AIFS Abroad: Study, Intern, or Study & Intern in England

I interned with the Osman Studio, which as so amazing I can't even begin to tell you. I was very impressed with how Global Experiences was able to find me such a high end internship in the fashion industry so quickly. My internship was my favorite part of my trip to London, and considering it was my first time out of the country, that's really saying something! GE is also amazing when it comes to encouraging you to explore your city. There was no shortage of resources they gave you of things to check out. I stayed an extra week after my internship to vist all the sites I wanted to see and my parents were able to come visit me too. Global Experiences is a wonderful and safe company to take you to the next level in your career, abroad.

This summer I had the ability to travel for the first time outside of the United States and do an internship through Global Experiences. I chose to do my internship in London because as an individual who uses a wheelchair, London was the most modern city and was more likely to have improved accommodations compared to older countries.

Before arriving, I was worried that I was going to have a lot of issues maneuvering around London. While I did have issues as London isn't as accessible as the States are, Global Experiences was willing to help me whenever I needed it. Sarah, my location coordinator, was always on call if I had a problem with the bus system or needed to figure out a better way to get to my destination. In addition, getting a flat through Global Experiences made it so much easier as I could focus my time on the trip itself. Unfortunately, my flat room was not as accessible as I had hoped, but I don't put that on Global Experiences.

Through this trip, I not only gained professional experience that will benefit me in my future career, but I also gained a lot of strength and reminded myself that I can do anything despite being in a wheelchair. Had I not went through with Global Experiences, I would not have seen Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, watched Wimbledon and met the winners of the Mens Wheelchair Doubles, or taken a day trip to see Stonehenge and Bath.

For anyone thinking of going through with Global Experiences, do it. You will have an experience of a lifetime. Something you should really take advantage of are the events that GE puts on - these events were very well thought out and can help you get to know your fellow interns better.

I took a leap of faith and decided to intern abroad in London, a place I'd always wanted to go back to after visiting for the first time in 2011! I would say overall that I'm quite happy with everyone involved in the Global Experiences process! It was all exciting, and I appreciated the coaching calls and resume assistance. They made everything very clear to me and made sure I understood everything I needed to get done before coming to London. It was very easy to reach out to my program advisor for any questions and she would always be very helpful.

Our living accommodations were also excellent; the flats are equipped with everything you would ever need and it was extremely fun getting to know the other interns in such a close location to everything. The biggest plus was how close our flat was to a lot of the main attractions. There was a tube station less than a 3-minute walk and also many bus stops around the area. Our location coordinator was extremely friendly, nice and always available to chat.

I got placed at an awesome advertising agency on a marketing role involved in a lot of brand, client, and product research. My internship placement worked out perfectly and Global experiences know what they're doing when they are matching you up to a company. They always make sure you are receiving everything you are looking for so that it turns into a memorable and growing experience.

Another plus was the events that they put on for the interns. We received a welcome party to meet all the interns, multiple day trips, and an exit orientation at the Shard. I chose Global Experiences to help me along; I definitely think London is amazing and my experience could not have gone any better!

Getting the opportunity to live and work in a city like London is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Learning to navigate a foreign city, gaining work experience, making valuable connections in your chosen industry, and living outside your comfort zone - the benefits of this program go on.
The staff at Global Experience did an excellent job from the initial stages of finding placement to the stay in London. I would recommend the program for anyone looking to advance their career and travel abroad. I feel lucky to have the chance to live and work in such a fascinating city like London and absolutely recommend this program to anyone looking to grow personally and professionally!

Your semester or year abroad really will be the time of your life. Going abroad was one of the best decisions I could have made, but going abroad with AIFS really was the best. From the application process to my whole time abroad, everything was simple and easy. With an all-inclusive program like AIFS everything is taken care of for you. Once I applied and filled out the paperwork that was it. My housing, food, flights, and transportation once I landed was taken care of. There were even activities included in the cost for once we were in London! All I had to worry about was getting myself to the airport. Not only was the process simple, but the staff on-site were incredible. The resident director really was our mom while we were in London. She took care of any issues we were having no matter how silly they may have seemed. The academic advisors and the professors made the academic experience all that it could have been. They were always there to help if there was a problem. My time abroad was one that I will remember forever and going abroad with AIFS was the best decision I made.

From the first steps of the application process to the end of my flight on my way home, the AIFS program in London, England has been nothing but perfection. Their comprehensiveness cannot be beat and their staff, both in the United States and in England, were responsive, friendly, and made London feel like home almost immediately. Additionally, AIFS offered many extras such as day trips to Bath, Cambridge, Paris, and much more. The living conditions were small, but clean and located in Kensington, a neighborhood in the most central part of London less than a 2 minute walk from the famous Hyde Park and Kensington Palace. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this program and would recommend it to anyone that is even remotely interested in studying abroad.

I took the plunge and decided to intern abroad in London, a place I'd always wanted go to! I decided almost a year in advance because I wanted to be sure on the program administration and all of the small details involved. I would say overall that I'm quite happy with everyone involved in the Global Experiences process! It was all exciting, and I appreciated the coaching calls and resume assistance.

Our living accommodations were also excellent; this was the first time I have ever lived on my own and it was extremely fun getting to know the other interns in such a close location to everything. Our location coordinator was extremely friendly, nice and always available to chat.

I got placed at a cool fashion forecasting agency where I took on a marketing role involved in a lot of brand and client research. I also got to participate in the creative writing for trend descriptions which was fun! Attending a press event and photographing designer clothes was also a highlight. I had lovely team members who I will greatly miss.

Stonehenge was a blast, along with Windsor Castle, seeing Wicked and other awesome adventures. Winter Wonderland is also gorgeous near Christmas! I'm glad I chose Global Experiences to help me along; I definitely think London is amazing but also an easy place to feel isolated as there are so many people! Starting out with a small community of friends and mentors really made London feel like a place I could call home.

Studying abroad in London was definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made. It truly allowed me to step out of my comfort zone, meet so many new people, have class in Parliament, and visit several incredible places. AIFS was extremely welcoming and friendly which settled my nerves and made the entire process run smoothly. Living in Kensington (West London) was one of the major perks to the study abroad experience. The area was beautiful, our backyard was pretty much Kensington Palace (neighbors being Will & Kate -- no big deal), we were a short tube ride away from Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge, and Buckingham Palace...just to name a few. However, the downfall to living in such a nice area was that it was very expensive to eat out and get drinks. On the bright side, it was easy to find a cheap bite to eat in East London or settle for a cheeky Nando's nearby. AIFS also provided a meal plan during the weekdays as well as a Student Union Card at Imperial Student Union Bar where the drink prices are reasonable and the curly fries are mouth-watering. There are typically no classes on Friday which is a perfect opportunity to travel around the UK or to other countries. RyanAir, trains, hostels, and student travel companies are all affordable and convenient ways of seeing as many countries as your heart desires. It's always a 3-day weekend so why not jet over to the Amalfi Coast or take a quick flight to Dublin?
There are endless opportunities and I would do it all over again in a heart beat.