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Switzerland · St. Gallen · Europe's #1 Business & Management University · Reviewed 14 October 2026

University of St. Gallen (Universität St. Gallen - HSG)

Established in 1898 as a business academy, the University of St. Gallen (Universität St. Gallen - HSG) is Europe's premier business and management university. Consistently ranked by the Financial Times as having the #1 Master in Management program globally (for 12 consecutive years) and ranked among Europe's top 5 business schools, HSG is renowned for combining management, economics, law, international affairs, and computer science. Operating across its campus overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage Abbey of St. Gall, HSG doctoral candidates are salaried academic employees under Swiss standards with exceptionally modest tuition fees. Explore verified academic opportunities and admissions guidance.

Official university portal ↗Graduate Funding & FacultyResearch checked, not sponsored

Verified degree programs and opportunities

Review checked academic pathways and funding options below:

Admissions, language requirements & application process

Master's admission eligibility
Recognized Bachelor's degree (or equivalent 180 ECTS credit qualification) from an accredited university in an aligned discipline with above-average grades. Competitive programs require GMAT scores of 650+ (Focus Edition 595+) or GRE.
Doctoral admission eligibility
Recognized Master's degree (120 ECTS) in business, economics, law, or computer science with top marks and written confirmation of supervision from an authorized HSG faculty member.
Language proficiency
Academic IELTS 7.0 overall or TOEFL iBT 100 for English-taught graduate programs; C1 level German for German-taught programs.
Research statement / Proposal
Detailed 3 to 5-page research proposal detailing research objectives, methodology, preliminary literature review, and academic work schedule.
Application fee
CHF 250 application fee for foreign credential evaluation via the HSG online application portal.
Required documentation
Complete official university transcripts, certified copies of degree diplomas, curriculum vitae, personal statement, and two academic referee letters.

Tuition fees and verified scholarship systems

Tuition fees at the University of St. Gallen are very low by international standards. Tuition for foreign students is CHF 3,329 per semester for Master's programs, and only CHF 1,079 per semester for doctoral programs. Furthermore, HSG doctoral students are hired as salaried academic assistants, receiving a guaranteed annual salary of CHF 48,000 to CHF 55,000 per year according to Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) salary scales.

Verified faculty profiles and research leaders

Distinguished researchers and laboratory heads at University of St. Gallen:

Dr. Oliver Gassmann

Professor of Technology and Innovation Management & Chair of Institute of Technology Management (ITEM-HSG); specializing in Business Model Innovation, Open Innovation, R&D Management.

Dr. Simon Evenett

Professor of International Trade and Economic Development & Director of Global Trade Alert; specializing in International Trade Policy, Commercial Geopolitics, Protectionism.

Dr. Siegfried Handschuh

Professor of Data Science & Head of Institute of Computer Science (ICS-HSG); specializing in Natural Language Processing, Semantic Web, Information Extraction.

Important verification note

Facts reflect official University of St. Gallen documentation reviewed 2026-10-14. Degree admissions, scholarship awards, and employment positions are subject to formal university review. OpenField does not charge students application fees.

Reviewed 2026-10-14 · Editorial standards · Report an issue