Franklin College Switzerland

The College

Franklin College Switzerland, named for the United States' first and most illustrious ambassador to Europe, was founded in 1969 as a nonprofit, independent, post-secondary institution. It takes as its cornerstone Benjamin Franklin's vigorous support of intellectual interchange between nations. An American liberal arts institution in an international environment, Franklin is fully accredited in the United States by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and in Switzerland by the Swiss University Conference.

Franklin College places a strong emphasis on cross-cultural perspectives, advocating that international studies should be an integral part of a college education, as a prelude to, and basis for, a student's commitment to a major field of study. Franklin defines higher education from its beginning as the experience of thinking internationally. Its emphasis, both academically and socially, on global perspectives is designed to affect the direction and meaning of a student's college experience, life, and career.

The essence of a Franklin College education is the exposure of its students to cultures other than their own, providing them with a better understanding of others, the world, and their place in the world. The college's location in Lugano, a vibrant Swiss city that is part of the cultural milieu of northern Italy, ensures a constant commingling of cultures in a quadri-lingual nation. Students and faculty members, many who have a cross-cultural background, come to Franklin College from every corner of the globe, further strengthening international study and international experiences.

Approximately 60 percent of the students come from the United States; 40 percent are from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Bringing diverse experiences and perspectives to college life, they live in college residences both on and near the campus.

Campus activities are varied. Franklin's Student Government Association (SGA) promotes a student newspaper; a literary magazine; a drama society; cultural, language, and sports clubs; and numerous social events that take advantage of southern Switzerland's extensive recreational resources. There are competitive college sports teams in men's and women's soccer, and intramural teams include basketball, soccer, and volleyball. In addition, the athletic director enrolls interested students in a considerable number of local Swiss clubs and teams that welcome newcomers.

Academic Programs and Degrees

Franklin's curricula promote international awareness and critical thinking, while being interdisciplinary in the highest tradition of liberal education. The Bachelor of Arts program offers majors in art history, comparative literary and cultural studies, environmental studies, history, international banking and finance, communications and media studies, international economics, international management, international relations, literature, French studies, Italian studies, and visual and communication arts, with combined and double majors in a number of study areas. Students must complete at least 126 credit hours to be eligible for the B.A., while maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Franklin's renowned Academic Travel Program is a fully integrated part of the regular curriculum. Each semester, students participate in 2 weeks of faculty-led academic travel. More than any other program of study, it provides students an opportunity to learn though experience. Travel destinations have included Germany; England; Ireland; Scotland; Paris, Nice, and Southern France; Madrid and Northern Spain; Florence, Luca, and Siena; Venice; Slovak and Czech Republics; Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia; Greece; Turkey; Morocco; Egypt; Botswana; Japan; India; Thailand; and the United States.

Costs

The comprehensive fee for the 2009-2010 academic year was $45,300. This figure includes the cost of tuition, room and board, academic travel, and student fees. The estimated cost of personal expenses and incidentals, including textbooks, is $6,300 per year. The estimated cost range to fly round-trip from the United States is from $1,000 to $1,300.

Financial Aid

Franklin College offers academic merit awards and need-based financial aid to qualified students. U.S. applicants for financial aid must submit the FAFSA for evaluation. Veterans' and Social Security benefits are also available to eligible students. Federal Stafford Student Loans and PLUS loans may be obtained through local lenders. International students must submit the International Student Financial Aid Form. Additionally, campus internships are available. Students interested in applying for one can do so by requesting information about available Life Long Learning Scholarships through the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Learning Opportunities (CIELO) at the beginning of each semester.

Admission Requirements

Franklin College seeks students who are eager to meet the challenge of studying and living in Europe, serious about undertaking college-level learning, and prepared to contribute positively to the intellectual life of the college. To identify such students, and also to ensure a diverse student population, the college admissions committee considers both academic and personal facts, including the student's academic record, evaluations by teachers and counselors, standardized test scores, extracurricular interests and talents, and academic distinctions. Admission to the college is limited and therefore competitive.

• Area and ethnic studies
• French Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Italian Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Business/marketing
• International Finance
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• International Business/Trade/Commerce
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Business, Management, and Marketing Related
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Communication/Journalism
• Communication and Media Related
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• English
• Creative Writing
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Literature
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Foreign languages and literature
• Comparative Literature
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Romance Languages
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Modern Languages
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• History
• History
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Liberal arts/general studies
• Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
  Associate Degree offered for this major.
• Natural resources/environmental science
• Environmental Studies
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Social sciences
• International Economics
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• International Relations and Affairs
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Visual and performing arts
• Design and Visual Communications
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.
• Art History, Criticism and Conservation
  Bachelor's Degree offered for this major.

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied616
• Accepted390
• Acceptance Rate63%
• Enrolled436
• Female Applicants429
• Females Accepted285
• Female Acceptance Rate66%
• Male Applicants187
• Males Accepted105
• Male Acceptance Rate56%
• Applying
• Application Fee$90
• Required for All Essay or personal statement
  Transcript of high school record
  Letter(s) of recommendation
  Minimum high school GPA of 2
  
• Required for Some
• Average high school GPA for first-year freshman3.12
• Application Deadlines
• Type Application Closing Notification Date Rolling Admissions
• Fall freshmen March 15th --
• Out-of-state Fall freshmen Not Reported
• Early decision plan Not Reported
• Other early decision plan Not Reported
• Transfer June 15th --
• Test Scores Accepted
• Test Average School Accepted 25th Percentile* 75th Percentile*
• SAT Critical Reading 612 560 670
• SAT Math 560 520 610
• SAT Writing 597 550 640
• ACT Composite 26 24 28
• * 25th and 75th percentile is the score that 25/75 percent of students score at or below.

• Tuition
• In-state tuition *$36,300
• Out-of-state tuition *$36,300
• In-district tuitionN/A
• * Tuition costs are based on a full academic year typically extending from September to June.
• Fees
• Full-time student fees$1,120.00
• Room and board *$11,200.00
• Room only *$8,000.00
• * Room and board charges vary according to board plan selected (i.e., 12-meal plan, 19-meal plan, etc.) and student level (freshman, sophomore, etc.)
• Other Payment Considerations
• Guaranteed tuition plan offeredNo
• Tuition pre-payment planNo
• Tuition payment plans offeredDeferred payments
• Student groups that qualify for full or partial waiver of tuitionEmployees or children of employees

• Gender
• Total Undergraduate Students436
• Male Student Percentage35%
• Female Student Percentage65%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic/LatinoNot Reported
• Black or African AmericanNot Reported
• White or CaucasianNot Reported
• American Indian or Alaska NativeNot Reported
• AsianNot Reported
• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific IslanderNot Reported
• Two or more racesNot Reported
• UnknownNot Reported
• Other Student Statistics
• International BreakoutNot Reported
• Out-of-state Students100% out-of-state student

• Housing
• College-owned housing available Yes
• Housing Requirements None
• Housing options Coed housing , Female-only housing
• Percentage of undergraduate students who live in college-owned housing 85%
• Student Activities
• Student-run campus newspaper Yes
• Drama / theater group Yes
• Student-run radio station No
• Student-run television station No
• Marching band No
• Choral groups No
• Student Services
• Legal services No
• Health clinic Yes
• Personal / psychological counseling Yes
• Women's center No
• Student Organizations
• Greek fraternities No
• Greek sororities No
• Local fraternities No
• Local sororities No
• Other organizations Not Reported
• Most popular organizations Student Government Association, newspaper, Literary Society, Drama Society, Peer Educators Program
• Campus Security and Safety
• 24-hour emergency telephone / alarm services Yes
• 24-hour patrols by trained officers Not Reported
• Students patrols Yes
• Late-night transport / escort services Yes
• Electronically-operated dormitory entrances Yes
• Other late night patrols by professional security service personnel

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty54
• Full-time Percentage46%
• Part-time Percentage54%
• Female Percentage50%
• Male Percentage50%
• Student:Faculty Ratio10:1 or 433 students to 42 faculty