Find a language exchange partner at Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (OST)
OST is not a single-campus university. It teaches, researches and advises mainly in Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona and St.Gallen, linking the Rhine Valley, Lake Zurich and St.Gallen city centre. Its website, accessed in July 2026, reports around 3’800 students across six Schools. For a community of this size spread across three locations, a university filter gives useful context from the first search.
The language setting is equally varied. OST’s study FAQ accessed in July 2026 names Standard German as the official language of instruction for Bachelor’s programmes. The technical profiles of the Master of Science in Engineering are taught in English, while «Spatial Development and Landscape Architecture» and «Civil Engineering» are taught in German. A tandem can focus on practical needs such as asking questions in class, explaining project work or preparing a presentation.
On Sprachtandem.ch, you can add OST to your profile and filter for profiles that list the same university. This self-declared information is not verified by OST, and Sprachtandem.ch is not an official OST service. Add your usual campus, availability and language goal to make the filter more useful.
Why arrange a language exchange within OST?
A shared OST connection makes it easier to arrange a session that fits. Timetables span six Schools and three campuses, so campus days, travel routes and real study or work situations matter as much as the language pair.
- The OST page accessed in July 2026 states that more than 1’700 people study at St.Gallen Campus each year. As the campus is directly beside the main railway station, short meetings before class, at lunch or after work are practical.
- People in Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona and St.Gallen can combine in-person and online sessions instead of limiting their search to one campus.
- For German-language classes, Learning German can help define a goal such as speaking in seminars or explaining a process.
- In English-taught technical MSE profiles and international projects, Learning English can support more spontaneous discussion.
Make the Most of Your Practice Session offers a simple structure for the first meeting.
New: add your university to your profile
Add OST as your university in your Sprachtandem.ch profile. In the search, you can then filter for people who have also added OST, turning a broad profile list into a selection with a shared university connection. You arrange directly whether Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona, St.Gallen or online works best.
The university field does not confirm a campus, School, degree programme or employment status. It is profile information on Sprachtandem.ch, not verification by OST or evidence of a partnership. A line such as “Rapperswil-Jona on Tuesdays, otherwise online” is therefore more useful than the university name alone. See Your Sprachtandem.ch Account for general account guidance.
How to search within your university
- Create or update your profile and add OST as your university. Get Started with Sprachtandem.ch explains the general process.
- Select the language you offer and the language you want to learn or practise.
- Choose OST in the university filter to view profiles that list the same institution.
- Compare learning goals, level, availability and preference for in-person or online meetings. Finding the Ideal Language Exchange Partner can help with the choice.
- Send a message and agree on campus, time and format. At St.Gallen, the area around the main railway station is convenient because the campus is directly beside it. When campus days differ, start online.
Between Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona and St.Gallen: connecting German and English
OST’s campuses create different weekly routes: Buchs is in the Rhine Valley, Rapperswil-Jona is on Lake Zurich and St.Gallen Campus sits in the city beside the main railway station. A profile line such as “Rapperswil-Jona on Tuesdays, otherwise online” gives a potential partner something concrete to plan around. Learning Languages Online helps when travel or campus schedules make regular face-to-face sessions difficult.
The goal may change with the setting. Standard German can support Bachelor’s classes, presentations and administrative conversations. In the English-taught technical MSE profiles, project discussion and responding without preparation may matter more. Newcomers may also choose Learning Swiss German for informal conversations while keeping Standard German for academic tasks.
The OST partner-university page accessed in July 2026 lists more than 180 partner universities worldwide. Someone preparing for an exchange semester, joining an international project or settling into a new OST team can use a tandem to rehearse conversations that receive little time in a formal course.
Who is an OST language exchange for?
German-language Bachelor’s teaching, English-language technical MSE profiles and three campus locations create several concrete reasons to practise regularly.
- Bachelor’s students preparing for German-language seminars, group work or presentations.
- MSE students turning English technical vocabulary into spontaneous project conversation.
- Exchange students and new university members seeking contacts beyond their class or team.
- Doctoral researchers, researchers and staff moving between local and international communication.
- People whose campus days shift between Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona, St.Gallen and online.
Start your language exchange at OST
At OST, a useful match must fit both the language and the travel routine. Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona and St.Gallen shape different weeks, while Standard German and, in parts of the MSE, English serve different academic purposes. Add your usual location, realistic time slots and one concrete goal. “English for project discussions, Wednesdays online” or “German for presentations, near St.Gallen station after class” gives another person a clear reason to reply.
Start with a brief message, agree on a fair split between the two languages and check after the first session whether the pace suits both of you. The OST filter can then become the starting point for a tandem that works within an actual university week.
Frequently asked questions about language exchange at OST
How do I find people from the same university on Sprachtandem.ch?
Add OST to your profile, then select the university filter in the search. This lets you view profiles in which users have also listed OST. Compare the languages offered and requested, the person’s learning goal, availability and preferred meeting format before making contact. The university entry is self-declared information on Sprachtandem.ch and is not verified by OST.
Can I organise an OST tandem across different campuses?
Yes. OST conducts teaching, research and advisory activities mainly at Buchs, Rapperswil-Jona and St.Gallen. The filter refers to the university as a whole, not to a campus status confirmed by Sprachtandem.ch. State your regular campus days in your profile or message. When two schedules do not overlap, begin online and arrange an in-person session later at a mutually convenient public place.
Which languages are especially relevant for a tandem at OST?
As stated on the OST pages accessed in July 2026, Standard German is the official teaching language for Bachelor’s programmes. English is used in the technical MSE profiles, except «Spatial Development and Landscape Architecture» and «Civil Engineering», which are taught in German. German and English are therefore particularly relevant, but the available combinations ultimately depend on what users offer and want to learn.
Do I have to be an OST student to use the university field?
The function is relevant not only to Bachelor’s and Master’s students. Exchange students, doctoral researchers, researchers and staff can also list OST when they genuinely belong to its university community. The entry should be accurate, but it is not checked by OST. People without an OST connection can still use the general tandem search without selecting the university filter.
Why is St.Gallen Campus practical for a first meeting?
The OST page accessed in July 2026 says that more than 1’700 people study at St.Gallen Campus each year. The campus opened in 2013, stands directly beside the main railway station and has a 66-metre-high tower that is easy to recognise. Agree on a clearly named public meeting point, such as a café near the station, and consider an online first conversation when preferred.