Exchange Report

The most important preparation step is getting to know the specifics of the course registration system, which differs considerably from the one at WU. It requires a clear strategy and an understanding of the likely demand for the courses you want. Try to either forecast that demand yourself or reach out to local students. During the first round, do not hesitate to allocate almost all of your available points to the courses with the highest demand. There are additional rounds afterwards where you can register for the remaining courses. I travelled by night train with only one transfer and would highly recommend it. On top of that, you get reimbursed for choosing this option. Additionally, be ready to spend more than expected on the various bureaucratic steps. Lastly, always keep an eye on the emails from HSG. They contain the most important information, such as the next steps in your exchange preparation, required applications, deadlines, housing information and more.

I was really satisfied with the student residence I was allocated by the Housing Office (Rosenbergstrasse 74). Even though my room was on the ground floor, it felt safe, was perfectly located between the old town and the university, and made it easy to reach any place quickly on foot. I paid roughly CHF 700 per month for the room. The only drawback was that it was right next to the entrance door, so it could get noisy when people were coming and going, sometimes late at night. The kitchen and bathroom were shared, and the kitchen was fully equipped with all the utensils I needed. Thanks to the Housing Office and its accommodation offers for exchange students, finding a room in a shared apartment was easy (as a regular student it is much harder). The key here is to find out the start date and when the application procedure opens, since rooms are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Try to upload all the required documents and submit your application right after applications open.

I enjoyed everything about academic life there. The campus even has a relaxation room where you can take a power nap in a massage chair. There is also a gym near the campus that all HSG students, including exchange students, are allowed to use for free. On top of that, the gym offers a wide variety of sports courses, both free and paid, so there is something for almost every interest. Compared to WU, you are not required to leave your bags in the lockers to enter the library. Speaking of lockers, they work differently from the ones at WU: they are not linked to your student ID, and you need a small padlock to lock and unlock them instead, which I would recommend finding or buying before departure. One drawback was the library's capacity, which fills up even during regular term time, well outside exam weeks. There are, however, several co-working areas for students, which, by the way, have very tasty and cheap coffee. To get unlimited access to them, you need to register for the corresponding course on Canvas and complete a quick test that explains how to use them. Both the academic culture and the teaching style are great. All professors are very well educated and/or have a ton of real-world experience in their field. If you want to step slightly outside your major and learn something new, I would highly recommend taking the Artificial Intelligence course by Damian Borth (6 ECTS). It might be slightly demanding for a regular business student, but it gives a good overview of how AI really works. Overall, courses are more demanding than at WU, since you usually do not have any mock exams and need to learn almost everything to earn a top grade.

Public transport is very well connected, and I could easily reach everything I needed. Both the city and the country as a whole felt very safe. When it comes to social and leisure activities, the Buddy System organised plenty on its own, so there was no real need to look for anything on top of that. There were also many events throughout the semester, including a panel discussion with the CEO of Mercedes-Benz, among many others. As for sports, the gym near the campus is free for all HSG students, including exchange students, and offers a wide variety of sports courses, both free and paid, so there is something for almost every interest.

My exchange at HSG showed me a different perspective on how familiar practices can be done differently depending on culture and geography. As an Oxford in the heart of continental Europe, surrounded by mountains, St. Gallen gave me room for thought, deep connections, and academic rigour, and it opened up a different view of career paths. Together with the beautiful nature around it, all of this made the experience special for me.