Dates & Deadlines

  • Application & Deposit Deadline: Tuesday, July 2, 2027
  • Early Bird Deadline: Apply by April 10, 2027 & save $100!
  • Balance of Program Fees Due: Friday, July 30, 2027
  • Tuition Due: Check your home campus’ calendar
  • Program Dates: Tuesday, September 27-Sunday, November 22, 2027
  • Pre-Departure Orientation (required): Saturday, August 28, 2027

Program Documents

Zoom Information Sessions

More details coming soon

About the Program

Location

Set along the sunny Atlantic coast, Lisbon is a vibrant, affordable European capital that blends historic charm with a modern, student-friendly vibe. Picture yourself walking through colorful neighborhoods, riding the iconic yellow trams, and studying at cafés overlooking the Tagus River.

Lisbon, Portugal is known for its welcoming atmosphere, making it easy for international students to feel at home. For community college students, Lisbon offers a unique mix of academic opportunity and adventure and the city’s mild climate means you can enjoy outdoor life and weekend trips to nearby beaches.

Classroom Facilities

Free WiFi is available throughout the student residence and the classrooms. Students will attend classes at the AIFS Study Center in central Lisbon.

Housing

Students will live in a shared apartment with other WCCCSA students. Typically, 4-6 WCCCSA students will share apartments with equipped kitchen, bathroom(s) and common space, located approximately 40-minutes travel time to the AIFS Study Center and classrooms. Linens and towels, weekly cleaning service, laundry facilities and free wireless internet are provided.

Transportation

A Lisboa Navegante travel card is provided, granting unlimited travel on the metro, buses, trams and regional trains in the central zone of Lisbon for the duration of the program.

Faculty

Amy Lawrence is a biology and environmental science professor from Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington.  Professor Lawrence studied Environmental Science at Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman, Washington, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1994.  After working in environmental consulting for a few years, Professor Lawrence returned to graduate school – attending the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia to study Ecology.   After earning a Master of Science (MS) in 2000, Professor Lawrence returned to more field-based environmental consulting work in Kitsap County, and also began teaching biology and environmental science part time, as adjunct faculty, at Olympic College in 2003.

Professor Lawrence has been teaching full time at Olympic College since 2014.  Central to all of her courses are themes of connecting students to their surroundings, and giving back through service learning.   When not teaching, Amy enjoys travel, hiking, yoga, volunteering at local parks, and spending time with her husband and two college-aged daughters.   

Proposed Classes

This is an academic program, and students are required to enroll in a full-time course load (15 credits). Students will be registered for all three 5-credit courses at their home campus. Failure to participate in the academic coursework may result in dismissal from the program. Students are encouraged to make the most of their classroom learning as it will enhance understanding of all the local area has to offer.

Biology 100 – Survey of Biology (5 credits, Natural Science with Lab)

This is a lab science course for non-majors.  It includes an introduction to principles of biology and their practical applications. Major concepts include energy, cell structure and function, genetics and evolution, diversity of animals and plants, and interrelationships among living organisms, and ecology.   We will be going outside to examine different forms of life – from fungi to plants to animals to entire ecosystems, all the while considering the differences between home and the Lisbon area.

Environmental Science 101 (5 credits, Natural Science with Lab)

This course covers ecological principles, including the interdisciplinary studies of the physical, biological, chemical, and geological principles to understand ecosystems.  The class will focus on the relationships and connections between humans and their environment, and solutions to environmental problems.    Students will learn about topics like water quality, air quality, soils and agriculture, and climate change, and apply these issues to how they are addressed in a large urban setting like Lisbon, Portugal.   This class is also planned to include field trips to local parks and connections with local non-profits to do volunteer service learning related to environmental science.

Portuguese Life and Culture (5-credits)

Taught by a local qualified professor focusing on historical, political, economic and cultural aspects of Lisbon and Portugal. (Local faculty will assign work and grades for the course.)

Independent Travel

You may use your free time on weekends & holidays to explore the neighborhoods of Lisbon, travel throughout Portugal or beyond to some of Europe’s great cities including London, Amsterdam, Rome, and Paris.

Cost: $7,995

After a deposit or final payment is collected, this money will not be refunded. If a student or faculty member should decide not to participate in an activity or excursion, money will not be refunded.

Included in the cost

  • Airport pick-up and transfer between LIS airport and program accommodation
  • Accommodation in a shared, self-catered apartment (Includes: Free WiFi, linens & towels, laundry facilities, weekly cleaning service)
  • 24-hour on-call service in Lisbon for duration of program
  • Pre-departure orientation and Onsite Orientation in Lisbon
  • Travel Pass ((Lisboa Navegante) for unlimited travel on buses, trains and metro in central Lisbon
  • Welcome and Farewell meals
  • Half-day sightseeing walking tour of Lisbon with English-speaking guide
  • Comprehensive Health Insurance and 24/7 emergency service
  • A dedicated AIFS Program Coordinator to ensure smooth program experience
  • Free internet access and printing facilities in AIFS Student Center
  • Two full-day cultural excursions to Coimbra and Sintra, including transportation, professional English-speaking guide and AIFS escort

Not included in the cost

  • Round-trip Airfare and in-country transfers
  • College tuition & fees for 15-credits
  • Course books/materials
  • Passport & visa fees, if applicable
  • Meals not mentioned above
  • Personal expenses
  • Additional excursions and fieldtrips not otherwise listed above
  • Anything not specified as included in the program
  • Optional personal effects coverage and medical insurance upgrade

Scholarships

WCCCSA Lisbon participants are eligible to apply for the $1,000 WCCCSA scholarship.

Pre-Departure Orientation (Mandatory)

A team of WCCCSA Study Abroad Coordinators will provide details on logistics, health, and safety information to help you prepare for your study experience in Berlin. You are more than welcome to invite parents, guardians, or whomever you would like to attend the mandatory orientation with you. Lunch will be included.

  • Date: Saturday, August 28, 2027
  • Time: 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
  • Location: Cascadia College – Bothell, WA

What to bring to Orientation:

  • Signed copy of the Student Guidelines
  • Copy of your passport
  • Flight itineraries
  • Notepad and pen to take notes
  • And questions!