Academic Studies Abroad

My experience going abroad with ASA was incredible, to say the least. I had always wanted to go abroad since my sister did back in 2012 when she studied in Sevilla, Spain. If you want a program that will answer your calls and emails right away, give you amazing staff that will care about you when you get abroad and want to have an unbelieve experience, then choose ASA. They helped me every step of the way when applying to their Barcelona program. They answered every question I had and guided me on what steps to take next on getting my visa which I got through them. I'm from Connecticut so getting a Visa to go abroad was going to be a difficult task since I would have had to travel to New York City to retrieve it. My ASA directors Marta and Richard became family to me for the next four months. They helped me with everything and anything from needing a doctors appointment to something in our apartment needed fixing. They were always available on their cellphones whenever you wanted to reach them. They always had great recommendations on places to eat or activities to do on weekends. My classes abroad set me up with so many opportunities to learn new things that I would never have learned back in the states. I couldn't thank ASA enough for all that they do to make sure everyone has an unbelievable time abroad. I met some of the best friends that I had never met before the trip and now we hang out every day at school.

ASA couldn't have been a more helpful and supportive program! The program offers so many opportunities in enhancing the abroad experience, and I'm so glad I chose them on my study abroad journey. From the application process, where I started from square 1 and was constantly asking for help, to fulfilling my days in Florence, Italy, the ASA staff was there for me. I would tell future participants that the staff truly cares about their students and provides so much help and insight.

My favorite memory was climbing the Duomo with ASA--just one of the many activities included in your tuition! I passed by the historic monument each day, yet never had the ability to climb the steps to the top. In April, the first weekend of sunshine (because the spring I was there was greeted with rain!!), ASA provided us a ticket to climb the Duomo. To see the city from that height was incredible!

I am so glad that I went abroad to Maynooth, Ireland but I am so glad that I went with ASA. Our site director, provided through ASA, was extremely helpful. She gave amazing advice, knew Ireland so well, and was always there for us if we needed anything. But here are some of the best parts of studying abroad in Maynooth
1. ASA coordinated a pick up day at the airport so we didn't have to worry about getting from Dublin to Maynooth.
2. The housing situation was that almost everyone lived in a single in an apartment ("flat") on campus. Each flat had a little kitchen, dining area, and living space as well as around 6 people in each flat - each having their own bathroom as well.
3. ASA scheduled different excursions around Dublin and Ireland that were great! They helped us absorb the Irish culture and were already paid for in the cost to go!
4. Maynooth University offers an incredibly wide variety of courses each term. I studied some of the most interesting classes in my undergraduate studies while I was in Maynooth.
5. The people in Ireland are so nice and welcoming that anyone from anywhere is bound to feel at home after a week or two. I went to Ireland completely alone so ASA was a great choice because it put me in a group with about 20 other students from all across the US who were also studying in Ireland for that semester.
6. ASA allows so much free time, even with the scheduled excursions. I travelled to many other countries as well but still felt that I explored my home country enough!

If I hadn't stumbled upon the acronym ASA, I would not be the person typing this review. I would not be as curious, hungry and driven as I now am. I aspire to see as much of this beautiful world as I can, and with ASA I was able to travel to 11 countries, including my host country, Italy. After experiencing the semester of a lifetime and making the most amazing friends who have similar aspirations in life and the same eagerness to travel to new places and meet new people, I look forward to all of the adventures to come. ASA is an organization that provides each student with so much support from the time you fill out the application to as soon as you step off the plane in your host country and all throughout your semester abroad. The individuals who work for ASA are passionate about their job and care so much about students, their well-being and their experience. I don't know who I would be or where I would be if I had selected another provider to study abroad with, but I sure am grateful I chose ASA :)

Going abroad was hands down the best decision I ever made! I studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland at Griffith College from January 2018-March 2018. The experiences I had throughout those four months are unforgettable and will absolutely last a life time. I'm so thankful for ASA in helping me throughout the whole application process. It was easy and fool proof. The other best part of ASA were the excursions included in our tuition. We were able to not just experience Dublin as a whole, but also other parts of Ireland. We were so lucky to have our amazing on-site director, Olwyn, there to help and guide us through it all. Dublin is the most charming city and Ireland is quite the place to call home for a few months. No language barrier, incredible culture and the friendliest people you will ever meet. Not a day goes by where I don't reflect on my experience and trust me when I say you will absolutely never regret it!