Virginia Tech Students

Overview

Spend 2 months in Switzerland and 1 month in Eastern Africa!

You will be based in Lugano, Switzerland, located in Canton Ticino -- the only Italian speaking Canton in Switzerland. You will take classes from Virginia Tech and Roanoke College professors at a local university and live at the Montarina Hostel, rated in a Washington Post article as one of the 8 top youth hostels in the world.

In September and October, you take classes from US professors and have the weekends to explore the surrounding areas of Europe. Lugano is on a major rail line between Italy and the rest of Europe. You can reach many wonderful cities in a few hours. Past students have visited cities such as Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris, Barcelona, and Munich.

In November, you participate in an experiential learning project in Rwanda. Your project will depend on the needs of our non-profit partner organizations. Students collaborate with local schools and non-profit organizations to develop, implement, and deliver curricula in areas such as:

ESL (English as a second language)
Cultural exchange discussions
Basic computer skills
US culture
Professional development

To learn more about the Africa experience, check out our Service Learning and Impact pages.

You also go on a safari excursion, reflection retreat, and other local activities. You return to Lugano for about one week to complete your semester-long project and reflect on your experiences.

Costs

$6,300 in-state ($14,863 out-of-state) Tuition

Billed in July, due in August
Same amount you would have paid for a semester at VT

$12,400 Program Fees

$1,200 deposit billed when committed to the program
$5,600 billed May 10, due June 10
$5,600 billed June 10, due July 10
This includes housing for the semester, dinner 4 nights a week and lunch meal card in Europe, 3 meals a day in Rwanda, airfare to/from Europe and Africa, Eurail Pass, safari excursion, weekly laundry, international health insurance, Visas, etc.

$4,000 Out of Pocket Expenses

Not billed, just recommended out of pocket expenses.

Weekend travel, textbooks, souvenirs and gifts, breakfasts & lunches, toiletries, etc.

IN-STATE STUDENT TOTAL: $22,700

OUT-OF-STATE STUDENT TOTAL: $31,263

Only $4,000 more than a normal semester living on campus with a meal plan.

Financial Aid Information:

During your semester abroad, you are enrolled in and pay tuition to Roanoke College instead of Virginia Tech.
Please read the attached document to see which scholarships, financial aid, tuition assistance, etc. can be applied to your semester abroad.

Classes

You will be enrolled in 5 Units at Roanoke College which will transfer to Virginia Tech as 18 Credits:

Marketing, Society, and the Public Interest (MKTG 4644, 3 credits)
Special Study: Legal Approaches to Change (MKTG 4984, 4 credits)
Consumer Behavior (MKTG 4204, 3 credits)
Field Study (MKTG 4964, 4 credits)
Study Abroad (MKTG 3954, 4 credits)

Credit Transfer Information:

Virginia Tech has approved the credit transfer from Roanoke College to Virginia Tech for the classes taken through the Linking Lives Study Abroad Program
You must receive a C or better to transfer courses back to Virginia Tech
Course credits will transfer, but GPA will not be affected
No more than 75% of degree requirements can be transferred from another university to Virginia Tech
A minimum of 18 of the last 45 credit hours during your senior year must be completed at Virginia Tech

Academic Opportunities include:

Communication majors can earn up to 12 credits in COMM
HNFE students can earn HNFE field study credits
Substitute MKTG 3954 for MKTG 4704 to earn a marketing cognate by completing additional reading and a paper that examines a topic in international marketing. Final approval of the cognate is obtained from the department, school, or college. (Communication Majors Only).
Experiential field study with international organizations and semester-long grant proposal project - looks great on resume!
Opportunity to intern with Linking Lives the summer after participating in the program

Overview

Spend 3 months in Switzerland with an optional travel break in Eastern Africa!

You will stay in Lugano, Switzerland which is located in Canton Ticino, the only Italian-speaking canton in Switzerland. You will take classes from Virginia Tech and Roanoke College professors at a local university and live at the Montarina Hostel, rated in a Washington Post article as one of the 8 top youth hostels in the world, or the Franklin University dorms.

You will have the weekends and 3 one-week breaks to explore the surrounding areas of Europe. Lugano is on a major rail line between Italy and the rest of Europe and you can reach many wonderful cities in a few hours. You are required to travel to the United Kingdom for one of your breaks. Past students have visited cities such as Rome, Florence, Venice, Prague, Paris, Barcelona, Berlin, and Munich.

NOTE: Students cannot remain in the Schengen region for more than 90 days in a 180 day period.

During your last break, you have the opportunity to participate in an optional experiential learning project in Rwanda. Your project will depend on the needs of our non-profit partner organizations in Africa.

To learn more about the Africa experience, check out our Service Learning and Impact pages. The optional Africa experience is an additional cost ($2,000) not included in the program fee.

Costs

$6,300 in-state ($14,863 out-of-state) Tuition

Billed in November, due in December
Same amount you would have paid for a semester at VT

$12,500 Program Fees

$1,200 deposit billed when committed to the program
$5,600 billed mid-September, due mid-October
$5,700 billed mid-October, due mid-November
This includes housing for the semester, dinner 4 nights a week and lunch meal card in Europe, airfare to/from Europe, unlimited Eurail Pass, weekly laundry, international health insurance, Visas, etc.

$7,000 Out of Pocket Expenses

Not billed, just recommended out of pocket expenses.

Weekend travel, textbooks, souvenirs and gifts, breakfasts & lunches, toiletries, etc.

IN STATE STUDENT TOTAL: $25,800

OUT OF STATE STUDENT TOTAL: $34,363

Approximately $7,000 more than a normal semester living on campus

Financial Aid Information:

During your semester abroad you will be enrolled at and pay tuition to Roanoke College instead of Virginia Tech. Please read the attached document to see which scholarships, financial aid, tuition assistance, etc. can be applied to your semester abroad.

Classes

You will be enrolled in 6 Units at Roanoke College which will transfer to Virginia Tech as 18 Credits:

Marketing, Society, and the Public Interest (MKTG 4644, 3 credits)
Marketing Research (MKTG 4154, 3 credits)
Consumer Behavior (MKTG 4204, 3 credits)
Field Practicum (MKTG 4404, 3 credits)
Study Abroad (MKTG 3954, 3 credits)
Elementary Italian (ITAL 1105, 3 credits)

Credit Transfer Information:

Virginia Tech has approved the credit transfer from Roanoke College to Virginia Tech for the classes taken through the Linking Lives Study Abroad Program
You must receive a C or better to transfer courses back to Virginia Tech
Course credits will transfer, but GPA will not be affected
No more than 75% of degree requirements can be transferred from another university to Virginia Tech
A minimum of 27 of the last 45 credit hours during your senior year, must be completed at Virginia Tech

Academic Opportunities include:

Substitute MKTG 3954 for MKTG 4704 to earn a marketing cognate by completing additional reading and a paper that examines a topic in international marketing. Final approval of the cognate is obtained from the department, school, or college. (Communication Majors Only).
Experiential learning with international organizations and semester-long grant proposal project - looks great on resume!
Opportunity to intern with Linking Lives the summer after participating in the program

Montarina group photo

Student Travel

Montarina group photo

1/22

Safari

Local Activities

Rwanda

Safari

1/32