Fifty-two students is the number that explains the rest of this page. SIM-HSG deliberately runs one of the smallest cohorts at the top of the FT table: modules cap at 25–30, teaching is discussion-led rather than lecture-led, and a meaningful share of the grade rests on seminar participation rather than examination. The cohort is around 50% international across roughly 24 nationalities — a smaller absolute count than at HEC or LBS purely because the class itself is smaller — with female representation at 50% and an average age of 23 at entry. Admits skew to economics, business and quantitative social sciences, with a notable concentration from German-speaking universities, which reflects both the language environment and HSG's regional brand. Our piece on how big a European MiM class is puts fifty-two in context against cohorts twenty times the size.
A typical University of St. Gallen MiM cohort is around 52 students , drawn from 24 nationalities.
| Class size | 52 |
|---|---|
| Average age | 23 |
| International | 50% |
| Female | 50% |
| Average GMAT | 680 |
| Nationalities | 24 |
Frequently asked questions
Does the SIM-HSG application include an interview?
Yes — and it is the heaviest-weighted part of the file, which is the opposite of what this profile said before 3 September 2026. HSG publishes the SIM selection weighting: GMAT or GRE 20%, undergraduate grade average 20%, extracurriculars and work experience 25%, and the SIM video interview 35%. The interview is pre-recorded rather than live: within five days of submitting your online application the SIM Management Unit emails you a link, you record answers to a set of questions at your own computer, and HSG states your application is only processed once the recording has been received. Separately, the two referees you name on your CV may be emailed at the committee's discretion to arrange a 10–15 minute phone call, so the referee check can become a conversation too.
How can St. Gallen tuition be so low?
The University of St. Gallen is a Swiss public university, so SIM-HSG students pay regulated public-university tuition rather than market-rate fees. The full 18-month program costs about CHF 10,673 for international students — three billable semesters at the international rate of CHF 3,557.50, which HSG raised roughly 7% (its first increase since 2014) from the autumn 2026 semester — still roughly a tenth of peer private programs. Living costs in Switzerland are high (CHF 24,000–30,000 per year is typical), so the total cost of attendance is competitive rather than cheap in absolute terms, but the tuition itself is unusual.
How small is the SIM-HSG cohort?
SIM-HSG enrols around 52 students per intake — one of the smallest top-ten MiM cohorts in the world. The small class is intentional. SIM is a selective signature programme within HSG's broader masters portfolio, and the school protects intimacy in seminars and group work. Most modules cap at 25–30 students and faculty access is materially closer than at larger programs.
What does the FT number-one ranking actually measure?
The Financial Times Masters in Management ranking weights three-year-post-graduation salary, career progression, international experience, faculty research, and a battery of school-reported metrics. St. Gallen has placed 1st in 14 of the last 15 rankings — the most consistent top finish of any school globally. The combination of small cohort size, strong careers outcomes, and high international exposure drives the score.
Sources
- University of St. Gallen — SIM-HSG program overview ↗ — University of St. Gallen
- St. Gallen SIM — Admission. Re-read 2026-09-03 (browser user agent): the SIM Admission Committee runs four admission rounds between October and April — applications by 4 Nov 2026 / 31 Jan / 31 Mar / 30 Apr 2027, decisions by 8 Dec 2026 / 28 Feb / 30 Apr / 31 May 2027 — described as a "selection process for all applicants", with NO nationality-specific deadline anywhere on the page (the strings "non-EU", "EU/EEA" and "nationality" do not appear). Selection weighting published: GMAT or GRE 20%, undergraduate average 20%, extracurriculars and work experience 25%, SIM video interview 35%. The video interview is compulsory ("your application will only be processed once we have received your video interview"). Application fee CHF 250; application period 1 Oct – 30 Apr; alternative programme (MiMM, MGM, MACFin) may be named only if you apply before 31 January. The word "essay" does not appear on this page ↗ — University of St. Gallen
- St. Gallen — university-wide application deadlines. Re-read 2026-09-03: this page publishes NO rounds. It is a per-programme table of application WINDOWS, in which SIM reads "1 Oct - 30 Apr" for the autumn semester while MBI, MiMM, MGM, MACFin and MEcon read "1 Oct - 31 Mar". The four dated SIM rounds come from the SIM admission page above, not from here — this profile's earlier label attributed them to this page ↗ — University of St. Gallen
- St. Gallen — Registration & tuition fees (international Master rate CHF 3,557.50/semester from autumn 2026; CHF 10,673 over three billable semesters) ↗ — University of St. Gallen
- St. Gallen — Cantonal Council ~7% tuition increase (first since 2014); IN FORCE since 1 Aug 2026 — foreign Master rate CHF 3,557.50/semester, up from CHF 3,329 ↗ — University of St. Gallen
- swissuniversities — Tuition fees at universities (HSG foreign Master CHF 3,100 tuition + CHF 229 fees per semester, pre-increase basis) ↗ — swissuniversities
- St. Gallen — SIM double degrees ↗ — University of St. Gallen
- CEMS — University of St. Gallen (founding member) ↗ — CEMS
- Financial Times — Masters in Management 2025 ↗ — Financial Times
- St. Gallen — SIM Essay Question and Guidelines (PDF, 2 pages, sha256:cb98017143d6150a, read 2026-09-03). The most recent edition HSG publishes is headed "September 2025 Intake": an original essay is required as part of the application documents, 600–800 words in English excluding cover page and bibliography, mandatory separate cover page, Word or PDF only, numbered pages; all essays are checked by plagiarism software and "use of artificial intelligence" without indication of source counts as plagiarism and leads to rejection of the application ↗ — University of St. Gallen