University of St. Gallen MA in Strategy and International Management (SIM) is an 18-month Masters in Management (MiM) programme aims at graduates with a degree in Business Administration, Economics, or any equivalent degree. SIM programme is ranked #1 MiM programme by Financial Times for eight consecutive years since 2011. It’s a relatively small class of around 50 students makes the application process highly competitive. This article will be helpful for you to gain a quick understanding of St. Gallen University’s SIM programme and comprehend if this will be the right choice for your career ambitions.
Here is the outline of this article:
- General information on St.Gallen MA in Strategy and International Management
- Gallen SIM programme – Curriculum, Class profile, Cost of attendance, and Application deadlines
- Gallen SIM employment and salaries
- St Gallen MiM Selection Process
- Loans & Scholarships
- Other MiM programs you should consider
General information on St. Gallen MA in Strategy and International Management
Location: Institute of Management, Dufourstrasse 40a, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Managing Director: Prof. Dr. Omid Aschari
Admission Office: SIM Admissions, University of St. Gallen, Institute of Management, Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management, Dufourstrasse 40a, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 71 224 23 67
Email: sim@unisg.ch
Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram
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St. Gallen SIM program – Curriculum, Class profile, Cost of attendance, and Application deadlines
Below are the details of St. Gallen SIM program’s class profile, cost of attendance, median salary
| Details of St. Gallen SIM program | |
| SIM Programme starts | Spring semester, February 20th, 2023 |
| Duration | Min 18 months (3 semesters) |
| Language | English |
| Tuition Fee | International Students – CHF 3326 per semester Swiss nationals: CHF 1426 per semester |
| FT Global MIM 2022 Ranking | #1 |
| Application Window | 1 October to 30 April (application deadline section for intermediate deadlines) |
| Admission evaluation criteria | · GMAT or GRE score
· Undergraduate degree certificate with the average grade · Curriculum vitae · Essay · Video Interview Please see the Admissions section for more information |
| Loans & Scholarships | Please see the loans & scholarships section |
St. Gallen SIM Program Curriculum
SIM program has a strong focus on academic research and practical knowledge. With an average class size of 50, students have an opportunity to interact with their faculty.
A SIM student must complete the following requirements:
- 5 compulsory core courses which are aimed to build a foundation in business and general management. SIM core courses consist of Strategic Management, Financial Management, International Management, Strategic Leadership, and Research in Management.
- 3 core SIM electives: Core electives include of the Advanced Management Courses and Integratives.
SIM students must select one out of two Advanced Management Courses – Marketing and Consumer Behaviour or Organizational Behaviour & Change.
A student must complete two out of ten SIM Integratives like Alliance & Network Strategy, Digitalization & Customer Centricity, Entrepreneurship, Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Model Innovation, etc.
- SIMagination Challenge – Students should independently plan, fundraise, and execute an international social initiative which will leave a positive and sustainable impact in the society.
- SIM International Project – It is an international internship to prepare students with the necessary skills and experience to manage complex problems in the global background before their graduation.
- SIM student must select one course from Contextual Studies courses and one from Independent Electives.
- Master’s thesis
St. Gallen SIM incoming class profile 2018
Here are the detailed statistics on St. Gallen SIM program incoming class of 2018
| Industry-wise employment of St. Gallen SIM Class of 2015 | |
| Industry | % of students |
| Consulting | 60% |
| IT/Telecom | 10% |
| Industrial | 10% |
| Consumer Products | 5% |
| Finance/Banking | 5% |
| Law | 5% |
| Utility | 5% |
St. Gallen SIM employment and salaries
Current weighted salary, an average of salaries three years after graduation after adjustment for variations between industry sectors, of the class of 2015 is $108621. Below are employment statistics collected by Financial Times from the class of 2015.
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St. Gallen SIM Employment by industry
Majority of St. Galen SIM students’ of 2015 class is working in the Consulting sector (60%). Find more detailed stats below:
| Industry-wise employment of St. Gallen SIM Class of 2015 | |
| Industry | % of students |
| Consulting | 60% |
| IT/Telecom | 10% |
| Industrial | 10% |
| Consumer Products | 5% |
| Finance/Banking | 5% |
| Law | 5% |
| Utility | 5% |
International mobility of St. Gallen Alumni
55% of students of St. Gallen Strategy and International Management class of 2015 found employment in a different country other than their home country.
We have requested St. Gallen SIM admission office to share the detailed employment report of the class of 2019 SIM program. We will update this section as soon as we receive details from St. Gallen University.
St. Gallen MiM Selection Process
Being the best MiM program in the world, and small class size, the admission process of St. Gallen SIM program is very competitive. We will discuss different criteria evaluated during SIM admissions process.
- Undergraduate Studies average grade: Applicant must submit their Degree Certificate in Business Administration, Economics, or any equivalent degree during the application process. Average grade score during undergraduate studies has 20% weightage during the selection process. If you are yet to receive your final degree certificate at the time of application, you can apply with a current transcript.
- GMAT or GRE score: Your GMAT/GRE score has 20% weightage on during your selection process. For assessment, complete GMAT score is taken into consideration, while for GRE scores of both Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal sections are decisive.
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- Extracurricular activities and work experience: Applicant must submit a curriculum vitae which list down their activities outside studies and work experience such as internships along with proof of the same. SIM request their applicants to provide the curriculum vitae in their standard template. Extracurricular activities and work experience hold 20% weightage during the selection process.
- Video Interview: It is one of the vital elements of the selection process with 30% weightage. Within 5 days of online application submission, SIM admission committee will send a link to record the interview.
As you need to record the interview using your personal computer, make sure you have a good quality microphone and webcam. Always make sure you chose a well-lit and less noisy place to record the interview and don’t forget to do multiple mock interviews before submitting the final video interview. - Essay: Applicant must submit an essay in English on a topic given by the admission committee. The Essay has 10% weightage during the selection process. The essay topics vary from year to year.
Essay topic given to applicants of September 2020 intake is –
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself”
This statement was penned by Leo Tolstoy. What are your reflections on it? Share your concluding viewpoint and argue thoroughly.
Applicant must write on this topic with a word limit 600-800 words.
St. Gallen 2019-2020 SIM Application Deadlines
Class size of St. Gallen’s SIM program is around 50. The admission process is very competitive, and we recommend applying early in round 1 or latest by round 2. Below is the application deadline for Autumn Semester 2020
| St. Gallen 2019-2020 SIM Application Deadlines | ||
| St. Gallen SIM admission rounds | Application Deadlines | Decisions |
| Round 1 | 25 November 2019 | 20 December 2019 |
| Round 2 | 31 January 2020 | 29 February 2020 |
| Round 3 | 31 March 2020 | 28 April 2020 |
| Round 4 | 30 April 2020 | 31 May 2020 |
Loans & Scholarships provided by St. Gallen University
The tuition fee for the SIM program is CHF 3,326 per semester for international students and CHF 1,426 per semester for Swiss nationals. Scholarships and loans will help you to reduce the financial burden that will incur during your SIM program. Below mentioned are the different scholarships, loans, financial supports available for a SIM student.
- HSG Foundation Global Shapers is a scholarship initiative of the World Economic Forum. St. Gallen joined a partnership with WEF.
- Starr International Foundation Scholarship Fund is provided to students with a bachelor’s degree from a recognized foreign university.
- Gallen has a Loan and Scholarship Fund managed by the University with the purpose to provide scholarships and loans at favorable interest rates. This fund offers financial backing for students will not be able to continue their studies without financial assistance.
A SIM student can also take up corporate project works offered by SIM Management Unit. SIM students from outside the EU require a work permit to work in Switzerland. International SIM students are allowed to work 15 hours/week. You can learn more about other Masters in Management scholarships around the world in this article.
MiM Programs Consideration Set
If you are looking for different opportunities to apply in Masters in Management, following MiM programs offered by HEC Paris and London Business Schools are a close match to St. Gallen’s SIM program in terms of educational experience and career opportunities.
- MSc in Management, HEC Paris
- Master in Management, London Business School
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