Program Reviews

Choosing to study abroad in Florence, Italy with SAI was the best decisions I have ever made. The on-site support staff was unbelievable. They were the most prepared, organized, and genuinely caring individuals that I have ever met and my experience wouldn't have been the same without them. They seemed to know what I needed before I could even ask for it. They were always there for support but didn't hover so that you could make your experience your own. They always had free or paid activities going on that you had the option to participate it. They kept us updated on local and home information via email and the facebook page. Florence in the most beautiful city and FUA is a good school. I highly recommend this program to individuals who love travel, adventure, food, and a life time of memories.

SAI Programs was the best!!! They were such a great help and amazing resource while I was there. They also planned incredible trips and activities for us that I would never have done otherwise. They were all super friendly and knowledgeable about Florence and utilized that all the time. I would go into their office just to say hello, work on a puzzle, or even ask them for recommendations for places to eat or where to buy certain things from I cannot sing enough praises for the Florence SAI staff.

Florence on it's own was my favorite city as well. It's full of such rich history, culture, art, and food, making it the perfect destination for anyone. There's always so much to do in Florence whether it's visiting world-renowned museums, going for a walk and grabbing gelato, eating amazing pizza on the steps of a historic church, listening to live music on Ponte Vecchio, or going to a bar with friends to grab an aperol spritz. Florence has a great social scene

I learned a lot about myself as a person, which I was not expecting because I thought I was pretty in touch with who I was. But, it was cool to learn new things about myself. I also feel like I gained a lot of cultural capital as well because I've visited, seen, and learned about all these amazing things, like art and culture, that I had only ever dreamed of. I would study abroad again in a heartbeat.

I had the best four months of my life, thanks to SAI! I was so nervous to leave the country and my family for that long, going so far away, but SAI was so helpful and welcoming every step of the way. I never once felt like I was on my own. By choosing SAI, the door was opened to so many different opportunities. They offered cooking classes, bookmaking classes, language classes, city tours, weekend trips, and so much more all included in your program cost. They did everything they could to help us dive into the culture and feel at home in our host country. I enjoyed my time with SAI so much that I decided to become a student ambassador for SAI on my home campus at Ole Miss in hopes to help students have the same experience that I did! They continue to provide me with opportunities to succeed even a year after my semester abroad. I highly recommend this program because they strive to make your experience the best it could possibly be for you. They want the best for you and it truly shows through every employee in the program!

This program has been so instrumental in my study abroad experience. The directors for the program were so readily available to help us make this experience the best we could have. They genuinely care so much for each individual in the program, and I'm so glad out of all the programs I considered, I chose this one. I was lucky enough to find myself surrounded by the company of such great people for the past semester. They made it incredibly easy to explore this city and immerse ourself in the culture, gave suggestions on our other travels, and made sure we focused on our studies as well. They gave us support but also enough room to learn how to be independent and figure things out for ourselves. SO lucky to have this program and to have met the people I have through it! Feel like I've gained a second family.

I studied abroad in Florence for 6 weeks and it was the best experience of my life. I became very close friends with my roommates and we traveled, studied, and ate our way through Italy. SAI was always available to any questions we had and made my experience much better knowing I had a contact if something were to happen, or if I just had a question. I learned so much studying abroad and am glad that I decided to take the opportunity to go somewhere where I knew no one.
My favorite memory was hiking in Cinque Terre with my roommates. It was about a 2 hour hike, but the views and the bonding experience was indescribable and I would just wear something more comfortable next time.
i had class everyday Monday- Thursday, leaving me with plenty of time to travel on the weekends and get to explore everything that Italy had to offer. I went to 13 different cities in Italy, and I am happy I decided to stay in Italy rather than explore other countries because it allowed me to immerse myself in the Italian culture even more. Because I only had 6 weeks, I made the best of my time, and am happy I decided to explore all Florence had to offer, as well as the rest of Italy.

My time in Barcelona was extraordinary! I was able to explore so many different places, eat so many different foods, and be immersed in a completely different culture. If anyone is trying to decide to study abroad, I would highly recommend not only Barcelona, but the program I went through. They completely made my experience and allowed me to have unforgettable memories. Some of my favorite memories were how easy it was to travel within and outside of the country! I was able to go to thirteen different countries during my time abroad. During April I was able to travel to amsterdam with some girls I met through my program, I ate the best pancakes of my life and sat in the most beautiful parks. Being able to experience new cultures and languages is something that I think a I will cherish for the rest of my life. Study abroad is an experience I won’t ever forget and I’ve tried to incorporate the lessons I’ve learned even though I’m back in the states now.

It would be an understatement to say that I was nervous before leaving to go study in Rome for four months. However, through SAI, my worries went away shortly after arriving. Everything with SAI was incredibly organized and well planned out, from getting picked up from the airport, to all the planned activities and experiences throughout the semester. The onsite coordinators were always available and willing to help us with anything throughout my semester abroad, they were so caring and full of great suggestions. Additionally, the apartment that I stayed in through SAI was wonderful, so spacious and in a great location.

During my semester abroad I learned a ton about myself and became so much more independent and confident. I had so many new and incredible experiences and I made so many new lifelong friends. These four months in Rome were some of the best of my life and I am so glad I decided to study through SAI. Studying in Rome through SAI was one of the best decisions I ever made for myself.

I highly recommend studying abroad through SAI. They do everything they can to make sure you are prepared to travel abroad. While you are there they are always available to help you/answer any questions you have and they constantly held events to help you acclimate to your host city. The process of applying, paying, and getting credits through SAI is seamless. I highly recommend studying abroad through SAI. There were so many classes offered at the university that SAI had made sure were approved for credit at so many universities in the U.S. We were put up in real apartments, spread out around the city. It really helped you feel as though you really lived there because it was not a dorm. Also, everyone you meet from your classes is also spread out around the city. You have the opportunity to see so many apartments and different areas of the city you are in. If I could study abroad again, I, without a doubt, would work with SAI again. You won't regret it!

I studied abroad with SAI in Milan at Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore for Spring 2017. Milan was the absolute most amazing city to study abroad in, and by going through SAI I was provided with on the ground support and cultural immersion activities that I would not have gotten from anyone else. Their student support is truly unmatched. Milan is such an interesting and unique Italian city, and I was able to discover parts of it through SAI activities or off of the recommendation of my program coordinator that I wouldn't have known or found on my own.
The courses I took at Cattolica focused on the business side of fashion, which adds a unique part to my resume that I would not have been able to get at my home university. I loved that all of my professors were professionals in their field, which also meant that they had colleagues and professional friends that were able to come and speak with our class. We also did multiple field studies in all of my courses, so I got to attend things such as Fashion Week and be an audience member in the tapping of a very popular talk show. While you are studying abroad, they have high standards and do not want you to be there just to goof off. I absolutely loved the educational experience I was provided at Cattolica.
Beginning to end, SAI provided me with so much support that nothing was confusing or hard, and everything went super smoothly. Two of my courses counted for my major credits and the others came back as general elective credits very smoothly.

I loved almost every part of my experience abroad through SAI. The staff was always very helpful and accessible, FUA was a perfect summer school to study through with teachers that were experienced in their field and provided a new insight that is not common in America. I had plenty of time to travel on the weekends and explore both my host city and others in Europe. I took full advantage of every opportunity Florence provided me and was able to experience school, night life, and every day practices just as a local would have.