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ISP-MBA

The ISP is an intensive 3-month exchange programme for international MBA students from our partner universities. 

Grüezi and welcome to the University of St.Gallen (HSG). We want you to feel prepared upon your arrival for your guest stay in St.Gallen and have put together all the information you need for your ISP-MBA guest stay at HSG.

About the ISP

ISP Spring 2018 Graduation

Classes are small, teaching is interactive, and the requirements are substantial.

Our well-known and respected professors will lead you towards a profound and enduring understanding of conducting business in Europe. In addition to the core curriculum, we integrate company visits and excursions into our programme. Visits provide you with the opportunity to broaden your horizons both personally and professionally, and in some instances, you will meet leaders in these dynamic institutions. Thus, the ISP provides a learning laboratory for those who aspire to a career in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world.

We invite you to explore continental European business and economics through this programme offered in the dynamic setting of the University of St. Gallen.

During the 3-month stay in Switzerland there is one week free of classes for individual travelling across Europe as are the weekends. The geographic position of Switzerland (and St.Gallen) in the heart of Europe allows to combine the academic experience of St.Gallen and exploring the east, west, north, and south of Europe during the free days.

The ISP includes core and elective courses, giving participants a thorough understanding of business in Europe. All courses are in English and the required course material is free of charge. The ideal class size ranges from 25 to 35 students. The minimum workload is 16 ECTS whereas the maximum workload is 27 ECTS. All core courses are mandatory. You must select at least three courses of your choice of the elective courses whereas you do not have to select any of the optional courses. Please see the detailed course description for further information on the ECTS and contact hours per course.

The ISP course planning makes it possible to attend all offered ISP courses if desired. Courses do not overlap.

Find more information about core courses, elective courses and optional courses in the ISP Programme.

Overview ISP Courses (PDF)   Example ISP Schedule (JPG)

 

In addition to the core curriculum, we integrate company visits and excursions into our programme. Visits provide you with the opportunity to broaden your horizon both personally and professionally, and in some instances, you will meet leaders in these dynamic institutions.

Detailed impressions on the company visits are available below the table.

 

Company visits during the last ISP programmes
Appenzeller Alpenbitter Appenzell                                                                                  
BMW Munich (DE)
Bühler Uzwil
CERN Geneva
IBM Zurich
Cailler Broc
International Committee of the Red Cross Geneva
IWC - Internation Watch Company Schaffhausen
Nestlé Vevey
Maestrani Flawil
Roche Basel
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Geneva
Victorinox Ibach
WEF - World Economic Forum Geneva
Siemens Zug
Swisscom Zurich

The ISP company visits at a glance

ISP Students visiting the Gotthard Basistunnel
ISP Students visiting the World Economics Forum and Nestlé
ISP Students in Geneva visiting the United Nations
ISP Students in Geneva visiting the United Nations

My way to the ISP

All ISP courses are in English. Non-native English speakers must have minimum TOEFL score of 89 (ITB) or IELTS score 6.5. This requirement is waived for students enrolled in an English-taught MBA at the home university. 

As an MBA student at one of our partner universities, your application for an ISP guest stay at HSG needs to be processed by the International Office of your home university. Once your application has been checked by your International Office, the preliminary registration is handled by your home unversity with an electronic nomination process.

 Nomination deadline for home university
Autumn ISP 15 April                                                           
Spring ISP 15 September       

After you have been nominated by your home university, you will receive a password and further information about the application.

Application deadline for guest students
 Autumn ISP 15 May                                                           
 Spring ISP 30 September
 
Application Procedure

The online application takes place in Mobility-Online. Once you login to your account, you will have a list of different tasks to complete. Of the various tasks, uploading personal documents of you is required. These documents are:

  • Application confirmation (signed)
  • Photocopy of valid passport or national identity card that you will use to enter Switzerland
  • Photo* for Student Identification card (student ID)

Once you have completed the tasks, they will automatically be checked off. After you have completed the tasks and the Student Mobility Office has checked your application, your Acceptance Letter will be transmitted. 

“The ISP is not just an exchange program. The ISP is a tight-knit group of international students from all over the world – people who have a global mindset and are seeking global careers.”
ISP Participant Spring 2018
“The program itself and how it is structured, the company visits and the way it's managed by the program manager made the ISP a great experience.”
ISP Participant Spring 2019
“The greatest strength of the ISP is the diverse cultural experience it brings along with the European perspective on business management.”
ISP Participant Autumn 2017
“It's not just another exchange semester abroad. It's a specific compact program and short semester designed for international MBA students. It makes a difference.”
ISP Participant Spring 2020
“Very high quality across the board (academic, onboarding, facilities etc.). I really loved the coordination and organization. Everything was executed extremely well.”
ISP Participant Spring 2022
“The teachers were great and engaging. The quality of the school overall is high, the campus nice. St. Gallen is beautiful and has everything you need to enjoy. Company visits were very interesting and offered a different perspective into business.”
ISP Participant Autumn 2022
“Easily the best exchange program offered by my business school.”
ISP Participant Spring 2023
ISP experience Appenzell
ISP experience Appenzell
ISP experience Lac Leman

Downloads

HSG Exchange Factsheet 2023-2024 EN

HSG Exchange Factsheet 2024-2025 EN

ISP Broschüre EN

ISP Fact Sheet 2024-2025 EN

Contact

Christian Muntwiler

Dr.oec.HSG

Executive Director ISP

Esther Stäheli

Programme Manager The Americas & Oceania

Student Mobility Services
Büro 58-316
Tellstrasse 2
9000 St. Gallen

Nicole Gsell

Programme Manager Asia / ECOL Virtual Exchange

Student Mobility Services
Büro 58-317
Tellstrasse 2
9000 St. Gallen

Andrea Häfner

Programme Manager Incomings Europe, Russia, Middle East & Africa | Freemover Incomings | Scholarships SEMP & ESKAS

Student Mobility Services
Tellstrasse 2

9000 St Gallen

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