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St. Gallen

University of St. Gallen

St. Gallen has no written essay. For internationals, your "personal statement" is a recorded video interview on a webcam.

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Application route

HSG online application plus a two-stage selection procedure (international applicants only)

Written statement

None. There is no application essay or written personal statement

Aptitude test

70-minute online aptitude test (reasoning, not knowledge), taken at home

Interview

Recorded video interview, 4 to 6 prerecorded questions, about 10 minutes, on motivation and interests

What St. Gallen rewards

If you are applying to the University of St. Gallen (HSG) from the United States or anywhere outside Switzerland, the most important thing to know up front is that there is no application essay and no written personal statement. This is not the Common App. You will not write a 650-word story about a formative moment. Because the number of places for international applicants is capped at 25% by Swiss law, foreign students are admitted through a two-stage selection procedure: a 70-minute online aptitude test taken at home, and a recorded video interview.

That video interview is the closest thing HSG has to a personal statement, and it catches American applicants off guard. It is 4 to 6 prerecorded questions, about 10 minutes total, answered into your own webcam, with no live interviewer and limited time to respond. What HSG is reading is your motivation, your interest, and your ability to think and speak clearly under mild pressure. This page treats that interview as the writing task it really is: you script and rehearse spoken answers the way you would draft and edit an essay, then deliver them on camera.

01Motivation, said out loud and specifically. HSG explicitly assesses your motivation and your interest in the field. Vague enthusiasm reads as empty on camera. The students who land it can name exactly why business, economics, or international affairs at HSG, and they back it with something concrete: a book, a problem they cannot stop thinking about, a project they ran. Treat 'why HSG, why this subject' as the spine of every answer.
02Clear, structured thinking under time pressure. The aptitude test measures reasoning, creativity, and problem-solving, not knowledge you crammed. The interview rewards the same thing: an answer with a beginning, a point, and a finish, delivered in the seconds you are given. HSG calls this reflective and expressive skill. A rambling answer hurts you more than a short, well-shaped one.
03Composure and presence on camera. There is no human on the other end to nod you along. You speak to a lens after short prep time. Calm pacing, eye contact with the camera, and finishing your thought before the timer all signal maturity. Panic, filler, and trailing off signal the opposite. This is a learnable skill, and rehearsal is the whole game.
04A genuine fit with a European, quantitatively serious school. HSG is a business and economics powerhouse with a German-Swiss academic culture and an Assessment Year that can be taken fully in English. Answers that show you understand what you are signing up for (rigour, self-direction, an international cohort) beat answers that could have been pointed at any university anywhere.

Essay prompts for 2026-2027

1 prompt for St. Gallen, each broken down with annotated examples.

The video interviewAbout 10 minutes total; roughly 60 to 90 seconds per answer after a short prep window. No live interviewer; limited or no re-recording.

A recorded video interview of 4 to 6 prerecorded questions, about 10 minutes total, answered into your webcam after short preparation time. Questions probe your motivation and interests; HSG assesses motivation, interest, and your reflective and expressive skills.

See all 1 prompt and get a read

Your chance

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Add your GPA, test scores, and profile to estimate your odds at St. Gallen and build a balanced list.

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Deadlines

Application window (Bachelor)1 October to 30 April for the following autumn intake
February round (apply early)Submit complete application by 10 January, register by 31 January. Aptitude test Tue 10 Feb; video interview Thu 12 Feb (CET)
June round (later applicants)Aptitude test Tue 2 June; video interview Thu 4 June (CET). Only this round is available if you apply after the January cutoff
Verify on unisg.chExact dates and the registration cutoff shift slightly each cycle. Confirm on the official application-deadlines page before you plan.

Cost

Sticker price$34,369
Avg net after aid$34,369
Read my essay for St. Gallen
Explore St. Gallen
How to get inAcceptance rate, the GPA and SAT profile, and what St. Gallen weighs most Supplemental essays1 prompt, each broken down with annotated examples Cost & financial aidAverage $34,369/yr after aid · net price by income + calculator InterviewDoes St. Gallen interview? Format, tips, and practice The St. Gallen Reader ProScore your draft against St. Gallen's exact prompts
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St. Gallen FAQ

What is St. Gallen's acceptance rate?

Mid-20s percent (estimated; HSG does not publish an official figure). International places are capped at 25% by Swiss law. At St. Gallen, a strong application essay and a well-balanced school list matter alongside your grades and test scores.

What supplemental essays does St. Gallen require?

St. Gallen requires 1 supplemental essay on its application. On EssayLens each prompt is broken down with annotated examples, and you can get a free admissions-style read of your draft against the exact prompt.

How much does St. Gallen cost?

St. Gallen's published sticker price is about $34,369 per year, but the average family pays $34,369 after financial aid. Your net price depends on your family income; use the calculator to estimate yours.

Does St. Gallen require SAT or ACT scores?

St. Gallen requires SAT or ACT scores as part of the application.

Campus photo via Wikipedia.

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