Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Domestic and foreign students at Assessment Level, Bachelor’s Level and students at Master’s Level.

There are big differences in the levels set by the cantonal scholarship authorities. Although the Advice Center for Study Funding has certain working thresholds for taxable income and net assets, we advise you to talk to us in case of need, as the personal and family situation can relativize the financial situation.

You can submit an application for emergency credit at short notice and at any time. In justified cases, emergency credit will be granted based on the same conditions as a normal student loan.

The Advice Center for Study Funding will be able to explain your rights, obligations and options to you. As a general rule, this will not exclude you from applying for financial support for funding your studies. Get in touch with us to arrange an appointment.

Yes, you can submit an application. Please get in touch with us to arrange an appointment.

Yes, payments from the scholarship and loan fund are generally paid out from the second regular study semester following initial or rematriculation.

Pursuant to article 276/277 of the Swiss Civil Code, your parents are obliged to support you financially during your degree courses. In case of difficulty, please arrange an appointment with us.

Yes. The Advice Center for Study Funding provides subsidiary funding. The decision on funding from the canton (CH), BaföG (DE) or Mobilität (AT) can also be incorporated into the calculation subsequently. It is important to make sure your documents are complete. Be sure to submit documents not yet available when you make your application once they become available! Find out from the canton (CH), Studentenwerk (DE) or the Austrian state (AT) whether or not it makes sense to submit your application as early as possible.

In general, students from the Assessment and Bachelor Levels can apply for a scholarship via the Advice Center for Study Funding.

As a general rule, students at Master’s Level can only apply for loans from the Advice Center for Study Funding (with the exception of the top-up bursary for the difference between domestic and foreign students’ tuition fees as well as applications for waivers of tuition fees). The eligibility criteria for loans are identical to those for an application for a scholarship.

Yes, students can submit an application for financial support (scholarships/top-up bursaries for the difference between domestic and foreign students’ tuition fees/loans) as early as the first semester of their course. We do accept applications from students who are enrolled in their first semester – the financial need is assessed particularly thoroughly.

During a student’s standard period of study, they will generally have a legal right to cantonal scholarships if their parents earn too little. The HSG office for study funding manages the university’s scholarship and loan Fund, and no statutory rights apply here.

All foreign students at the Assessment, Bachelor and Master levels can apply for the top-up bursary (CHF 1 900.- per semester) provided that they pay the foreign student rate and are regularly enrolled (excluding when paying reduced fees such as for sabbatical leave, sick leave, free movers, students from partner universities, etc.).

For students who find themselves in an unexpected, financially dire situation with a degree of urgency, the tuition fees can be deferred or even partially or fully waived. The students must be regularly enrolled (and not merely accepted) at the University of St.Gallen. Students who are on sabbatical leave and students from partner universities are excluded.

As a general rule, HSG students on semesters abroad are also financially supported. The financial assessment is based on living costs and the circumstances in Switzerland. In the case of financial bottlenecks, a regular exchange with a partner university of HSG is recommended, since other scholarships (such as ERASMUS+) can also be applied for.

As a general rule, it is possible to defer (extend the payment deadline for) payment of tuition fees. Please contact the Dean's Advisory Office for your level.

The University of St.Gallen does not have any scholarships or loans for Ph.D. students. Most Ph.D. students fund their studies by means of a 70% workload as an institution assistant. An important contact for you, therefore, is your institute or your supervisor, who can provide you with information about employment options in your subject area. The Office of Doctoral Studies can provide you with further information. you can also reach out to the HSG student body as they have a Fund out of which they can - under certain criteria - grant financial support to PhD students.

The recognized living costs according to BfS for students without children vary depending on the level and whether the candidate is a domestic or foreign student (based on the differing tuition fees for the educational levels and nationalities). From this, the parental contribution, any other income and, from Bachelor’s level onwards, a reasonable proportion of self-funding from part-time work amounting to CHF 3 000.- per semester (regardless of whether or not you actually work) will be deducted.

If you have already applied successfully for a scholarship/loan/top-up bursary for the difference between domestic and foreign students’ tuition fees and your financial situation and your course work have not changed significantly, then yes. However, applications can only be made for a maximum of two semesters. After two semesters, a follow-up application must be submitted. A positive decision does not represent a precedent for further decisions.

Scholarships and loans are paid out twice per year. After the submission deadline has passed, you will need to wait around six to eight weeks. During this time, we will review your application and the interview held and the application evaluated. The decision on approval/rejection is made by a committee from the scholarship and loan fund. You will be notified of this decision in writing.

The repayment obligation for the loan begins on January 1 of the calendar year following the borrower’s exmatriculation. Repayment must be concluded within five years from the beginning of the repayment obligation. The annual rate amounts to at least 20% of the loan granted. The obligation to pay interest begins with the start of the repayment obligation in accordance with point 3. The annual interest rate is based on the compensatory interest for tax amounts in Canton St.Gallen.

A loan can also be repaid in less than five years. The Advice Center will be happy to agree special conditions with you. Get in contact with us if you would like to set up special agreements.

In the canton of your parents’ registered domicile. You can find more information here.

The deadlines can be found in the dates on the StudentWeb. The deadlines for submitting a grant or loan application to our office can also be found on our website.

First, you should submit your most recent tax declaration to us and the latest tax invoice you have. The up-to-date tax invoice can be submitted later on.

Your parents have the option of sending the tax documentation to us directly without you having to see it.

Taxable income refers to the amount of income once all statutory deductions have been made (see tax form). There are countries in which income is taxed differently to Switzerland. When no tax declarations have been submitted to the state, the Advice Center for Study Funding will need a written statement from the parent or guardian outlining their level of annual income is. Taxable assets refer to assets for which all statutory deductions have been made (see tax declaration). “Net asset” refers to the asset once deductions have been made but without the local-rate exemptions. Where a tax declaration does not have to be submitted to the state, the parent or guardian must submit a declaration or breakdown outlining their assets to the Advice Center for Study Funding.

The tax declaration is something you fill out yourself every year and submit to the state by way of declaration of your income and your assets. Based on this, the state produces a tax invoice, which you will receive. Please do not send us any provisional tax invoices. Foreign students do not have to fill in a tax declaration in Switzerland. The income of foreign student is subject to withholding tax.

As soon as the application form has been completed in full and all the necessary documents (in accordance with the form) are available, the application can be submitted by post to the Advice Center for Study Funding at the University of St.Gallen, Studies & Academic Affairs Department, Advice Center for Study Funding, Bodanstrasse 1, CH-9000 St.Gallen, placed directly in the mailbox of the building at Bodanstrasse 1 (building 25 on the campus plan), or sent per email (as 1 pdf document). The application form for requesting a scholarship or loan is available to enrolled students through the student portal Compass under the category "Requests".