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

Rapperswil Campus

Autumn semester 2020/2021

14/09/20 - 21/02/21

Teaching 14/09/20 - 18/12/20 / Consultation week 11/01/21 - 15/01/21 / Exam session 18/01/21 - 19/02/21

Spring semester 2021

22.02.21 - 19.09.21

Teaching 22/02/21 - 04/06/21 / Private study 07/06/21 - 23/07/21 / Consultation week 09/08/21 - 13/08/21 / Exam session 16/08/21 - 17/09/21

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Buchs Campus

Autumn semester 2020/21

14/09/2020 - 21/02/2021 (teaching ends 19/12/2020) 
! Orientation week: 09-11/09/2020 

End-of-semester exams for autumn semester 2020/21:
25/01/2021 - 13/02/2021

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Spring semester 2021

22/02/2021 - 19/09/2021 (teaching ends 12/06/2021) 
! Orientation week: Thursday, 18/02/2021 

No teaching in 2021:
02-05/04/2021,  11-18/04/2021, 13-16/05/2021, 23-24/06/2021

End-of-semester exams for spring semester 2020/21:
16/08/2021 - 04/09/2021

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St Gallen Campus

Autumn semester 2020/21
Monday, 14/09/2020 - Friday, 22/01/2021
! Orientation week: Thursday, 03/09/2020 

No teaching 2020/21:
11/10/2020 - 18/10/2020

End-of-semester exams for autumn semester 2020/21:
Monday, 11/01/2021 - Friday, 22/01/2021

Nomination deadlines for exchange students:

Spring semester: 31 October
Autumn semester: 30 April

Application deadlines for sending application forms:

Spring semester: 30 November
Autumn semester: 31 May

Forms: After they have been nominated by their home university, exchange students will be given access to our information platform where they will find the application forms.

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 

• Switzerland Tourism

Information about the region

• Town of Buchs and Werdenberg
• Region of Eastern Switzerland
• Town of Rapperswil-Jona
• Town of St Gallen
• Region of St Gallen

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.