Requirements
Recognised degree with at least 180 ECTS credit points
If you have one of the following degrees from a recognised university or complete one before the degree programme starts, then you can apply for the Master's programme:
- University Bachelor's degree in Economic Sciences (at least 60 ECTS Credits in Business Administration / Economics and also at least 6 ECTS Credits in Mathematics or Statistics)
- A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from a recognised university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) with a minimum average grade of 5.00 (Swiss grading system) or 2.00 (German or Austrian grading system) in the degree certificate. (At least 90 ECTS credit points in the core areas Business Administration, Economics, Law and Mathematics/Statistics; thereof 45 ECTS credit points in Business Administration).
- Consecutive university Master's degree in another discipline
Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes must have been completed in the same discipline (consecutively) and amount to at least 270 ECTS credit points together.
Your degree programme will be recognised if the following criteria are fulfilled:
- Your final degree certificate was awarded by a institution of higher education which is recognised in the country where you attended the course.
- You have completed at least 80% of your course work at a recognised or accredited institution of higher education.
- You have completed at least half of the course work onsite at the institution of higher education awarding the degree.
- You fulfil the minimum requirements for admission to the Master's degree programme at your home institution of higher education.
Detailed information on the recognition of universities, university degrees and country-specific provisions
Selection process
If the formal admission regulations are fulfilled and all documents have been submitted, we forward your application to the "SIM Admission Committee" for the selection process. The SIM Admission Committee conducts four admission rounds between October and April. All complete applications that have been submitted on time are assessed and a decision is made on the admission. (The video interview can be recorded after the deadline of the admission round.)
Admission Autumn Semester 2020
First admission round:
Applications submitted by 25 November 2019 / Decisions issued by 20 December 2019
Second admission round:
Applications submitted by 31 January 2020 / Decisions issued by 29 February 2020
Third admission round:
Applications submitted by 31 March 2020 / Decisions issued by 28 April 2020
Fourth admission round:
Applications submitted by 30 April 2020 / Decisions issued by 31 May 2020
The following criteria are assessed during the selection process:
Your GMAT or GRE score (20%)
When evaluating GMAT scores the total score is taken into consideration, while for the assessment of GRE scores both the Verbal and the Quantitative Reasoning sections are decisive. If you have taken the tests several times, the test with the best results will be considered.
Test results must not be older than five years and must be provided to us directly by GMAC or ETS before the closing date for applications. It is important to state the Institution Code of the University of St.Gallen. Should you have failed to do so, then instruct GMAC or ETS to provide us with your test results in a timely manner. (institution code GMAT 5RK-QG-10, GRE 7202)
Coronavirus update:
In view of the current situation, the Admission Committee will exceptionally accept applications without GMAT/GRE Scores from candidates who don’t already have a score from a previous GMAT/GRE test and who have been registered for a test date which was cancelled due to the coronavirus situation. If that is your case, please upload proof of your GMAT/GRE test registration and the cancellation due to the corona virus in your online application.
Average grade during undergraduate studies (20%)
The average grade recorded on your degree certificate is decisive. If you do not have your final degree at the time of application, you must apply with a current transcript. All credits specified in the current transcript will be considered.
Extracurricular activities and work experience (20%)
Commitments and activities outside of your studies, such as work experience, challenging internships or exchange semesters are only considered if you furnish proof thereof. List all of these activities on your curriculum vitae and upload proof thereof in the extracurricular activities section. The curriculum vitae must be written in English.
You must give two contacts as references on your curriculum vitae - an academic one and a professional one. Make sure you use the SIM style template. The provided referees are contacted at the discretion of the SIM. Should this be the case, they will receive in advance an email invitation to schedule a 10-15 minutes phone call with a person assigned by the SIM Admissions Committee.
Essay (10%)
Write an essay in English on a given topic. Detailed information on the topic and formatting requirements can be found in the SIM Essay Guidelines.
Video interview (30%)
The SIM interview gives you the opportunity of presenting yourself in the form of a video. Within five days after applying successfully online, you will receive an email from the SIM Management Unit, inviting you to record your video interview. To record the video, you need a personal computer with a microphone and a webcam.
The link provided enables you to register online and gives you access to detailed instructions on how to proceed with recording the interview. You can also create mock interviews before providing us with your final video interview.
You will be given a specific deadline to record the interview. Your application will only be processed once we have received your video interview.
Programme-specific additional requirements
Upon admission additional programme-specific requirements may be requested. Prior to starting the programme you will be required to attend a selection of preparatory modules called “SIM Start Professional”.
SIM Start Professional
The compulsory integrative week of the SIM Master's Programme "SIM Start Professional" takes place at the beginning of September (calendar week 36).
The management-related topics dealt with in the individual seminars will prepare you for your regular studies in Strategy and International Management. Admitted applicants can obtain more information directly from the SIM Management Unit.
Evidence of sufficient accounting knowledge
All students must provide evidence of sufficient accounting knowledge to successfully complete their Master's degree programme.
If you have already acquired sufficient knowledge of accounting during your studies, the evidence can be credited during the admission process. If this evidence is missing at the time of admission, the accountancy examination has to be taken at the University of St.Gallen.
Application
The degree programme starts in the autumn semester. The application is made online. The application fee is CHF 250. Applicants with HSG degree use the Pdf-form to apply (see downloads section).
Application period: 1 October - 30 April
To the online-application
Checklist: Documents to be submitted electronically
Please have the following information and documents ready to upload:
- Digital passport photo
- Signed "General Conditions and Code of Conduct"
- Passport or ID card and, if applicable, a Swiss (permanent) residence permit
- Curriculum vitae in English – style template
- Supporting documents for extracurricular activities
- Essay in English
- GMAT or GRE test (official or unofficial score report)
- Higher education entrance qualification (Swiss Matura, foreign secondary school leaving certificate)
- Degree documents, if available. Otherwise current official transcripts from each university attended (including exchange programmes and transcripts from unfinished degree programmes). The current transcript must show at least 120 ECTS credit points for courses taken so that we can process your application. In the case of double degree programmes or "joint degrees", transcripts from each attended university including explanatory notes on the course programme must be submitted.
If any of the documents are not issued in German, French, Italian or English, you must also submit a certified translation of the document in German or English. Please observe our guidelines "Certified documents and translations".
Only one file can be uploaded per bullet point. You can use online tools such as online2pdf.com to create PDF files or to combine several pages into one PDF file. Make sure the files you send to us are legible so that we can process your application without delay.
Swiss citizens need their Swiss social insurance number (AHV number) for the application. If you do not know your insurance number, please order a duplicate of your insurance certificate from the Swiss Central Compensation Office in good time.
Alternative master's degree programme
If you apply online before 31 March you have the option to specify an alternative programme in your application. You may choose one of the following programmes: MBI, MiMM, MUG, MAccFin, MEcon, MIL.
Only
if in the selection process your application is rejected, will your application be checked again. If all formal admission requirements are fulfilled for the chosen alternative programme, the admission process starts for this alternative programme.
Read up about language of instruction, admission requirements, and the admission process of the chosen alternative programme before you apply.
What happens after you have applied online?
You will receive a link from us to record your video interview
Within five days after applying successfully online, you will receive an email from the SIM Management Unit, inviting you to record your video interview. You will be given a specific deadline to do the recording. Your application will only be processed once we have received your video interview.
We process your application
The Admissions and Crediting Office checks your personal data and your electronically submitted documents. If your application is complete and fulfils the formal admission requirements, it is forwarded to the Admissions Committee.
Please log into your user account regularly to check the status of your application. If we need further information or documents, we will inform you directly via your account’s status overview page.
We notify you of our admission decision
If the Admissions Committee makes a positive decision, you will receive the Letter of Admission along with details on your programme-specific additional requirements as well as the semester fee invoice in your electronic mailbox (Compass Mailbox). Please find the link to your Compass Mailbox in the Online-Application user account at the top right of your status page. You can access your mailbox using your Online-Application log-in data.
You confirm your place on the programme
With the letter of admission you also receive a form to confirm your place in the course. Fill in this form and send a scanned copy to the email addresses provided in the form.
Submit your degree documents in person into the Admissions Office
Your admission is conditional until you submit all the necessary documents. If you have to submit original copies of your documents as per the letter of admission, please submit them to the Admissions Office in person no later than the start of the degree programme (calendar week 38). Certified documents can be posted to us in due time. Please do not send any original copies in the post!
As soon as you have presented all the necessary documents, your admission is unconditional. We will send you a confirmation email. Should you not be able to submit the necessary degree documents before the degree programme starts (calendar week 38), we will not be able to admit you.