USA community college · 10-day familiarization program
Swiss Summer Abroad 2027
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.
Included: shared student accommodation · daily meals · academic program & workshops · all excursions. Application deadline March 31, 2027; CHF 500 deposit (non-refundable) due May 1, 2027; balance due June 1, 2027.
Pick your track
Same timetable, two crafts
Culinary Arts track
- Bread & Bakery — from dough to freshly baked
- Chocolate Creations — working with a divine ingredient
- European national dishes & regional influences
- Traditional & modern cooking methods, modernist cuisine foundations
- Cooking competition + certification ceremony
Hospitality track
- Swiss service excellence, first impressions & apéro service lab
- Hotel behind-the-scenes: front office, rooms division, check-in role-play
- The art of fine dining: restaurant service, table mastery, guest psychology
- Luxury guest experience & hospitality innovation (hotel tech, trends)
- Service competition & concept pitch + certification
Tracks run in parallel with identical timetables — separated for workshops, together for orientation, meals, evenings, excursions and certification.
Day by day
The full 10 days
| Day | Focus | What happens | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Mon, Jun 28 | Arrival & welcome | Lucerne arrival, Lakeside Campus check-in, welcome apéro, evening city tour | Shared |
| Day 2 · Tue, Jun 29 | Orientation & first track day | Culinary: Bread & Bakery — from dough to freshly baked · Hospitality: Swiss service excellence & apéro service lab | Tracks |
| Day 3 · Wed, Jun 30 | Chocolate & guest experience | Culinary: Chocolate Creations · Hospitality: hotel behind-the-scenes, front office & check-in role-play | Tracks |
| Day 4 · Thu, Jul 1 | European dishes & fine dining | Culinary: European national dishes · Hospitality: the art of fine dining service. Joint dinner: cooked by one track, served by the other | Tracks |
| Day 5 · Fri, Jul 2 | Professional foundations | Morning per track (cooking methods / luxury guest experience), shared afternoon: how kitchen & service teams run a world-class operation | Partly shared |
| Day 6 · Sat, Jul 3 | Zurich & Lindt | Zurich day trip with Lindt chocolate visit; evening at Rathaus Brauerei | Excursion |
| Day 7 · Sun, Jul 4 | Mount Rigi & American Dinner | Mount Rigi excursion over Lake Lucerne, then an American Dinner on the 4th of July | Excursion |
| Day 8 · Mon, Jul 5 | Advanced skills & assessment | Culinary: modernist cuisine foundations + cooking competition · Hospitality: hotel tech trends + service competition & concept pitch. Rooftop drinks | Tracks |
| Day 9 · Tue, Jul 6 | Certification & cheese factory | Presentation & certification ceremony (both tracks), Swiss cheese factory visit, farewell fondue dinner | Shared |
| Day 10 · Wed, Jul 7 | Departure | Breakfast, lunch, check-out and departure | Shared |
If you continue
The degree behind the summer
- Associate degree holders (Hotel Management, Business, Culinary Arts) enter the final BA semester at BHMS directly
- Summer Abroad participation costs are credited toward BA tuition
- Complete a paid internship in Switzerland
- Learn German, French, or Italian
For colleges & advisors
Faculty travel incentives
- 5 students → 1 faculty member travels all-inclusive: airfare, accommodation, meals and excursions
- 10 students → 2 faculty members + an additional group reduction
- Group rate CHF 3'500 per student for 10+ from the same college
Martin Wyler — Regional Director (Europe and Americas)
martin.wyler@bhms.ch ·
+41 76 344 33 29
Questions
Summer Abroad, answered
What does the program cost and what is included?
CHF 3'900 per student, or CHF 3'500 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.
Do I earn college credit?
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.
What happens if I later join the bachelor’s?
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.
What are the key dates?
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.
Can faculty or advisors travel with a group?
Yes — 5 students bring 1 faculty member all-inclusive (airfare, accommodation, meals, excursions); 10 students bring 2 faculty members plus an additional group reduction.
Ten days in Lucerne. A clear picture of your next two years.
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 →