close

Admission to the Master's programme in Economics (MEcon)

Programme organised by the School of Economics and Political Science, taught in English, selection process for foreign applicants.

Requirements

You may apply directly for enrolment in this Master's programme if you hold one of the following degrees from a recognised Swiss university (not university of applied sciences) or obtain one before your chosen degree programme starts:

  • Bachelor's degree in a similar discipline from a Swiss university
    A degree is considered to be similar if at least 60 ECTS credit points have been awarded in economic subjects.
  • Consecutive Master's degree from a Swiss university 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.

A list of the recognised, accredited Swiss universities can be found at swissuniversities.

If you have any questions on recognised degrees or degrees in similar subjects please do not hesitate to contact the staff at the Admissions and Crediting Office who will be happy to help you.

You do not need to submit proof of language proficiency when you apply. It is your responsibility to ensure that your command of the language of instruction is sufficient to allow you to complete your studies successfully. Recommended level at the start of the study is at least C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Programme-specific entry and additional requirements

Upon admission, entry requirements may be requested. Depending on your previous degree, you will have to complete an integration week or the Master's preparatory level before you can start the Master's degree programme. The remaining admission requirements must be fulfilled before graduation.

Applicants with a university Bachelor's degree in a similar discipline must successfully complete the integration week Economics before this degree programme starts. After the successful completion of the integration week you can start your master's studies.

The integration week Economics takes place at the beginning of September (calendar week 36). In case of failure, it may be retaken once in it's entirety at the beginning of November (calendar week 44).

The integration week curriculum combines the following modules:

  • Microeconomics
  • Macroeconomics
  • Econometrics
  • Statistics and Mathematics
  • Programming in R

 

The lectures in the integration week aim to deepen the study matter you have gone through in self-study and prepare you for the subsequent examinations you need to sit. To give you an idea of what to expect, here is a literature list and the last year's timetable for the integration week

Applicants with a consecutive Master's degree in a subject other than economics must complete the Master's preparatory level. You will first be registered in the Master's preparatory level. Only when you have successfully met the requirements of the Master's preparatory level, can you take courses at the Master's level. It is not possible to transfer external credits.

The learning programme for the Master's preparatory level consists of the following lectures (54 ECTS Credits):

4 ECTS Credits Macroeconomics II
4 ECTS Credits Microeconomics II
6 ECTS Credits Macroeconomics III
6 ECTS Credits Microeconomics III
6 ECTS Credits Data Analytics I: Statistics (VWL)
6 ECTS Credits Data Analytics II: Empirical Research Methods
4 ECTS Credits Accounting, Controlling, Auditing
18 ECTS Credits Economics core electives

The above courses are offered either in autumn or spring semester. For more information on the assessment of the above courses, refer to the respective course or examination fact sheets.

All students must take two language courses (foreign languages) in addition to their Master’s degree course to successfully complete their Master's degree programme. Crediting of internationally recognised language certificates is possible during your Master's studies. Please find a list of recognised language certificates in the Directives, Annex I on the last pages of the document.

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. Please apply online. The application fee is CHF 250.

Application period: 1 October - 31 March

To the Online Application

Please have the following information and documents ready to upload:

  • Digital passport photo
  • Signed Enrolment Agreement
  • Passport or ID card and, if applicable, a Swiss (permanent) residence permit
  • Curriculum vitae – style template / MLaw, MLE style template
  • Higher education entrance qualification (Swiss maturity certificate or foreign upper secondary school leaving certificate)
  • Degree documents (degree certificate, final academic transcript, diploma supplement), 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.

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 national insurance number, please order a duplicate of your insurance certificate from the Swiss Central Compensation Office in good time.

What happens after you have applied online?

The Admissions and Crediting Office checks your personal data and your electronically submitted documents. You will hear from us no later than six weeks following your completion of the online application.

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. Additionally, you will be requested by email to log into your user account.

You will receive the Letter of Admission or the Letter of Rejection in your electronic mailbox (Compass Mailbox). Please find the link to your Mailbox in the Online-Application user account at the top right of your status overview page. You can access your Mailbox using your SWITCH edu-ID log-in data.

Your admission is conditional until you submit all the necessary documents. You may post a certified copy of your degree certificate and a confirmation of exmatriculation to us by no later than the start of the programme (calendar week 38). Please do not send any original copies in the post! (Electronic verification options for third parties may be accepted)

If you do not have your degree certificate by the time the degree programme starts, you have to submit confirmation by the end of calendar week 38 that you graduated from your university. The confirmation of graduation must clearly show that you have all of the course work required for graduation. The confirmation must also indicate when your university is going to issue your final degree certificate. Please note that you must also submit confirmation that you are no longer registered as a student there.

As soon as you have presented all the necessary documents, your admission is unconditional. We will send you a confirmation email.

Please find detailed information on the next steps before the start of your studies, accommodation, insurance and visa under the following link

Requirements

If you have one of the following degrees from a recognised university (not university of applied sciences) or complete one before your chosen degree programme starts, then you can apply for this Master's programme:

  • University Bachelor's degree in a similar subject to Economics
    A degree is considered to be similar if at least 60 ECTS credit points have been awarded in economic subjects.
  • 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 among other the following criteria are fulfilled:

  • Your degree was awarded by a university, 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 university.
  • You have completed at least half of the course credits onsite at the university awarding the degree.
  • You fulfil the minimum requirements for admission to the Master's degree programme at your home university.

Detailed information on the recognition of universities, university degrees and country-specific provisions

If you have any questions on recognised degrees or degrees in similar subjects please do not hesitate to contact the staff at the Admissions and Crediting Office who will be happy to help you.

You do not need to submit proof of language proficiency when you apply. It is your responsibility to ensure that your command of the language of instruction is sufficient to allow you to complete your studies successfully. Recommended level at the start of the study is at least C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The number of university places for foreign applicants is limited by law. As the number of applications is higher than the number of places available, foreign student applicants are admitted via a selection process. (Swiss or Liechtenstein citizens, applicants with a Swiss permanent residence permit C and applicants with a Swiss school leaving certificate or a Swiss university degree can apply directly for enrolment in the Master's degree programme, provided that they fulfil the formal admission regulations.)

The Admission Committee conducts three admission rounds between October and March. All complete applications that have been submitted on time are assessed and a decision is made on the admission.

First admission round: 1 October–30 November / Decision: by 31 December
Second admission round: 1 December–31 January / Decision: by 15 March
Third admission round: 1 February–31 March / Decision: by 15 May

 

The following criteria will be assessed in the selection process:

  • Average grade (25%)
    The grade point average shown on your degree certificate is decisive. If your degree is not yet available at the time of application, the grade point average will be calculated based on the current transcript submitted. A maximum of 60 ECTS credits may be outstanding for the degree on the current transcript. 
     
  • International study qualification test - optional (25%)
    If no official GMAT, GRE, LSAT or GTEBS (formerly TM-WISO) test result is submitted or if the test result is too low, the grade point average is weighted twice.

    When evaluating GMAT scores the total score is taken into consideration, while for the assessment of the GRE score the Quantitative Reasoning section is decisive. Upload your official score report to your online application. (For GMAT Focus, upload a screenshot of the Test Taker Version from your mba.com account.) You must also have your score sent to the University of St.Gallen by GMAC or ETS before the closing date for applications. 
    (GMAT: University of St.Gallen, MA / MSc Masters Level, GRE: 7202).
     
  • University (5%), Curriculum (5%)
    Evaluation of the home university (e.g. CEMS, partner university, etc.) and the curriculum of your study programme.
     
  • Extracurricular activities and intercultural mobility (30%)
    Commitments and activities outside of your degree programme (e.g. internships, exceptional achievements, exchange semesters, additional qualifications) will only be taken into account if you furnish proof thereof. List all these activities in your CV, create one file with the relevant confirmations and upload this file in the ‘”Supporting Documents” section of your online application. Please use the Curriculum Vitae style template.
     
  • Letter of motivation (10%)
    Content, language and structure will be assessed. Please use the Motivation letter style template.

Programme-specific entry and additional requirements

Upon admission, entry requirements may be requested. Depending on your previous degree, you will have to complete an integration week or the Master's preparatory level before you can start the Master's degree programme. The remaining admission requirements must be fulfilled before graduation.

Applicants with a university Bachelor's degree in a similar discipline must successfully complete the integration week Economics before this degree programme starts. After the successful completion of the integration week you can start your master's studies.

The integration week Economics takes place at the beginning of September (calendar week 36). In case of failure, it may be retaken once in it's entirety at the beginning of November (calendar week 44).

The integration week curriculum combines the following modules:

  • Microeconomics
  • Macroeconomics
  • Econometrics
  • Statistics and Mathematics
  • Programming in R

 

The lectures in the integration week aim to deepen the study matter you have gone through in self-study and prepare you for the subsequent examinations you need to sit. To give you an idea of what to expect, here is a literature list and the last year's timetable for the integration week

Applicants with a consecutive Master's degree in a subject other than economics must complete the Master's preparatory level. You will first be registered in the Master's preparatory level. Only when you have successfully met the requirements of the Master's preparatory level, can you take courses at the Master's level. It is not possible to transfer external credits.

The learning programme for the Master's preparatory level consists of the following lectures (54 ECTS Credits):

4 ECTS Credits Macroeconomics II
4 ECTS Credits Microeconomics II
6 ECTS Credits Macroeconomics III
6 ECTS Credits Microeconomics III
6 ECTS Credits Data Analytics I: Statistics (VWL)
6 ECTS Credits Data Analytics II: Empirical Research Methods
4 ECTS Credits Accounting, Controlling, Auditing
18 ECTS Credits Economics core electives

The above courses are offered either in autumn or spring semester. For more information on the assessment of the above courses, refer to the respective course or examination fact sheets.

All students must take two language courses (foreign languages) in addition to their Master’s degree course to successfully complete their Master's degree programme. Crediting of internationally recognised language certificates is possible during your Master's studies. Please find a list of recognised language certificates in the Directives, Annex I on the last pages of the document.

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. Please apply online. The application fee is CHF 250.

Application period: 1 October - 31 March

To the Online Application

Please have the following information and documents ready to upload:

  • Digital passport photo
  • Signed Enrollment Agreement
  • Passport or ID card and, if applicable, a Swiss (permanent) residence permit
  • Curriculum vitae – style template
  • Supporting documents for extracurricular activities and intercultural mobility 
  • Letter of motivation (foreign applicants only) - style template
  • GMAT, GRE or LSAT test, optional (foreign applicants only)
  • Higher education entrance qualification (Swiss maturity exam, foreign upper secondary school leaving certificate)
  • Degree documents (degree certificate, final academic transcript, diploma supplement), 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 regarding "documents to be submitted" and "translations" in the Directive on the Implementing provisions of the admission regulations.

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 national insurance number, please order a duplicate of your insurance certificate from the Swiss Central Compensation Office in good time.

What happens after you have applied online?

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.

The Committee evaluates each application within three admission rounds. The selection process is concluded by end of April at the latest. A detailed description of the selection process can be found in the "Admission of foreign applicants to the Master's Level" fact sheet.

You will receive the Letter of Admission or the Letter of Rejection in your electronic mailbox (Compass Mailbox). Please find the link to your Mailbox in the Online-Application user account at the top right of your status overview page. You can access your Mailbox using your SWITCH edu-ID log-in data.

Along with the Letter of Admission you also receive the invoice for the first semester fee and a form to confirm your place on your chosen programme. Your place will be confirmed as soon as we receive your completed confirmation form, and the semester fee invoice amount is credited to our account on time. As a rule, you will have two to three weeks for confirming your participation in the chosen programme of study.

Your admission is conditional until you submit certified copies of the following degree documents: 
(Electronic verification options for third parties may be accepted.)

  • Final academic transcript and diploma supplement (if issued by the degree awarding institution)
  • Degree certificate 
    If the degree certificate has not yet been issued by the time of submitting the academic transcript, the graduation and the degree level have to be apparent unambiguously on the final academic transcript (i.e. degree awarded, graduated, degree granted).

Send a certified copy of your degree certificate and final academic transcript by postal mail to the Admissions- and Crediting Office of the University of St.Gallen by no later than the start of your study programme (calendar week 38). Should you not be able to submit the certified copies of your degree documents in time, you will not be able to start your studies. 

Do not send any original documents in the post! A copy is considered to be officially certified if the content of the copy is identical to the original documents and if the home university or an official body confirms this with stamp and signature. Authenticated copies of the documents pass into the possession of the University of St.Gallen. They will not be returned.

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 note our guidelines regarding “documents to be submitted” in the Directive on the Implementing provisions of the admission regulations

As soon as you have submitted all the necessary documents, your admission is unconditional. We will send you a confirmation email. 

Please find detailed information on the next steps before the start of your studies, accommodation, insurance and visa under the following link

The Admissions and Crediting Office checks your personal data and your electronically submitted documents. You will hear from us no later than six weeks following your completion of the online application.

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. Additionally, you will be requested by email to log into your user account.

You will receive the Letter of Admission or the Letter of Rejection in your electronic mailbox (Compass Mailbox). Please find the link to your Mailbox in the Online-Application user account at the top right of your status overview page. You can access your Mailbox using your SWITCH edu-ID log-in data.

Mid-July your user account will be created. You will find the instructions for activating your account in your electronic mailbox (Compass mailbox). From this point on, you will receive all email information to your University of St.Gallen email address.

Your admission is conditional until you submit certified copies of the following degree documents: 
(Electronic verification options for third parties may be accepted.)

  • Final academic transcript and diploma supplement (if issued by the degree awarding institution)
  • Degree certificate 
    If the degree certificate has not yet been issued by the time of submitting the academic transcript, the graduation and the degree level have to be apparent unambiguously on the final academic transcript (i.e. degree awarded, graduated, degree granted).

Send a certified copy of your degree certificate and final academic transcript by postal mail to the Admissions- and Crediting Office of the University of St.Gallen by no later than the start of your study programme (calendar week 38). Should you not be able to submit the certified copies of your degree documents in time, you will not be able to start your studies. 

Do not send any original documents in the post! A copy is considered to be officially certified if the content of the copy is identical to the original documents and if the home university or an official body confirms this with stamp and signature. Authenticated copies of the documents pass into the possession of the University of St.Gallen. They will not be returned.

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 note our guidelines regarding “documents to be submitted” in the Directive on the Implementing provisions of the admission regulations

As soon as you have submitted all the necessary documents, your admission is unconditional. We will send you a confirmation email. 

Style templates

Related Links

Legal Basis

Contact

Admissions and Crediting Office
University of St.Gallen
Dufourstrasse 50
CH-9000 St. Gallen
admissionsunisg.ch

+41 71 224 39 31
Tue.-Thu. 10:00 am - 11:30 am

At the office (02-U154)
Tue.-Thu. 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
by appointment only 

north