If you have one of the following degrees from a recognised university or complete one before your chosen degree programme starts, then you can apply for this Master's programme:
For the classification, only curricular credits of a completed degree programme are taken into account. Excess credits (optional credits) are not considered.
Your degree will be recognised if among other the following criteria are fulfilled:
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).
If the formal admission regulations are fulfilled and all documents have been submitted, we forward your application to the "MIA Admission Committee" for the selection process.
GMAT or GRE exams may be taken in person or online, both the longer and the shorter versions (i.e. GMAT Focus Edition) are accepted. Test results must not be older than five years and must be provided to us electronically by GMAC or ETS before the closing date for applications (Universität St.Gallen, Bachelors & Masters Level, institution code GMAT 5RK-QG-07, GRE 7202).
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. If you have taken the test several times, the test with the best results will be considered.
Without submission of a GMAT or GRE score, the average grade is weighted 60%.
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.
Commitments and activities outside of your degree course, 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 furnish proof thereof. The curriculum vitae must be written in English.
In the letter of motivation, describe in English in no more than three pages why you would like to pursue the MIA programme, where and how you carried out any extracurricular activities, what international experience you already have and what kind of work experience you already have. A high level of fluency in English is required.
Submit an academic paper (minimum 3.000 words) or a completed bachelor’s thesis as a writing sample. The writing sample should be broadly related to the field of international affairs.
If you haven’t written a paper or a thesis in the field of international affairs during your undergraduate studies, you may submit an essay of a maximum of 4.000 – 5.000 words in English on a given topic including the signed “Declaration of authorship”.
Please find further information in the writing sample fact sheet.
Upon admission, some additional programme-specific requirements may be requested. You must complete the MIA Fundamentals Week before the Master's degree course starts. The remaining admission requirements must be fulfilled before graduation.
The compulsory MIA Fundamentals Week takes place once a year at the beginning of September (calendar week 36) and is designed to get you ready for your Master's degree programme. You can start your Master's degree once you have successfully completed the Fundamentals Week.
An application for the MIA Fundamentals Week is possible only after receiving the admission letter for the MIA programme.
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.
The degree programme starts in the autumn semester. Please apply online. The application fee is CHF 250.
Application period: 1 October - 30 April
Please have the following information and documents ready to upload:
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.
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: MIL, MBI, MiMM, MGM, MACFin, MEcon.
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.
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 consecutively.
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 certified copies of the following degree documents:
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.
Admissions and Crediting Office
University of St.Gallen
Dufourstrasse 50
CH-9000 St. Gallen
admissions@unisg.ch
+41 71 224 39 31
Tue.-Thu. 10:00 am - 11:30 am
At the office (05-003)
Tue.-Thu. 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
by appointment only