AIFS Abroad in Salzburg, Austria: Semester

I absolutely fell in love with the city of Salzburg!! The city is filled with places like the Mirabell Garden, a castle called Hohenssalzburg, many beautiful mountains, a river, outdoor markets, historic landmarks and so much more. Having grown up watching the Sound of Music as a kid, it was fun to see many of the locations it was filmed at and to also learn more about Mozart as well. The place I lived in was centrally located & it was easy to get to other places by foot or by bus. The food was amazing in Salzburg with yummy things like schnitzel, sachertort, and many other Austrian specialties. Lots of great places to eat at that also including smaller vendors serving gelato, pretzels, and Kebaps. From the very start AIF’s is very helpful, anywhere from giving you a list of things to pack to helping you organizing your travel plans. Things you have to get use to while there are setting up appointments to wash your clothes, taking bags with you when you buy food, & having most stores being closed on Sunday, except restaurants and some tourist places. Thought at some times frustrating at first it was nice to have things quieter on Sundays and you soon get use to planning ahead for shopping & laundry. Austrians love to go on walks or sit in café’s, especially on Sunday. I absolutely loved the peacefulness about that aspect of their lives. You are surrounded by such beauty that it lifted my spirits daily and I found it so neat to be one minute in the new part of town, then a few minutes away the old part filled with great history, followed soon by breath taking nature that seems to frame it all in. During my time there I had two hours of German and two hours of culture class on every week day, though the times varied and the class rooms sometimes changed. It kept us on our toes and we had to make sure we paid close attention to our schedule. At first it was a challenge until we got use to it. Even their numbering system was very different at the university we took the classes at. 200 level rooms could be on the third floor, 300 level rooms on the second, and so on. The class it self was very informative and we enjoyed a few field trips were the learning became very hands on. The weekend excursions were so much fun and our tour guide went above and beyond as a host! From seeing the salt mines to day drips in other cities, such a Munich, we got to see many wonderful thing and had so much fun. You also will get some down time to go to places that you enjoy such as lakes, the Zoo, or even traveling to other cities or countries. If you ever get an opportunity to do your study abroad in Salzburg, it will be such a rewarding time. My main regret is that I didn’t do one of their longer programs. I participated in their short one month summer program and while it was a wonderful experience, it went by too fast. I left feeling like I had so much more that I wanted to explore and learn. At least I now have a good reason to go back someday! I could really go on and on about my time there but hopefully this gives you a glimpse into what your life will look like if you take on this adventure with AIFS! You will get a chance to grow, travel, learn, make great friends, and it is so worth the time and money you put into it!

Before setting foot in Salzburg, Austria, one can underestimate the beauty they are about to encounter. Majestic alps, the sprawling walls of the fortress, historical buildings and shops - Salzburg is a city of true beauty. Nestled about the city are buildings constituting the University of Salzburg. Our classes were housed in a variety of buildings - old and new each one unique and different. While at the University we were able to meet students from all over the world in addition to the locals. I had the opportunity to spend a year in Salzburg living in an Internationale Studentenheim - a European version of an International Dorm. While living at the Internationales Kolleg - as it was called, I was able to make lasting friendships with other students whose real homes stretched all over the European continent. Creating these friendships helped to enrich my experience and deepen my connection with Salzburg.
The AIFS office is centrally located in the Stadtmitte or the City Center. Having spent a year abroad, I grew to know and appreciate having such an awesome staff to support me and provide assistance when needed. There was always a smiling face (and a tin of cookies) welcoming students for whatever their need may have been.
My friendships that I made with other Americans in the program are some of the longest-lasting and most sincere friendships I established during both my college career and life beforehand. I have gone to visit my friends and former roommate both with in the U.S. and abroad.
The travel opportunities within the program are excellent - educational and informative. We were able to see the sights in London, Vienna and Prague, as well as many locations in Austria - all inclusive with the program cost. As Austria is so centrally located within Europe, travel outside of the country is easy and uncomplicated.
Adjusting the the diet and culture is a pleasure in Salzburg. The Austrian custom of Gemuetlichkeit or hospitality, ensures that each experience within the service industry is efficient and satisfactory. The food is rich-tasting, fresh, and delicious. Much of the produce, poultry and meat is locally sourced - even at McDonalds!
With pristine lakes, breathtaking Mountains, and a culture rich in customs and tradition, the AIFS Salzburg experience is one not to be missed. Studying abroad here can only change your life for the better. You will learn more than you ever thought possible and meet some of the best people on earth!

Study abroad was one of the best experiences ever! I couldn't have chosen a better place to study. Salzburg was a beautiful, quiet city that sits right on the Salzach River with the fortress sitting above the city. It was easy to travel around Europe and the train station was a 10min bus ride from most locations. I would highly recommend studying abroad in Salzburg because I feel as though it is one of those places that not many people have heard of before. I met so many people from the US as well as Europe while studying abroad and still talk to them on a regular basis.

My semester in Salzburg was the best semester of my college career, not just that, it was the best few months of my life. I could not imagine a better study abroad experience. The staff were all helpful, without being overbearing in any way. The program included 3 weekend trips and a couple day trips that were all wonderful. I met some of my best friends during my time in Salzburg and I still keep in touch with a lot of people from my program. I would recommend AIFs Salzburg to anyone.

Salzburg, to me, was a forced choice. I wanted to study abroad through AIFS, but I needed German, so I came here instead of St. Petersburg or Prague. Best decision I think I've ever made. I've made such amazing friends and learned a language faster in four months than I -ever- did the three semesters I took at my home college.

Plus, Salzburg is close to a lot of very interesting cultures, and you can easily get to Italy, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, etc. with a train ticket.

Basically, if you're interested in the Austrian culture (which is NOT the German culture, you'll be quick to learn that), and you want to travel and meet awesome people, then Salzburg is definitely for you!

AIFS Salzburg was an extremely upbeat and fun program. The city itself is very safe and provides for a great social scene. The AIFS staff were simply amazing. They made sure that everyone was thrust into the European culture and they were always available for answers, tips and even just to chat. I had the best time of my life living in Salzburg and I couldn't have asked for a better program.

Traveling with AIFS to Salzburg Austria was one of the best decisions of my life. My trip was truly unforgettable, I still constantly tell stories of my memories and experiences. My trip taught me a lot about myself and really helped me to be more independent and courageous. I highly recommend studying abroad to everyone, only in such instances do you truly learn things about yourself, society, and the world. Such life lessons can only be experienced abroad, outside ones comfort and community. Be bold, take a risk, and go for it! I'm sure glad I did!

I really enjoyed my stay in Salzburg. The city is great and most of the places are reachable within walking distance. I loved the classes and how integrative they were. Coming to Salzburg with a little or no knowledge of German I was able to learn a lot and easily. I took two culture courses and a language class, all of the material learned in the classroom became useful instantly - I could order food, have small conversation and understand local traditions and ways of living. Outside of classroom - the hikes became a part of my daily routine, the city is surrounded with gorgeous nature - mountains, pastures, beautiful river walks and etc. Instead of taking a bus to class everyday, I would wake up early and just take my time and walk through the Hellebrunner allee. Fresh mountain air would get me very energized and ready for class. Also, every Thursday morning I would go to downtown farmer's market - and buy best sandwich meats ever! When weather got warmer, my friends and I started explore local public swimming pools, they are cheap and if you got nothing planned for the weekend, in terms of travel, best places to hang out. Also, I really took advantage of traveling to other cities in Europe, because of Salzburg's central location - it was very easy to take a train to Venice and Rome and Vienna. Many times I would just hop on a train and go to Munich for a weekend or to Munich airport and fly to places like Malta and Dublin. I do admit, if it was easy enough to get an Austrian citizenship - I would move there permanently! Best memories of my life!