Lake Zurich at golden hour with the Swiss Alps in the background and trees on the shoreline.

Switzerland Autumn Semester 2027: applications close 30 April 2027; scholarship consideration automatic with admission

University of St. Gallen Excellence Scholarship

The University of St. Gallen (HSG) Excellence Scholarship is the headline merit award at one of Europe's most prestigious business schools. HSG is consistently ranked the world's #1 Master's in Strategy and Management (Financial Times) and Europe's top business university. The scholarship covers full Master's tuition (CHF 2,160/semester = LKR 800k/semester for international students) plus a discretionary living stipend of up to CHF 8,000/year (LKR 2.96M/year). Around 15-25 awards are made annually across HSG's Master's programmes — Strategy and International Management (SIM), International Affairs, Banking and Finance, Quantitative Economics and Finance, etc. Sri Lankan applicants with first-class degrees from elite international universities (LSE, Oxbridge, top US schools, top Indian institutes) and demonstrated leadership are competitive — but HSG admission itself is the bigger filter.

University of St. Gallen (HSG)

University-funded

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Value

Tuition + CHF 8,000/yr Stipend

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Duration

Full 1.5-Year Master's

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Application

Automatic at Admission

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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HSG Master's Admission

You must be applying to or admitted to an HSG Master's programme. Eligible: SIM, MGM (Management), International Affairs, Banking and Finance, Quant. Econ. and Finance, Marketing & Sales, Master in Law (MLE), and others. HSG MBA candidates apply via separate MBA scholarships.

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First-Class Bachelor's Degree

Outstanding Bachelor's degree — typically a first-class honours from a top global university. Average HSG Excellence recipients have ~3.8/4.0 GPA. GMAT 700+ or GRE equivalent is strongly recommended even though some HSG programmes don't strictly require it.

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Non-Swiss Nationality

Open to non-Swiss international students. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka are eligible. Swiss citizens have separate HSG funding routes — many of HSG's Swiss undergraduates pay reduced cantonal tuition.

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Leadership + International Profile

HSG looks for demonstrated leadership, international experience, and clarity of purpose. The HSG Excellence Selection Committee values strong personal essays articulating how the candidate will contribute to the HSG community and use the degree to drive impact.

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Apply to HSG Master's by 30 April

Submit your HSG Master's application via the online portal by 30 April 2027 for Autumn Semester start. Required: transcripts, motivation letter, CV, English proficiency (IELTS 7.0+ or TOEFL iBT 100+), GMAT/GRE (recommended), 2 references.

Automatic scholarship consideration

All admitted Master's candidates are automatically reviewed for the Excellence Scholarship. There is no separate scholarship application form — the strength of your admissions application materials (especially essays + GMAT) determines scholarship outcomes.

Selection by Excellence Committee

The HSG Excellence Selection Committee reviews top-ranked admitted candidates. Decisions are communicated alongside or shortly after admission decisions (typically June-July for Autumn intake). The committee considers academic record, GMAT/GRE, essays, and references holistically.

Acceptance + Swiss D-visa

Successful applicants accept the Master's offer and scholarship via the HSG portal. Use the offer + scholarship confirmation + financial documents to apply for the Swiss national D-visa at the Swiss Embassy in New Delhi (Sri Lankan applicants apply via Delhi).

Why HSG?

The University of St. Gallen (HSG) was founded in 1898 and is consistently the world's #1 Master's in Strategy and Management (Financial Times rankings, multiple years running). HSG's MBA is European top 10; its Bachelor's in Business is widely considered the most selective in continental Europe. The campus is in the small Swiss city of St. Gallen — close to Zurich and the German/Austrian/Liechtenstein borders. HSG alumni populate the top consulting firms, investment banks, and Swiss/European corporations.