Overview

Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries in the world — but it’s also home to one of the most internationally diverse and genuinely global university experiences available anywhere. And Franklin University Switzerland (FUS) is making that experience financially accessible in ways that most people don’t know about.

Franklin offers automatic merit scholarships up to $20,000 per year for undergraduate students, renewable for up to seven semesters, alongside seven competitive special award programmes covering everything from creative arts to sustainability to honours academics.

If you’re a high-achieving student considering undergraduate study abroad — not just in the US or UK, but in continental Europe — this is a package worth understanding in full. Switzerland, an internationally focused campus, a genuinely multicultural student body, and real scholarship money on the table.

Here’s the complete breakdown.

About Franklin University Switzerland

Franklin University Switzerland is a small, accredited American-style liberal arts university located in Lugano, in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. It’s fully accredited in both the United States and Switzerland, which means a Franklin degree is recognised internationally across both systems.

What makes Franklin distinctive is its deliberate focus on international education — not just as a marketing phrase, but as the structural core of its academic model. The student body is drawn from over 70 countries. Travel and cross-cultural learning are built into the curriculum. And its location — in one of Europe’s most beautiful and stable countries, at the intersection of Swiss, Italian, and broader European culture — is genuinely unlike anything available in a domestic university setting.

For African and Nigerian students with ambitions beyond the anglophone world, Franklin is a legitimate and underexplored option.

PART 1: Undergraduate Merit Awards

How Merit Scholarships Work at Franklin

All undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships as part of the admissions process. There is no separate scholarship application. When Franklin reviews your application for admission, they simultaneously assess your eligibility for merit aid.

Your merit scholarship is determined by your recalculated GPA — based on your academic record from high school and/or transferable undergraduate work. The award is included in your acceptance letter.

Priority Deadline

To receive priority consideration for merit awards, apply by 1 December.

Merit Award Tiers

How Long Does the Merit Scholarship Last?

Merit scholarships are renewable for 7 semesters (approximately 3.5 years) or until graduation — whichever comes first. As long as you maintain eligibility, the award renews automatically each academic year.

Who Is NOT Eligible for Merit Scholarships?

Students who qualify for the lower Swiss/EU/EEA tuition rate are not eligible for merit scholarships. This applies to Swiss citizens and residents of EU/EEA countries who benefit from a reduced tuition bracket — the merit scholarship is specifically structured for students paying the standard international tuition rate.

What This Means in Real Terms

At Tier I, a Nigerian or African student with a strong academic record could receive $20,000 per year (approximately CHF 21,500) in merit funding — automatically, without writing a scholarship essay. Over the course of a four-year degree, that’s up to $80,000 in total merit aid.

Franklin’s full tuition is higher than that, but the merit award represents a substantial and sustained reduction that makes the Swiss university experience significantly more accessible.

PART 2: Special Awards and Competitive Scholarships

Beyond the automatic merit tier, Franklin offers seven competitive special awards for students with particular profiles, talents, or interests. These are separate from merit aid and can be cumulative with other financial aid — meaning you can potentially receive both a merit scholarship and a special award simultaneously.

All special awards are renewed annually, provided you maintain the required GPA and any other applicable conditions.

1. SUNY-FUS 2+2 Jacques Villaret International Education Award

For: Students who completed their first two years at one of 40 SUNY (State University of New York) Community Colleges

Amount: $5,000 – $10,000 (variable)

Eligibility:

• Completed a two-year programme or equivalent at a SUNY Community College
• Excellent academic history
• Demonstrated financial need
• Enrolled full-time, living in on-campus housing
• Planning to graduate with an undergraduate degree from Franklin

Deadlines: 1 April for Fall entry / 15 November for Spring entry

This award is specifically designed to create a pathway for SUNY community college students — a population with historically limited access to international education — to complete their bachelor’s degree in Switzerland. If you or someone you know started at a SUNY community college and wants to finish their degree abroad, this is a direct route.

2. Franklin Honors Program Award

For: Students with exceptional academic performance following a rigorous secondary school curriculum

Amount: $3,000 – $10,000 (two annual scholarships)

Eligibility:

• GPA of at least 3.5 or equivalent
• Evidence of a rigorous academic curriculum
• Exceptional academic performance record
• Must complete an interview with the Honors Program Executive Committee
• Must participate in the scholarship event (available virtually), including the Honors Society Learned Conversations and other programme familiarisation activities
• Must maintain eligibility for the Honors Programme every semester in which the award is received

Deadline: 1 December for Fall entry

This award requires the most active engagement of all the special scholarships — but it also comes with real academic benefits. Honors Programme students get a more intensive, discussion-based academic experience and a distinguished credential at graduation.

3. The Ambassador Wilfried Geens Award

For: Students with outstanding IB, AP, or dual enrolment academic records

Amount: $3,000

Eligibility: Automatically considered upon admission review. To be competitive, applicants should:

• Be preparing for or have received an IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma, OR
• Have received a 4 or 5 on AP (Advanced Placement) exams, OR
• Have successfully completed dual enrolment coursework
• Demonstrate outstanding academic performance and personal achievements
• Exhibit aspirations to become a global professional in their chosen field
• Represent the core values of Franklin University Switzerland

Deadlines: 1 April for Fall / 15 November for Spring

Make sure your personal statement and application documents clearly evidence your IB, AP, or dual enrolment achievements — eligibility is automatic, but the selection is based on what’s in your file.

4. The Brian Stanford Award in Creative Practices

For: Students with demonstrated promise and achievements in creative fields

Amount: $3,000 – $5,000 (variable)

Eligibility:

• Open to all degree-seeking Bachelor’s programme students
• The Admissions Committee considers sample work, recommendations, and a personal statement
• Upon enrolling, each recipient is assigned an academic adviser from the selection committee to build a customised curriculum in one or more creative practice fields

Deadlines: 1 April for Fall / 15 November for Spring

Creative fields at Franklin include visual arts, digital media, design, writing, and related disciplines. If you have a strong creative portfolio and want to study in Switzerland, this award is worth building your application around.

5. The Ann Gardiner Award in Sustainability

For: Students committed to environmental science, sustainability, climate action, and/or global environmental policymaking

Amount: $2,500 – $5,000 (variable)

Eligibility:

• Open to all Bachelor’s programmes leading to an MA or MSIM (Master of Science in International Management) at FUS
• The Admissions Committee considers sample work, recommendations, and a personal statement
• Upon enrolling, a faculty mentor is assigned to build a customised curriculum
• Eligible for a 3+1 fast track option: 3-year Bachelor’s + 1-year Master of Science in International Management with emphasis in Business and Sustainability
• Preference given to students with advanced academic standing through AP, IB, Matura, or dual enrolment credits

Deadlines: 1 April for Fall / 15 November for Spring

For students interested in climate, environment, and sustainable development — particularly those with an eye on international policy careers — the 3+1 fast-track option makes this one of the most strategically interesting awards on this list.

6. The Theo E. Brenner Scholarship

For: American freshman applicants who best exemplify Franklin’s international mission

Amount: $4,000 (one award)

Eligibility:

• Open to all degree-seeking Bachelor’s programme students
• Demonstrated interest in international studies through:
  • High school coursework with international focus
  • Interest in foreign languages
  • Involvement in internationally oriented projects or organisations
  • Participation in international or cross-cultural study programmes

Deadlines: 1 April for Fall / 15 November for Spring

This award is specifically designated for American applicants and is the most narrowly targeted of Franklin’s special scholarships. One award per cycle — highly competitive, but worth pursuing if you’re a US citizen with a strong international profile.

7. Life-Long Learning Scholarship Programme (LLLS)

For: Students seeking career-readiness development alongside their academic studies

The LLLS is Franklin’s flagship engagement and leadership development scholarship programme. It prepares students to be career-ready upon graduation — not just academically, but with the practical skills demanded in both public and private sector employment across a variety of settings.

LLLS participants benefit from:

• Strong engagement with the university community
• Leadership skills development
• Practical skills training across multiple fields

Full details of the LLLS award amount and specific eligibility requirements should be confirmed directly with Franklin’s admissions office, as the structure and value of this programme may vary by cohort.

Special Awards at a Glance

Can You Combine Awards?

Yes — and this is important. The special awards are cumulative with other types of financial aid, including merit scholarships. This means a high-achieving student could theoretically receive:

• A Tier I merit scholarship ($20,000/year), plus
• A special award ($2,500–$10,000), plus
• Any other applicable financial aid

That combination could significantly close the gap between Franklin’s tuition and what you actually pay out of pocket. Always check with the Office of Admissions for your specific combination scenario.

The one exception: you cannot receive two BU academic awards simultaneously — but combining a merit award with a special award is structured to be permitted.

Why This Matters for African and Nigerian Students

Study in Switzerland is rarely discussed in African scholarship conversations. The country’s reputation for being expensive — and the dominance of US, UK, and German programmes in most scholarship databases — means opportunities like Franklin’s go largely unknown.

But the combination of merit aid and special awards at Franklin creates a real pathway to a Swiss undergraduate degree for students with strong academic records. The automatic merit consideration removes a major barrier — there’s no separate, competitive scholarship essay standing between you and the award. Your academic transcript does the work.

For students with IB diplomas, strong AP scores, sustainability interests, or creative portfolios, the special awards add another meaningful layer of support.

And the outcome — an accredited American-and-Swiss dual-recognised degree, earned in Lugano, Switzerland, with a student body from 70 countries — is genuinely differentiated from anything you’d get at a domestic or even a standard UK or US institution.

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