Many conscripts are faced with the question of how best to coordinate their studies and military service. We therefore publish our recommendations for the majority of cases here:
There are two starts for recruit school each year: in winter from mid-January to mid-May and in summer from the beginning of July to the end of October.
The Swiss Armed Forces offer two service models for the fulfilment of compulsory military service:
Recommendation for soldiers
The RS is completed (as recommended by the Swiss Armed Forces and MilVrb HSG) before the degree programme or after passing the assessment year in the fourth semester (spring semester).
Postponing the RS until after the Bachelor's degree is generally ruled out by the military. So how should a new student decide?
The simplest solution is clearly to do the RS either completely before your studies or in the second Bachelor's semester (4th semester). During the RS you remain enrolled (semester of leave) and can resume your studies in the autumn semester without any overlaps.
Has your RS already been arranged differently? Then send us a request for a postponement to the military authorities!
Please note:
Fractionation is generally intended for cadre training as a non-commissioned officer (1x) and for officers (max. 2x) and should not be confused with early release.
Early discharge is only possible on application for cadres who have completed their service and not for soldiers.
Under special circumstances (only special circumstances, e.g: Swiss abroad, family, financial, health reasons) your fractionation or early release is exceptionally possible for soldiers, although not recommended. Studies alone are not a reason for fractionation, because studies can be planned and compulsory service takes precedence.
Measures
If, in exceptional cases, a fractionation or early release would occur, military service pay will be due and there may be coordination problems with your studies. You must therefore take the following measures:
If you are scheduled for the summer RS, MilVrb HSG recommends that you complete the RS in full and only enrol at the university one year later.
Recommendations for non-commissioned officers
Training to become a sergeant, fourier or sergeant major takes a little longer than one semester. If you do not complete your training before your studies, we therefore recommend that you start in the spring and complete a full year in between, e.g. with an internship or language course.
If you have entered the summer programme before the start of your studies, we strongly recommend that you postpone the start of your studies by one year. All you need to do is send a brief notification to the university's central secretariat.
Training to become a constable, fourier or sergeant major takes a little longer than one semester. If you are not completing the entire training programme before your studies, we therefore recommend that you start in the spring and complete a full intermediate year, e.g. with an internship or language course. If you have entered the summer programme before the start of your studies, we strongly recommend that you postpone the start of your studies by one year. All you need to do is send a short notification to the university's central secretariat.
Fractionation only makes sense with the spring start, whereby the VBA1 is made up for in the summer of the following year (and clashing examinations are postponed). In this way - taking into account the measures to be taken - the course can be completed with only one semester of leave.
Recommendations for officers
Training to become an officer takes more than a year and is therefore difficult to coordinate with studies. It is therefore particularly advantageous to complete the programme in the spring or summer before starting your studies - if you postpone your studies by one year.
During the course of study, a fractionation is recommended for prospective officers. The VBA1 in spring (if you start training in spring) or in autumn can be made up in the following summer or even postponed until after the Bachelor's degree; this would limit the study delay to two semesters of leave. Be sure to check whether you can plan an additional semester for internships or the Bachelor's thesis, which would make it advantageous to complete your studies in one go.
Many prospective officers have decided against fractioning and have completed a reduced workload in the spring semester "cut" by VBA1. The members of the Association of Officers at the University of St.Gallen will be happy to share their experiences with you.