University of St. Gallen Business School
The University of St. Gallen is in eastern Switzerland, in the town of St. Gallen situated at the nexus of the Swiss, German, and Austrian borders at Lake Constance and the beginning of the Alps. It is also close to the country’s largest city and global business hub of Zurich, with a 45 minute 2-stop direct train from Zurich International Airport to St. Gallen.
St. Gallen offers an Accelerated Full-time MBA, a Flexible Part-time MBA, and full-time and part-time EMBAs. Hallmarks of the St. Gallen MBA include industry partnerships, flexible curriculum, and a small cohort with larger community engagement. The university is triple accredited: AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.
FAQ
What is the tuition for St. Gallen's MBA program?
For the 2026 intake, the tuition for St. Gallen's MBA program is CHF 75,000.
What is the average GMAT score for admission to St. Gallen's MBA program?
St. Gallen does not report the average GMAT score for their MBA class profile.
Does the St. Gallen MBA program accept the GRE?
Yes, St. Gallen accepts the GRE for their MBA program.
What is the average GRE score for admission to St. Gallen’s MBA program?
St. Gallen does not report the average GRE score for their MBA program.
What is the minimum number of years of work experience required for admission to St. Gallen’s MBA program?
St. Gallen requires at least two years of work experience for its MBA program, but recommends having at least three.
What is the average number of years of work experience for admission to St. Gallen’s MBA program? (or, What is the average age of a St. Gallen MBA student?)
The average number of years of work experience among students in St. Gallen’s MBA program is 6. The average age is 30.
What is the median starting salary for graduates of the St. Gallen MBA program?
The median starting salary for the St. Gallen MBA Class of 2024 was $119,345 with median signing bonuses of $22,237.
How long is St. Gallen’s full-time MBA program?
St. Gallen's MBA program is 12 months long.
What are the application deadlines for St. Gallen's MBA program?
The Round 1 application deadline for St. Gallen's MBA program is October 17, 2025. The Round 2 application deadline for St. Gallen's MBA program is January 15, 2026. The Round 3 application deadline for St. Gallen's MBA program is March 2, 2026. The Round 4 application deadline for St. Gallen's MBA program is May 3, 2026. Admissions are then rolling until July 31, 2026. Non-EU/EEA citizens requiring a visa must submit their application by May 1, 2026
What percent of St. Gallen MBA students are women?
Thirty-five percent of the incoming MBA class at St. Gallen are women.
What type of interview does St. Gallen use for MBA admissions?
Applicants are provided a case with their invitation to interview. They are expected to do additional research. Usually it involves a public company, so more information is readily available (news articles, analyst reports, annual reports, etc.). Applicants provide a 5 minute presentation (sharing slides in advance of the interview), with a 10-15 minute Q&A afterwards. The rest of the interview covers work experience, aspects of their personal interests, and why the St. Gallen MBA program is a good match for their post-graduation ambitions. They are usually virtual, but in some cases in-person.
Admissions
The Class Profile
43 students matriculated at St. Gallen for the Accelerated Full-time MBA Class of 2026. Thirty-five percent are women. The class represents 19 different nationalities. Altogether, they bring an average of six years of work experience to the classroom.
Application Procedures
St. Gallen runs their admissions process in three phases. To start, applicants complete an online application; and provide a resume/CV, short answer response, digital passport photo, basic personal details, academic record, and CHF 100 application fee.
The second phase begins if applicants are selected for an interview. Interviews are one hour in length and conducted online using Microsoft Teams. They cover professional, personal and MBA-related topics. During the case section of the interview, candidates will have 5 minutes to present a business case solution using PPT or PDF slides to support. A 15 minute Q&A will follow.
If candidates are successful in the interview, they move onto Phase 3, which entails submitting formal documents and meeting specific requirements. Applicants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree (or its equivalent) and have at least two years of full-time work experience, though three years is recommended. Applicants need to have completed the GMAT, GRE, or EA during the final phase if they do not qualify for a waiver. St. Gallen also requires two references, one of which needs to be from a current or former manager, during this phase. Fluency in English is also expected, and related students may need to take the TOEFL,IELTS, Cambridge, DuoLingo, or EF (waiver possible).
Academics
Faculty
St. Gallen Business School employs 18 academic faculty members. The additional 31 executive faculty members hail from learning partnerships with companies, such as Google, McKinsey, and ETH Zurich, to deliver Core Phase and Elective Phase content based on their areas of expertise.
Curriculum
Prior to the Welcome Week, participants are expected to complete one coaching session and a Hogan Assessment, which is used during the start of the program in the personal and professional development courses.
The 12-month program requires 75 credits to complete, which are broken down into:
- 6 months of Core Phase (September – February); 52.50 credits
- 3 months of Elective Phase (March – May); 10 credits
- 3 months of Project Phase (June – August); 12.50 credits
The 5 Core Phase courses are delivered as 3-week sprints. They mix lectures, guest speakers, company visits, and end with a case. The case is completed as group work. Solutions are presented to both course academic and executive faculty. The idea is to provide practical training not only in the subject matter, but also with team dynamics and presentations skills. Additionally, the sprints enable students to focus on one course intensively, rather than mixing different subjects week-to-week. Students take four electives, which can be taken partly or wholly on exchange at a partner school, provided the student is accepted competitively when applying for an exchange opportunity. During the elective phase, students may choose one concentration: Innovation, Technology, Finance, Sustainability, Leadership, or Strategy.
There are no waivers for coursework. Students must complete the entire 12-month MBA as a member of the cohort.
Other MBA Degree Options
In addition to the 12-month Accelerated Full-time MBA, St. Gallen offers a 24 to 36 monthslong Flexible Part-time MBA.
They also offer an International EMBA along with a German-speaking EMBA and EMBAx, which is a collaboration between the University of St. Gallen and ETH Zurich. The International MBA is offered in English globally, with locations in Asia, the U.S., Europe and South Africa. It is comprised of 10 fundamentals and four electives over the course of 18 months. Students spend 10 weeks on campus mixed with self-study, as well as four weeks abroad. The German-speaking EMBA is based at St. Gallen and in Belgium. It is comprised of 11 core courses and five electives, spanning 18 months. Students can expect 15 weeks on campus with self-study as well as one course abroad. The EMBAx is comprised of 9-12 essential courses and six integration weeks. Students can expect nine weeks on campus and eleven days of online study, with three impact projects. The EMBAx also spans 18 months.
Core Curriculum at St. Gallen
- Strategize
- Lead
- Finance
- Market
- Innovate
- YOU Weeks
- Leadership Operating Model
- Solve Complex Problems
- Make Effective Decisions
- Resilience and your next S-Curve
- Career Advisory
- Company Insights
MBA Specializations at St. Gallen
- Innovation
- Technology
- Finance
- Sustainability
- Leadership
- Strategy
Degree Offerings at St. Gallen
Accelerated Full-time MBA
https://www.mba.unisg.ch/
Flexible Part-time MBA
https://www.mba.unisg.ch/flexible-parttime-mba
German-language Executive MBA HSG
https://emba.unisg.ch/programm/emba
EMBA ETH HSG (emba X)
https://embax.ch/
International Executive MBA HSG
https://emba.unisg.ch/programm/iemba
Campus Life
Clubs, Conferences & Competitions
St. Gallen students have a variety of opportunities to get involved with the school community. There are both MBA-specific and University-wide clubs. Together, they exceed 150 total, covering career and interest networks, sports clubs, cultural, music, and art societies. For example, the St. Gallen Art Club arranges special events such as guided visits to Art Basel, private talks at galleries like Hauser & Wirth, or private collections such as the Nicola Erni Collection. There are also environmental and charitable organizations in which students can partake. The umbrella organization for all students and student clubs is the Student Union (SHSG).
While the St. Gallen MBA does not organize any conferences or events, students attend the MBAT (MBA Tournament) at HEC Paris each year. Some MBAs have participated in special events on campus, such as the “CEO Back to Campus” event, where they were paired with a CEO for a day. Additionally, students have participated in a finance case competition at SDA Bocconi, a sustainability case competition at Rotterdam School of Management, and the MBA Quiz at the Financial Times HQ in London. Annually, the school does offer opportunities for students to participate in case competitions.
Campus Spaces
The MBA is hosted in a heritage building called Haus Washington (Das Haus Washington – Geschichte – Gebäude der HSG), which has an MBA-dedicated lounge, including kitchen and breakout rooms. The MBA lecture hall and administrative offices are also in this building. It is conveniently located next to the St. Gallen train station, next to the START HSG entrepreneurship center.
In addition to the dedicated space at Haus Washington, St. Gallen MBA students are part of a full-fledged research university. Thus, they have access to all campus facilities, such as the sport center, restaurants, library, and various buildings such as the recently opened SQUARE – a multi-disciplinary space that includes an Artist in Residence and Personality in Residence.
There is no on-campus housing for MBAs and they instead find accommodation in apartments or co-living spaces around St. Gallen. Some commute from Zurich, if they are already based there, as it is 1-hour by direct train. The school employs a Housing Assistant each spring to help incoming MBAs secure housing, including translating contracts, conducting site visits, liaising with landlords, helping refine budgets, etc.
MBA Careers
Career Services
At St. Gallen, two Senior Career Advisors are dedicated exclusively to the Full-time MBA. The program also has an MBA-specific Corporate Relations team. Students are provided coaching, interview preparation, CV review, assistance with outreach to firms, and other on-demand advice. Full-time MBAs can engage with over 70 companies each year through a range of initiatives: Companies visiting campus, industry insights days, full-day visits to firms in Zurich, Basel, and Munich, and the Executive Voices series, which brings senior leaders to campus for interactive conversations.
St. Gallen’s MBA program offers a range of Corporate Internships, which are competitively applied for, with corporate partners such as:
- Adidas
- Axpo
- Alpha Bank
- Coca-Cola HBC
- McKinsey & Co.
- Mercedes
- Fresenius
- Pictet
- Lonza
- Zurich Insurance
- UBS
Career Statistics
Within three months of graduation, 72% of the St. Gallen Class of 2024 MBAs seeking employment had received a job offer. The median starting salary for St. Gallen graduates was $119,345 with median signing bonuses of $22,237.
Twenty-nine percent of the Class of 2024 pursued roles in financial services, followed by 19% in healthcare. Fourteen percent pursued work in consulting while 10% of the class went into manufacturing. Five percent accepted roles in tech.
Just over 71% of the Class of 2024 found work in Switzerland. 14.3% each found work in Germany, or other parts of the world.
Financing
For candidates applying in Round 1 and enrolling before 31 December 2025, the tuition fee will be reduced by CHF 7,500. All students can apply for a need-based scholarship or merit-based scholarship during Phase 3 of the application process.
St. Gallen notes that the yearly accommodation costs for a single person in Switzerland are approximately CHF 9,000. The living expenses amount to approximately CHF 13,000 per year. The school recommends budgeting an additional 20-30 percent for a partner and an additional 50+ percent for a family, depending on family size and needs.
Contact
Address of main campus:
Rosenbergstrasse 20/22, 9000,
St. Gallen, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0) 71 224 2478
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.mba.unisg.ch
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/university-of-st-gallen-mba
Instagram Handle: @unisgmba