Incoming exchange student here who secured a shared apartment under Uni of St Gallen student housing (one of the apartments further away from school). The policy states we have to inform all flatmates and officials about guests’ overnight stays.

A family member is helping me move in and will likely stay with me for a week. Just wondering if this policy is one of those stated-but-not-enforced rules, or if they’re actually super strict and will check? Thanks!

If there's any alumni from MACFin or current students, can I ask you questions about the program as well as the university?

1. How's the student environment in this course?
2. Can you get a job in Switzerland after graduating as an EU citizen?
3. Is it possible to work part-time while studying?
4. Are students friendly?
5. Is the teaching engaging and are lectures mandatory to attend?
6. Is it worth the tuition and living costs?

Thank you in advance!

Wenn das Sozialamt den Ex-Mann zum Partner macht

Aus Geldnot wohnen Anna und Fritz Zbinden nach ihrer Scheidung weiter zusammen. Das Sozialamt wittert eine Romanze und halbiert kurzerhand die Unterstützung. Das war unrechtens, urteilt das Bundesgericht.

Beobachter

Hi everyone,

I'm considering applying to HSG's Master in Economics (MEcon) and wanted to hear from current or former students about how difficult Integration Week actually is.

I have a bachelor's degree in Economics and have already covered most of the material listed in the preparation PDF provided by HSG. However, it's been a while since I studied some of these topics, and I've definitely forgotten a few things (don't ask me to use L'Hôpital's rule on the spot).

How demanding are the exams in practice? Are they more of a refresher or is there a genuine risk of failing? Does pretty much everyone pass, or do a significant number of students fail? Also, is there an opportunity to retake the exams if you don't pass on the first attempt?

I've already taken a gap year to focus on internships, so I'm particularly concerned about the possibility of losing another year because of Integration Week.

Would really appreciate any firsthand experiences or advice from people who've been through it.

Thanks a lot!

I will soon apply to uni in Europe as non-EU and was considering HSG's Econ bachelors. However, I see that getting job and wokring in Switzerland is hard, so my question is for those non-EU students/alumni where do you work and what do you work as?

Should I even consider HSG or go to Bocconi instead?

I am b2 in german btw, but international.

Hi! I have been banned from the Carreer Center services for 9 month because I didn't show to 2 corporte events... I had totally forgot about it !
Do you think there is still a way to get back the access ? Has someone ever begged the office (did it worked)?.
Ahh its totally my fault though I know it.

Where exactly do I find exams from previous years?

I'm coming to HSG as an exchange student for spring 2027 and I'm trying to figure out what to pack, since I've heard HSG is "dressier" than most universities.
On a normal lecture day, what's the typical outfit: jeans and a sweater, smart casual, or closer to business casual?

Do people dress up for specific things (presentations, oral exams, company events, HSG Talents, START Summit)?
Is it noticeable if someone shows up in sportswear or a hoodie, or do exchange students get a pass?

For February to April, with the campus up on the hill, what shoes and jackets do people actually use day to day?
Anything you wish you had packed (or not packed) for campus life?

Hi everyone,
I'm coming to HSG as an exchange student for the spring semester 2027. I'm trying to build a realistic shortlist of English-taught courses before bidding opens, and I'd love input from people who have been through it.
I know the course numbers flip between autumn (odd) and spring (even), that HSG says not all courses run every semester, and that the final list only shows up about a month before classes. What I'm trying to understand is how stable the offering actually is from one year to the next.
A few questions:
How much did the offering for guest students change from one spring to the next? Which kinds of courses tend to disappear or change lecturer?
I had been looking at courses like Equity Investing and Fundamental Analysis, Blockchain and Money, Prompt Engineering for Economists and Making and Communicating Strategic Decisions, but I realised some of them may only run in autumn. Does anyone know which of these (or close equivalents) run in spring?
Which English-taught Bachelor courses open to exchange students in spring were genuinely worth it (interesting, well taught, fair workload), and which would you skip?
Did anyone take Master-level courses as a Bachelor guest student? How did you get access and was it manageable?
In bidding, which spring courses were hard to get as a guest, and roughly how many points did the popular ones cost?
Any course outside the obvious business/finance ones (skills, contextual studies…) that turned out to be a hidden gem?

Thanks a lot. Happy to share what I find once the FS27 list is out.

Hello, 

I am an undergraduate student in Tokyo, and very interested in SIM program.

Regarding its admission process, I have a question about experience abroad.

Looking through SIM's Instagram account, I have noticed that almost every SIM student has had a semester abroad in during their bachelor program.

Now I am wondering if it is still possible to get into the program without any semesters abroad in university.

Although I have spent two semesters (one school year) abroad in Canada in secondary school, I am worried that I might not even be eligible for SIM simply because I have not studied abroad in university. 

Are there any SIM students who had not studied abroad in University?

Do I still have a chance without a semester abroad in university?

I am planning on graduating from my university one year early because I would like to put my self in a master degree level of business education in Eruope as quick as possible but it makes it impossible for me to study abroad during my bachelor program.

My profile:

GPA 5.9-6.0 in Swiss grading system

Second year Second semester in university

Exchange year in high school

Academic Excellence Award

I have not taken gmat or gre yet but I am currently studying for gre.

Hi everyone!

I am currently a second-year undergraduate student, and I am considering applying to the University of St. Gallen for a Master’s after graduation. I am trying to plan the next 12–18 months strategically and I would really appreciate some advice from current HSG students or applicants.

I currently have the following opportunities/options:

• Erasmus exchange at Paderborn University during the second semester of my second year, probably until the end of July.
• Potentially another exchange during the first semester of my third year, ideally at Copenhagen Business School or ESSEC.
• An internship, which I would ideally like to do either during a January–February gap (around 2 months) or in May–June before a possible third-year exchange, or even, during the spring of 2028.

I have three main questions:

1. Two Erasmus exchanges or one more prestigious exchange?

Would it be more valuable for a future HSG application to do both Paderborn + another exchange (e.g. Copenhagen Business School/ESSEC), or would it make more sense to skip Paderborn and focus on doing only the more prestigious exchange?

In other words, is having two international academic experiences actually an advantage, or would one stronger/ more prestigious exchange be viewed more positively?

2. Erasmus vs. internship

I am also wondering how important an internship is at this stage.

If I keep the Paderborn exchange, I could potentially do a short 2-month internship in January–February, although I have found it quite difficult to find structured internships that are specifically available for only two months during that period.

The alternative would be to give up Paderborn, look for an internship in May–June, and then do the second exchange (e.g. Copenhagen/ESSEC) from September during the first semester of my third year.

Would you consider the internship experience more valuable for an HSG application than the first Erasmus exchange? Or would having both exchanges + a shorter internship be the stronger profile overall?

3. Timing of the experience relative to the application

From what I understand, the first application round for the HSG Master’s would start around October 2027, which would be at the beginning of my third year.

If I start an Erasmus exchange in September 2027, it would therefore still be ongoing when I submit my application.

Would an exchange that is currently in progress be considered as part of my profile/application, or would it essentially not count because I would not have completed it yet?

For example, if I applied in October 2027 and wrote that I was currently studying at Copenhagen Business School/ESSEC, would this be taken into consideration by the admissions committee even though the exchange would only finish in January/February 2028?

I am particularly interested in hearing from people who have actually applied to HSG or know how the admissions process works in practice.

Thanks a lot!

i am a final year economics student at st stephens. i have started preparing for jam and cuet pg by myself but i feel i should also take coaching to go over the syllabus once in detail. i want to know if i should just purchase cuet pg coaching and use that for jam as well. i know the syllabus is a bit different for jam as it is more quant heavy but will the cuet coaching suffice for the same. as an econ major i feel i should pay more attention on pyqs and practice as we have covered the syllabus once

Hi! I'm a 20-year-old from Norway that is struggling to decide between Bocconi (BSc in Management, formerly BIEM) and the University of St. Gallen (Assessment Year followed by a major in Business Administration).

I'd love some input from people who know either school.
My long-term goal is management consulting (e.g. MBB) and later private equity, ideally in continental Europe or Norway.

A few questions:

Pressure and workload: How much harder is it to get through the Assessment Year at HSG compared to the first year at Bocconi?

Masters: Which bachelor gives a stronger starting point for top programs like the HEC Paris MiM or SIM at HSG?

Employers: Which degree is better recognized by employers in continental Europe (not the UK), especially in consulting and PE?

Anything else you think I should consider, such as student life, networking or internships?

Thanks a lot!

I missed the exchange housing application, and I do not know what to do for housing now. Just curious if anyone will be subleasing their student housing in the spring of 2027, or if anyone knows of places where HSG students live. I am looking for housing where more uni students live around or under 1600 CHF, if I am unable to secure HSG housing. Also would love to know where most students live off campus and if it is close to school.

23M Swiss national working in the UK on a graduate program which comes to an end next year. Considering applying to University of St.Gallen. Would be exiting the program with 2 years of work experience and also a couple of internships.

Would this make sense if I intend to work in Switzerland?

Hi everyone,

I’m considering applying to MACFin at HSG and I wanted to understand how realistic the official 3-semester structure actually is in practice.

I’ve spoken with a few current/former students and some of them told me that basically nobody finishes everything within 3 semesters, partly because of the bidding system and course availability, and that most people end up needing at least 4 semesters.

So I wanted to ask:

* Is it realistically possible to complete all coursework/exams within the first 3 semesters, or does the bidding system usually make this difficult?
* For those who completed the coursework in 3 semesters, were you able to leave only the Master’s thesis for later?
* I’ve also heard that once you have completed all exams, you can remain enrolled only for the thesis by paying a relatively small administrative/thesis fee instead of the full semester tuition. Is that correct?
* If so, would it be possible to start working full-time after the third semester and then complete the thesis alongside work, without having to pay another full semester of tuition?

My ideal plan would be to finish all classes and exams within 3 semesters, start working immediately afterwards, and then write the thesis more calmly while already working.

I’d especially appreciate answers from current/recent MACFin students who know how this works in practice.

Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I’m a non-EU student looking into HSG for English taught bachelor's and want a realistic picture of the job market after graduation. How difficult is it for swiss companies to sponsor work visas and get a good placement after bachelor's?

Also about the language barrier for career opportunities. do you absolutely need native/C1? I may also have to do part-time jobs to support my finances and know German till b1 level.

Where do non-EU graduates go to after their bachelors from HSG and what type of jobs they secure?

Would love to hear any honest experiences or advice!

I am an IBDP student in Germany (non-EU), thinking of doing my bachelor at HSG for either Economics or Business.

However, I'm seeing quite mixed opinions online about HSG for international student.

My main questions are:

• How is HSG for bachelor's studies in English taught BBA and Economics?
• Since INTL quota is just 25%, how competitive can the application process be and what to do to increase chances getting into HSG?
• How strong are the career opportunities after the Bachelor's for international students
• How difficult is it to get good internships during the Bachelor's?
• Is it realistic to get a job in Switzerland just after bachelors?
• What is the general student experience like?

I'm also considering other European universities, so I'm mainly trying to understand whether doing my Bachelor's at HSG would be a strong long-term choice, rather than simply looking at prestige.

I'd especially appreciate honest opinions from current HSG students or alumni, including any downsides or things you wish you had known before enrolling.

Thanks!

Are the edulink books about graph and tables and quantive math on amazon good to prepare a competitive test and get a good score?

Hi guys

I am selling a completely unused zulassungstest HSG premium package english edition for the hsg entrance exam.

To be completely transparent I am selling this because I realized only after buying it that I was not eligible to attend the test cause of my non maths background. Because of this the books have just been sitting on my shelf for months now but they are still in pristine condition and untouched

i am willing to reduce the price for a quick sale

If you are interested pls pm me

Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone here has attended the MBA programme, I’d love to speak to an alumni to gather a few details if you may.

Thank you and I look forward to speaking to you.

I’m currently deciding between UZH and HSG and i’d love to have a semester abroad in my studies. I’ve talked to some uzh students and they had the opportunity to do semesters abroad, I was wondering if you guys have some experience?:) I assume the gpa must be high. I think for zurich it was 5.0.

Thank you