Admissions Policy


The following Admissions Policy is intended to give more detailed information regarding admission to the St.Gallen MBA and related issues.


1. Admission Requirements


1.1 Bachelor's Degree


Applicants must hold a recognised Bachelor, FH-Bachelor (3 years) or a Diploma (4 years) with a minimum of 180 ECTS-Credits (European Credit Transfer System) prior to admission to the MBA Programme at the University of St.Gallen. Recognition will be verified by the Admissions Manager. It is the applicant's duty to provide evidence of recognition if needed.


1.2 GMAT / GRE


Full-time MBA

A GMAT/GRE score report no older than five years should be submitted in time for the relevant application deadline. A GMAT score close to the class average score (between 670-690 each year) and above 650 will be considered competitive. GRE scores will be translated into a GMAT equivalent using guidelines on the GRE website. Lower scores will be considered based on a strong profile at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. A low GMAT/GRE score does not necessarily lower the chances of admission as we rely on a broad range of criteria to evaluate applications.


Applicants holding an offer of admission, conditional on a valid GMAT score, are expected to submit a GMAT score by the next Admission deadline in order to guarantee a place on the programme. GMAT scores submitted after this will only be accepted if places still remain on the programme.


Part-time MBA

Applicants for the part-time MBA are required to submit a GMAT/GRE score for assessment by the Admissions Committee. There is no minimum score requirement as the emphasis of the Admission Committee decision will be placed on a broad range of criteria to evaluate applications. It is possible to enrol for the Programme of Leadership Development (year 1 of the Part-time MBA) without a GMAT/GRE score, however a valid score must be submitted no later than the beginning of year 2 (after completion of core/PLD modules) in order to complete the MBA programme. PLD students not progressing to year 2 will receive a Diploma of Executive Education.


Should more than one GMAT/GRE score result be held, the best score within the last five years will be recognised. If more than three attempts have been made, the Admissions Committee may take this into consideration.


The St.Gallen MBA GMAT Institution Code is 5RK-QG-13.


1.3 Fluency in English


An English language test is required unless you can demonstrate that you have considerable experience living, working or studying in an English language environment. Applicants from mainland China are required by the Swiss Consulate to submit an IELTS score with their visa application (a score of approx. 7.0 is recommended). At present, no exceptions are permitted.


If an applicant's mother tongue is not English, certificates such as TOEFL 100, CAE, CPE, BEC Higher (at least level C1 of the European Framework for Foreign Languages) are recognised.


Applicants holding a Bachelor's degree taught entirely in English may be exempted from proving their English knowledge. Nevertheless, it is recommended that applicants provide proof of fluency in English at the time of application to guarantee a smooth admission process.


The St.Gallen MBA TOEFL Institution Code is 0198.


1.4 Knowledge of German language


Knowledge of German is not required for the MBA application and is not required during the programme. To improve participants' regional integration and also to increase chances of securing a job in the German speaking region it is advisable to manage some basic German. Therefore, mandatory German classes are included in the MBA programme.


1.5 Work experience


Applicants are required to have a minimum of two years work experience, although 4 - 8 years are recommended to profit best from the MBA. Ideally, applicants should be able to demonstrate leadership experience/potential.


Part-time work experience may be taken into account if the sum is equivalent to three years of full time work. Evidence thereof must be provided by the applicant. Military service can be recognised as work experience depending on the position. Projects under a PhD can be taken into account depending on the topic and content of the project.


1.6 Essays


The Essays are one of the most important parts of the application process and time should be taken both to prepare and to review your submission. Further information and advice on the how to complete the essay section is provided in the essay guidelines.
 

1.7 References


Two recommendation letters are required; one from the current employer and one referee of the applicant's choice who can provide information about the latter's academic or professional achievement and potential.


There are two ways of submitting reference letters. It is advisable to use the online application system, which enables referees to submit their evaluation directly. E-mails will be sent automatically to referees once the application is submitted. The second option is to post the original reference letters to the MBA Admissions Manager, in case you wish to submit the recommendation letter in hard copy. Referees are expected to submit their assessments no later than two weeks after the relevant admissions deadline. The following content is expected:

  • Explanation of nature and duration of the relationship
  • Evaluation of the applicant's skills/accomplishments illustrating specific examples describing strengths and qualifications
  • Summary of why the applicant would be suitable for the MBA
  • Both reference letters must be submitted before an offer of full admission can be made.

 

1.8 Additional Information


The application has space for you to give additional information. If there is any other information that is critical for us to know and is not captured elsewhere, please include it here. Examples of this include:

  • Extenuating circumstances affecting academic or work performance
  • Explanation of why you do not have a Letter of Reference from your current direct supervisor or peer
  • Explanation of academic suspension or expulsion
  • Any other information that you did not have sufficient space to complete in another section of the application (please begin the information in the appropriate section)
  • Additional work experience that cannot fit into the space provided
  • Additional information about your academic experience (e.g., independent research) not noted elsewhere


1.9 Interviews


Following the submission of your application you may be selected to attend an interview. The following information will help you prepare for the interview process:

Interview Guidelines


2. Original documents


Applicants are requested to send only electronic copies of certificates and transcripts at the application stage as originals sent at this stage will not be returned. The Admissions Committee reserves the right to request original documents once a place in the MBA has been accepted. MBA Participants must submit hard copies of original documents to the Admissions Manager for verification, no later than the beginning of the MBA programme. This includes at least:

  • Original University Degree
  • Original GMAT Score Result


3. Assessment criteria


When the Admissions Committee consider applications, a number of different criteria are taken into account to evaluate applicants' suitability for the MBA Programme:

  • Quality of prior work experience
  • Post MBA employability as assessed by the Careers Service Manager
  • Academic exposure
  • GMAT Score
  • International exposure
  • Essays
  • Language abilities
  • Interview (in person or by Skype video)
  • References


We encourage all potential applicants to contact the admissions office prior to submitting an application for an informal assessment.


4. Admission decisions


An Admission decision will be given within fifteen working days of an application deadline. There are four possible outcomes: full admission; conditional admission; hold and reject.


Full Admission:

A place in the MBA class is guaranteed once the signed enrolment form and evidence of payment of the deposit are given. An enrolment form without evidence of deposit payment will not be valid. A deadline for accepting or declining a place on the programme will be given in the Admissions offer and is normally within 6 weeks of the date of the offer (may be sooner after the final deadline).


Conditional Admission:

The Admissions Committee will offer applicants with good potential a Conditional place if any requirement(s) are still to be fulfilled. Any conditions must be met prior to the final admissions deadline, however the MBA programme cannot guarantee that places will still be available for conditional applicants.


Hold:

The Admissions Committee was pleased with the application, but due to the limited class size, no place can be offered at this point. Applicants on Hold will be informed no later than four weeks after the final admissions deadline whether they can be made an offer of a place.


Reject:

The Admissions Committee is not obliged to give an explanation for a Reject or a Hold. However, upon request, the Admissions Committee may be able to give feedback on the decision.


5. Financing and Payment Arrangements


It is highly recommended to plan financing before applying for a place on the MBA. Loans and scholarships are awarded on merit and cannot be guaranteed prior to the admissions decision. Loans are available to all EEA nationals currently resident in the EEA. Loans to non-EEA nationals are allocated to suitable candidates and are limited 50% of the cost of tuition. A loan contract will only be offered once a deposit has been paid, however applicants will be asked to apply for and reserve a loan prior to submitting a deposit.


Should the last payment deadline for the deposit be missed, no place can be guaranteed. The deposit for the MBA Programme is non-refundable. Credit card payments will incur an additional 2.5% charge.


In order to encourage earlier applications, tuition fee reductions are offered for both the Full and Part-time MBA Programmes. The following discounts are available to applicants who submit their applications by the relevant application deadline, and pay the enrolment deposit by the required deadline (as stated in the admissions letter) The actual date of the deadline vary for the full and part-time programmes:

  • 1st Deadline - CHF 6 000
  • 2nd Deadline - CHF 3 000

Pre-payment discount: Students making tuition payments prior to 15 June before the commencement of the MBA will receive a 5% discount off any funds transferred.  This offer does not apply to the non-refundable deposit, to University arranged loan money, or to US Federal Aid. 

 

6. Admission Deadlines & Late Applications


Applications are received for the full- and part-time MBA programmes across four admissions deadlines. The Admissions Committee offer approximately 25% of the places after each deadline. The Admissions Committee guarantee that places will still be available in both MBA programmes up until the final deadline on 1st June. Applications received after the final admissions deadline on 1st June may still be considered for admission to the programme at the discretion of the Admissions Committee and provided places are still available.


7. Deferral Policy


The St.Gallen MBA does not encourage applicants to defer their application. A deferral must be requested prior to the acceptance deadline as stated in the Admission letter and will be considered at the following Admissions Committee meeting. Deferrals requested after the final admission deadline will not be considered until the 1st deadline in the following admissions cycle. There is no guarantee of a deferral even if a deposit has been paid. In addition, early application discounts, loans and scholarship offers are not guaranteed to be carried forward in case of a deferral.


8. Re-application


In case of a rejection or of missing a deferral deadline, an applicant is entitled to re-apply for the following year. It is recommended to contact the Admissions Manager before re-applying. Any outstanding conditions must be fulfilled and any requested documents must be updated. An explanation for a re-application may be requested during the admissions process. Re-applicants are not entitled to carry-over any discounts, loans or scholarships to the new application.