After graduating from the National Taiwan University's Department of Political Science, Minister Lien went to the U.S. where he studied international relations and international law, eventually earning a doctorate from the University of Chicago.
連部長初中讀的是成功中學，高中是師大附中，大學是台大政治系，而後赴美攻讀國際公法與外交，得到博士學位。