Program Reviews

This summer I had the opportunity to intern abroad in Florence, Italy. I met so many friends and it was amazing to get to intern full-time during the week and travel on the weekends. Interning abroad is such a unique experience, there is absolutely nothing like it. In the evenings after work you get to meet up with your friends, explore the city, enjoy an aperitivo, and there is truly no opportunity to be bored which was amazing! Italy is a beautiful place and being here for this amount of time in the summer allowed me to see so much of it. Also, interning allows you to meet a lot of locals that give you and your friends a lot of recommendations for what to see/eat/do!!!

Being able to come abroad for 2 full months was such an eye opening experience! I got to learn so much about myself, and really get out of my comfort zone! I have gotten to meet such amazing friendships that will last a lifetime, and so many memories! I have been able to make professional connections and learn so much from my employer! This was such an awesome experience, that I will cherish and remember forever! I would recommend this experience to anyone, especially if you are in college!!!!!!!

After doing my internship in Sydney, Australia I would have to say that it was amazing. Not only did I get to meet lots of new people from different backgrounds, but I also got to make new friends, do cool activities, and learn lots of new things from my internship along the way. Also, what I would recommend for students who decide to pursue doing an internship in Australia is to explore as much possible and meet as many new people as possible as these friendships and experiences you make can last a lifetime.

This experience has been such an incredible adventure! I feel like I am leaving more confident in my career and inspired in my personal life. AIFS did a wonderful job preparing me, and Andrea was a phenomenal program director once in Australia. Sydney itself was the best location choice for me. Since it was my first time abroad on my own, I wanted something that had a similar culture to home in the states. I never felt alienated here, but since it's so close to Asia, I got to experience plenty of cultural fusion which broadened my world view. If you're on the fence about studying or interning abroad in Sydney, I can say from experience that it did not disappoint.

I loved my experience with the AIFS program! Getting to know the AIFS intern group, exploring Sydney (nature, city life, foodie spots, etc.) and being a part of a great internship work environment have been the best parts of this experience. Everyone at my internship has been very supportive and friendly! We also had a really great onsite coordinator who was very helpful and also coordinated fun social events for all of us. Overall, I would really recommend applying to this program if you get the opportunity to :)

I chose their 7 week summer program and had a fantastic time. The staff is wonderful, extremely helpful, and accommodating. The program includes meal vouchers which was a great way to explore restaurants around the city and try new things. My classes fit well into my degree plan. I feel like this trip has given me more insight into what I'd like to pursue with my degree than my home university! The three week class was fast paced, understandably so, but I still gained a lot from it. Be prepared to study when you can, get started on your essays early, and try to rest! Classes start the Monday after you arrive.

My apartment building was filled with other AIFS students, so by the end of our stay we all knew each other well. Each apartment had its own charm, utilities were included, we even had air conditioning! It seemed like some roommates weren't well matched, either by the lack of other students or trying to group interns with interns. However, it worked out in the end. Honestly, part of the experience is learning to handle hard situations and deal with different people.

The excursions were fun and completely worth the time and money going on. The trips to Venice and Rome were extremely worth it for the price paid. They handle all the transportation, accommodations, and tickets to sightseeing places. Breakfast is included but lunch and dinner were not. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and what you learn is more than what a normal guide would give. The trips you can sign up for on the side were almost always £20 and also worth going on.

Overall, it was an amazing experience! Florence is beautiful and the program was great. I'd love to do it again in a heartbeat. If you're like me, don't let the price intimidate you! It's well worth the cost and what you gain in experience.

I knew I wanted to study abroad since I was very young and choosing AIFS Valencia was the best decision I ever could have made. Pre-departure could use improvement as communication prior to arriving in Valencia was subpar, but once we landed, we were in good hands. Janan is the most amazing program director: personable, knowledgeable, helpful, caring, and hilarious. She was our Spanish mother for 4 months and ensured we were healthy, cared for, and having the greatest time possible. She prepped weekly activities every Friday that were packed with fascinating cultural activities and adventures across Valencia and more; we didn't want to miss any. Valencia has so much to offer as well; up until last week, I was finding new places I wanted to try. I lived in an apartment of 7, which sounds like a big yikes, but it turned out nearly perfect. Our apartment was centrally located and allowed us to walk / Valenbisi / metro / bus for anything we could ever need. I had a good experience taking courses through UCV as well, but I had a few friends who had issues with grades, transfer credits to home institutions, language barriers with professors, and poor response times from the institution. All in all, I would not trade my experience for anything.

I had an amazing time during the AIFS internship program in London! I felt I gained valuable experience not just through my internship, but also by living in a foreign city. There are endless things to do and see in London, and the transport system makes it easy to get almost anywhere in and around the city. As part of the AIFS program, we also had organized events such as day trips, nice dinners, and musicals just to name a few. We had access to tons of resources and I always felt cared for/supported by the London AIFS staff. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to live and work abroad!

Budapest is such an underrated city - especially for study abroad. While I've been here, I've fallen in love with the city: the culture, the places, the food, everything! AIFS was incredibly helpful with everything pre-departure, and when I arrived in Budapest our resident director was welcoming and had events planned for us to get to know the city. The housing provided is in an excellent location, very close to a metro stop, which is essential for commuting through Budapest. Budapest is a super budget-friendly city, which is a huge plus of this program! It's also very easy to find cheap flights out of Budapest if you're looking to travel while over here. This city is so unique and different from a lot of the typical study abroad locations - you won't regret choosing it!

The AIFS Rome program was an incredible experience. The staff were all very friendly, helpful, and easy to reach out to. The program's meal plan was amazing and allowed for students to visit several great restaurants. The many day trips and weekend excursions were unique to the program and were some of my favorite parts of the semester. I felt like I explored not only Rome but several parts of Italy through the program's many opportunities it offered. Some of my favorite activities offered by AIFS throughout the semester included a Roma football match, cooking classes, wine classes, guided walking tours, opera night, and museum visits. The activities made it easy to meet friends within the program and familiarize myself with the city and culture of Italy. I only wish the program was longer than 13 weeks, but with all the included activities and excursions, it was very worth its price. The academics were for the most part amazing. One of my professors is one of my favorites I've ever had and class was never boring or unmanageable. Many class sessions included field trips. As an Art History student, I thought that the program's classes for my major were incredible. The semester was so much fun. Between AIFS's classes and all of their activities, I can't think of a single day where I felt like I'd wasted my time. I would highly recommend this program!