St Gallen combines a beautifully preserved old town, a UNESCO-listed abbey precinct and one of Europe's most famous business schools in a walkable, friendly city. It sits high in the green hills of eastern Switzerland, close to the Appenzell countryside, Lake Constance and the mountains. It is smaller and cheaper than Zürich, with a strong international student community drawn by the university.

• Home to the University of St. Gallen (HSG), a globally ranked business school
• A UNESCO abbey and library, with Appenzell, the Alps and Lake Constance nearby

The University of St. Gallen (HSG) gives the city a lively, international and famously well-networked student scene, and life clusters in the old town's bars and cafés with their painted oriel windows. Above the city, the Drei Weieren ponds are the summer hangout, where students swim with a view over the rooftops. The OLMA autumn fair is a local highlight.

• Swim and sunbathe at the Drei Weieren, the three hillside ponds above the old town
• Explore the old town's bars beneath its famous carved oriel windows
• Ask the St Gallen Studcasa group about HSG exchange events and weekend hikes into Appenzell

St Gallen is easier on the wallet than Zürich but still expensive by any global standard, so budget around €1,400–2,200 a month. Rents are lower than in the big cities, and the university mensa offers cheap hot meals. A Halbtax card and the regional Ostwind pass keep your travel costs in check.

• Rooms run roughly CHF 550–950 a month, cheaper than Zürich
• Eat at the HSG mensa for some of the best-value meals in the city
• Get a Halbtax card and an Ostwind pass for local and national travel

Rooms in shared flats are the norm, many uphill near the HSG campus in Rotmonten, or dotted around the old town and St. Fiden. The market is competitive at term-start, so search early, and note the campus sits on a steep hill above the centre. Viewings in person are expected.

• Search WGZimmer.ch, Students.ch and the HSG housing platform for rooms
• Rotmonten is handy for campus, while the old town keeps you near the nightlife
• Ask the St Gallen Studcasa group, as HSG exchange students regularly hand over rooms

St Gallen is compact and walkable, served by buses and trolleybuses on the Ostwind tariff, plus the little Appenzell and Trogen mountain railways that climb into the hills. The main station links fast to Zürich in about an hour and to Lake Constance in minutes. Note the steep climb up to the HSG campus.

• Use VBSG buses and trolleybuses on an Ostwind pass around the city
• Hop the Appenzeller Bahnen mountain railways for trips into the countryside
• Take the frequent train to Zürich (about an hour) or down to Lake Constance

The University of St. Gallen (HSG) is the star, consistently ranked among Europe's best for business, economics and management, with a big international exchange intake. The OST university of applied sciences adds technical and design courses. Many HSG courses run in English at Master's level; terms run mid-September to December and February to June.

• HSG is a leading European business school with a large exchange programme and English-taught courses
• The OST university of applied sciences covers engineering, technology and design

Switzerland is in Schengen but not the EU, so your process depends on nationality. EU/EFTA students do not need a visa; you enter freely and then register with your local commune (Gemeinde/commune) within 14 days of arrival to get a residence permit, showing enrolment, funds and insurance.

Non-EU students must apply for a national (D) long-stay visa at a Swiss embassy before travelling, then convert it to a residence permit at the local commune after arrival. You will need your acceptance letter, proof of sufficient funds, accommodation and health insurance. Processing can take eight to twelve weeks, so apply as early as possible. Everyone must sort mandatory Swiss health insurance or get an exemption using EHIC or equivalent cover.

• EU/EFTA: no visa; register with your local commune within 14 days
• Non-EU: apply for a national D visa at a Swiss embassy before arrival
• Bring acceptance letter, proof of funds, housing and insurance
• Sort health insurance early, it is mandatory or needs a formal exemption
• Start non-EU applications 3+ months ahead; processing is slow

The city's pride is the St. Galler Bratwurst, a veal sausage locals insist you eat without mustard, especially during the OLMA fair each autumn. Regional Appenzeller cheese and the spiced Biber gingerbread are other specialities. The abbey library and old town anchor a rich cultural life, and Sundays stay quiet.

• Eat a St. Galler Bratwurst from a street grill, and never ask for mustard
• Visit the UNESCO Abbey Library, one of the world's most beautiful baroque libraries
• Try Appenzeller cheese and Biber gingerbread from the local markets

The compact Altstadt is the historic, walkable heart around the abbey. Rotmonten, uphill, is where many students live near HSG, St. Fiden and Lachen are practical residential districts, and Riethüsli sits handily on the mountain-railway line.

• Altstadt for history, bars and being central
• Rotmonten for proximity to the HSG campus
• St. Fiden or Lachen for quieter, more affordable rooms

St Gallen is a launchpad for eastern Switzerland and beyond. Traditional Appenzell and the Säntis cable car are under an hour away, Lake Constance and its three-country shoreline, taking in Germany's Konstanz and Austria's Bregenz, start fifteen minutes off, and Liechtenstein and Zürich are both about an hour. The Toggenburg valley offers hiking and skiing.

• Ride into Appenzell and up Säntis for classic Alpine views, under an hour away
• Reach Lake Constance in minutes, with Germany and Austria just across the water
• Visit Liechtenstein's Vaduz or ski in Toggenburg for a weekend

Take the Bratwurst-without-mustard rule seriously, as locals really do notice. Buy a Halbtax and Ostwind pass early, use the mensa to eat cheaply, and pack for a climate that is colder and foggier than the lowlands. The city's steep hills make the bus up to campus well worth it in winter.

• Never put mustard on your St. Galler Bratwurst if you want to fit in
• Get a Halbtax and Ostwind pass on arrival to control travel costs
• Pack warm layers, as St Gallen sits high and gets foggy and cold