AIFS Abroad Reviews

I think that to be completely honest I think anyone going to Salamanca is going to have an amazing time no matter what program the go with. But I have had such an amazing time with AIFS. The staff is always helpful and take us on trips or give little perks like taking us out to tapas or chocolate con churros. But apart from the program Salamanca is still one of the best places I have ever been. Walking around the city I feel surrounded by culture and history. I walk through the plaza (which is said to be one of the most beautiful in the world...no joke) and I have to make myself stop and realize that although I walk though every day it is still amazing and beautiful and I need to take it all in. I only have about a month and a half left and I hate to think that on May 18 I will be leaving and I don't know when I'll be back. I want time to stop in this moment because at this moment I can't think of a better place to be.

In January 2009, I packed my bags and started my 5 month life-changing adventure. Through AIFS,you first spend a few days in London with the other members of your group and then all travel together to Granada, Spain. For the first few weeks, we took intensive Spanish courses (very helpful since I knew basically zero Spanish), and then started our normal courses. We never had class on Friday which made it easy to travel on the weekends. Also, I chose to live in a homestay which I highly, highly recommend.
Overall, studying abroad in Granada, Spain was probably the best decision of my life. I learned so much about myself, Spanish culture, the Spanish language,and had the opportunity to travel all over Europe. During my time in Granada through AIFS, I made some incredible friends from all over the United States. In fact, in December 2011, we had a reunion in New York, and this May we are reuniting once again in Las Vegas.
AIFS is a fantastic program. I highly recommend you study abroad with them! Now that I have graduated college and am working full-time, I regularly reflect back upon my time in Granada as the best experience of my life.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived in Salamanca... But what I got couldn't have been better. With classes in the mornings (with coffee breaks, of course) we had the afternoons free everyday. Meeting up with friends for leisurely walks, grabbing ice cream in the plaza, and endless conversations never got old. On days we felt more tourist-y we would visit the convent, cathedral, or university library. A never ending supply of places to go and things to see. I wouldn't change a thing about Salamanca. Sure, their accent may take a while, but every single person I spoke Spanish to was just so happy I was speaking, that they helped me with any words I struggled on, and even would teach me the "Spanish" way of saying it. Nicest people in the world. Going to Salamanca was by far the best choice I could have made for my Sophomore year in college.

It was always a dream of mine to visit Spain and after spending a year in Salamamca with AIFS I couldn't think of a better way to have fulfilled that dream. The program and the staff are incredible, they go out of their way to make sure you enjoy your time abroad. The academic advisor is one of the best advisors I have ever had, he makes sure that you are enrolled in classes that are not only appropriate for your language level but also interesting to you. Meeting and getting to know the locals was the best thing I could have done. The Salmantinos are extremely sweet, funny, and always willing to help you with what ever you need.

Studying abroad in Florence with AIFS was the best decision I made during my undergraduate career! The housing, meal plan, cultural excursions and activities were top notch. The classes were taught by Italian faculty members with first-hand knowledge of their subjects. The staff was excellent and available 24/7 for the students. I have recommended this program to many friends and will continue to do so!

I chose to live in a flat with four other people and learned to love each one of my roommates for their uniqueness and willingness to adventure! My house was located in the hills that looked out around Wellington Harbour. From my back porch I could look down into the city, which was about a 5 minute walk away. The view was absolutely breath taking and I still dream about it to this day! I lived with another student who was from New Zealand, and I found that to be particularly helpful as well. He showed us around the town, and introduced us to other people from New Zealand.

My house was about a 5 minute walk from Victoria University. I attended an international orientation at the beginning of my stay, which was really helpful. We toured the campus and got a feel for where our classes would be. The support that was provided not only through AIFS, but Victoria University was outstanding. I felt comfortable asking for help and being in a different environment.

The course load I found was challenging because the style was not what I am use to. I felt that I completed a lot of essays and research for the majority of my classes. The professors did not really assign busy work at all. I had no problem confronting any of my professors if I needed help. I took a Political course and found it particularly challenging. Being aware of the upper level courses could have benefited me in the long run, however, like I said, the professors were willing to work with me on a regular basis. They found it quite humorous that I ended up in this class without any prior knowledge or understanding of their governing system.

Some issues I encountered were being left in New Zealand and having no means of transportation to the airport when it was time to leave for Sydney. When I arrived in Sydney, no one was there to pick us and no hostel was booked anywhere. We walked around Sydney with our luggage from 5 months. I found this to be quite frustrating and unbecoming of a company whose job is to accommodate and safely guide students in their study abroad experience. In the end, it was all a part of the journey and it is important to know and understand what needs to be done when things like this occur. Students need to be prepared and have the means to provide themselves with food and shelter in situations like this.

I spent some time in Fiji as well. Two of the representatives for AIFS Maina and Lili were absolutely wonderful. They took us and offered advice when we needed it. Being in a country like Fiji can be a little intimidating at times. They did their best to assure us that we would be safe. I still keep in touch with both of these ladies today and consider them to be my really good friends. I stayed with a host family and it was a really interesting and beautiful experience. I was not sure what to expect. My host mother was a professor at the University of South Pacific where I took some crash courses. I felt right at home and Laijipa was so sweet! She provided us with meals and made sure we enjoyed our stay. Some of the other students did not get the luxury of hot water in some of the families that they stayed with.

I had the time of my life and have grown in more ways then I have ever expected. Not in a million years did I think that I would be able to say that I lived and studied in New Zealand. Learning about the Maori culture and way of life was unbelievable.
I would recommend anyone to this program! I would even love to do it again!

I knew I always wanted to study abroad when I entered college but where to go and which program to study with were the problems? Then AIFS's program in Prague clicked, with all of the opportunities, its location and offerings. The language barrier was a little frightening upon stepping off of the plane; luckily you learn a few phrases that can get you around and you will be able to recognize your favorite foods on Czech menus. AIFS made studying abroad easy, especially while being abroad. It goes by fast- too fast. But it was one of the absolute best experiences of my life and would not change a thing!

I have never had so much fun in my life. Stellenbosch is one of the most beautiful towns I have ever had the opportunity to see. The local South Africans are very accepting, and fun to get to know. It is a much slower, happier way of live over there. There is really nothing that I did not like about the program. The classes were not that difficult, but I liked that because it gave me the opportunity to really immerse myself in the culture.
On a typical day I would have one class that was three hours long. The rest of the day I would go to the gym, local rugby games, walk around town, grab some food, etc.

I loved studying abroad with AIFS in Prague. Classes were offered through Charles University, which included a two-week Czech immersion course before we began our semester classes. It was really helpful to go through the basic vocabulary and grammar structure as soon as we got to the country, but my favorite part about that class? I could see Prague Castle from my window.
Being away from my home university and the pressures of extracurricular activities freed up my time to enjoy the city. One of my favorite things to do, which prompted by an assignment for my literature class to "make a coffeehouse your regular spot," was to order an apple tart and cappuccino at Kavarna Slavia, the cafe across the street from Narodni Divadlo (National Theater). While going to a restaurant by myself in the middle of the day was something I would never do at home, I felt liberated to experience the litany of activities that Prague had to offer.
While the housing offered by AIFS was by no means fit for a king, I was generally satisfied with the building. But due to rumors of the washing machine shredding clothes, I would make a 14-stop tram trek across the city every other Tuesday with my clothes in plastic bags to do my laundry safely. The most difficult part of the living situation was the less-than-adequate "kitchen," which included a mini-fridge, two hot plates, and any kitchen supplies that were left over from other residents. As a vegetarian, I really could have used a better kitchen to prepare my meals, as I found myself reboiling leftover pasta because I couldn't heat it any other way. Otherwise, it was useful living in a building that wasn't totally occupied with students - when my siblings came to visit, they were able to stay in a room on the floor above me.
The staff at AIFS was really friendly and helpful. I loved taking trips with AIFS, especially because they planned trips to places I probably wouldn't have considered traveling to otherwise, like Brno in the Eastern region of the Czech Republic and Krakow, Poland. Our program included a lot of free opportunities for day trips, walking tours, and cultural events in and around the city, though tickets were limited and you had to sign up at the program office before they ran out. They were able to recommend anything from apartment services to restaurants in the city and were so dedicated to getting to know students on a personal level. These things definitely made me appreciate going to a smaller, more personalized program such as AIFS Prague.
I have already recommended this program to several friends and will continue to recommend it. While Prague on its own has so much to offer to students, AIFS only enhanced its amazing opportunities.

Ireland is a beautiful country with fun people. Limerick, as a city, does not have a lot to offer. But, there's fun things going on at campus and traveling outside of Limerick and to other countries is fairly easy.