Program Reviews

There aren't enough words in the dictionary to describe how good of an experience I had during my year abroad with SAI. I totally stepped out of my comfort zone, met so many new people, and had a lot of time for self reflection. It sounds like a cliche, but I very much felt like the amount of growth and evolution I saw during my time abroad was unlike any other time in my life. SAI provided a lot of opportunities to me through group outings and activities, and they were by my side when I was navigating the Italian healthcare system. I loved my apartment and location—right on the Arno—and I felt super safe in Florence.

To put it simply: studying abroad changed my life. The thought of going abroad for the first time can be really scary and intimidating but I promise you it will be worth it. I learned how to appreciate the small moments, connect with the local community, and most importantly I gained a better understanding of who I was as an individual. Studying abroad truly changed my perspective and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to call Florence my home. Through it all SAI remained a helping hand and the moments and memories made in Florence will be cherished forever.

This was my first international experience. Once my plane landed at CDG, SAI was there every step of the way to help me adjust into my new home! I was initially really worried about learning RATP (public transport) but it was a piece of cake. The metro and buses helped to develop my independence and encourage me to discover different parts of the city. SAI also offered some great VIVA experiences like Fontainebleau (beautiful!!). There is no language requirement but I was able to use some of the French I had learned over the years with neighbors, employees, and a friend at the local boulangerie! Can't wait to go back to Paris someday.

Studying abroad with SAI was the best experience of my life. I learned about SAI through a friend, and I will definitely be recommending it to everyone. The on site program coordinators Sandrine and Elena were very welcoming and helpful from my arrival in Barcelona until my departure. Every activity they had planned for us was very well planned and executed. They work hard to get to know all of their students and they deeply care for each student. The housing they provide was in a great location and was very nice. I am so glad I chose to study abroad with SAI!

I highly recommend choosing a program like SAI for your study abroad experience because it offers you much more flexibility and opportunity for free time unlike university sponsored trips. I was able to travel to different cities around Italy whenever I wanted by simply taking the train after class. We also had very free weekends to do anything we wanted, like travel to other countries (I went to 4 others in only 5 weeks!). My experience was even greater than I expected because SAI helped make everything go so smoothly and I was never stressed out about anything. They also had plenty of activities for us to get to know each other before classes started which helped with making friends and getting familiar with the city in general a ton. They take care of your transcript forms at the end and everything too! I can’t recommend them enough!

Elisava was such a unique experience and I am glad l I took this chance to grow and learn. Doing it through SAI really helped to ease me into it. SAI staff were always there for support and constantly checked in which created a sense of community and comfort. Elisava as a school is a really wonderful place where people from all over come to learn and share their design background. Compared to some other study abroad programs in Barcelona, Elisava is a heavy workload but highly rewarding. There is such a strong sense of community and teamwork with so many differing perspectives which really broadened my horizons.

I made lifelong connections not just with my roommates, but with classmates and locals that you just can't get anywhere else. I was also able to see so many iconic museums and art pieces that I will never forget! I really enjoyed learning Italian culture at FUA and getting the opportunity to be taught by an actual Florentine local! Fabio was my professor, and he was amazing! Took us on multiple trips around the city to learn about the culture and history of Florence and was so lucky to learn from him! The apartment living was fantastic! Very spacious and clean when we arrived, and had amenities not even in my apartment back home. Beautiful view of the Palazzo Vecchio! I would definitely recommend this program to anyone looking to grow their cultural competence and find a program within SAI that is affiliated with their home university!

I studied in Barcelona the summer of 2022 and it was incredible. Prior to this, I only traveled out of country to Canada and the Bahamas with my family so it was a brand new experience going to Europe by myself. I wanted to take the jump so I did, chose random roommates and decided to go to Barcelona. Right off the bat, I was greeted by some of the SAI on site team and driven back to my apartment. They helped me up and introduced me to my roommates. We got to know each other immediately. I had that weekend free and then started class that Monday. One of my roommates was in my class which was amazing so we commuted about a half hour on the metro together. My apartment was directly next to The Sagrada Familia (most beautiful location ever) and the campus was near the beach. My class was from 6-9pm Monday - Thursday. We would take the bus right after class to the beach every day. My class had students from the US, local students, and other international students. It was a film class and the premise of the class was to create a film on your own. We decided to film a local festival. This was an incredible way to immerse myself directly into the culture. On the weekends, I traveled from to Madrid to visit family one week, Ibiza one weekend, and the other weekends I just explored the city and local beach towns. By far the best summer of my life!

SAI genuinely cares about the well-being of their students and is supportive yet encouraging of trying new things and not being afraid to tackle a challenge! Especially loved the proximity of the office to FUA and the "open-door policy" in them encouraging us to come to them if we ever need anything. The SAI Viva Experiences were amazing and integral in helping us get to know the city and Italy as a whole, as well as engage with authentic Florentine culture through activities such as gold leafing, bookmaking, and cooking classes! I really appreciated how SAI hosted a survival Italian course during orientation. The program caters to a variety of academic interests, so there is truly something for everyone. Many of the classes also offer field trips and field learning, exposing us to the community and new places even further. Love, love, LOVED SAI and would recommend it to anyone who is ready to challenge themselves and grow a lot! I came here solo and had a wonderful experience, just do not be afraid to put yourself out there socially and attend some of SAI's cool classes.

I had a great time studying with SAI Programs. They made me and the other students feel welcome. They had lots of fun activities for us to do and helped us get adjusted well to our new city. I loved studying in Barcelona and the classes at UAB were just right for me, and not too difficult. Barcelona is also a great central location to study in because you can take day trips all over. Another thing SAI did that I liked was offer volunteer activities, so I got to work with a local elementary school and help teach English to kids while I was there once a week. I also participated in a soccer team that was full of SAI students. We competed near the beach downtown and played against other study-abroad teams in a tournament. I will miss my experience and I had a great time.