MilVrb is now connected to the Armed Forces portal. Please submit your applications primarily via this portal, as the changeover is now taking place at all centres. You can also apply for a login via the website.
If there is a conflict between everyday student life and work duties, it is best if this can be resolved by requesting leave or a partial shift. If this is not possible, a postponement can be requested. Please note that there is a deadline of 14 weeks (before the start of the shift) for submitting such requests. The deployment dates are published on the Armed Forces website on 1 July.
Effect
A request for deferment of service only takes effect once a decision has been made. This will be sent to you in writing to the address registered with the military. As long as it has not arrived, you are still obliged to deploy! If you do not receive a reply, you must therefore contact your district command directly!
A positive authorisation decision exempts you from the obligation to deploy. However, other obligations, e.g. the obligation to shoot, remain unaffected. The same authorisation decision will inform you about any substitute services ("guest military service").
Applications will only be processed if they are received via the official e-mail address of the military liaison office and are complete in accordance with the list of enclosures in the respective document. In the case of applications for deferment of service, the date of receipt of the e-mail is deemed to be the date of receipt of the application (in accordance with the submission deadline; no later than 14 weeks before the date of deployment). If the submission deadline is not met, you must enclose a justification for this.
The primary route from 2025 is to move via the Armed Forces Portal. The initial login process takes some time, which is why a certain amount of advance planning is necessary. Afterwards, the transfer is possible without additional forms. The applications are sent digitally to the liaison office of the University of St.Gallen, where they are checked and forwarded to the district command.
1. Select service in the Armed Forces portal
2. Complete the details
3. It is important that the University of St.Gallen is selected as the educational institution so that the application is sent to the correct office.
4. Upload documents for verification
In the event of technical problems or if the login cannot be ordered due to time constraints, the University of St.Gallen's official service transfer request form can still be downloaded and submitted on the homepage of the Military Liaison Office (MilVrb HSG) in the download area under Documents. We kindly ask you to follow the following procedure when submitting a transfer request:
In case of technical problems, the official service transfer request form of the University of St.Gallen can still be downloaded and submitted on the homepage of the Military Liaison Office (MilVrb HSG) in the download area under Documents. We kindly ask you to follow the following procedure when submitting a transfer request:
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Please do not forget to include the relevant evidence or justification for the requested postponement (see also our information on the application dossier) and at least one alternative date. The Canton of Geneva does not accept this alternative.
The performance of basic training (RS - recruit school) and other long "services" (Abverdienst), if not already performed before the start of studies, always collides with the studies. According to the law, it is only possible in exceptional cases to postpone this until after your studies. Studying is not an exceptional case.
Postponement is therefore only an option if you want to take a "better" option during the year (see our recommendations). You must specify this in your application and briefly explain why it is "better". In the case of multi-part courses (fractionation), you will be required to draw up a military & study plan for all parts of the course until you have completed it.
As an assessment student (also in the repeat year), you benefit from a special regulation, because an interruption is generally excluded. A postponement is possible to the next date "after" the assessment stage (see also our recommendations).
Special restrictions
The age limit for recruitment is 24 years. Recruit school must be completed in the calendar year of the 25th birthday. If this is no longer possible, a postponement will be refused in all cases - even at assessment level - and it is mandatory to postpone your studies! In this case, military service takes precedence!
n principle, there is no provision for the RS to be fractionalised. A previously fractionated (exceptional) recruit school must be completed within 24 months, further training within three years. The order and timing of the blocks is not variable.
Civilian service provides for an 'initial' deployment of at least 54 days in the year following admission and a 'long' deployment of at least 180 days (as a substitute for military service) within three years. These periods can only be extended in very exceptional cases.
The assessment year, central examinations including the preparation phase of 5 weeks, semesters abroad and short internships (< 4 mths) are considered regular reasons for postponement. These can be selected as such on the postponement form. The first 2 weeks of a new programme are supported by the MilVrb as a reason, but there is no obligation for the district commands to recognise this. If these criteria do not apply, unreasonableness must be selected.
If you wish to postpone a service for reasons other than those listed above, you must submit an application on the grounds of general unreasonableness. To do so, you must provide evidence that your civilian training is being jeopardised.
Such an application must comprehensively describe the situation; the specific unreasonableness must be justified and all allegations must be substantiated. The assessment must be possible without consulting further information, only on the basis of your application dossier.
High demands are placed on the degree of unreasonableness as well as on the evidence. However, it can result from a combination of different, individually insufficient, academic, professional or other reasons. It is particularly favourable if you yourself are not responsible for the specific reasons, e.g. mistakes made by the university or the military authorities themselves.
Unrecognised reasons
From our practical experience, we can estimate that the following reasons alone are not sufficient for a postponement (examples):
If in doubt, please contact us for a non-binding assessment.
At the University of St.Gallen, it is regularly assumed that conflicting duties can be postponed in the following cases:
Examinations
Students are entitled to postpone examinations if they clash with the central examinations or if there is a preparation period of five weeks (for the usual number of examinations). At Master's level, these periods are defined differently in some cases.
For all other examinations (decentralised examinations during the semester), you are entitled to alternative solutions (before or after work), e.g. catch-up dates, from the university. Absences from work may also not be counted negatively for "oral participation" or "attendance" (prohibition of discrimination). You can agree the exact mode directly with the lecturers; if they require confirmation or do not offer a solution, please contact us.
nstliche Absenzen nicht negativ angerechnet werden (Diskriminierungsverbot). Den genauen Modus können Sie mit den Dozenten direkt vereinbaren; verlangen diese eine Bestätigung oder bieten keine Lösung an, wenden Sie sich an uns.
What can you do if your request for a transfer is rejected?
... if no decision is made
It can take up to four weeks to process an application. If you have not received a decision after this time, contact your district command directly and enquire. If necessary, get in touch with us. We will investigate for you.
If you have submitted your application too quickly, the authorities will not make an official decision and will forward the dossier to the commander. You must report for duty as ordered and can then discuss the matter with the commander. He may grant you personal leave (up to a maximum of 3 days) or partial duty (more than 3 days) or, under certain circumstances, release you early.
... In the event of a rejection
If your application has been rejected, you have the (final) option of a one-off reconsideration. To do this, proceed in the same way as for the original application for transfer of service and enclose a copy of the decision as well as a more detailed explanation and any evidence. Please also submit the request for reconsideration to us for confirmation and forwarding.
Your request for reconsideration should show that either the facts were incorrectly established/understood or the regulations were incorrectly applied; argue on the basis of the reasons for the decision. It does not make sense to merely express your disappointment or to request a review without giving more detailed reasons.