Program Reviews

I initially decided to study with API because I had a handful of friends who studied with them a year before me (Barcelona, Florence, Ireland, and London) and had nothing but great things to say. As I researched more and more, I learned of the "perks," if you will, about choosing a program that is with you every step of the way. It was super easy: I filled out the paperwork and got my letters of recommendation together, and they essentially took care of the rest. API helps in obtaining a student visa, and you are constantly receiving emails about what items may or may not be missing, so you never get behind in the application process. Once I hit ground in BCN, my Resident Directors were there to greet us at the airport...they put us up in a hotel for the first three days in the city, where they showed us everything from transportation, to great spots to go, to just plain getting closer with people in the program. They help move you into your host home, apartment, or dorm (whichever you choose) and literally work 24/7 in case you ever need anything. Lastly, they took us on monthly excursions to other countries, which was included in the price. For me--and especially for my parents--it was a relief to know you weren't just dumped in the city to fend for yourself. I had freedom to hang out and do WHATEVER I wanted, but if I needed anything, it was just a metro ride away to their Barcelona office.
The city has everything a person could ever want: the beach, the mountains, awesome food, beautiful architecture, an unreal nightlife and concert scene, and loads of things to do in the daytime. I just love being out of my comfort zone, and this was the perfect country to do so in.

The class I took at UAB were great. There was a mandatory 6 credit Spanish class, which you are tested for and placed in based on your level before you get there. I also took a 3 credit course which focused on the economic system in Europe, and a 3 credit course which dissected the architecture and art around the country. All were super hands-on, and rather than sitting in class all day every day, we would go on "field trips" and have discussions. It was great.

Now let's get to what everyone wants to really know: how was the nightlife?

Barcelona is considered one of the best in Europe. There is so much to do at night, and so many diverse bars that you'll never get bored. From a 5 story club with different music on each floor, to a bar that revolves around the Stock Exchange, to townie dives, there is EVERYTHING. And if you're ever feeling homesick, there are plenty of Irish Pubs around too ;)

I studied my junior spring semester in 2010. I chose API's Florence program primarily because of the course offerings; specifically, the food courses. I ended up discovering a passion for food and now plan on going on to study the field for a career after graduating. I went with API because it was the most all-encompassing program, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The staff support (both abroad and at home), excursions, apartments and all the extra help were invaluable and I know that my experience would not have been as amazing had I gone with a different program. I started writing my food blog, When Bread Is Broken at the start of my semester and you can see all of my adventures and daily routine in Florence there.

The study abroad experience is priceless; there is just something about knowing you can navigate international foreign airports that is absolutely liberating and has given me a confidence in my adaptability that I'd never had before. I think it also helps open your mind, which helped me to appreciate and embrace not only other cultures, but my own. If you can look at every obstacle as a learning experience (and learn to laugh!), it is the best experience of your life.

This was the most unforgettable and rewarding experience I have been fortunate enough to have. I have been home (my home in the states, I still consider Salamanca my home)for over 4 months and day after day I still think of the time I had traveling throughout Spain and other countries of Europe. I meet the most wonderful people, who I will never forget. Salamanca was so full of the Spanish culture (and they spoke pure castellano)I didn't go a day without learning something new. Of course, tapas (little plates of various foods) were incredibly tasty and not to mention, pretty to look at. Salamanca had a wonderful nightlife for any age, and as a college student, I definitely got my fill. I volunteered and taught Salamanca natives english, which was even more fulfilling. I will never forget this phenomenal time in my life and thanks to API, it was all I could ask for!

My experience with API in Costa Rica was amazing. I spent a summer abroad there and participated in the Spanish for Nursing program that was just starting up. Our API group consisted of 10 students and only one other was doing the Spanish for Nursing program with me. However, once we arrived in San Joaquin de Flores we combined our program with one from the University of Illinois so that there was a bigger group.

While there I stayed with a host family that was unbelievably great. My tico family was an elderly couple who had kids and grandkids living in the area. Although the couple lived alone they were always having people over. They were so welcoming and kind that I felt comfortable right away. I was also lucky enough to be living quite close to the school so that I could easily walk to class every day.

As far as the classes went, they were pretty good. The Spanish for Nursing class that I took was different from what I expected but really interesting all the same. Instead of focusing on learning vocabulary that would apply to the health care field we learned a lot about the Costa Rican health care system and did field visits each week to different types of clinics and hospitals in the area. It was interesting to see how a universal health care system works and discuss pros and cons of their system with the locals. The other class that I took was a film class that was interesting in that we watched a lot of movies that demonstrated how different the Latin and Hispanic cultures are and how they are portrayed in film; however, if I were to do it again I probably would have taken one of the history classes instead.

I think what really made this experience as great as it was was the API staff in Costa Rica as well as the other students on the trip. The two API staff members were outstanding. They were always so kind and helpful when we needed any assistance with school stuff or trip planning. They were really great resources to have and just really fun to talk with. The program itself was planned out so well and everything went so smoothly, getting us from one place to the next, taking group trips, etc. All of our accommodations on the excursions were amazing and they just took really great care of us. Lastly, the other students in the API group were so much fun to be with. I'm not sure if we just got lucky with such a great group of people but we all got along really well and planned out group trips to different parts of the country almost every weekend. (Getting from San Joaquin de Flores to other places was fairly easy since it was about 45 minutes from San Jose, and almost all destinations were accessible from San Jose.) It was nice to go out and experience everything with other students who were as enthusiastic to be there as I was.

Overall I thought that this program was fantastic and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to go. I improved my Spanish a lot, made new friends, and fell in love with Costa Rica. If I could have stayed longer I would have, but unfortunately my major was difficult to work into study abroad curricula. Regardless, I think it was a a great time and a great experience that I would highly recommend.

I'm from Southern California and I have never traveled to Europe before. I did not know anyone in the program and was a little worried about being out of my element abroad. API made it VERY easy and convenient to get from the airport to where they had arranged for us to stay in Madrid. The hotel was in the middle of town and it was absolutely the best. We spent a few days in Madrid and went to Granada via bus, which was like a charter bus in America.

My housing was in the center of Granada and my roommate and I could not have been better paired. Being from the opposite side of the country I was slightly worried we wouldn't get along, but we are not the closest of friends. API gave us a tour across the city and showed us how to get to the school. They took us up to the Alhambra, which would have cost about 12 euro (about 15 dollars) and provided a guided tour. It is one of my favorite parts of Granada. Daily a few of us would go and get a drink and FREE tapas which only Granada offers.

The University is really nice, although it is almost 100% other American students. I would like to have more opportunities for intercambios to meet and chat with Spanish people my age.

I stayed with a host family and it worked out very well. I'm a pretty picky eater and she catered to my taste very well but still gave us some freedom to pick what we wanted for breakfasts and dinners.

When picking which city to go to, I knew I would have more opportunities to travel if I lived in a big city. But it is only a short ride, about 10 euro to get to Malaga. In my 1 semester abroad I went to 8 other countries and it was a very reasonable price. When I traveled to the bigger cities there was definitely more pick pocketing and other urban life problems. I compare it to where I live at home. I live in San Diego, and as nice as it is to go to LA, I really like and would promote slightly smaller cities that have a less crazy urban life vibe but still have so much beauty and fun.

API helped me pick my city and do all the processes from my transcript, getting my Visa, any and were there if I had any issues abroad (which there were none).

I absolutely loved my time in Granada. I've talked about it so much that most of my friends now roll their eyes and sigh anytime the word Spain even comes out of my mouth. I chose that city because it is a college town, so I knew there would be lots of Spaniards in my age group, and because it was smaller I thought it would be easier to get into the habit of speaking Spanish more regularly. Also, the city itself is absolutely beautiful + they have one of the most famous gelato shops in all of the south-Los Italianos- I'm pretty sure it was featured on the Travel Channel, or by Rick Steves. The thing I enjoyed the most was just being outdoors on a regular basis, being from a large city in Texas I spend a good amount of time experiencing my city as I drive, I loved getting to walk around, bike ride, hike and just sit outside with a cool drink. I also got very lucky as I was able to experience Spain during a World Cup year so there was lots of excitement, made even better by the fact that they won for the first time ever! The hardest thing was probably adapting to day-to-day activities. Everyone tells about about the history of Spain, the importance of Catholicism, flamenco, tapas, etc. What I didn't know before arrival was what was difficult to adjust to- bringing my own toilet paper to some bars, not having AC on a regular basis, siesta (its real, and once you get used to it, it's glorious) getting used to literally everything being closed on Sundays, etc. As you get accustomed to those things, they become less of a big deal-but I wish I had known ahead of time. Overall, I loved my experience and I would return in a heartbeat.

I feel like the host family experience really helped me get immersed in the program. They allowed me to meet their family and really feel at home. The academics were somewhat challenging and I went to class Monday through Friday for four hours a day. My schedule was set up so that I was able to take time throughout the day to enjoy everyday Spanish life including siestas, tapas, and cafe con leche. Granada has a small town feel, with everything in walking distance including the Albacin, Alhambra, the Cathedral, etc but also always has something going on and a great night life. Malaga, which has an international airport,is only an hour bus ride away. There is also a beautiful beach city called Nerja that we went to a few times over the semester that is so beautiful! I would not have chosen any other city to have spent 5 months in. It is such a unique city that really captures the authentic life of Andalusia.

Paris is one of the most rewarding and intriguing places to study abroad,and taking that journey with API was a choice I'll never regret. Throughout the journey that is adapting to a new culture the API Paris staff on-site was always there to make sure everything was taken care of. My housing was wonderfully centered in the 10e arrondissment and within reach of several historic chapels and train stations. The best part about choosing this program was being able to have such a great experience because I had to deal with less stress about all the little intricacies involved with going to a foreign university. API includes housing with many great options for this program with a great variety to choose from.

As far as academics go, la Sorbonne, is a great choice for those seeking to have a total French immersion setting that still focuses on grammar and is oriented for those learning French as a second or other language. The classes are small and are only with other international students. It was great; I made a lot of new friends and acquaintances with people I may have never gotten the chance to meet otherwise. I would definitely say that the classes taught at the Sorbonne were on target.

Overall, studying abroad was a great experience with a rewarding outcome, and I would recommend this program to anyone seeking a fun, educational alternative to foreign language education.

Salamanca is a great town, it is very safe to walk at any time, people are nice and friendly, and the social scene there is the best. Everyday there was something fun to do, and everything was walking distance. I think choosing Salamanca was the best decision I made, it is the most wonderful and enchanting city you will ever encounter.

When I first started looking at going abroad I was overwhelmed with the choices in programs available. I ended up selecting to study abroad with API and it was the best decision I ever made concerning my academics. API provides its students with the best help, housing, excursions, and involvement opportunities. While studying at LdM in Florence I was able to meet students from other programs that I had decided not to study with and all of the students were jealous of everything that I was receiving as an API student. The staff worked tirelessly to help me secure the documents and finances needed to study abroad and, once in Europe, provided the best advice about weekend and holiday travel, cultural events, and activities. There were so many opportunities available through API that I wouldn't have received if I would have gone with another program. API placed us in an awesome apartment right in downtown Florence where we were in walking distance of all major historical and cultural destinations, and transportation. API set up events for us to attend such a Fiorentina game, city tours, a cooking class, a circus show, community service, and even participation in the city's half marathon. During our excursions, we went to the most popular cities during the height of their cultural activities for the year and we always stayed in the best accommodations. If you are looking at studying abroad, definitely choose API. They are the best program, hands down! If you go with another program, you'll spend your whole experience jealous of the opportunities that the API students received.