Program Reviews

The Art History Abroad Autumn European Gap Semester Program is a wonderfully enriching intellectual experience for gap year students. The Program's knowledgeable tutors teach the history of Europe not through dry lectures but through engaging and immersive "sessions" in which students get to interact with history in a first-hand manner through the art and architecture that they encounter. Art History Abroad also teaches students how to navigate life away from home effectively. The Gap Semester fosters a spirit of maturity in all Art History Abroad students. Aside from the appeal of the Gap Semester with respect to the growth of students, the 12 weeks students and tutors spend together in Europe are unbelievably enjoyable.

This semester was the best of my life. I had at least one moment every single day for three months where I could not believe where I was or what I was doing. The art and architecture we studied was EPIC and the people are EPIC. You learn how to see on this trip, observe and understand the world around you just a little bit more. It was so informative beyond studying art and history, you learn tons about yourself as well right in time before you head off to college or whatever's in store for you after high school. And the people are a constant source of giggles and inspiration. Go on this semester trip!

I had an amazing two weeks on the AHA southern course! We saw the beautiful Naples and ended up visiting many towns in Sicily, a poorer part of Italy yet still so stunning, and full of incredible architecture as well as some breathtaking Caravaggio paintings. The tutors were incredible - so much fun but also so passionate and knowledgeable, full of information and fun facts about the art! I learned a huge deal of fascinating things but also made some amazing friends! I love history of art but it’s not something I’m thinking of studying, nonetheless I would recommend this course for anyone because with the art comes friendships, happiness and the building of a group. Thank you so much to AHA for a truly unforgettable course.

Anousha O’Malley

Before having found AHA, I had never been away from home without the company of friends or family. The idea of being on my own was a terrifying concept. But AHA changed that for me. I came into the program thinking I would fail. Instead, I succeeded in the best of ways. There was so much that made the trip extremely memorable. From the art, the tutors, and the other students, AHA made it their goal to help us have the best time possible. The tutors not only were supportive, but they were fun, happy and altogether fantastic. They were amazing teachers too, providing us with the necessary tools to be passionate about the art we saw while not pushing us in the way of exams or tests. They taught us simply for the love of learning. Also, the food was amazing. Every dinner was a new experience, and I never grew tired of eating pasta. AHA provided me, and I believe so many others, with the chance to experience art in a new and thought-provoking way. We had discussion-based sessions where students were encouraged to ask questions and speak out, while also having sessions where we would be able to draw and write about the art we saw.

There was so much to explore on this trip, so much to do and so much to learn. I would really recommend it for anyone looking to learn (for the sake of learning!) and to have fun. I’m so glad that I found AHA’s summer course, and if I could, I’d do it all over again.

This program was wonderful and taught me a great deal about art history. All the tutors are immensely knowledgable, and having the opportunity to visit so many significant historical sites in person was an amazing experience. The course was also very fun socially, and provides a great opportunity to make lifelong friends. It is challenging and engaging, and is also a program that will certainly make anyone who takes it change as a person and grow. There were many different aspects of the course, and many different periods of art history were covered, making it quite expansive and informative. The quality of the information delivered by the tutors and the quantity of incredible sites that were in the itinerary, as well as the opportunities for social interaction made this a truly unforgettable program.

I attended the AHA Semester program in 2015. I completed two courses I fell so throughly in love with it. I met some of my closest friends from all over the globe that I still stay in touch with and see regularly. The tutors were extremely knowledgable and enthusiastic about teaching and inspired a life-long passion in art history in me....I am now an art history major going to university in Florence if that's any indication for you. I plan on becoming a Renaissance professor after I get my masters' degree in art history. AHA made me fall in love with art history and find what passion I wanted to follow as a career. The hotels and inns included are charming and quintessentially Italian. The groups and tutors always have engaging conversation over traditional, delicious Italian antipasti. Italy is a dream and AHA is too....don't wait, just GO!!!

This program was a dream come true. I made friendships that will last a lifetime. The tutors were amazing! I would wake up each day excited to see which new adventure I was going to embark on. This is the program for you if you are into art history and the European culture. Submerging myself into Europe made me fall in love with this continent that was so new to me at the moment. The best part of the trip was being able to take a hands on approach into different art and cultures. This trip made me more worldly and independent. I came back as a stronger person and I could not thank AHA enough. The overall experience made me grow as a person and has made me continue the path of art history into college in Florence, Italy. I will remember this trip for the rest of my life and I can’t wait to share my story with everyone!

I went on the full 3 month September throughout December trip, and it was one of the best experiences ever. Sure it wasn’t perfect, but I loved the “tutors” - the people who were leading us everyday and teaching learning sessions, and I met so many great people. I would recommend this trip to anyone who says they want to travel to Europe during their gap year. We travelled to so many cities: London, Stratford (English Countryside), Paris, Nice, Montepulciano (Tuscany), Rome, Naples, Siena, Florence, Verona, Castelfranco, and Venice. The first six weeks is a smaller group and then once in Italy- more people join- which was difficult at first because we had become settled into our original group but everything eventually calmed down and the groups integrated and we got to meet more amazing people. I would even recommend this trip to people who don’t particularly love art history- like me- because I had such an amazing time learning about it and it’s not even what I’m pursuing in college. Plus, the program gives us ample free time to explore the city for ourselves or just hang out with your new friends. Would go back in a heartbeat!

I went into this program having little to no knowledge and experience in art history; in fact, the only art related courses I had taken in school were the easiest ones I could find to fulfill my art requirements. But I am a fond believer in exploring outside your comfort zone, so I decided to give this course a shot, and I am so glad I did. The tutors are all so engaging and funny that even if would not normally be particularly interested in the subject that they are teaching about, you will still find yourself engaged in the lesson and enjoying every minute of it. Additionally, the tutors cover such a wide variety of topics and take the students on so many different activities, that you are bound to find things that truly interest you. The summer course is a very fast paced course and you are traveling around quite a bit, but as long as you utilize the free time provided to get any rest you may need, you should have no problem at all. And if there ever is any problem, the tutors are incredibly approachable and helpful, so if you ever, say, swap bags with someone at the London airport, they will do everything in their power to help you get the bag back and keep the mind off the fact you've been wearing the same pair of clothes for nearly a week! While the lessons and activities are a joy to partake in, the most valuable experiences for me were the relationships I had formed with the incredible tutors and fellow students. This group will become like a family abroad, with some pretty hip parents I might add, and if nothing else, you will have such a great time exploring the beautiful country of Italy with them.

I didn't know what to expect when I flew to Italy for AHA, but wow - it was a wonderful, life-changing trip. As I'd hoped, I learned so much about the world through art history during my time in Italy, but I also made some of the best friends I've ever met. How can I describe my tutors... words really wouldn't do justice to how much I enjoyed their company. I think it's so nice that I can stay in touch and go and visit them in the future. The same for my peers - we came from different places around the world, but everybody was friendly and open-minded. Our trip was the perfect balance of learning, laughing, and having fun. We saw the most beautiful art pieces of all time, we visited some of the most beautiful views I've ever seen, and we shared some of the most beautiful conversations I've ever had (blackcurraant :).

I was quite unsure of what direction I wanted to take in life before this trip, but AHA helped me so much in figuring out what I want to do and the people I want to be with.
GRAZIE to all of my tutors, peers, and people who made this trip possible. I won't forget you!