Intern Abroad in Germany with AIFS Abroad

I chose AIFS Abroad for my 8-week summer program in Berlin because of how responsive and organized they were from the very beginning — any questions I had before departure got answered quickly, which made the whole process feel a lot less overwhelming. Once I got to Berlin, that same level of support continued; the staff were easy to reach and genuinely helpful whenever I needed anything, which made a huge difference living in a new country for the first time.

I stayed in an apartment in a great location with my own room, which gave me the independence to explore the city on my own schedule while still feeling settled. AIFS built in a solid mix of activities and excursions — a trip out to Peacock Island was a highlight, and I also ended up playing badminton and joining a city tour, which were great ways to actually experience Berlin rather than just pass through it. Those activities were also where I met a lot of the people I got close with during the program — having a built-in group made it easy to explore the city together instead of navigating it solo.

Looking back, the experience pushed me to be more independent and comfortable navigating unfamiliar situations, which I don't think I would've gotten the same way from a shorter or less immersive program. I'd recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone looking for a summer program that balances real independence (your own space, your own time) with enough built-in structure and support that you're never actually on your own when it matters.

During the application process, AIFS claimed that they always found the perfect internship placement, which upon hearing I was initially skeptical. But it couldn't have been more true. I worked for an incredible company and still keep in contact with them. Everybody throughout the process was incredibly supportive which made it feel like I had a solid safety net while overseas. Berlin struck me as a super safe and culturally vibrant city, an elite place to spend the summer in. I was worried about the language barrier but everyone speaks english, and are generally very friendly.