An enriching, eclectic, educational experience in a beautiful country Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The educational experience suited my needs perfectly. It allowed me to explore a wide range of interesting subject matter that was enhanced by the fact that we were on location in Europe. The Academic Travel course portion was, for this reason in particular, the most enriching. The academic rigor was not up to the extent that I'd like at a home university, but this did not negatively impact my study abroad experience at all/

On-site administration of your program

A bit scattered organizationally, but once you got hold of someone, they knew your name and how to help you. At a school with only 600 or so students, there was a very personable relationship between the administration, the faculty, and those studying, which proved to be very effective.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Lived in the freshman dorm on campus. Perfectly adequate, but the lack of air conditioning was difficult in the first month or so due to the humidity.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Because Franklin was an international university, it was easy to get sucked into the bubble that was campus and not integrate as much with the local culture as might be desired. However, the many festivals and the overall vibrancy of Lugano did have a draw and provided fantastic immersion in the local scene if one put in the effort to go down there and be a part of it.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

There was a clinic right near campus with an english speaking doctor who helped me multiple times throughout the semester, once with a particularly bad ear infection. Swiss insurance was required on the program, each student was assigned a SWICA card, and this paid for all medications and medical spending done on the trip. The healthcare at the Clinica di Sant'anna was consistently excellent and I felt very confident in their ability to do good work. Switzerland did not have any prevalent health issues when I was there.

Switzerland is one of the safest countries in the world. Common sense is always advised, of course, but I felt very free to go about my business in town alone, take public transportation anywhere, and be out at night without any real concern. The campus was also very secure. I felt safer in Switzerland on the whole than I've ever felt in America.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

About $100 per week. Switzerland is expensive, but it was relatively easy to be savvy by picking when and where to shop (and the products were always quality!). The meal plan was the real challenge, as it involved some pretty careful budgeting to stay within the margins of what was required and not overspend.

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• The wide, diverse variety of students
• The encouraged opportunity to travel around Europe
• The passion of the faculty for their subject matter

• The meal plan system
• The laundry card system

The Academic or Linguist