OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule

About OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule

OST is an autonomous public-law institution supported by six Eastern Swiss cantons—St. Gallen, Schwyz, Glarus, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Thurgau—and the Principality of Liechtenstein. Switzerland’s Federal Council granted it federal recognition after institutional accreditation by the Swiss Accreditation Council. The current institution took over from FHS St.Gallen, HSR Rapperswil and NTB Buchs on 1 September 2020, while drawing on the longer educational histories of those predecessor schools. The university’s main campuses are in St. Gallen, Rapperswil-Jona and Buchs. This database record refers to the independent, multi-campus institution, not a separate St. Gallen university. Campus choice materially affects the programs and facilities available. OST’s current campus overview identifies ten bachelor’s and six master’s offerings in St. Gallen, alongside institutes spanning health, social work, business, computing, engineering, architecture, construction, landscape and spatial planning. OST follows the Swiss university-of-applied-sciences model. Its remit combines degree education, continuing education, applied research and services for external partners. This orientation suits students seeking academically grounded study with a strong professional and practical context. Applicants comparing programs should examine the curriculum, attendance model and campus attached to the particular degree rather than assuming that every OST subject is taught at every location.

Admission is program-specific and follows the Swiss university-of-applied-sciences framework. General bachelor’s access normally requires one of three routes: a vocational baccalaureate combined with related vocational education; a general academic baccalaureate plus at least one year of relevant workplace experience; or a specialized baccalaureate in a related field. Individual degrees may impose additional practice, aptitude, subject or language requirements. Applicants educated abroad are assessed for equivalence and should use the chosen program’s admissions page rather than assuming automatic recognition. Because bachelor’s teaching is generally in Standard German, programs may require formal evidence of German ability. For example, some St. Gallen business and engineering degrees explicitly require C1 German from applicants holding a foreign-language entrance qualification. This should not be treated as a universal threshold without checking the particular degree. Consecutive master’s admission normally requires an appropriate bachelor’s degree, while further prerequisites differ by program. Applications are submitted online. Deadlines also vary: published 2026 examples include 30 April for Bachelor of Nursing and the Master of Science in Engineering, while the Master of Nursing Science used 30 June. Some pages allow later applications if requirements are met and places remain. As those autumn 2026 dates had passed by 20 August 2026, prospective students should consult the individual program for late availability or the next intake, including spring 2027 where offered.

OST awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees but does not advertise its own doctoral level in the reviewed institutional material. Its academic organization covers six broad departments: architecture, construction, landscape and spatial planning; health; computer science; social work; engineering; and business. Study availability is campus-specific. The St. Gallen campus currently lists bachelor’s study in architecture, business administration, computer science, management and law, nursing, physiotherapy, social work, mechatronics, industrial engineering and business information systems. Its listed graduate provision includes architecture, business administration, engineering, nursing science, physiotherapy, social work and business information systems. Students should confirm the exact award title and current intake on the individual program page, as OST’s campus overview groups some offerings and the institution updates its portfolio over time. Teaching is primarily in Standard German at bachelor’s level. The university’s study FAQ identifies English as the teaching language in the technical profiles of the Master of Science in Engineering. Language expectations can therefore differ by degree, and applicants should not infer an English-taught pathway from occasional English course or program terminology. The applied-sciences setting places professional practice close to the curriculum. Depending on the program, applicants may encounter projects, practical training or prior work-experience requirements. Several subjects offer full-time and part-time structures, but these arrangements are program-specific rather than universal. OST also supports outward mobility through departmental international offices and relationships with more than 180 partner institutions.

Key Highlights

• Federally recognized following institutional accreditation in Switzerland
• Autonomous public-law institution supported by six Swiss cantons and Liechtenstein
• Operates principal campuses in St. Gallen, Rapperswil-Jona and Buchs
• Present institution began operating on 1 September 2020

Student Life & Environment

Student life in St. Gallen is based on an urban campus immediately beside the main railway station. The main building includes lecture rooms, teaching spaces, a cafeteria, dining facilities and a library. The library provides print and electronic resources as well as research and writing consultations. Some health and engineering teaching also takes place at other OST facilities in the city, so students should check where their program’s classes and practical facilities are located. Students.ost-sg is the official student organization for the St. Gallen campus and represents student interests within the university. Its published activities include semester-opening events, sports tournaments, barbecues, ski weekends and a sustainability week. A separate organization represents students in social work. OST also provides campus sports, and enrolled students may use activities across the Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona and St. Gallen locations. The reviewed official pages do not promise university-managed residence halls in St. Gallen. Students should therefore plan for an independent housing search and verify commuting time to the facility used by their degree. Support relevant to daily study includes academic administration, library guidance, ICT information and career services. International mobility advice is organized through the relevant academic department.

Location & Surroundings

The main St. Gallen campus is at Rosenbergstrasse 59, directly beside St. Gallen’s central railway station and accessible through the station’s western pedestrian underpass. OST reports direct trains from Zürich Hauptbahnhof and Zürich Airport every half hour, making the campus practical for regional commuters and students arriving from farther away. The setting is distinctly urban. St. Gallen’s historic center, with restaurants, cafés and bars, is close to the campus. The Drei Weieren recreation area offers nearby green space and outdoor leisure. Paid public parking is available beneath the higher-education center, but the immediate rail connection makes public transport especially convenient. Not every St. Gallen-based activity occurs in the tower beside the station. OST lists additional city facilities for architecture, health, physiotherapy, nursing and engineering-related work, including Campus Lerchenfeld. Applicants should identify the actual teaching location for their program before choosing accommodation. OST’s other principal campuses are in Rapperswil-Jona and Buchs, and some degrees or specializations are offered only at those locations.

Costs & Career Outcomes

OST’s official 2026 program pages commonly state a CHF 200 non-refundable application fee and a regular semester fee of CHF 1,000. The reviewed Bachelor of Nursing and Master of Science in Engineering pages charge CHF 1,500 per semester to long-duration students and to students without Swiss civil residence, with CHF 200 for a leave semester. Students arriving from abroad specifically to study may remain subject to the non-resident rate even after moving to Switzerland. Fees and eligibility definitions should be confirmed on the intended program page before applying. These charges do not cover every study expense. OST identifies possible additional costs for materials, international language examinations, excursions, block seminars, travel, meals and accommodation. The university’s central fees page directs applicants to program-level breakdowns, so a single institution-wide total would be misleading. The reviewed sources did not provide a current official St. Gallen living-cost budget or guaranteed housing price. Applicants should budget independently for rent, health insurance, transport and ordinary living expenses. OST points students toward cantonal grants and external foundations, but funding depends on individual eligibility. Career Services offers enrolled students free individual counseling, mentoring, application-document checks, interview training, employer events, Career Days and access to a job platform. These services support career preparation but do not constitute a placement or salary guarantee. The applied-sciences curriculum and employer-facing activities may be useful for building professional experience and contacts during study.