Program Reviews

I participated in the API Study Abroad Program at the University of the Arts - Camberwell College of the Arts (for photography) in London, England. My first choice was Paris, but I panicked about being away from my family and friends for 3 months, especially because I did not speak the language. I ended up deciding on London because it was a place that I had been previously, and the arts program looked like something that I could really enjoy. I am so glad that I changed my mind! I was the first to attend Camberwell College of the Arts, so there were a few bumps that needed to be worked out, mostly just figuring out what classes I was to take, but I couldn't have enjoyed the experience more. The classes taught me to push my thinking outside of the box and not rely on such detailed project descriptions to finish my assignment. Our resident director was amazing. She was there whenever I had question and took us on awesome trips around the city (and even outside the area). After I graduated from my undergraduate degree, I ended up going back to London for my Master and even helped out the local API resident director for a few weeks with her new students!

API London was a great program! I learned and explored so much during my time abroad and I could have done it without the help of the API London Staff. They were helpful before, during, and after my study abroad time. I loved the different excursions they took us on. Each one was unique and many of them were places I never would have known existed without their guidance. The encouraged us to explore on our own as well. Both of my program leaders were great and knowledgeable about the places we were going and even for giving tips of other places we should check out. I have recommended not only this program but API in general to other friends who agree that they provided the best experience and support for a study abroad student. If I had to do it over again (which I wish I could), I would choose API again.

I spent a semester and summer abroad studying and living in Barcelona. This statement, that I say quite frequently in my everyday conversations, is the most proud sentence I can say about myself. I am so incredibly proud of this part of my life because it has changed and shaped me to be the successful person I am today. Through that amazing period in my life, I grew stronger by becoming independent; moving to a different country where English is not primarily spoken by myself, without any friends or family. Instead of grouping myself in an American crowd, a few friends and I insisted on making friends from other countries and from Spain to emerge in the culture. This was introduced to us as important in the very beginning by the program (API) and I am so happy they did. I still say, to this day, that the education I received abroad in Barcelona was the best education I received in my undergrad program. Not only was I in classes that were relevant to my majors back home, I was being educated internationally which taught me different cultures' way of "doing business". The Spanish classes I was in were tough. They challenged me everyday and pushed me to not only stop relying on English, when I wasn't sure on the word, but allowed me to become fluent in the language. Still to this day, 6 years later, I dream in Spanish: because Spain is where my heart and soul is.

I had a really great abroad experience with API. They helped us to travel all over Spain and made sure we knew where we were when we travelled to ensure our safety and location at all times. The director starts you off in Madrid, where you stay in a hotel for three days, explore Madrid, see several palaces and museums and get guided tours through them. On the way to Salamanca, where I stayed, the program stops in Toledo for several hours where you see some old churches and mosques and understand the Christian and Arab influences that both took place there. Once in Salamanca, you get a tour of the city and the chapels while taking class from 9-2. The rest of the time can be spent however you want it. If you need any help at school or are interested in an intercambio program, API helps you to set up this type of activity too. They even send you off with a goodbye dinner before you go! Overall, I absolutely loved my trip and met a lot of great people from Spain, various other countries and from all over America. I highly recommend them to anyone going abroad!

I had the best experience studying abroad in Spain with Academic Programs International. I went to Granada, which is a beautiful city in southern Spain near the Sierra Nevada Mountains. API prepared us for the experience by having orientation for everyone in the program in Madrid, organizing cultural activities and excursions, and giving us tips on social norms in Spain. My program directors were very approachable and always ready to help with anything or just to chat about how things were going. API is also great because they organize your housing for you (although you can do it on your own if you prefer) with the option of a student residence hall or a homestay. The excursions were some of the highlights of my trip (we went to Rome and a few other places in Spain), and I became friends with a bunch of other API students who really made my study abroad experience memorable. I would definitely recommend API to anyone who wants to study abroad!

My decision to study abroad with API in Granada, Spain was the most rewarding and life changing decision I ever made. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of the amazing experiences and opportunities that this program provided me, and for that I am forever grateful. Each of my expectations were met, and most often exceeded, thanks to the endless, helpful support of the API Granada staff.

I selected Granada as my study abroad city actually through the help of Go Overseas! I submitted a question to Go Overseas, asking the pros and cons of studying in Salamanca, Sevilla, and Granada, and received a response with a ton of information which ultimately helped me make my selection. I chose Granada because it was beautiful and I wanted a smaller city with a more intimate feel, making it easier to learn the language. It was a great decision for me. In a big city like Madrid or Barcelona, English runs rampant. Granada provided more consistent access to the Spanish language. It is an inexpensive city that offers everything. It has a bustling small city feel in its center (far more urban than I was actually expecting), with lots of shopping and eating opportunities, but as soon as you get to the center limits, there is nature and beautiful, extensive views. Places like the Albaicin and Sacromonte are amazing cultural hubs and offer fantastic opportunities to explore. Take a 10 or 20 minute bus ride, you can be in the mountains on a breathtaking hike. It really is a city with everything.

With a primary goal of improving my Spanish, I quickly decided to live with a host family. Looking back, it was the smartest and best decision I made throughout this process. While I could see how choosing to live with a host family is a make or break experience, the decision is a necessity and a no brainer with a supportive program like API. I personally had an amazing host family experience. I'm a vegetarian and had come to the conclusion well before my semester started that my Spanish diet would most likely consist of only bread for my four month stay. This was far from the case. API asked extensive questions before our stay that made the transition abroad seamless. This included dietary restrictions. API paired me with a roommate who was also a vegetarian, which off the bat made the experience far less stressful. My host mother was more than accommodating, making us well-rounded and delicious meals each and every day.

Before studying abroad, I heard a lot about the fear of a lack of freedom to come and go as one pleased when living with a host family. This was never a problem. My roommate and I were each given a key to the apartment, which therefore allowed us constant access. and extensive freedom. There were no curfews or restrictions, with the understanding that we would be respectful when returning late at night. Traveling for long weekends or days throughout the semester wasn't a problem either. We were just asked to tell our host mother our travel dates, both for safety reasons and so she could plan our meals.

Classes were an adjustment at first, but not as difficult to adapt to as I was expecting. Each of my professors had extensive experience in teaching Spanish to foreigners, which made them easy to understand. They were clear and understanding, always willing to answer questions and help their students. Although the actual workload was very light at times, the classes were some of the most helpful Spanish courses I have ever taken. I was in the Spanish Language and Culture program, and therefore didn't have classes on Fridays. This was an added bonus and made it much easier to travel for long weekends!

The one experience I wish I was better-prepared for was the Spanish placement exam at the start of the semester. It was a bit downplayed and ended up being a three hour exam consisting of several parts, including various reading comprehension, listening, and writing sections. My advice would definitely be not to arrive to Spain very rusty on your Spanish language skills, specifically grammar, if your goal is to place high and gain certain college credit. This would require a certain score on the tedious placement exam. If you're a beginner, there's no stress, since you're not looking to be placed in a high level. Overall, it wasn't the most pleasant experience, but it short-lived, and any issues as a result of the exam were quickly fixed by Carmen and Curra, our fantastic Granada resident program directors. In the end, no one started the first week of classes unhappy with their placement.

While abroad, I also had the opportunity to teach an English workshop with my friend. This was a unique opportunity that allowed me the chance to experience what it is like teaching English abroad, which especially great since it's something I'm considering doing after graduation. It was interesting to teach this workshop while improving my own language skills at the same time, because it really demonstrated a universal desire to bridge cultural gaps and learn language, while simultaneously pointing out the universal struggle as well.

In my opinion, a strong highlight of API is the excursion aspect of the program. Being the most reasonably priced program I found, API still offered the most resources for its students. My semester, students went to Cadiz, Las Alpujarras, and Rome, Italy. All of our trips were extremely well organized and allowed for extensive amounts of freedom. There were many opportunities available to us, and most of them were optional, so we were able to pick and chose how we wanted to spend our time. Plus our hotels were stunning and in great locations as an added bonus. We also did a lot of travel during orientation our first week, which was a bit overwhelming but a great experience. We visited places like Madrid, Toledo, and El Escorial. API Granada is a fantastic value for the price of the program.

Ultimately, API Granada was an experience that beyond exceeded my study abroad expectations. I had endless resources and opportunities available to me, in addition to meeting fantastic people. The kindness of Carmen and Curra cannot be matched. The only change I would make next time would be to do it for a full year.

API was very accommodating in the US and in Spain. They made my experience amazing and made me feel like I really belonged in Spain. The whole staff was really helpful and they knew the answers to our questions before we even asked them. I really liked how excursions were organized with the program. It was a nice to go on a trip and not worrying about any accommodations. Also I liked how on campus we had an academic advisor specifically for API students. I liked how API requires all their students to take a language class. If you are studying abroad in an non english speaking country I think this is a necessity. I wanted to change my schedule when I arrived in Barcelona and I did it with no worries because of our advisor. Also I liked how API set up events around the city that we could attend with other API students. Finally I really liked the housing options. All the options were very nice to live in. I would defiantly recommend API.

I studied in Barcelona for 7 weeks this summer. I lived in an apartment with four other girls, and we all were just meeting each other for the first time. A typical day included waking up and getting ready, taking the metro to class, grabbing lunch at the cafe next to our school in between classes, and ending class around one in the afternoon. We spent the afternoons sightseeing, shopping, walking around the city, or at the beach. The nights were spent hanging out with other people from the APi program, watching futbol at the bars, and meeting new people. Barcelona was all about trying new things, new experiences, and meeting new people. Living in an apartment on our own gave us a new sense of independence and pushed me out of my comfort zone. On the weekends I explored new cities and traveled to Germany and Italy. The program also took us on weekend excursions to the beautiful island of Mallorca and Costa Brava. All in all, the program was amazing and the coordinators responded to any type of problem immediately.

I had always loved French, studied it throughout school, but I had never left the country - until I signed up with API.

Before I departed, they sent me a DETAILED information packet with travel info and advice, and specific instructions on how to navigate Charles de Gaulle Airport once I landed - which was indescribably helpful. Once I landed, I followed their directions straight to the gate where the API representative was waiting with a great big sign. She greeted all of us as we arrived and began answering questions from the first moment. We were off on the right foot.

API gave me the option of arranging me an apartment, living in their student dorms, or arranging me a homestay - I chose the latter. They placed me with a kind older woman who had lots of experience hosting foreign students - she had done it many times, and it showed. The apartment was clean, inviting, and she was a wonderful host, truly more like a mother-away-from-home. The neighborhood was perhaps not the BEST, but she and API gave me plenty of advice on how to stay safe, and I had no problems.

My courses at the Sorbonne were challenging, but rewarding, and my French absolutely skyrocketed. I went from a mumbling, unsure kid to a regular local. I was amazed at myself. My professors were no-nonsense, but nurturing, helpful, and good at their jobs.

API itself hosted sessions at their HQ in the heart of Paris, and it became a sort of central meeting-and-hangout place for us students. API led classes on Parisian etiquette, how to navigate the public transport, places to avoid, things to see, and cultural examinations of things we had noticed. They really went the extra mile to make sure we were not just students - that we felt like we LIVED there. It was the truest definition of immersion. I'm so grateful for it, even more than my classes themselves.

The API staff were the best I have ever encountered in Int'l Education. The administrative staff solved any problem we came to them with, cheerfully and quickly. The guides that led the excursions were fun-loving and energetic, but professional and focused as well. You could tell that THEY were thrilled to show us these things.

I cannot say enough about this API program. It is a huge investment of trust in a company to give them thousands of dollars, hop on a plane to the other side of the world, and hope that the company is everything it claims to be. API really is everything they claim to be. From the moment I got off the plane, to the moment months later when I got back on it, they took care of me every step of the way, and made sure that I had all the tools I needed to get everything out of the experience that I could.

Thanks to API, I now love to travel. I'm now not scared to explore the unknown. I've since been to other, faraway places, far more intimidating than Paris, France. But I never would have been able to, had API not absolutely knocked it out of the park on my first study abroad.

They are professionals, and they will show you the best sides of the world.

API definitely helped to make my experience absolutely amazing! I decided to study abroad in Barcelona and looked into various programs that I could study through. I decided on this one because it was much cheaper than many other programs and I had heard that API was a great provider.

I was able to live in an absolutely beautiful apartment in the Gothic District directly across from the Barcelona Cathedral. It was so amazing to be able to go to my living room window everyday and look out onto a gorgeous cathedral.

The API staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and were awesome people to get to know. Any questions or concerns I had they handled immediately.

Also, a huge perk to API programs is that they include excursions. I was able to go on an international excursion to Rome, and also on another weekend one to Sevilla. We also went on a few day trips and we had many cultural activities planned as well.

Overall, my experience abroad was fantastic! Barcelona is an incredible city with such a rich culture. I met so many amazing people and was able to live in a beautiful city for four months. It was definitely one of the best experiences of my life.