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Art History Abroad

4.97 Rating
146 reviews
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Why choose Art History Abroad?

Study art, architecture and European culture in Italy, France and London for a semester in the autumn, 6 weeks during the Gap Year or a 2-4 week Summer holiday course. Art History Abroad programmes are carefully structured and brilliantly taught so that art and culture come to life. We believe in a few simple truths: that art is best taught in the presence of the real thing and that tutor groups (of 9 students or fewer) should encourage discourse and expression. AHA tutors travel with the course, providing a friendly, enthusiastic approach, which has been an inspiration to countless students for 30 years. Open to students of all disciplines, students need only an enquiring mind.

Website
www.arthistoryabroad.com
Founded
1987
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Community Photos

The Ganges after sunrise in Varanasi
my group in venice!
In front of st mark basilica
From the last week of the trip in Venice!
Grand canal from textile factory we visited
Naples
Tiramicrew
View from the Duomo
Gelato in Italy
A completely empty Vatican!! Our magical morning tour
Visiting Angi's home in San Gimignano!! GORGEOUS vineyard, dogs, family, food, and swimming
Getting tirimisu almost everywhere!
Boat trip in Sicily
Sketching architecture together in Rome
My group at our last formal dinner in Venice.
my group in titignano

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Community Awards

  • Go Overseas Award
  • Go Overseas Award

Scholarships

Trenchard Cox Scholarship

The Scholarship was established in memory of Sir Trenchard Cox and awards the winner an Art History Abroad 2-week Summer Course (£4995 in 2024) in Italy; the value can be transferred to any other AHA course.

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Diversity & Inclusion

AHA courses are open to all. We pride ourselves with creating a safe and inclusive environment where people from all backgrounds are able to enjoy a life changing travelling experience.

At AHA we know that culture leads to confidence, so every course has two aims: to discover and explore European culture and, in equal measure, the development of young people in a space where they feel secure and integrated.

Any form of discrimation is not accepted on AHA.
AHA courses are open to all. We pride ourselves with creating a safe and inclusive environment where people from all backgrounds are able to enjoy a life changing travelling experience.

At AHA we know that culture leads to confidence, so every course has two aims: to discover and explore European culture and, in equal measure, the development of young people in a space where they feel secure and integrated.

Further Italy and Europe in general are quite progressive with regards to LGBTQIA+ policy, lifestyle and any form of discrimation is not accepted on AHA.
AHA has a track record for taking students with varying kinds and levels of disabilities on courses, and we warmly encourage applications from all people.

Since our tutor to student ratio is very small (never more than 1 tutor to 9 students), AHA provides individual support shaped to the needs of each and every student, ensuring excellent care of young people. We therefore make provisions and organise an environment where people with disabilities can safely enjoy their travelling and make the most of their experience.

Impact

Our programs are geared toward environmental education understood in relation to wider themes of history, society and culture.

During our courses we always encourage critical thinking and we take the time to explore the impact that travelling has both at an individual and organisational level. We are also committed to maximising the net positive impact while minimising the carbon footprint of every program- Nick Ross, director of AHA, plants a tree for each flight that is being purchased to attend any of our programs to offset the carbon footprint of our courses.

Reviews

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Emily
United Kingdom
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Gap Year India Spring 6-Week Course

Great trip!

Jan 3, 2025

I have never visited India before and I am so pleased that I chose a course like AHA to help me explore and learn whilst having so much fun! The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I felt really immersed into the culture of each place we visited. I especially enjoyed the boat rides we took in Varanasi, which I have included a photo of, we took an early morning ride to a fire ceremony celebrating and thanking the river Ganges. We took another boat in the evening to see the ghats. I found learning about the attitude towards life and death in Hinduism very moving. Such a unique experience.

The Ganges after sunrise in Varanasi
Default avatar
Sammy
Male
United Kingdom
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Gap Year India Spring 6-Week Course

AHA India

Jan 3, 2025

On the India tour with AHA, I was able to see so many amazing things. The staff were nothing but brilliant, always helpful and making sure we all felt safe and comfortable. The trip was the perfect balance of freedom and teaching, with lots of time to learn and experience in a guided but not pushed environment. Accommodation was clean and comfortable. I came home from this trip with fresh eyes and a new respect for a culture that I previously hadn’t been able to experience.

For anyone thinking about attending this course, you won’t regret it. Would recommend highly.

Default avatar
Isabella
23
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Art History Abroad | The Autumn European Gap Semester Program

Incredible Deep Dive into the Art and Culture of Western Europe!

Dec 9, 2024

Where to start with how much I came to adore Art History Abroad during the 12 week course? To begin, I would say that you don’t have to be an art historian or planning on majoring in art history to have a fantastic time in the program. As long as you love learning and are excited by museums and historical sites, you are perfect for this trip! However, as amazing as the tutors were, with their incredibly curated lesson plans and museum tours, I would say that the learning isn’t what makes this experience the best- it was the people I met. I made some of the greatest memories of my life during this program, and met friends I know I will never lose. The experiences you get to be apart of during this trip are life-changing, I don’t think I will ever get over visiting the Vatican on a private tour or being in St. Mark’s Basilica completely alone, and those are just two of the wonderful opportunities AHA offers! The tutors become your best friends, and the fellow students become family. I can’t recommend this program highly enough- it’s a fantastic gap year opportunity I would do a thousand more times if I could.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
In Venice, AHA organizes an amazing night when we go to St. Mark’s Basilica at night, completely alone, and in the dark, and we slowly watch as the night watchman turns them on one by one. slowly we watched as the lights began to illuminate the golden mosaicked space in utter silence. I have never felt as spiritual as I did in that moment. That is a kind of experience that is once in a lifetime and inaccessible to the average tourist. Truly, I never would have been able to do that if it weren’t for AHA.
Pros
  • Incredible tutors
  • Exclusive access to many experiences and museums
  • Wonderful itinerary, well-planned
Cons
  • Small group size
  • Cramped hotel space at times
my group in venice!
Default avatar
Ethan
20
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Art History Abroad | The Autumn European Gap Semester Program

My AHA Experience

Dec 9, 2024

It was absolutely amazing every single thing we saw everyday was just outstanding from the Michelangelo to Raphael if you’re really into just taking everything in this is the most perfect thing ever, the tutors absolutely lovely Flo, Clemmie, Ed, Celia, Dom, Emma, Angi and Ellie are some of the most knowledgeable people on art history and absolutely amazing! And last but not least I made some of the greatest friends ever on this trip, I would highly highly highly recommend to anyone and everyone!!!

Default avatar
Elyah
19
Male
Belgium
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
6-week Gap Year Course in Italy | Art History Abroad

My AhA experience

Dec 9, 2024

I had a wonderful experience with AhA.

As a non-native English speaker, I was afraid of the language barrier, but this program helped me improve significantly, and I was able to make really special and life-changing contacts with other students. This program really gets you no matter if you’re an expert in art and history or a total beginner like I was. I was able to learn so much and create memorable memories. At first, I didn’t believe it but after these 6 weeks, I can say without hesitation our AhA group became like a family to me.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I could do it all over again the only thing that I would change is that I would subscribe to the 3 months program instead of the 6 weeks.
Pros
  • Little groupe so more connected to each other’s
  • The young age of the tutors, creating an easier connection with the students
  • The trip is really well planned in terms of cities and activities
In front of st mark basilica
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Programs

Displaying 1 - 4 of 4

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Alexa Lane

Program
6-week Gap Year Course in Italy | Art History Abroad
Alexa's time with AHA motivated her to continue her study of art history, architecture, and economics at Middlebury College. She hopes to return to Europe as soon as possible to continue her studies!
Alexa poses with friends in front of a colorful backdrop

Why did you choose this program?

I chose Art History Abroad because I had never tried anything like it before. I'm a big believer of throwing yourself into the deep end and learning how to swim. So, I thought there couldn't be a better way to spend my gap semester than in a new country learning about a subject I had barely even heard of.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

I did not go through a program provider or university to find AHA. I met the director, Nick, at a gap year fair at my high school during my senior year and figured out the rest on my own! The AHA team was incredibly flexible and responsive (despite the time difference), and I was able to sort everything out myself.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

One piece of advice I would give to a new student would be to ask as their tutors as many questions as they can possibly think of. All of the AHA tutors are incredibly knowledgable and they want to cater the course to your needs and interests. They also have great stories to share. All you have to do is ask!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

I would say there isn't an average day in the sense that you are doing the same thing every day. However most days follow a similar structure. We would meet as a group at around 9 am every morning and head off to our first lesson of the day. The lessons varied in location from church, to museum, to a public square. Sometimes we would take a cooking class, a private tour of a collection or cathedral, or were taught how to make Venetian masks! Around noon we would break for lunch and meet up again around 1pm for another lecture. After that, we would be free until dinner when we would meet usually as a whole group and discuss the day! Unless we had a special event, we were free for the evening, but often I would find myself hanging out with the tutors and other group members all night.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was probably most nervous about being away from home for so long. My time with AHA was the longest I had ever been away from my friends and family and didn't know anyone else going on the program. But as soon as I met the tutors and some of the other students on the trip, I knew I was going to be completely fine. I think my views on homesickness changed because I no longer worry about being alone in the same way. Being away from home for some long allowed me to develop the confidence in myself to be able to chat with anyone or become friends with anyone.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Henry Tudor-Pole

Program
Art History Abroad | The Autumn European Gap Semester Program
Job Title
Tutor
Henry has studied art at the Royal Drawing School, London, St. John's College, Oxford, and the Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa. He continues to do so as a tutor with Art History Abroad.

What is your favorite travel memory?

It's got to be attending the New Generation Festival in Florence, an extravagant three-night celebration of music and theatre, with young performers and a young audience soaking up the atmosphere on the grounds of the Corsini Palace. One night, the concert went on to the Ognissanti church, and I don't think anyone sitting in that magical, Baroque interior was left with a dry eye.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Working with AHA has significantly developed me as a person in several respects. Of course, it has deepened my awareness of art and my sense of the past, but it has also built my confidence in small ways that are manifested in everyday life at home, which can be hard to describe. I am better at speaking to an audience and bringing the subject to life.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

One student became fascinated with Dante's Divine Comedy after encountering it on an AHA course and told the story back to me in a way that made me see it afresh. He then went on to take up cookery and invented a meal based on Dante's journey through Hell, Purgatory and Paradise! I can't imagine a more original interpretation.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would choose the Southern Italy program, for the chance to learn more about the Kingdom of Sicily. I am fascinated by the hotbed of cultural exchange that was twelfth-century Sicily, and also by the sultry chaos of modern Palermo and Naples. There is an epic, romantic quality to the south that I find appealing. The food is not bad, either.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

To be part of a team like AHA's is a constant source of delight. I can't imagine many companies are so warm and decent at every level of the organization, and I feel lucky to be a part of it. I felt proud of the team when we got together in London to see another tutor playing a gig in Shepherd's Bush.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Probably it's to do with giving students the opportunity to grow in their own ways and according to their own will and not along with a set of predetermined rails. The company sets up the conditions in which students can have an enriching experience, at which point it is exciting to see what they are able to make of it.

Professional Associations

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