Program Reviews

Even after 8 years, studying abroad is still probably one of my favorite experiences in life. Not only did I make great friends, but I was able to see and experience London. One of my favorite aspects was when I started to feel like a local. Even at the end, you’re excited to go home, but you will miss the place you’ve called home for the last few weeks or months. It is something you must experience to really understand. For me, I knew I wanted to study abroad when I got to college. One of the best pieces of advice is to plan ahead, it makes it a lot easier. From applying to cost, knowing your timeline will keep you ahead of things. There are so many options when it comes to studying abroad and for me, going abroad with API was a great option. It was my first time abroad and my mom appreciated the support API provided. I was able to be independent but know someone was still there in case I needed something. Not only do you get information before and after your trip, but there are people physically there with you. I also really enjoyed our API group. We had some arranged outings like the Olympic Walking Tour (prior to the Summer 2012 Olympics), which gave us a chance to get to know each other so you never felt alone. 8 years later and I still talk to many of them. The London summer program at the University of Westminster turned out to be a lot more fun than I expected. They designed an international summer school, so you can meet students from all over the world. One of the best parts was the arranged rips, which made it easy to see a ton of stuff without having to plan it myself. That said, there is still plenty of time after class to explore London. Class was a few hours in the morning and then you had the rest of the day. There was still some homework involved, but it was manageable. I feel like I still learned a lot in class, but the teachers and school understand why you’re there. Some of my favorite memories were my trip to Wimbledon, visiting cathedrals, Big Pit Coal Mine in Wales, and the numerous museums you can visit. There is so much to do and see in London, you will never be bored! If you are even considering studying abroad in London, go for it! You won't regret it. And API helped provide an amazing experience and I would highly recommend them if you plan to study abroad in London or anywhere.

Housing is found by API and is really nice. My host family ended up being amazing, and I consider them my second family now.

Classes are scheduled with API and can be either challenging or not depending on what you want! You can take them in English or Spanish, and you can even take classes with Chileans (and those classes are harder but are more interesting)

The API staff is wonderful and very helpful (both in the US and Chile). The Chilean woman who worked with us was a genuine person and I miss her so much!

And Chile itself is a beautiful country with wonderful people. You're right on the beach, plenty of bars and places to hang out during the day and at night. Transportation is great so you can hop on a micro (bus) and go anywhere!

The only downside to this program can be some of the other students who tend to do this program (not everyone understands they are in another country and that they can't act like they would on a college campus), but hey, you probably get that everywhere!

I had a great time! I was able to complete major requirements and have the experience of a lifetime! I took difficult science classes, to keep myself on track with my biology major. The classes were in line with the difficulty of my home university. All classes were taught in english, by professionals within their field (ex. psych class taught by a real life psychologist) I was able to set up time to volunteer in a local hospital as well, which will look great on my resume. I had no issues transferring credits at all, everything came through easily. The program itself is great. It includes three overnight excursions and many day trips. The program directors are impeccable and easy to reach. Highly recommend for all majors, not just science. Theres no program quite like this for the same cost.

Studying abroad at the University of Leeds was the best decision I made! The staff at API are very supportive, informative and enthusiastic about international education. What is unique about the program at Leeds is the fact that you are experiencing the English culture through the lens of an English university student. This program is one of the only programs in England where you have the opportunity to live in student halls with English students, attend lectures with local students, and fully immerse yourself within the student community. Leeds is also easily accessible, there is a bus system in the city, a train station downtown, and an airport outside the city. Leeds is located near many national parks, so there is easy access to hiking and exploring historic sites in England. API also includes cultural excursions to further teach you about British culture, such as trips to London, Edinburgh, and historic sites in Yorkshire.

Beyond the immersive aspects of the program, Leeds offers a wide range of courses to enroll in. By taking art history courses not offered at my home university, I enhanced my academic studies and strengthened my research skills within the field. The University also sent weekly emails to students about internship and volunteer opportunities. In addition to my studies, I presented my research at an Undergraduate Research Conference at the University of Leeds and held a research placement at a local theater!

API was a fantastic program to work with!! The pre-departure material was comprehensive and made me confident starting life in a new country. Housing was included in the cost of the program and API took care of setting up the living situation. I was in a co-ed "flat" style living, which is similar to student housing, with people from all across the world. It was a unique experience to live with people from different backgrounds and integrate our experiences, living styles, cooking preferences, and personalities. API provided multiple excursions within the program which allowed me to see amazing places I probably would not have seen otherwise! These excursions fostered friendships and typically included a meal, always a bonus for a student! API went above and beyond to ensure us students were taken care of and had the assistance necessary to thrive in a new environment. There was an international education adviser on campus we had access to as API program members. Everything from housing, travel, and education was seamless through the help of API. Terrific program, and I would recommend to anyone looking for a new experience in a vibrant country!! So much beauty and culture to explore, let the adventure begin!

My experience studying abroad in the Fall of 2017 was incredible! I had a hard time picking a program and location because of all the options that were available. Once I had it narrowed down to the UK, the picture of the University of Edinburgh is what eventually made my decision. It was absolutely dreamlike!

The API staff was with me all along the way. From after I submitted my first application to getting reacclimated to the States when I returned home, I always had a contact within the program that I could ask questions and get answers from. The best part with API was all of our Cultural Excursions. We had four excursions to different prominent cities in Scotland that gave us a good look at the different cultures within Scotland from the Scottish Highlands to the largest city, Glasgow. We also had culture events throughout the semester that gave us many authentic Scottish experiences. We went to things like a rugby game, we had afternoon tea, and went on a scotch whiskey tour. These events happened almost every week and showed me new things that I wouldn't have thought to see or do without the group.

In Scotland, there was an onsite program director that led us in these excursions. She was an American who had moved to Scotland to get married. Alexis had a unique perspective as she had been in our shoes before. She had studied as a grad student at the University of Edinburgh so she also had good advice for schooling and how to navigate that. I got to see first hand how involved she could be in case of extreme circumstances.

API gave us the option of how involved they needed to be. If we needed something, they were there. If we didn't, we could be as independent as we wanted to be.

There was initial training online to do before we left and then there was helpful country-specific training once we got there with information like where to buy toiletries and groceries. There was information on language differences, even though they speak English there are certain words that mean different things in Scotland versus over here in America.

Studying abroad was the experience of a lifetime. I would highly recommend it to anyone and everyone, there are so many programs out there that everyone should be able to find one that they can make work. It broadens your horizons and teaches you life lessons that can only be learned through experiencing them. I have gained confidence and the ability to articulate my Study Abroad experience while in Scotland and since I've been back!

This was literally the best four months of my life!

Academics:
I loved all of my classes! The teachers were super patient and always spoke to us at our level of French without being condescending. They made classes interesting. Because this is France, your classes will be a lot longer. I had a two-hour grammar/language classes every morning (it was 4 hours on Thursdays) and 2 hours of electives in the afternoon. I did have Friday off though which was great! Your schedule will depend on your level of French. There were also good options for electives. My favorite was Mythology.

Host Family:
I absolutely loved my host family. My host mom was the sweetest. They took me up into the mountains to see where the Olympics were, to visit the grandparents, to eat fondue, and more. I have a lot of really great memories because of my host family. It's also a great way to practice your language. My French was horrible when I got there but my host mom was super patient with me and by the time I left I could actually hold a conversation. They also had the fluffiest cat I have ever seen!

Grenoble:
I love Grenoble!! It will take some time to grow on you, but you will end up loving it! There are mountains all around you and a river that runs through the city. There are lots of pretty parks where you can have a picnic or just hang out with friends. They also have lots of student-friendly deals at restaurants, museums, and other places since there are some big universities there. There are also lot's of places to go out at night and it's always fun since the city is packed with students. It's a little bit of an edgy personality, like a leather jacket and red lipstick kind of way, but I never felt unsafe there, even walking home at 3 am. It's also not touristy at all (but don't worry, there is plenty to do!!) which made it nice because we were seen more as international students than annoying tourists.

API:
API was super helpful pre-departure, while abroad, and even after coming home. I had lots of questions about paperwork and visas and they answered everything they could. They also gave us a big online pre-departure packet with everything we could ever want to know about studying abroad. They made sure we were as prepared as possible for studying abroad. While we were there, Anna and Marie were super helpful! Marie took us around Paris during our orientation and even though I barely understood French she was super patient with it. They also took us on other fun excursions like snowshoeing, a weekend in Dijon, and a weekend in Nice. They also had cultural things in their office like a crepe party and a cheese tasting. I never had any problems, but they were always there to help us out! After coming home, API offers a program called the Global Leadership Academy so that alumni can continue (in a way) their study abroad experience, learn about leadership, and encourage others to study abroad.

Overall, this was the best four months of my life and I wish I was still there!!

Studying in Rome was wonderful. With the Baroque churches, ancient ruins, palazzos, and the infinite amount of fountains, there's no doubt in my mind that Rome was the right place for me. As an art history student, I think it was a more informative city to study in than Italy's other popular study abroad destination, Florence. With that city, there's only one era that you can really delve into: the Renaissance. You see, the thing with Rome is that is has the Renaissance and even more - lots more. Anyways, I'm a Baroque guy. Caravaggio is one of my obsessions. In Rome you'll see not only his paintings but other masterpieces done in the Italian Baroque style.

OK, that's enough about art history... for now. What you need to know about is the program itself.

First things first, if you decide to choose API's program at JCU, you'll be spending your time in Trastevere. Narrow cobblestone streets, hanging vines and a festive atmosphere are what this neighborhood is about. It's very medieval too. (Take that Renaissance Florence!).

That being said, you're probably going to live on the outskirts of Trastevere. Most people I knew in the program - including myself - lived in apartments that were more in Monteverde, not Trastevere. (Monteverde is a more residential and developed area; it's not a big tourist destination, although do check out the Villa Pamphili - it's so cool!). Again, your apartment will only be on the edge and not that deep into Monteverde itself, but if you're observant you'll definitely notice a difference. I don't think this will detract from your experience. I just don't want anyone to expect to be in an apartment with a view overlooking a piazza in Trastevere. In any case, given how active the nightlife is, you probably wouldn't want to have to deal with all that commotion.

JCU is a good school. I'm not entirely sure why the "academics" rating is lower in comparison to the other ones. Since all of the other reviews are 5+ years old, it may be that things have changed. I would say my classes were pretty serious. If you expect to not be challenged, then expect otherwise. Again, I'm an art history major, and all of the classes I took dealt with that subject. They were really incredible classes. Two of them were on-site. That means that, instead of being in a normal classroom, Rome is your classroom! You would spend your time going to any number of sites in Rome. It can be much better than sitting in a darkened classroom while watching a PowerPoint. I really recommend taking a class like that if you're interested.

As far as support on-site goes, the resident directors, Alessio and Naike, are absolutely terrific. I remember going to their office to ask a simple question and Alessio being so friendly and helpful. Even though he didn't have to, he talked to me a lot about my interests and his favorite region in Italy, Emilia-Romagna, and how hyped he was about our excursion to Siena in particular - take that Florence! (I kid, I kid.)

And that's another thing: the excursions are fantastic. I remember speaking to someone who was studying through ISA and being unimpressed by their quality of excursions. Not to worry though, Alessio and Naike will always have something special planned. Our first excursion was to the Amalfi coast (so Sorrento, Capri and nearby Pompeii). There was also one to Tuscany where we saw a medieval wine cellar and had a wine tasting afterwards. Then there were ones in Rome like attending an opera or going to a soccer game.

There was also one to Florence. I didn't go.

Other advice? If you're thinking of LDM vs JCU, I would not go with the former. From what I could tell, very few people were in the LDM program. I think there were only five or so. If exceptionally small classes are your thing and if you want to do an internship, then look into it. Otherwise, go with JCU.

It's only been a year and I miss living in Rome and going to my on-site classes.

(And don't worry, I've been to Florence, it's a nice city, just not my cup of tea.)

When I was applying for my study abroad, I chose API because they could do add-on programs specifically to me. For other students, they likely went with the cheapest/most convenient for them. Being in several different classes with students from other programs throughout the summer, I was able to compare our experiences quite a bit, and from this I gathered that I got lucky with the one I chose. Nearly every other student who came through a different program faced difficulties with their program coordinators/program in general--whether that be through poor schedules, miscommunication, or overall dissatisfaction with what their program offered. The largest and most important difference I noted, was effort. API is accommodating and willing to change what you don't want. They fully understand that you paid to be here and go above and beyond to make your experience what you want it to be.

The two courses I took at Belgrano this past summer were advanced grammar and medical spanish. My first course, the intensive language class, turned out to be very difficult. Although I was initially placed into the intermediate course, I was encouraged by my API coordinators, Carmen and Jimena, to ask to be moved up to the advanced class. Without their support and encouragement, I never would have experienced a challenge like this and advanced my linguistic abilities as much as I have. Throughout this course as well as my second, Jimena and Carmen checked in regularly to see how classes were going and to see if I was interested in any events around Buenos Aires. As an API student, I was always kept in the loop and felt as though I had a strong support system. Looking back, I didn't truly realize how important these coordinators had become until a few months in. They treat you like family, doesn't matter if you're here for a week, month or year, they will support you through it all.

I studied at the University of Limerick for the spring 2018 semester and could not have asked for a better experience. The country, the little city, the friendly people, and everything in between made for a great 4 months away from home.
API did a great job to prepare me for the educational and the cultural side of my semester in Ireland. Myself and my other API friends were wayyyy more prepared than many of the other international students at the university in the sense of knowing what classes we could take and how their whole education system works. We also had Maria and Ger as our on site directors who were so so great about helping us with anything and everything we needed. They also took us on our API excursions and basically became our little temporary Irish family.
As far as the nightlife scene, Ireland has plenty of it, just not the most easily accessible. We had the bar on campus that was so much fun on certain nights of the week, and the clubs in town (40 min by bus, 20 by cab).
The University of Limerick was a really beautiful campus and in good weather just simply walking around is just truly amazing.
The thing about studying abroad in Ireland is that it is very different than studying in Barcelona or Prague. My friends and I noticed when we travelled and met people who did study in more popular study abroad spots that the people didn't get the same experience of their country as we feel we had. In Limerick we spent the first 2 months traveling all around Ireland on the weekends and it seriously felt like home so quickly. UL and API made that super easy and inexpensive to do which was great. Then we got to planning our own trips and still ended up getting to visit 8 different countries. Trip planning from Limerick was are difficult than it would have been from mainland Europe because we had to take a 2 hr, 30 euro, bus ride from campus to Dublin airport to catch cheap flights (Shannon airport is not the most useful). Still very doable and made us expert travelers.