STUDY ABROAD
More Than a Semester Abroad
At Linking Lives, studying abroad is about more than visiting new places. It's about immersing yourself in different cultures, challenging yourself outside your comfort zone, building friendships that last long after graduation, and developing the confidence and perspective that shape who you become.
Whether you're hiking through the Swiss Alps, collaborating with local communities in Africa, traveling across Europe on weekends, or working toward your degree alongside students from multiple universities, every experience is designed to help you grow personally and professionally.
Linking Lives by the Numbers
25
Years of offering transformational programs abroad
30+
Countries visited by our students
2000+
Program alumni
18+
Transferable credits available
During Your Semester You'll...
Live and study in beautiful and centrally located Lugano, Switzerland. Lugano, Switzerland, is an enchanting city nestled in the foothills of the Swiss Alps in the canton of Ticino - the only Italian-speaking area of the country. The city’s unique charm comes from the natural blend of Swiss and Italian culture and the vast surrounding landscape. Lake Lugano offers locals and visitors a dazzling view of the sparkling blue waters surrounded by snow-capped mountain peaks of the Alps. The town’s colorful architecture, cobblestone streets, and vibrant greenery full of palm trees make Lugano unlike any other city in Switzerland. Lugano sits about an hour-long train ride from Milan, Italy, making the city a perfect day-trip destination. Lake Como is located directly to the east of Lugano and takes about 30 minutes to arrive by train. Traveling north, the cities of Lucerne and Zurich are both under 2 hours away by train.
Reside in award-winning, program-exclusive student housing with your cohort. During your semester abroad, you'll live with your Linking Lives cohort in program-exclusive housing at the beautiful Montarina Hostel in Lugano, Switzerland. Rather than being dispersed across apartments or multiple residences, every Linking Lives student lives together under one roof, creating a close-knit community that quickly feels like family. And during the semester, the entire hostel complex is dedicated entirely to our program. Nestled on beautifully landscaped, secure grounds with a peaceful, resort-like atmosphere, the Montarina offers an exceptional place to call home while you study abroad. The hostel has even earned international recognition, being named by The Washington Post as one of the world's top eight youth hostels. Living together is one of the experiences that makes Linking Lives different. From shared meals and late-night conversations to weekend adventures and everyday moments, you'll build lasting friendships and support one another throughout the semester, creating memories and connections that extend far beyond your time in Switzerland.
Earn academic credit and stay on-track toward graduation. Studying abroad doesn't mean putting your academic goals on hold. Through the Linking Lives program, you can earn up to 18+ transferable credit hours during the semester, helping you stay on track toward graduation while creating room to pursue minors, certificates, or other academic goals. Classes are held Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM in nearby classroom facilities at Franklin University, just a short walk from your accommodations. You'll learn from U.S. professors in subjects including business, communications, leadership, and social change, creating a rigorous academic experience that complements the learning taking place beyond the classroom. Unlike the large lecture halls you may be accustomed to, Linking Lives offers an intentionally small, close-knit classroom environment where your voice matters. You'll be encouraged to ask questions, challenge ideas, engage in thoughtful debate, and learn from the diverse perspectives of your classmates. The small cohort also gives you meaningful one-on-one access to your professors, allowing conversations to continue long after class and creating opportunities for personalized mentorship and a deeper exploration of the course material. Many alumni describe these classes as some of the most engaging and intellectually rewarding of their college experience. You'll quickly discover that the combination of immersive travel, meaningful discussions, close faculty relationships, and real-world application creates a learning environment unlike anything you've experienced before that will leave you with lasting knowledge and a deeper appreciation for the subjects you study.
Participate in meaningful community engagement opportunities. One of the most meaningful parts of your Linking Lives experience takes place beyond the classroom. Through our longstanding partnerships with nonprofit organizations and community leaders in Eastern Africa, you'll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in a different culture while gaining a deeper understanding of leadership, global citizenship, and social impact. For more than 20 years, Linking Lives has been leading students through this life-changing experience, building trusted relationships with nonprofit organizations and local communities across Eastern Africa. This longstanding history has created a program rooted in collaboration, mutual learning, and cultural exchange. Rather than simply visiting a destination, you'll build meaningful relationships, learn from local communities, and gain perspectives that challenge and inspire you. Your experience may include teaching in local primary schools, supporting community development projects, working alongside local farmers, playing sports with neighborhood children, or sharing conversations with community members. These experiences often become some of the most memorable moments of the semester, shaping how you see the world and your place within it. While you're there, you'll also experience the breathtaking beauty of Eastern Africa on a guided safari, where you may encounter elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos, and countless other species in their natural habitat. All travel to and from Eastern Africa is thoughtfully planned and coordinated by the Linking Lives team, allowing you to focus on the experience from start to finish. Fall Semester Program: Spend two months living and studying in Lugano, Switzerland, followed by one month in Eastern Africa participating in an immersive service-learning experience. Spring Semester Program: Spend more than two months living and studying in Lugano, Switzerland, with the opportunity to participate in an optional two-week service-learning experience in Eastern Africa.
Easily travel throughout Europe on weekends with a program-included rail pass. Your semester abroad extends far beyond the classroom. As part of the Linking Lives program, every student receives a program-paid Eurail Pass, giving you the freedom to explore Switzerland and destinations across Europe throughout the semester. Weekends and academic breaks become opportunities for unforgettable adventures. Whether you're strolling the streets of Rome, taking in the architecture of Barcelona, exploring the canals of Amsterdam, enjoying the history of London, or discovering hidden gems closer to Lugano, Europe becomes your extended classroom. Traveling independently through new countries challenges you to step outside your comfort zone in the best possible way. From navigating unfamiliar train stations and different languages to adapting to new cultures and customs, each journey builds confidence, resilience, and a greater sense of independence. These are the moments that transform travel into one of the most meaningful parts of the study abroad experience. One of the best parts? You won't be exploring it alone. Students plan their trips together and travel in small groups, creating unforgettable memories while looking out for one another along the way. Many travel itineraries are planned in the Montarina's common spaces, where spontaneous conversations often turn into lifelong friendships and the next great adventure. From iconic landmarks to off-the-beaten-path destinations, the experiences you gain while traveling throughout Europe become an unforgettable part of your Linking Lives journey that expands not only where you've been, but who you become.
Make life-long connections with students that quickly become family. Some of the most meaningful memories you'll take home from Linking Lives aren't souvenirs, they're the people you share the journey with. When you spend an entire semester living, studying, traveling, and serving alongside the same group of students, friendships grow quickly and run deep. Together, you'll navigate unfamiliar places, step outside your comfort zones, celebrate new experiences, and support one another through challenges. Along the way, classmates become trusted friends, and before long, they begin to feel like family. The connections formed don't end when the semester does. Our alumni community remains remarkably close, with many graduates returning to serve as house parents and mentors for future cohorts. Others have gone on to become professional colleagues, business partners, lifelong friends, and members of one another's biggest life milestones. For many students, the greatest takeaway from their semester abroad isn't just where they traveled, or the course credits they've earned, it's the lifelong community they found along the way.
Gain real-world, global experience that sets you apart. Today's employers are looking for more than a strong GPA. They're looking for graduates who can adapt to change, solve complex problems, collaborate across cultures, and lead with confidence. That's exactly what you'll develop through your Linking Lives experience. From navigating unfamiliar countries and working alongside international communities to collaborating with your cohort and applying what you learn in real-world settings, every part of the program is designed around experiential learning. You'll gain hands-on global experience that can't be easily replicated in a traditional classroom. Along the way, you'll strengthen the power skills that employers value most including confidence, resilience, adaptability, emotional intelligence, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving. These are experiences you'll be able to demonstrate through meaningful stories that set you apart during interviews and throughout your career. When you return home, you'll bring back far more than college credits and unforgettable memories. You'll return with a global perspective, practical experience, lifelong relationships, and the confidence to make an impact wherever your future takes you.
Why Students Choose Linking Lives
Unlike many study abroad programs where you quickly rush through a blur of countries in a few weeks, Linking Lives gives you the opportunity to actually live abroad and absorb the experience throughout an entire semester.
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The result is a semester that becomes much more than a study abroad trip. It becomes a transformational life experience. But don't take our word for it...
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Are You Wondering...
Empower
Growth
Will I know anyone?
One of the things alumni mention most is the friendships they build. Students quickly become a close community while living, learning, and traveling together.
Can I stay on track to graduate?
Yes. Students earn transferable academic credit while abroad. Specific course information is available for each university here:
Is it affordable?
Many students are surprised to learn that studying abroad can cost about the same as a semester at home, depending on their university and financial aid.
Program Overviews
Linking Lives offers 2 unique study abroad experiences for university students
Fall Program: Europe + Africa
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Designed for students seeking immersive cultural experiences and hands-on community engagement.
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2 months in Europe and 1 month in Africa
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Open to all years, majors, and universities
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Earn up to 19 credits ​
Spring Program: Europe + Optional Africa Segment
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Designed for students interested in business, communication, and experiential learning while exploring Europe.
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2+ months in Europe with an optional 2 weeks in Africa
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Open to all years, majors, and universities (with a focus on business & communication)
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Earn up to 21 credits​
