asia Research Center, the Sino-Swiss Management Training Programme and the Centro Latinoamericano-Suizo de la Universidad de San Gallen. We also support an array of local initiatives, such as providing the St.Gallen-Lake Constance region the impulse for numerous entrepreneurial ventures. These agreements enable us to welcome guest students each year.

Student clubs and initiatives
HSG students are involved on campus in a number of ways. This includes any of the more than 150 student clubs and associations which guest students are encouraged to join.

BuddySystem
As a division of the Student Union, the BuddySystem is a group of student volunteers who help out new guest students at the University with guidance and information from a student᾽s perspective. The BuddySystem matches local students with guest students, so that students can contact each other before even setting foot in St.Gallen. Once guest students arrive, they can then look forward to the Buddy System᾽s full calendar of social activities. Excursions to other Swiss cities, international dinners, ski trips and even visits to chocolate factories provide unforgettable memories and a chance to forge lasting friendships.

Tandem
Guest students can join TANDEM, which brings together two students with different linguistic backgrounds who teach each other their respective language in an informal setting.

Career Services Center
The Career Services Center of the University of St.Gallen is the central contact point for our students with regard to their entry into professional life. The CSC team consists of coaches and career advisers who have extensive know-how from various industries and fields. Their aim is to support students in their career planning and in the realisation of their career steps according to their requirements.

HSG Talents Conference
The HSG TALENTS Conference is the HSG’s official recruiting event. It provides our students with the excellent opportunity to establish contact with more than 100 national and international companies, to market themselves and to extend their network. The HSG TALENTS Conference is one of the biggest events of this type in the German-speaking area.

University facilities
The University of St.Gallen offers the latest facilities and services to support individual and collaborative learning, including web-based communication platforms and wireless LAN. The Library maintains the best traditions of its trade , yet is up-to-date and modern in design: it has books, journal volumes and non-books (DVDs, audiobooks, CDs), e-books and e-journals. On the main campus, a university restaurant offers a wide selection of meals for large and small appetites. There is also a student bar and several cafeterias where you can enjoy a pleasant coffee break.

Sports
To keep body and mind in balance, the University provides a gym, weights rooms, football pitch, tennis, basketball and beach volleyball courts. The University’s attractive location between Lake Constance and the Alps makes St. Gallen an ideal setting for all kinds of leisure activities, such as rock-climbing and sailing. The so-called “Three Ponds” are only a few minutes’ walk from the city centre: the three small lakes on a hill on the outskirts of the city serve as public swimming pools in the summer and as ice rinks in cold winters. The Peter and Paul Wildlife Park is situated near the University and is popular with students who want to go jogging and walking.

St.Gallen
St.Gallen offers its approximately 80,000 inhabitants a historically valuable old town. The narrow streets with many shops, cosy restaurants and bars at every corner create an atmosphere you can’t help falling in love with. The Abbey District, with the baroque cathedral and Abbey Library, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and thus of international significance. Further cultural highlights include performances at the City Theatre, the Concert Hall, the St.Gallen Festivals, as well as exhibitions in numerous museums. Particularly popular with students is the St.Gallen Open Air, a three-day music festival witch bands and artists from around the world.
 
Also check out the Instragram account of #thisismysaintgallen

Living Expenses
Although Switzerland is not famous for its affordability, St.Gallen is one of the less expensive cities in Switzerland. You can expect monthly expenditures of about CHF 2᾽000.00. This includes rent, food, texts  and travel expenses, but can vary depending on individual needs.

Switzerland
Few countries of Switzerland᾽s size can boast such a panorama of landscapes and settings, from the cosmopolitan centres of Zurich and Geneva to dramatic alpine mountain ranges to the tranquil lakes of the Mediterranean-like Ticinio. Switzerland, while of course famous for chocolate, watches, and banks, offers other facets to be discovered. Sport and outdoor enthusiasts will not lack for activities regardless of the season. The culturally inclined will fi nd a country with a rich and varied history and any number of cultural events and venues to enjoy. Four national languages - German, French, Italian, and Romansch - distinguish the Swiss landscape, with cultural and linguistic identity closely intertwined. While this multilingualism underlines the country᾽s long tradition of unity in diversity, today᾽s global trends are also influencing
Switzerland᾽s demographics: 23% of the 8 million residents are international and many Swiss themselves have ethnic roots beyond Switzerland᾽s borders. Switzerland is located literally in the heart of Europe. A reliable and extensive national train and bus system provides access to just about every corner of the country and also easy connections to neighboring countries. Three international airports in Zurich, Basel and Geneva serve as hubs for those seeking more distant destinations for a weekend getaway. With its steady economy and stable political climate, Switzerland offers a high living standard within a safe environment. Students seeking a study abroad opportunity will find Switzerland the perfect setting in which to experience an unforgett- able stay. Unique to this small country is its strong federalism. This is expressed in two ways: In the strong autonomy of the 26 cantons and their municipalities, as well as in their direct participation in political decision-making. It is not only the cantons that have a major influence – the individual citizens also do. This is the result of the country’s direct democracy: People‘s initiatives and referendums (polls held every quarter) give citizens the chance to influence the government.

Bodensee Summer School (IBH)
For all guest students starting their exchange semester(s) at HSG in the Autumn semester, the IBH (a network of universities around Lake Constance) organises a summer school including a language course and several cultural and sightseeing events. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know fellow exchange students, to get familiar with the Lake Constance area and to practice your German. You can register for the Summer School during your Mobility-Online registration process for your application at HSG. Please find detailled information on the Bodensee Summer School on the website of the University of Constance.

Intensive German Language Course
For guest students we offer a free, optional 10-day intensive German course at the University of St.Gallen before the beginning of each semester. Details about the pre-semester German language course will be sent by e-mail approximately one month before the semester begins. To enrol in this pre-semester German course, you must register for it when you complete your online-application. Please note that if you plan to take German language classes at the university during the semester, you must take this pre-semester course. An overview of the German courses offered at the University of St.Gallen is available here.

Orientation programme
To ensure an easy introduction into your exchange semester in St.Gallen, we offer an orientation programme for guest students prior to the start of the semester. This programme provides you with information regarding the registration process at HSG (Student ID, Login to the University Network), the city of St.Gallen and you will receive the welcome package with additional useful information. You are not able to access the University platforms without the information given in the orientation programme and therefore all guest students are required to take part in the orientation programme. Details regarding the orientation programme are available here.

Do you want to represent your home university at HSG?
Your home country and your home university are exciting, breathtakingly beautiful and the place to be? Take the chance and tell HSG students who might want to spend a semester abroad why an exchange semester at your home university would be an unforgettable experience and what makes your home country so special!
In the autumn semester, guest students from abroad have the opportunity to represent their home university during our International Day. Bring promotional material such as brochures, posters etc. along with you or ask your home university to mail it to you. Please find the application form here.

Please note that more detailed information is available in the course and examination fact sheet for guest students. We highly recommend to read the course and exam fact sheet in order to prepare for a successful time at the University of St.Gallen.

Course information
The definite course list for the upcoming semester will be available on the online timetable about one month before the semester begins. If you would like to inform yourself in advance about the courses offered, we recommend that you refer to the course information of the respective semester of the previous year, as not all courses are offered each semester.

For further information, follow the links, choose " Courses in English" and your level of study.

Course system
At HSG, the course numbers correspond to the respective semester and level of study. Please check the table below to become familiar with the semester and level of study specific course numbers. The number before the comma indicates the level of study and either Autumn or Spring semester whereas the numbers behind the comma indicate the course number. By doing so, students know what level the course is they are looking at and in which semester the course takes place. We highly recommend that you choose courses based on your current level of study at your home university.

Course registration - Bidding
At HSG, all students follow a course registration procedure (bidding)  in order to enrol in their courses. Students have a certain number of virtual points which they can use in an auction-like procedure to bid for their courses. The bidding procedure starts approximately two weeks prior to the beginning of the lecture period. Detailed information is available in the fact sheet “Bidding fact sheet guest students”.
Guest students will be informed about the bidding procedure one month before the lecture period starts by e-mail. The bidding takes place on the student's portal "Compass" and you will receive your provisional user name and login for the portal after you application for a guest semester at the university has been checked by Student Mobility.
We highly recommend that you read the bidding fact sheet carefully in order to understand and follow the procedure once it begins.
CEMS guest students refer to the CEMS bidding fact sheet.

Workload
As a guest student, it is compulsory for you during your exchange semester(s) at HSG, to pass at least courses worth of 16 ECTS per semester. The maximum workload must not exceed 40 ECTS per semester. 1 ECTS corresponds to 30 course-related working hours (in and out of class). An average full term workload at HSG corresponds to 24-30 ECTS. We highly recommend that you choose courses based on your current level of study at your home university.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the limitation of course slots, you need to be flexible in your course choices as a guest student at HSG. According to our experience, guest students coming to St.Gallen during the last semester of their degree studies are not that flexible anymore. Therefore, we make you aware of the possible troubles, an unflexibility of course choices could cause, during your last semester of your studies.

We advise and support students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses at the University of St.Gallen.

If you have a disability or a chronic illness, you face particular challenges in the course of your studies. Many things must be organised, reflected on and requested for you to be able to study as successfully as possible.

The team of special needs advises and supports incoming guest students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses at the University of St.Gallen.

The University of St.Gallen aims to enable you to have equal opportunities with regard to your studies. We’ll gladly establish together with you what your particular requirements are.
We support you in respect of all issues which are relevant to your studies, and together with you, we champion a University without barriers. No matter whether you require compensation for disadvantages, information or advice regarding infrastructure – we’ll be glad to be of assistance!

Should you need specific support for your studies, please note that prior to submitting a request for study relevant support, a meeting with Special Needs will be required.  

Please note: a request for compensation for disadvantages is contingent on a meeting with the Special Needs Advice Center. In order to be able to provide you with the best possible support, it is indispensable that you contact us early on. Subsequently (for instance, after examinations), adaptations are hardly possible at all.

All information is treated confidentially and is subject to data protection and the obligation of secrecy.

If you would like to take advantage of the Special Needs offer, please indicate this in Mobility-Online when you register. Your program manager at the HSG will then contact you before the semester starts.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Special Needs Team: specialneeds@unisg.ch.

For more information, please see:
Accessible University Campus
and
Information for Incoming Guest students concerning Special Needs

Students from our European partner universities are eligible to apply for the Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP). This scholarship programme enables Switzerland to participate indirectly in the Erasmus-Programme of the European Union and thus contributes to academic exchange.

Requirements to apply for the scholarship
- Matriculation as a Bachelor or Master student at a European partner university
- Nomination by your home university in due time
- SEMP application completed on time in the Mobility-Online portal

Further information on the SEMP application procedure will be sent after you complete your registration for the exchange programme in the Mobility-Online portal.

Payment policy for SEMP grants
For one semester at HSG, eligible students will receive the SEMP grant for five months, for two semesters they will receive the SEMP grant for ten months.
The minimum support period is three months; the maximum support period is twelve months.

SEMP/Special Needs
Students with special needs (disability or chronic illness) who have applied for the SEMP scholarship by the deadline can apply for additional SEMP special needs funds. For detailed information please send an e-mail to: exchange@unisg.ch.

Freemovers
Freemovers are not eligible for SEMP scholarships.

Contact
For further information regarding SEMP requirements and procedures, please contact Helen Obrist from Student Mobility.

Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships provide students and researchers of all fields of study holding a Master's or Ph.D. degree from a university the opportunity to continue their studies or research at a public or state-accredited university in Switzerland.
Applications for Swiss government scholarships must be submitted at least one year prior to the beginning of the stay as a guest student.
More information can be found here and Helen Obrist from Student Mobility is happy to assist you with further questions.

Examination
At HSG there are two different types of examination periods. Central examinations take place after the end of the lecture period and decentral examinations take place within or latest by the end of the lecture period. In case you have been registered for a course where the official examination as stated in the course description is a central examination, you are permitted to take a guest examinations taking place in the decentral examination period.

Read the course and examination fact sheet for guest students for further information and note that ECTS credits are only awarded for successfully passed examinations and that failed examinations can neither be repeated nor improved through additional assignments.

Students enroled for two exchange semesters
In your first exchange semester at HSG, you are required to take examination sittings as stated in the course description. This may include central examinations. Please see the course description in the course catalogue (the course links) for information on the examination type.

Applying for HSG degree studies?
If you would like to begin a degree study at HSG after you have returned to your home university and finished your course of study there, please note that examinations can only be accredited to your studies at HSG if they are taken at official HSG examination sittings. However, we cannot guarantee the crediting of these examinations. The application for a full course of study at the HSG is reviewed again by the Admission and Crediting Office.

Questions?
Should you have any questions regarding examinations for guest students, grading systems, publication of grades or transcripts, please contact the colleagues by guesttranscripts@unisg.ch.

Satisfactory results are awarded grades from 6.0 to 4.0 while results graded 3.5 to 1.0 are insufficient. The grading scale in detail:

 

Notification of Grades
About seven weeks after the end of your exchange term, we will publish a digital version of your grades on Compass. You will be notified each time by e-mail to your @student.unisg.ch account. Therefore, please check your e-mails regularly, even after your departure. The electronic notification of grades is legally binding. If you wish to appeal the grades, you have to do so within 14 days after the publication of grades on Compass.

Transcripts
After the end of the appeal deadline, your transcript will be issued and two hard copies will be sent directly to your home university. The transcript will consist of all courses, provided that you have not appealed your grade(s) and all grades reached Student Mobility. We will not issue partial transcripts. If you are a Freemover, Student Mobility will send you the hard copies to your home address.

The electronic notification of grades and the hard copy transcript will contain course number, course title, HSG grade and ECTS credits.

Questions?
Should you have any questions regarding examinations for guest students, grading systems, publication of grades or transcripts, please contact the colleagues by guesttranscripts@unisg.ch.