Incomings School of Technology: Why study at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences?

As an incoming student, you can choose from a variety of study programmes at the School of Technology. You will work in a practice-oriented way and enjoy the advantages of our campuses in Buchs, Rapperswil and St Gallen, where you will benefit from our modern research facilities and our direct collaboration with industry. In your free time, you can relax in a natural environment right on the shores of Lake Zurich or Lake Constance or in the idyllic Rhine Valley.

You will soon get to know your fellow students from Switzerland and from outside Switzerland as well as your university teachers as you work in an open atmosphere in small groups. You will make new contacts, experience Swiss hospitality and explore the beauty of nature in the region. Whether you are here in summer or winter, the range of leisure activities is very diverse. You can go hiking in the Alps, stroll through the medieval old towns of Rapperswil, Werdenberg (Buchs) and St Gallen or enjoy the cultural metropolis of Zurich. You will most certainly be enriched by your stay in the School of Technology at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences.

Students

Are you enrolled at one of our partner universities and want to study at OST for a semester or two? Then please contact the International Office at your home university to find out more. Your application begins with a nomination from your home university.

Have you already been nominated by your home university for a semester abroad at OST? Then we look forward to receiving your application.

Do you want to undertake a semester or year abroad at OST but your university isn’t one of our partners? We would be happy to clarify your individual options. Please contact our International Office at iro@ost.ch , as we also welcome free movers.

Please note our nomination deadlines:

15. May for autumn semester
15. October for spring semester

Please note our application deadlines:

1. June for autumn semester
1. November for spring semester

Forms: Once exchange students have been nominated by their home university, they will receive access to our information platform containing the application forms.

Factsheet

The Factsheet provides you with information about accommodation, cost of living, health insurance, VISA and many other aspects of your stay.

You have decided you would you like to spend one or two Erasmus semesters at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences.  As a student from one of our partner universities in the Erasmus programme you are welcome to study at our university for a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 12 months.  Please note that Switzerland is currently not a programme country so you will receive a study grant under the Swiss European Mobility Programme (SEMP). You sign a SEMP grant agreement and your grant will be paid to you just before your arrival. Please contact the International Office at your home university to be nominated for this student exchange.

 

Spring semester  2021

22.02.21 - 19.09.21

Term time 22.02.21 - 04.06.21 / private study 07.06.21 - 23.07.21 / guidance week 09.08.21 - 13.08.21 / examination session 16.08.21 - 17.09.21

Autumn semester 2021/2022

20.09.2021-19.02.2022

Term time 20.09.2021-23.12.2021 / private study 27.12.2021-19.02.2022 / examination session 7.01.2022-12.02.2022

Spring semester 2022

21.02.2022-17.09.2022

Term time 21.02.2022-11.06.2022 / private study 11.04.2022-16.04.2022, 13.06.2022-17.09.2022 / examination session 20.06.2022-16.07.2022

 

The International Office helps exchange students to find accommodation and register in Switzerland.

Rapperswil Campus

Rapperswil Campus has a student residence with some rooms reserved for exchange students. If you are interested in a room at the student residence for your exchange semester, please contact iro@ost.ch.

Buchs Campus and St Gallen Campus

The university does not have its own student residence at either of these campuses.  Students rent rooms in Buchs or St Gallen or in a nearby town or village. Depending on whether you prefer a flatshare or your own apartment, accommodation is likely to cost CHF 500 or more. If you need help finding accommodation, please contact the International Office at iro@ost.ch.

If you wish to search for accommodation yourself, you can try the websites below.

Buchs

St Gallen

Welcome package

Before you arrive for your exchange semester, you will receive an electronic welcome package with information about the university, the region and, of course, Switzerland as a whole.

Visa and entry to Switzerland

If you need a visa, our International Office will help you apply for a visa for entry to Switzerland. As an exchange is generally for a minimum of three months, you will also need a residence permit. You will receive this from the immigration authorities after registering with the authorities at your place of residence.

For further information, please contact our International Office.

Insurance

Mandatory health insurance
All persons resident in Switzerland for more than three months must have health insurance. Students from EU countries may be exempted from Swiss health insurance schemes if they have a European health insurance card or a provisional certificate issued by the health insurance in their home country. Otherwise you will need to take out basic insurance cover with a Swiss health insurance company. You will find further information about mandatory health insurance in Switzerland on the webpages of the Federal Office of Public Health.
Home contents insurance
When you rent a flat or move into a flatshare while in Switzerland, it is advisable to take out a home contents insurance to cover damage caused by fire, water or theft as well as glass breakage. Some landlords will only let to tenants covered by insurance.
Personal liability insurance
It is sensible to take out personal liability insurance if you are involved in activities that may easily cause serious damage to persons or property.

Buddy system

Before you arrive in Switzerland, you will be contacted by one of our students. This gives you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have beforehand and provides you with a contact to help you find your way around at the university and in the region.

Information  about Switzerland 

Information about the region

Obligation to register with the authorities

Anyone moving to a Swiss community must register with the Residents' Registration Office within 14 days. Nationals from EU/EFTA countries must produce a valid identity card or passport, their European health insurance card, a current passport photo und confirmation of enrolment at the host university. The fees are approx. CHF 66. Nationals from other countries  need a valid passport and, additionally, a rent contract or confirmation from their accommodation provider and a current health insurance certificate. In this case, the fees are much higher. 

Catering at the university

Each campus has a canteen with a wide variety of hot and cold meals and snacks. You can expect to pay about CHF 6 to 12 for lunch. 

Library 

Each campus has a well-equipped library with a wide range of books, reference material, newspapers, magazines and audiovisual media. The libraries are part of the NEBIS interlibrary lending system so you can access material from the whole of Switzerland. 

Sport, leisure time and culture

Each campus offers access to a range of sports facilities. For example, our students at St Gallen Campus can use facilities at the University of St Gallen.

Being close to nature has many other advantages. In summer, for example, you can go swimming in Lake Zurich, the Drei Weihern ponds near St Gallen and Lake Constance or you can go hiking in the Alpstein massif or other mountain areas nearby. And in winter, you can enjoy winter sports in the many ski resorts in the surrounding area.

You will also find a wide range of cultural offerings. Examples include the famous Abbey Library of Saint Gall, the theatre, concert hall and symphony orthestra at St Gallen. A detailed calendar of events with the latest cultural tips can be found on the homepage culture magazine for Eastern Switzerland Saiten.

Shopping

Coop, Migros and Denner are the three largest food retailers in Switzerland. You can find them in almost every neighbourhood. The German discount chains Lidl and Aldi can often be found in the suburbs. Culinary specialities typical of Eastern Switzerland include St Galler Bratwurst, St Galler Biber and St Galler beer.
Shop opening hours depend on their location, but will generally be open between 8:30 am and 6:30 pm. Shops at the railway station are open longer and open on Sundays. 

Travelling in Eastern Switzerland

The Ostwind fare network makes it possible to travel throughout the cantons of St Gallen, Thurgau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Appenzell Innerrhoden using all forms of public transport. Young people under 25 year of age receive a discount on the monthly or yearly travelpass.
Those who do a lot of travelling outside the region may wish to purchase a half-fare travelcard.
The one-day Bodensee ticket is an attractive, cross-boder ticket allowing you to visit the sights in the countries bordering Lake Constance - Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. 
A cheap alternative is the bicycle - simply go to the next bike rental.

Teaching and administrative staff

OST also offers lecturers and other employees of partner universities the opportunity to come to Buchs, Rapperswil or St.Gallen for a teaching assignment or working visit. The Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP), Switzerland's equivalent of Erasmus, provides financial support for such residencies.

Contact

OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences
International Office Technology
iro@ost.ch

Oberseestrasse 10
8640 Rapperswil 
Office 4.016