ISA Study Abroad in Rome, Italy

I absolutely loved my time abroad in Rome, Italy with ISA. I went in Spring 2024 and was pleased by the weather, cuisine, and attractions Rome had to offer. Rome is a city like no other with a vast range of activities to do and neighborhoods to explore. I never found myself bored and was able to travel to 12 countries throughout my semester abroad. I found traveling out of Rome to be affordable and relatively easy which I loved. I attended The American University of Rome, which was incredible and enhanced my film studies scholars. Both the professors and staff were very accommodating and offered resources whenever I needed support. ISA was extremely helpful in my immersion to living abroad and I formed close relationships with the staff that helped eliminate feelings of homesickness. I would highly recommend studying abroad in Rome with ISA!!

I went and studied at the American University of Rome over the summer and enjoyed everything about it. I was the only student from my university going and was very nervous but everyone in my program welcomed me with open arms and made me feel loved. The hardest part of the trip wasn't the Italian or the culture (they mostly speak English and their culture is really exciting) but I found that the one thing that made me homesick was a hotdog.I somehow got sick of eating pasta and pizza. I'll tell you though, once I got my hotdog when I landed in America, I just wanted to go right back to Italy.

Going from a standard Illinois suburb like Romeoville to Rome was an incredible change. Seeing famous landmarks like the Colosseum and the Roman Forum every day made history feel real. The food was amazing, especially the pasta, which was fresh and delicious. I loved experiencing Italian culture, with its relaxed pace of life and long meals with friends. The locals were friendly and welcoming, making me feel at home even though I was far away.

Studying in Rome taught me a lot about adapting to new situations and opened my eyes to different ways of thinking. It also made me even more excited about working in international relations. I had a comfortable place to live and made great friends, which made my time in Rome unforgettable. I’m really grateful for this experience and hope to go back one day to enjoy the magic of the city again.

I went to study abroad this summer alone and was scared of not being able to make friends. ISA did an amazing job in hosting a get to know each other-like dinner to meet new people. That night I was able to meet my four closest friends! ISA provided so many resources and support to all their students to help them with navigating the new city and other cities within Italy during our field trips. Additionally, when I was sick the Italy ISA staff took care of me. I am so glad I picked ISA for my first time studying abroad!

I am so grateful for the experience ISA gave me in Rome. Everything that could be organized and created into an approachable process was. Signing up for classes, getting my permit to stay, and finding a place to stay were never done alone; ISA did much of the work. I was assigned an apartment with roommates and this formed the basis of the community within Rome. Our apartment had a beautiful view and was a place where we could all relax. There were also two trips with ISA that were no additional expense. We went to Florence and the Amalfi Coast. Both trips had fun activities and hotels in great locations.

During my Study abroad experience in Rome, Italy I had the opportunity to not only enjoy the scenery of the beautiful city that Rome is, but get to meet new people along the way, some are in the same boat as you, and others have more experience living abroad. Coming together and experiencing a new culture with new people from different backgrounds was a special time for me. The program made sure that we had the time to explore Italy and its beautiful places and famous landmarks safely and responsibly. Not only that but since the beginning of the program, they made sure that the process of applying, to at the end of the semester would go smoothly for students. I appreciate everything that this program has done for my own experience as a student because it helped me enjoy my time the way that I wanted to in Rome.

This was an incredibly experience and I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to be immersed in another culture and looking to learn copious amounts in a short period of time. One of my classes was the highlight of my program as it was onsite and I truly learned more than I ever have by being hands on, in the physical locations. We got to about 2-4 different historically and religiously significant sites each class period, with our professor as a tour guide we had built a rapport with. The weekend ISA excursions were also a great balance of fun and exploring while still learning about the places we were going. There was also a fantastic balance of independence to explore with group activities.

I made so many new friends and learned so much about the Italian culture. My assigned roommates were amazing and we got along so well together. The staff was very supportive and eager to provide great recommendations to us. I felt very safe in the neighborhood and enjoyed being around lots of people my age. The food was absolutely incredible and Rome was the best city to explore, shop, eat, drink, and have fun! The only downfall was that our apartment had a mold issue and the immediate area around my apartment was pretty dirty.