Details

• Switzerland
• MAMgmt-14
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 3 months

1. Preparation

There's not much you can do to prepare. Perhaps take a look at the courses for bidding and see what is eligible. It's best to do this before the bidding starts.

2. Accommodation

Be sure to join the Facebook group Sharing is Caring. It costs CHF 12 to join, but there you will find the most and best flatshares, which are significantly cheaper and better than the university's student halls of residence. Don't panic if you don't have a flat three weeks before you start, as there are lots of adverts coming online shortly before the start. You should expect to pay around 500-900 CHF per month, but you'll usually be in a good location and have a nice room. The university is located on a hill that you have to climb every morning. It's best not to count on cycling to university unless you live on the hill (Rosenberg). The best location is everything around the market square.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is located on a mountain in a very beautiful setting and offers a pleasant and motivating learning atmosphere. Campus life is very active, with events taking place almost daily, especially in the flagship building "Square". Student clubs regularly promote their activities, and it is very worthwhile to participate and engage in conversation with other students. Well-known companies and speakers are also often on site. The campus infrastructure is modern and offers small additional comforts such as a relaxation room with massage chairs, two canteens, several cafeterias and small shops. Overall, the campus is very nicely designed, although I personally find the WU Vienna campus more architecturally appealing. Overall, I enjoyed the courses more than at WU Vienna and found them more challenging in terms of content, which led to a steeper learning curve. The professors are outstanding and renowned in their fields, and the students are very committed. Particularly noteworthy are the more international and diverse backgrounds than at WU. Many courses encourage critical and creative thinking beyond the lectures and are often conducted in cooperation with well-known companies, often including company visits. Overall, the academic level is comparable to that of WU Vienna, but significantly more practice-oriented and, in my opinion, a level higher.

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transportation in St. Gallen is overall very well developed. Within the city, buses run very punctually, but are often overcrowded in the mornings, especially on the way to the university, and—like everything in Switzerland—relatively expensive. For travel within Switzerland, train connections are excellently organized, extremely reliable, and very punctual, though also quite costly. I personally had a car, which in hindsight I would not recommend, as parking in St. Gallen is absurdly expensive. In addition, I received several parking tickets, as even a few minutes of overstaying are consistently penalized. The safety situation in Switzerland is excellent. Throughout my entire stay, I felt safe at all times, both during the day and at night. St. Gallen is more beautiful than expected, but it is rather a small city. If you are looking for a vibrant nightlife or frequent parties, this is probably not the right place. However, the university’s buddy system organizes numerous social activities and events where it is very easy to meet other students, such as weekend trips, hikes, fondue dinners, museum visits, and city trips. A fixed part of student life is the so-called “Sprittwoch” every Wednesday at Trischli, the most well-known club in St. Gallen. One absolute highlight is the university’s sports program. The sports hall at the University of St. Gallen offers a very wide range of free sports courses that take place daily and allow spontaneous participation. There is also a free indoor and outdoor gym as well as sports fields such as a soccer field. These activities also provide many easy opportunities to meet new people. The surroundings of St. Gallen are perfect for walks, hikes, and outdoor activities. There are numerous lakes and ponds nearby that are ideal for swimming in good weather and offer great recreational value.

6. Testimonial

My semester abroad at the University of St Gallen was formative in many ways. As is so often the case, the experience stands or falls with the people you meet, and I was very lucky to make some great new friends, both in my shared flat and through the buddy system. Academically, the semester was extremely valuable and significantly promoted my learning growth. In addition, the HSG opens many doors and is a strong stamp on your CV. If you are looking for a short, intensive and academically challenging semester abroad that is professionally enriching and convincing, I can highly recommend the HSG. However, it is less suitable for students who expect a relaxed university life, lots of partying or as many new cultural impressions as possible in a short period of time. Even though the HSG was not my first choice, I am very grateful for this experience, especially as the short semester afterwards allows time for travelling or further international experiences.