T&Cs

Students and course participants register online at www.stf.ch, in writing by submitting a completed registration form or via email to info@stf.ch. Once a registration has been received, the STF will send written confirmation of receipt of registration by email.

The minimum age for students and course participants at the STF is 15 years of age (although exceptions may be made for certain courses and events). Applicants must be at least 18 years of age to be admitted to a degree course at the STF.

Students and course participants are required to make their own arrangements with regard to insurance. The STF accepts no liability for theft or loss of property. We urgently advise students and course participants to check the coverage provided by their insurance policy, in particular with regard to accidents that may occur during practical tuition sessions, project work with machines/equipment or in laboratories, on excursions or at institute events.

The STF reserves the right to have the number of tuition sessions actually provided deviate from the total number of sessions quoted by +/-20% due to national holidays, training events for course tutors, end-of-semester exams or other reasons.

If a course tutor is unwell or absent for a short period of time, the STF will seek to find an adequate substitute. If no solution can be quickly found in the available time, a substitute assignment will be set and the sessions will be held without supervision.

On joining the STF, students consent to their project work, inventions and designs, which they have developed and produced during their studies or to which they have contributed, being freely used for the purposes of exhibition both within and outside the institute. Exhibits may also be photographed and made public. The image material may be freely used for the purposes of publicity in connection with the STF in print, social and other media. Creators of exhibits who could not be contacted will be asked to contact the STF so that retrospective arrangements may be made regarding copyright discharge.

All legal relationships with the STF are subject to Swiss law. The place of jurisdiction is Wattwil in the canton of St Gallen. Please note that we reserve the right to makes changes to the above.

On one-year further training courses, students take four compulsory and two elective modules. These lead to an STF diploma recognised by the industry in the respective specialist area.

The above-mentioned courses are offered in a modular format. An elective module may also be selected in the preceding spring semester, before the actual start of studies (in August each year).

After the registration deadline, the STF will inform you in writing about whether the modules are running. A course may be cancelled if the number of participants is insufficient. In this case, the tuition fees will be waived or reimbursed. Participants will not be entitled to damages in the event of cancellation.

Tuition fees and, where applicable, examination fees are shown on the relevant web pages. Tuition fees must be paid before the start of each semester.

Please note:

–     An additional fee will be charged to students who do not submit the required personal information form and confirmation of residence.

–     If you fail to pay by the date specified in your invoice, the STF reserves the right to cancel your study contract.

–     Upon request to the accounting department, the semester fees may be paid in instalments, the first of which is due before the start of the semester. A maximum of 3 instalment payments may be made, each of which is subject to an extra charge of CHF 50 for the additional administrative work involved. Instalment payments are due either in August, September and October, or in February, March and April.

–     If only one elective module is booked, an additional CHF 60 will be charged for administration, etc. If a one-year course is booked at a later stage (four compulsory modules and two optional modules), the fee of CHF 60 will be refunded.

Tuition fees cover the costs of teaching materials (manuscripts, paints/dyes, chemicals, small items of equipment etc.) and examination fees (with the exception of fees for the Vocational and Advanced Federal diplomas). They do not cover the costs of personal expenditure, excursions, educational trips, consumption of fabric, clothing components and special purchases agreed with students. Please note that we reserve the right to make changes to tuition fee rates.

The STF reserves the right to increase tuition fees by a maximum of 5% at the start of each new academic year.

After the decision of the institute management on whether the further training course will run (in May each year), a registration fee of CHF 500 is due for the further training course. The registration fee will be deducted from the tuition fees for the last semester, provided that all semesters are duly completed. If you fail to pay by the date specified in your invoice, the STF reserves the right to assign your place to another student.

The registration fee for the further training course is also due if one or more elective modules are completed before the start of the course-specific modules.

Any student wishing to deregister from a further training course must do so in writing. The following cancellation fees are charged if a student deregisters before the start of the semester:

–     Notice of deregistration submitted before 15 May (registration deadline): no fee payable

–     Notice of deregistration submitted after 15 May: the full registration fee (CHF 500) is payable

–     If the student fails to attend courses or deregisters after the start of a course: tuition fee for the current semester plus registration fee of CHF 500

It is possible to deregister during a course. In this case, the student must provide prior notice of this intention at least 2 months prior to the end of the semester in question. Written notice, together with the reason for deregistration, must be submitted to the Chief Academic Officer. The institute management may be willing to approve immediate deregistration if unforeseen circumstances arise, e.g. the student is unable to study due to illness or accident. The tuition fees for the current semester will not be reimbursed.

The cantonal bursary offices can provide students with information about bursaries and student loans and further sources of financing from other institutions. Applications for state bursaries must be submitted directly to the bursary offices of the canton of residence.

Various foundations can offer support to prospective STF students with an application and the relevant supporting evidence. For more information, see:

Studienfinanzierung

Degree financing

Course fees are payable before the start of a course. If a student deregisters before the start of a course, an administration fee of CHF 200 will be charged; if they deregister after the course has started, the full cost of the course or module will be charged. Notice of deregistration must be submitted in writing to the back office team.

At the end of a course, the STF awards a confirmation of attendance certificate if the participant has been present for at least 75% of the time.