SIT Study Abroad: Switzerland: Intl. Studies & Multilateral

I had a fabulous time studying abroad in Switzerland with SIT. Top features that stand out to me are the homestay experience and the opportunity for travel. Living with a homestay family is so incredibly valuable. Not only is it a home away from home, but it gives the the amazing opportunity to learn more about Swiss culture and to practice language skills. Additionally, travel was a highlight of my time abroad. The program gives students a GA travel card on the swiss travel pass which means you can ride all the trains in Switzerland in for free. It is actually hard to overstate how amazing this was. With the swiss travel pass I could go on excursions without having to stress about money. The academic side of the program is very solid. Compared to other study abroad programs, the level of workload is relatively higher. However, compared to my home university, the rigor of the courses was not very intense. If you manage your time, there is plenty of time to travel every weekend. Just know that for the first few months of the program you have class five days a week. The independent study project in the last month of the program was great! There are no course classes during this period, so you can travel and work on your project simultaneously. While people may be tempted to travel to foreign destinations, I would really encourage people to travel within Switzerland as much as possible. The program size is relatively small, so it is easier to make friends than in the massive study abroad programs. You take all the same classes with your classmates so you get to know everyone very well. I feel so grateful to have had the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place as Switzerland for a semester.

The SIT program benefits mainly from its interaction with IGOs like the UN, ILO, WTO, etc. Classroom work was fairly basic if you're an IR/Poli Ci student. THe professors aren't very concerned with their students, either. I had an amazing homestay family. That & the French classes were the best parts of the program for me. Switzerland is also centrally located, making travel quite easy.