Program Reviews

This was easily the best experience I've had during my undergrad years! Spending time in a country with a new language, new culture, and new people was so eye-opening and I know for sure that I grew personally and academically during my 3 months in Taiwan. I had never been away from home before going on this adventure and so the first couple of weeks there was a lot of re-adjusting and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. But after this experience, I am a true believer in the sentiment of "you can't grow unless you make yourself uncomfortable." I would not have met the amazing people and seen the beautiful places if I didn't go outside of my comfort zone and so my advice to anyone contemplating studying abroad and is fearful of so much 'new' at one time, it truly is worth it!

CET Taiwan was truly a great experience, although be warned that, while it is a study abroad program, it is much more academic intensive than many other programs. Students take three hours of Chinese classes per day, 5 days per week. The classes themselves do not feel like they take that much time, but the amount of daily homework often meant sacrificing time that could otherwise be used to explore Taipei, the rest of Taiwan, or engage in cultural activities. CET also requires either an internship or elective; I chose the elective. There are not many options to choose from, and while these only meet once per week for three hours, you can only miss one class because CET has such strict academic policies, and the amount of homework per week is not insignificant.

CET does provide a number of cultural activities for students which is especially great at the beginning of the semester when you don't yet know many people or feel comfortable exploring new places on your own. What really made the program great was that CET provided cultural reimbursements; while what qualified as a 'cultural activity' was sometimes a bit strict, it overall made it so that students on a budget could still explore the island.

The location of the program is amazing. Located right in Taipei, it is very convenient to take public transportation to classes or to go explore the rest of Taiwan. CET provided housing for all students, although even with public transportation, my provided apartment was still 45 minutes away from the classroom building. Taiwan has lots of things to do, whether you like exploring nature and going on hikes, swimming in the ocean, or finding museums and trying new foods.

I would highly recommend CET Florence. The program staff are very kind and take time to organize fun excursions for the students such as pizza making and gelato tours. The classes offered are interesting and engaging, and the city itself is beautiful. Although Florence isn’t a huge city, there is still so much to do. Keep in mind that since you won’t be attending an Italian University directly, it will take extra effort to interact with local Italians your age. There are also many American study abroad students in Florence which is something to take into consideration depending on your preference. Overall, I highly recommend the program and had an amazing semester with CET Florence.

CET Taiwan was a very fun and memorable program. On the program, you undergo an intensive Chinese program, where you are learning and practicing Mandarin on a day-to-day basis. The classes are fun, and CET prepares many resources for students, such as off-campus living arrangements, local roommates, an internship option, elective course, and optional cultural activities and field trips sprinkled throughout the semester. Taipei is a very big, fun, and convenient city, and it's great for students to both learn and experience. However, the semester is condensed into three semesters, so having a CET elective course on top of the Chinese course can feel a little overwhelming. However, if you're looking for internship experience, then CET is a great opportunity.

The CET Program offered me a wonderful experience that was both academically and culturally stimulating. I was able to successfully continue my undergraduate academics while simultaneously absorbing Italian culture. The program offers various trips & excursions to help students meet their peers and immerse themselves in the Florentine environment. Not to mention, the staff is extremely supportive and helpful. I personally suffered an injury at the beginning of the program and was thoroughly supported by the CET staff throughout the entire semester. I am extremely appreciative of their willingness to care for their students.

If you are a filmmaking student looking for a program to develop your knowledge and skills, this program would be a strong choice. The variety of classes along with the opportunity to work with 16mm film has allowed me to learn so many new skills in such a short time. However, this program is quite different than your traditional study abroad. I would highly encourage any student to consider what they want to prioritize with their study abroad experience. Keep in mind that this program is by nature very intensive with a demanding schedule that does not allow much time for extracurricular travel and activities. So, if you are looking for a program with a light course load and lots of free time, this is likely not the one for you. However, I do feel that the intensity of this program has allowed me to grow exponentially as a person and helped prepared me for the film industry. One of the most valuable things I have learned at FAMU is the ability to integrate feedback from multiple mentors into my work. This aspect is something that I will take into my future courses and life beyond school.
Outside of the program, I believe that Prague is one of the best cities to study abroad in. I have never felt unsafe anywhere in the city, and there is a wide variety of food, nightlife, and other attractions to enjoy. Taking the Film Czech course quickly prepared me for being able to speak and understand the language in stores, restaurants, etc. However, I also found it rare to meet a Czech person who does not speak any English. Once you find the courage to try the traditional food, culture, and transportation, the city can quickly feel like home!
Overall, I am very grateful that I was able to participate in this program and that it has allowed me to grow so much as a person and a filmmaker.

I loved using Florence as my home base for my studying abroad experience! Classes were fair, and the professors were understanding. The city is fantastic, and there are many places to go out and eat or walk. Many courses also take you to museums so you can have on-location learning (which was my favorite part). There are a lot of study-abroad students who spend the semester in Florence, so it's easy to make friends and get away with speaking English. Finally, everyone in the program lives in apartments around the city center. Although the location of the apartments are great, not everyone gets the same quality.

My experience at CET Jordan was absolutely incredible. It was amazing to be able to see so much of the country, whether it was the mountainous natural reserve of Ajloun, or the vast beautiful desert of Wadi Rum, or even the bustling capital of Amman. You will be able to see everything you want to see and learn anything you want to learn. You just need to put in the work because the curriculum is pretty demanding. However, you will be able to get through it and you WILL be satifsified with how much you learn.

My summer in Florence was one of the best experiences with CET. The 6 week program was the perfect amount of time to get to know Florence and the Italian culture. The classes were engaging and allowed students to see Florence in a new way, while being fair with the workload. The professors were also very knowledgable and passionate which made the classes so interesting. I met so many new friends through the activities that were organized by the activity leaders who were both young and became close friends with the students by then end! There was a wide variety of activities for everyone and was one of the best memories from the summer. The housing was great and you live among locals, although some apartments are farther from the school than others. Overall, I would highly reccomend this program to anyone who wants an amazing summer!

I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into when I applied for CET Japan, but it truly changed my life. The location of CET Japan is unbeatable. Being in Osaka, especially as a student at the beautiful Osaka Gakuin University, is as good as it gets while abroad. Being in the Kansai region was a great balance of city life, accessibility for traveling, and escaping to nature. After a few mere weeks in Osaka, I could picture myself living there long-term. The endless support from CET staff, teachers, roommates, and the local community is exactly what I needed while spending 3 months in a foreign country. Students in the program were very friendly and open to exploring and trying new things. I made some of my best friends while with CET. The language program is rigorous and my language skills significantly improved. The elective classes offered an opportunity to engage with other international students at OGU. I can confidently say that I was able to create a daily routine in Osaka and try at least one new thing every day. It was great to be around other students who had similar goals of travel and exploration. Boarding my return flight home, I definitely felt accomplished, and left with no regrets.