USA community college · 10-day familiarization program
Ten days of academic enrichment, cultural discovery and Swiss hospitality in Lucerne — two hands-on tracks, iconic excursions, a certification ceremony, and up to 2 US academic credits.
Program 2027
*Subject to home-institution approval.
At a glance
Ten days / nine nights on the Lakeside Campus in Lucerne.
From the welcome apéro to the farewell fondue dinner.
Hands-on track days, a practical assessment and a certification ceremony.
Zurich & Lindt, Mount Rigi, a Swiss cheese factory — plus up to 2 US credits*.
*Up to 2 US academic credits, subject to home-institution approval.
The 2026 group
Students and instructors from US community colleges spent their summer program at BHMS in 2026. Hear what the ten days were like — subtitled, about half a minute each.
Pick your track
Tracks run in parallel with identical timetables — separated for workshops, together for orientation, meals, evenings, excursions and certification.
Track 1
Track 2
Day by day
Arrival and pick-up at Lucerne train station, Lakeside Campus check-in, welcome apéro and icebreaker games, fine-dining dinner, evening city tour
Culinary: Bread & Bakery — from dough to freshly baked · Hospitality: Swiss service excellence, first impressions & apéro service lab
Culinary: Chocolate Creations — working with a divine ingredient · Hospitality: behind the scenes of a hotel — front office, rooms division & check-in role-play
Culinary: European national dishes & regional influences · Hospitality: the art of fine dining. Joint dinner — cooked by the Culinary Track, served by the Hospitality Track
Morning per track (cooking methods for meat, poultry & fish / luxury guest experience & service design), shared afternoon: how kitchen & service teams run a world-class operation
Zurich day trip with a visit to Lindt; evening at the Rathaus Brauerei in Lucerne
Brunch, Mount Rigi excursion over Lake Lucerne, then an American Dinner on the 4th of July
Culinary: contemporary & modernist cuisine foundations + practical assessment / cooking competition · Hospitality: hospitality innovation trial class + service competition & concept pitch. Drinks at a penthouse rooftop
Presentation & certification ceremony for both tracks in Meister Hall, Swiss cheese factory visit, traditional fondue farewell dinner
Breakfast, lunch, check-out and departure
Beyond the kitchen
Pricing summary
Included in the program
If you continue
For colleges & advisors
Martin Wyler — Regional Director (Europe and Americas)
martin.wyler@bhms.ch ·
+41 76 601 45 64
Questions
Still deciding? Ask on WhatsApp — or bring your advisor into the conversation.
CHF 3'300 per student, or CHF 2'900 at the group rate (10+ students from the same college). Included: shared student accommodation, daily meals, the academic program and workshops, all excursions — and up to 2 US academic credits, subject to home-institution approval.
The program carries up to 2 US academic credits. Whether they count at your college depends on your home institution’s approval — bring your advisor into the conversation early, and note the faculty travel incentives below.
Summer Abroad participation costs are credited toward BA tuition when you continue into a BHMS bachelor’s program. Associate degree holders in Hotel Management, Business or Culinary Arts can enter the final BA semester directly — the summer is a 10-day test drive of exactly that path.
The program runs 28 June – 7 July 2027 (10 days / 9 nights). Application deadline March 31, 2027; first deposit of CHF 500 (non-refundable) due May 1, 2027; remaining balance due June 1, 2027.
Yes — 5 students bring 1 faculty member all-inclusive (airfare, accommodation, meals, excursions); 10 students bring 2 faculty members plus an additional group reduction.
Watch
Next step
Direct entry into Year 2 or Year 3 of a BHMS Bachelor of Arts — Lucerne, Switzerland. Multiple intakes through the year.
Every BA is awarded by BHMS and Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen — and each academic semester is followed by a six-month paid internship. Swiss hospitality placements pay a gross CHF 2'390/month. How the internships work
