Program Reviews

I studied abroad in Florence, Italy during the Fall of 24 with ASA and it is one of the greatest experiences of my entire life. I was initially nervous about being away from home for so long, but ASA provided me with all of the support that I needed to get over those fear and fully enjoy myself. They have a super supportive and communicative team that is there with you every step of the way. Florence was also one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The scenery and history around every corner is amazing to live every single day. The uniqueness of living in a different country amongst a completely different culture is an eye-opening experience.

I studied abroad with ASA in Barcelona and had the time of my life!! I could not recommend it anymore this city will always hold a place in my heart! I’m already counting down the days till I can go back! I truly believe there is no better city to study abroad in! The providers at ASA were extremely helpful and helped make this very new transition much smoother and easier for all of us students! They also helped to teach us how to better immerse ourselves and to fall in love with the culture in Barcelona!

This experience was once in a lifetime! I was able to meet students and foreigners from all over the world in just 4 months. The time flew by but I visited 12 new countries and over 35 new cities I had never been to before. ASA did a really good job helping us adjust to a new life abroad. I knew not one single person on my way from the U.S to Florence, Italy but left with so many friends and memories that I will treasure forever. I really enjoyed the freedom this program had to offer and the opportunities we were given within the classrooms. Personally, I enjoyed the first weekend trip to Venice that ASA offered to my group and I. We were able to explore St. Mark's Basilica with a guided tour and enjoy a gondola ride through the canals. This was the best way to end my senior year and create such amazing memories and friends!

ASA (Academic Studies Abroad) is a family-owned business that offers many opportunities for students to go abroad. ASA was my program provider while I was studying in Florence, Italy this past semester and they made my experience so much more memorable. ASA emphasizes cultural immersion; we were provided diverse opportunities to engage with the culture through the program whether it was cooking classes, pottery painting, or even going on overnight weekend trips with ASA! Their unconditional support, which included pre-departure orientation, on-site assistance, and guidance on academic and personal matters, was so helpful during this big transition of my life. One thing I value is safety; ASA prioritizes student safety and well-being and is equipped to handle any issues that may arise during the program. ASA's team has experienced professionals, and their expertise ensures that students receive everything they need while on their abroad journey. They are passionate about education and the benefits of studying abroad and their enthusiasm and dedication to helping students succeed are evident in their work and interactions. I highly recommend ASA if you want the best study abroad experience.

I went on a semester abroad in Florence, Italy through ASA's program. Getting there was the most daunting and challenging part but ASA's staff was so helpful and prompt at respodning to my many questions about obtaining a visa, housing, and pretty much everything else lol. Once I got to Florence, it was all so new and exciting and it felt good to know that we had all of the staff from ASA there with us to support us throughout the semester as, at times, it could get overwhelming being in a new country. They offered many activities before classes started which included things like cooking classes and tours which helped me make some new friends, meet people, and learn about my new city without looking like a lost and confused tourist. I had the best roomates and everyone I met in my program was super fun. My roomates and I ended up making a few more friends that we ultimately traveled with the whole time we were abroad. It was super easy to travel if you did your research so definitely do because the oppurtunities are endless! I made a class schdeule for myslef to only have class on Mondays and Tuesdays so I could travel the rest of the week. They were long days of classes but so worth it. We went to many countries like Portugal, Spain, Greece, France, and even Africa! Going places in Italy was super easy too. ASA provided a couple trips with the program to different places within Italy. These trips were nice as we were able to stay in hotels and have group activites and dinners allowing us to meet more people-although we my group may have given up on one of our activities and decided to just eat together in a restaurant until it was over- but that was just another memory made! Overall the experience was something I will never forget and even with the hardships- and there are some, especially being homesick- it was important that I took in every moment of my semester which I think I did very well. The classes were also made fun by allowing different things such as cooking labs and outdoor activites too. I had a chocolate class and one day we made truffles which were amazing! I highly reccomend doing a semster abroad in Italy and with ASA. Its a smaller program so more attention to give to individuals and everyone is super super nice and helpful.

My experience going abroad with ASA was incredible, to say the least. I had always wanted to go abroad since my sister did back in 2012 when she studied in Sevilla, Spain. If you want a program that will answer your calls and emails right away, give you amazing staff that will care about you when you get abroad and want to have an unbelieve experience, then choose ASA. They helped me every step of the way when applying to their Barcelona program. They answered every question I had and guided me on what steps to take next on getting my visa which I got through them. I'm from Connecticut so getting a Visa to go abroad was going to be a difficult task since I would have had to travel to New York City to retrieve it. My ASA directors Marta and Richard became family to me for the next four months. They helped me with everything and anything from needing a doctors appointment to something in our apartment needed fixing. They were always available on their cellphones whenever you wanted to reach them. They always had great recommendations on places to eat or activities to do on weekends. My classes abroad set me up with so many opportunities to learn new things that I would never have learned back in the states. I couldn't thank ASA enough for all that they do to make sure everyone has an unbelievable time abroad. I met some of the best friends that I had never met before the trip and now we hang out every day at school.

ASA couldn't have been a more helpful and supportive program! The program offers so many opportunities in enhancing the abroad experience, and I'm so glad I chose them on my study abroad journey. From the application process, where I started from square 1 and was constantly asking for help, to fulfilling my days in Florence, Italy, the ASA staff was there for me. I would tell future participants that the staff truly cares about their students and provides so much help and insight.

My favorite memory was climbing the Duomo with ASA--just one of the many activities included in your tuition! I passed by the historic monument each day, yet never had the ability to climb the steps to the top. In April, the first weekend of sunshine (because the spring I was there was greeted with rain!!), ASA provided us a ticket to climb the Duomo. To see the city from that height was incredible!

I am so glad that I went abroad to Maynooth, Ireland but I am so glad that I went with ASA. Our site director, provided through ASA, was extremely helpful. She gave amazing advice, knew Ireland so well, and was always there for us if we needed anything. But here are some of the best parts of studying abroad in Maynooth
1. ASA coordinated a pick up day at the airport so we didn't have to worry about getting from Dublin to Maynooth.
2. The housing situation was that almost everyone lived in a single in an apartment ("flat") on campus. Each flat had a little kitchen, dining area, and living space as well as around 6 people in each flat - each having their own bathroom as well.
3. ASA scheduled different excursions around Dublin and Ireland that were great! They helped us absorb the Irish culture and were already paid for in the cost to go!
4. Maynooth University offers an incredibly wide variety of courses each term. I studied some of the most interesting classes in my undergraduate studies while I was in Maynooth.
5. The people in Ireland are so nice and welcoming that anyone from anywhere is bound to feel at home after a week or two. I went to Ireland completely alone so ASA was a great choice because it put me in a group with about 20 other students from all across the US who were also studying in Ireland for that semester.
6. ASA allows so much free time, even with the scheduled excursions. I travelled to many other countries as well but still felt that I explored my home country enough!

If I hadn't stumbled upon the acronym ASA, I would not be the person typing this review. I would not be as curious, hungry and driven as I now am. I aspire to see as much of this beautiful world as I can, and with ASA I was able to travel to 11 countries, including my host country, Italy. After experiencing the semester of a lifetime and making the most amazing friends who have similar aspirations in life and the same eagerness to travel to new places and meet new people, I look forward to all of the adventures to come. ASA is an organization that provides each student with so much support from the time you fill out the application to as soon as you step off the plane in your host country and all throughout your semester abroad. The individuals who work for ASA are passionate about their job and care so much about students, their well-being and their experience. I don't know who I would be or where I would be if I had selected another provider to study abroad with, but I sure am grateful I chose ASA :)

Going abroad was hands down the best decision I ever made! I studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland at Griffith College from January 2018-March 2018. The experiences I had throughout those four months are unforgettable and will absolutely last a life time. I'm so thankful for ASA in helping me throughout the whole application process. It was easy and fool proof. The other best part of ASA were the excursions included in our tuition. We were able to not just experience Dublin as a whole, but also other parts of Ireland. We were so lucky to have our amazing on-site director, Olwyn, there to help and guide us through it all. Dublin is the most charming city and Ireland is quite the place to call home for a few months. No language barrier, incredible culture and the friendliest people you will ever meet. Not a day goes by where I don't reflect on my experience and trust me when I say you will absolutely never regret it!