Program Reviews

I have thoroughly enjoyed my study abroad experience so far. I was very nervous to travel to a new country and start life in a new city as I came into this program not knowing anyone and never traveling outside of the US prior. The AIFS staff has made me and all of my peers feel so welcome into this community and has guided us to discover our place here in Florence and push us to reach success! I feel so grateful to have such a great support system and to have made so many amazing friends since coming here. There is so much to learn and experience while studying abroad and AIFS helps expose us to the culture and lifestyle. We are provided so many opportunities to step out of our comfort zone and try new things through AIFS!

AIFS provides really interesting and fun classes outside of major specific classes which is really nice. I appreciate how AIFS goes out of their way to incorporate different events for students to be engaged in the community and learn more about florence. I love all of the events like cooking classes, tours, and numerous activities to meet more people and have a good time. AIFS staff is very welcoming and approachable and truly wants the best for the students. I would highly recommend studying in Florence through AIFS!

Choosing to study abroad with AIFS Abroad in Florence was one of the best decisions I could have made. Through this program, I was able to really immerse in rich and authentic Italian food and culture. Additionally, I was given the opportunity to travel so ten different countries which has been one of my big goals in life. Not to mention, I got to establish a close relationship with my professors and made so many new friends. Studying abroad was something I really wanted to do during my college experience and I am so glad that I got to do it through AIFS Florence. :)

AIFS in Florence has truly been a life changing experience. The support staff here is amazing, the classes are interesting, and there are so many cool outings and trips within Florence and in other places in Italy. The small class sizes have helped me learn so much and push myself out of my comfort zone. Apartment living in the city center makes all of us truly be able to be immersed in Florentine culture. I would absolutely recommend this program to any student who wants to be a part of this amazing city with a caring support system.

I spent a fall semester in Florence, Italy and it was so fun! The academics were challenging, but there was still time to go out and explore Florence and so many other parts of Europe.
AIFS was helpful during the application process and throughout the semester. They set up many opportunities for excursions and activities. My favorite trip that they set up was a weekend in Rome.
They also set up events where you could get into many different museums in Florence. Each class was interesting in its own way; they all had different field trips built in throughout the semester.

I have loved studying through my program. They are so helpful to students adjusting in a new city and provided lots of resources in Florence. They offer countless activities for their students to participate in, for no to little cost, such as cooking classes, concerts, wine tasting, etc. The classes students can enroll in are also especially engaging and taught by knowledgeable professors. All of the students are open to join program trips on weekends, to cities around Italy, that include guided tours and many learning opportunities.

Studying abroad with AIFS has been such an exciting experience. They offer many cool learning opportunities for students, like cooking classes and trips to other places in Italy. The classes offered in the program are quite unique to Italy, which is really cool because I wouldn't be able to take the classes at my home university. The meal plan with AIFS also introduces students to restaurants that we might have otherwise never tried. I definitely recommend studying with AIFS, they are very communicative with their students and want us to have a positive experience.

The program was life changing! I loved every second of my experience and AIFS was so amazing!! Everyone working for AIFS was so helpful and kind. AIFS has so many fun things for you do to in Florence and you learn so many cool and fun facts about the city and culture. They truly care about your experience abroad and want to do everything in their power to help you make the most out of your study abroad experience. This is the place I would recommend to everyone trying to study abroad. It is truly a life changing experience for the better.

The on the ground experience was phenomenal. Our professor was extremely knowledgeable and balanced in class learning with experiential learning. Our AIFS ground support was helpful and informative, even negotiating down pricing for an extra trip we took! I had no issues with my housing, but I know one or two other students did get moved to different home-stays because their original ones did not meet the standards they were supposed to. My biggest issues were the administrative kind. My deposit was not processed in a timely manner and someone had to go in and give me manual access to all the forms I hadn't had access too, right before their deadline. I did not receive any specific details about what I would be doing or where I would be going until a few weeks before I left the country. There was always free time in the evenings and I felt totally safe exploring with other students. If you're looking for a course that gives you a broad scope of the Galapagos islands ( history, flora, fauna, current issues, etc) with a ton of exciting excursions led by guides familiar with every inch of the islands I recommend this course. If you're looking for a more self guided and paced experience where you choose each day what to do after class than I don't recommend this course. My advice if you do go is to stay on top of your emails, be proactive in checking in and asking for information. Also, very important, be on top of whether or not your transcripts were sent and received.

I went to Granada this past Spring for the AIFS Abroad program and it was an amazing experience! Granada is a beautiful city full of lots of rich history. It was a great place to go as a college student because food and drinks were super affordable. Granada is known for its Tapas culture, where every time you order a drink (alcoholic or not), you get a free tapa, or small plate, to enjoy with it. This was a great way to sample the local cuisine! Granada is a fully walkable city and everywhere you need to go is within a 30-minute walk. There is some public transportation but walking is the best way to explore the city. The academics at the University of Granada's Centro de Lengua Modernas were rigorous but the workload was light to allow for time to explore the city and travel on the weekends. A basic knowledge of Spanish language is helpful but do not let that deter you! You will be surprised at how much you pick up from both classes and just living life in this beautiful city! Overall, Granada is a beautiful place and AIFS did a great job providing assistance and planning fun activities for us!.