The University of St.Gallen is a place for students, but also for the population in the region. They are an educational institution, an events host, an employer and much more.
HSG has been part of St.Gallen for more than one hundred years, originally as a “business academy” and today as a university. They give their students the opportunity to profit from an ideal mix of research and practical experience.
In order to facilitate top achievements in teaching and research, all aspects must be right. Each and every person who is part of the university is dedicated to quality. The following pages provide information about the people behind the organization of the University of St.Gallen and the services they provide.
| Acronym | HSG |
| Motto / Slogan | From insight to impact |
| Colour | Green, White, and Black |
| Founded | 1898 |
| Undergraduate Programmes | |
| Postgraduate Programmes | 20 |
| Location | St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland |
| Address | University of St.Gallen, Dufourstrasse 50, 9000 St.Gallen, Switzerland |
Empowering talents, inspiring leaders
The application fee is CHF 250
Application and processing fee (non-refundable) CHF 268
Swiss maturity certificate (Maturität)
You can apply directly for matriculation at HSG if you have
or will acquire one before the start of your chosen degree programme at the HSG.
Language requirements in the language of instruction
When you apply, you do not need to prove your knowledge of the language in which the programme is taught. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are sufficiently fluent in the required language to allow you to complete your studies successfully. The recommended level for you to begin your studies is at least C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
A foreign upper secondary school leaving certificate has to be essentially equivalent to the Swiss maturity certificate (such as a German Abitur or British A-level). Subjects, number of hours and school years will be considered during the assessment.
Before you apply, please refer to swissuniversities to find out about the recognized foreign upper secondary school-leaving certificates by country. Please also ensure that the respective admission regulations of the University of St.Gallen are met.
Here you find a summary of information on the recognition of the International Baccalaureate (IB), A-level examinations and French Baccalauréat.
You do not need to submit proof of language proficiency when you apply. It is your responsibility to ensure that your command of the language of instruction is sufficient to allow you to complete your studies successfully. Recommended level at the start of the study is at least C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
If you have to take the Complementary Examination ECUS (see link to Country-specific admission requirements by country - swissuniversities), you need to have at least level B2 (CEFR) in GERMAN regardless of the language track you apply for. The ECUS exams are conducted in German language only. As part of these exams you have to take a German language test at level C1 (CEFR).
Admission requirements vary by program and course. View the course specific requirements on the program page.
Master's Degree Program
Recognized Bachelor's degree in a similar subject with at least 180 ECTS credits
Language requirements for English as the language of instruction.
Ph.D. Program
Master's degree from a recognized university
PhD Agreement from your prospective doctoral supervisor.
Admission requirements vary by program and course. View the course specific requirements on the program page.
Apply online
1. Gather information and choose your degree programme
2. Prepare electronic documents and data
3. Access your online application user account with your SWITCH edu-ID login
4. Complete the online form and upload the necessary documents
5. Submit the application when you pay the application fee
6. Track application/processing status of your online application
Email: [email protected]
Phone : +41 71 224 39 31
The University of St.Gallen (HSG) undergoes regular and rigorous assessment by independent international and national accreditation organisations.
Having been accredited by the three leading international accrediting bodies – EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA – the University of St.Gallen belongs to the exclusive circle of the so-called Triple Crown universities. The University also holds an institutional accreditation from the AAQ under the provisions of the Higher Education Act (HEdA).
International accreditation
EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System)
HSG has held the EQUIS accreditation since 2001, and in summer 2023 received its most recent re-accreditation by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). This accreditation? will remain valid until 2028. An EQUIS institutional accreditation assesses the overall quality of business schools based on a broad set of criteria, including internationalisation, connections with practice, research, quality assurance, and social responsibility. The primary emphasis of the accreditation is on the practical relevance and international perspective of the business and economics programmes offered at HSG – for example, by the School of Management, the School of Finance and the School of Economics and Political Science – or in selected executive education programmes of the HSG's Executive School.
AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)
The University has been accredited by AACSB since 2003. The most recent re-accreditation, completed in autumn 2023, is valid until 2029-30. AACSB evaluates the educational institution focusing on excellence in teaching, learner success, curriculum development, research and societal impact, with particular emphasis on the international compatibility of business and economics programmes. At HSG, the evaluation by AACSB includes programmes offered by the School of Management and the School of Finance as well as selected executive education programmes of the Executive School.
AMBA (Association of MBAs)
HSG received its first AMBA accreditation in 2019. Following the re-accreditation in spring 2024, the status is granted until 2029. This accreditation includes the full-time and part-time MBA programmes, the EMBA programme (including emba X offered in collaboration with ETH Zurich), the International EMBA, and the Executive MBA programmes in Business Engineering (EMBE).
National accreditation (Switzerland)
Institutional accreditation under HEdA
In 2022 HSG underwent an evaluation by the Swiss Accreditation Council, according to the provisions of the Higher Education Act (HEdA), and received its accreditation, which will remain valid until 2029. The evaluation focused on HSG's internal quality assurance system with regard to strategy, governance, teaching, research, services, and resources, as well as internal and external communication. The external evaluation confirmed the University of St.Gallen as an educational institution of high quality, at the same time providing impulses for the further development of its internal quality assurance systems.
Since February 2024 he has been Director of the University of St.Gallen (HSG).
The purpose of the Commercial Academy was to provide better training for young commercial talent in the textile industry of eastern Switzerland. Its beginnings were very modest. The school opened in 1899 with only seven enrolled students and 85 auditors. Classes were held in the w... read more
Demand for commercial training in St. Gallen grew rapidly. Due to increasing student numbers, the school had to relocate twice. In 1911, classes were moved to a newly constructed building at Notkerstrasse 20, and the Commercial Academy was simultaneously renamed the "Commercial School." In 1963, the school moved to its current main location on the Rosenberg. The campus was built in the Brutalist style according to plans by the architect Walter Förderer (1928-2006). After 1962, the school was known as the "University of St. Gallen for Economics and Social Sciences (HSG)."
In 1995, the institution was finally renamed "University of St.Gallen (HSG)," although it had formally been on par with universities since being granted the right to award doctorates in 1938. The HSG has often played a pioneering role in the development of academic education: in 1968, it introduced an institutionalized postgraduate level; in 2000, it implemented the Bologna reforms (which were initiated across Europe in 1999); and in 2003, it launched the Children's University – each time as the first institution of higher education in Switzerland. In parallel, the scope of research and the range of study programs were gradually expanded. Its full name today is University of St.Gallen – School of Economics, Law, Social Sciences, International Affairs and Computer Science (HSG).