CIS Abroad

I could not recommend Florence enough to any person looking to study abroad! I had the best semester of my entire life, and not a day passes that I don't wish I was there! The people at CIS and Florence University of the Arts were beyond supportive and helpful throughout the whole process, and I would pick up and move back right now if I could! Florence is the BEST study abroad city in the world in my opinion, and I am so so so grateful for this experience! It took me a long time to decide if I should go or not because I was so nervous about not knowing anyone, but I could not be happier with my decision, it has changed my entire life!

My summer in the Italian Coast in Sorrento, Italy with CIS Abroad was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Going into it, I was extremely nervous going overseas alone but this program did an amazing job at connecting me with students before the program even began. Once I arrived, there are so many different opportunities to get involved and meet people whether it is through classes, field trips, sponsored organized activities or through your housing accommodations. This is something that I will advocate for my kids to experience one day. It was truly a dream.

I studied abroad at Sant'Anna Institute in Sorrento, Italy for the spring semester! I didn't know anyone else going and was very nervous about making friends and moving to another country I wasn't familiar with and couldn't speak the local language. CIS abroad was more than amazing at making sure every question I had was answered and set me up with support systems both abroad and at home before I even left. They helped me feel prepared and confident I would succeed abroad despite my many concerns. Once on site, the staff at Sant'Anna was also amazing at helping everyone adjust to the Italian lifestyle and learn the differences between Italian and American culture. The school also hosted events to help students get to know each other like cooking classes, guided hikes, movie nights etc. All of the classes were taught in english and the professors wanted to see you suceed. The class schedule was also designed to give students the opportunity to travel on weekends. Sorrento was also an ideal location; it was a small town so the experience was more personable, and less overwhelming for me than living in one of the larger cities. My experience was filled with adventures, new friendships, good food, and memories that will last a lifetime.

I spent the summer being an intern in Barcelona and it was the best time of my life. There was a huge support network available to me and everyone from CIS was very helpful with everything I needed, from housing problems to cultural shock, there was someone who was always willing to help. I also enjoyed the day trips and activities that they had planned for us, it helped me connect with more people from the program which helped me get to know people very fast and my experience more enjoyable.
They met my needs when it came to the internship, I was paired with a company that was in the industry that I was interested in. They checked in regularly and made sure I had a great experience.

I went to Italy through CIS Abroad's spring semester in Florence program and I am going to talk about it for the rest of my life :) Since returning home a few months ago, I've been thinking about going back almost every single day- it was quite literally the best four months of my life. Romina, the CIS on-site director, was a huge help throughout the entire semester as she was always available to talk and even planned numerous fun events for CIS students. When I got COVID halfway through the semester, she helped me in finding a doctor as well as a good place to quarantine. I can't imagine someone more qualified to do her job- she's the BEST. Overall, I recommend going to study in Italy through CIS as they're very organized, helpful, and responsive.