AIFS Abroad Reviews

I believe AIFS has the best program in Florence. While other students had to cook pasta every night, we were able to eat out at tons of different restaurants because of our meal plan, spending no money. AIFS also included fantastic trips to London, Siena, Rome and Venice - all included! The staff was fantastic; they would always make sure everything went smoothly, from travel arrangements to the legal stuff (visas, registering with the city) and took the extra step to help you out. The extra activities were great as well, from cooking classes to wine tastings, you name it. I wish I would have had the courage to do two semesters, because now I can't wail until I go back.

Overall my experience in London was amazing! Sure there were little things that would have made it better, but it was the best experience I've ever had! I made tons of friends that I consider life-long friends and we had wonderful adventures around the city, the country, and the rest of Europe!

The location of the housing is perfect and it's very easy to get around the city (which I had to do a lot of for my classes and just for fun!) Kensington is beautiful and extremely safe, which was one of the things I loved best about where the school was. The staff are amazing and very helpful for any problem you have. They are there to help make your experience at the school the best it can be!

The housing was pretty good, and the food could have been better, but they worked on making it better once we said we wanted better food! Classes were about the same as the school I go to now, but it was interesting to get a different style of teaching and working with the different expectations of the professors.

Overall I loved my study abroad experience at Richmond University and I would love to go back!

My semester that i spent in Grenoble, France was the best semester I have had so far. I have never had more fun, met more amazing people, and learned so much academically and personally. From the moment I arrived in France I was comfortable. Our program director Miranda went above and beyond, making sure that everything went smoothly and without unnecessary road bumps.

My host family was amazing. They instantly welcomed me into their family. The food was amazing, every meal was new and different. I still think fondly about wednesday night pasta night. So good. The initial awkwardness of living in someone else's home faded after the first night after playing board games with my host brother. My host family was instrumental in my stay in France. I always new that I had somewhere that I could go home to and people that really cared about me and wanted to help me in whatever way they could. I miss them immensely now being back in the United States and cannot wait until I can go back and visit them. I know that I will be in contact with them for the rest of my life.

I love Grenoble as a city. I come from a small town in northern NH and had never lived in a city and was a little nervous before leaving about living in a city. It was amazing. From the public transport system to the culture and activities, I was never bored. I could get anywhere I wanted on the tram and the bus system and there was a plethora of things to do. There was free museum weekend, a wine tasting festival, movies, cafes, shopping. Literally, anything I could dream about doing I could do it in Grenoble. Not to mention the city's location. Nestled in the Alps, the city is surrounded by mountains. It's gorgeous. I hiked the Bastille multiple times and its beauty never got old. It was one of the first things that I took my mother to do when she visited me.

I really enjoyed my time as a student at University of Grenoble Stendhal. It was really an incredible experience to be taught by professors of a different culture. It is definitely different than the US, professors do not have office hours and are not as readily available to you as much as they are in the US but I learned an amazing amount by merely letting myself experience something new. Learning went outside the classroom, even ordering a crepe at lunch became a lesson. My professor for my language classes was incredible and I still listen to my playlist of classes that I accumulated from him classes. He made learning french fun. He included popular films that were always very french and a tad bit bizarre, classic french songs that we got to sing in language lab, and his personality just made learning that much more fun. I really enjoyed my semester at the University of Grenoble and can say that my french definitely improved by leaps and bounds.

I would most definitely recommend this program to a friend. Anyone who is interested in studying abroad in France should consider AIFS Grenoble because it will be an experience that will change your life in so many ways. You meet people you will never forget and forge relationships that will last a lifetime.

Salzburg, to me, was a forced choice. I wanted to study abroad through AIFS, but I needed German, so I came here instead of St. Petersburg or Prague. Best decision I think I've ever made. I've made such amazing friends and learned a language faster in four months than I -ever- did the three semesters I took at my home college.

Plus, Salzburg is close to a lot of very interesting cultures, and you can easily get to Italy, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, etc. with a train ticket.

Basically, if you're interested in the Austrian culture (which is NOT the German culture, you'll be quick to learn that), and you want to travel and meet awesome people, then Salzburg is definitely for you!

At first I was very nervous to study abroad. I was coming from a small Christian school and didn't know what to expect. I fell in love with Ireland. Studying abroad really is one of the best experiences of my life. Everything I had been so afraid of ended up turning out to be just fine. I would definitely recommend studying at UL to anyone!

AIFS Salzburg was an extremely upbeat and fun program. The city itself is very safe and provides for a great social scene. The AIFS staff were simply amazing. They made sure that everyone was thrust into the European culture and they were always available for answers, tips and even just to chat. I had the best time of my life living in Salzburg and I couldn't have asked for a better program.

As a student from a large state university in Maryland, I worked in our study abroad office. I saw students wanting to go spend a semester somewhere where they could have fun, and get away. I spent my last semester of college in Stellenbosch, but it was way more than a vacation. I was deeply attached to the country, and to the people there I met. My eyes were opened to a culture I loved. This wasn't just time to enjoy gorgeous scenery or colorful life. It was a window to a world where people live among tensions of poverty, disease, inequality, and a rich history. AIFS program allowed me to visit this place where I've learned more from a new culture than ever before. I stayed 7 extra months to volunteer with a local organization.

I really enjoyed how the AIFS program was so well organized and ran. By having my fee include the cost of the flight, tuition, and room & board it made going abroad less stressful and more enjoyable! I didn't have to worry about where I was living or what I was eating. It was great to live and eat with people in the same program as me and we got to experience our new surroundings together. The was always a lot of activity options so I felt like I could get involved and experience my new surroundings.

Turkey is an incredibly unique country and Istanbul is an amazing city. Istanbul is jam packed with history and culture and being immersed in it really enhances your experience. Bogazici is a great school with a beautiful campus and great professors. Learning about a subject from a different point of view is one of the most valuable experiences you can have. The professors are very friendly and you can talk to them anytime. All 3 campuses are easy to get to either by walking or by shuttle. But be careful, the buildings on the maps are abbreviated in their Turkish name! Food on and around campus is exceptional. Become a part of Exchange Student Network at Bogazici to meet Turkish and international students alike. Housing in the new dorm was nice but had some structural issues. Superdorm is nice but a little outdated. Entertainment surrounds you on and off campus, the Film department has a small theatre on campus that screens films every night from Amityville Horror movies to Marie Antoinette. Etiler and Bebek are just short walks and the rest of the city is accessible by bus,tram, subway, or ferry. You don't want to just stay in Istanbul though, go visit the rest of this incredibly beautiful, historic, and humble country!

As I always tell people when they come to me with questions of studying abroad, it was the best decision I've made in college.

I went on the summer program to St. Petersburg after my freshman year of college. Having never taken Russian before I was placed in the beginners class with 5 other students and we had a wonderful teacher who was very patient. I also took the History of Saint Petersburg which included some extra excursions like a tour of Smolny Institute.

The cultural excursions were the best part. I had been dreaming of seeing the Hermitage and the Church on Spilled Blood. My favorite place to visit ended up being Peter and Paul Fortress where my new friends and I would sit with our feet in the Neva.

I can't say enough good things about the AIF St. Petersburg program. St. Petersburg is so rich in history and culture. After my program I was surprised how useful my knowledge of St. Petersburg and Russia was. With Russia constantly staying in the headlines of foreign policy and politics it's worth getting a closer look at this country.