CIS Abroad Semester Programs in Italy

Perugia is a fantastic place to study abroad. If you want to study in Italy, but looking for less touristy options such as Rome and Florence, I think Perugia is a perfect fit. First, it’s well located so you can easily travel to bigger cities and then fly to other parts of Europe. Perugia is a smaller city so by the end of your stay you’ll feel very comfortable and become very familiar with the city. Also Perugia isn’t as touristy so You can definitely get some use out of your Italian, that was one of the main reasons why i studied in Perugia in order to improve my Italian. Also, the Umbra institute does a great job with community engagement and there are various way to become part of Peruia outside of the classroom. Lastly, Perugia is a beautiful, cute city that you’ll fall in love with!

My program was incredible. The staff at the partner university exceeded expectations in every way. I was the first student to go abroad with an Emotional Support Animal, my dog Nala. We had the time of our lives and are so happy we took advantage of the opportunities provided by CIS Abroad. Their staff was also very hands-on and present which was nice, they even planned special events for us! I would recommend this experience to anybody.

I had an incredible experience with CISAbroad in Sorrento, Italy. The fact that they even offered a program in such a quaint town unlike Rome or Florence was a huge plus for me. I felt comfortable and confident having my adviser by my side. The school I went to was so so beautiful the staff was so welcoming and I truly loved all of my professors. My apartment at first seemed far from my school about a 20 minute walk but as soon as I realized what I'd be passing the beautiful sights the walk was no problem at all! The way in which CISabroad was able to handle my apartment rent and everything was greatly helpful and not something I could have done on my own. I LOVED being able to meet up with my advisor Romina in Italy and be treated to a delicious meal and some little presents. The made the experience so so special to me and I learned so much from her as she was a native of Italy but also spoke English. She never made anything uncomfortable for us and encouraged us to try new things as well as warned us about certain more dangerous areas.

Studying abroad was a wonderful experience. I was fully immersed into the Italian culture. I also had the opportunity to travel all over Europe. The CIS staff were welcoming and resourceful. Traveling around Europe was easy and affordable. Taking classes at Florence University of the Arts was a great experience. The professors understood that we all came from various educational backgrounds. I was able to meet many new people in my classes and form new friendships. The apartment I lived in had a wonderful of the Duomo and Tuscan hills. Wandering around Florence and finding hidden places was my favorite thing to do. The Italian cuisine was absolutely amazing.

My name is Mary and I am a student at Ohio University. As a sophomore, I knew that I wanted to study abroad before I graduated and went out into 'the real world'. I was fortunate enough to have met with a few other students who shared their experiences during their times abroad. They informed me of CIS Abroad and how helpful they were with getting them set up and finding the ideal study abroad location for them.
Ever since I was a little girl I was crazy about Italy. No I am not Italian. And no its not because of my obsession with pizza or wine. Instead, it was because I loved their language and always thought of their culture as being romantic.
At the end of my sophomore year, I set sail (well actually via plane) to Italy. The program I was in was a 6 week session in the summer. When I arrived, not knowing a soul, I was warmly greeted by the CIS Abroad staff. They were full of answers to my many questions and made me feel like I was part of their family. I was also greeted in waves of the members that were embarking on the same journey that I was. The students were from all over the United States; Wisconsin, California, Ohio, Illinois.
The housing that was offered to me through the program was amazing! I stayed in a beautiful, authentic Italian apartment in the town of Perugia. I had one roommate, who was also a student abroad in the same program as me. We quickly became friends, which made things very fun when I wanted to explore -because I always had a friend close by to do those things with.
The schooling that was involved was intense but very rewarding. I came to Italy with two semesters of Italian and planned on finishing my last two semesters there. For me, learning a language was never easy. I barely even had the basics down in the Italian language before my study abroad trip. The teachers in Italy were so hands on and helpful that I picked the language up faster than I ever thought I could. Still to this day, over a year later, I correspond with the teachers I had -in Italy. Amazing learning experience overall!
The location of Italy where I lived was incredible. It was the small town atmosphere that I wanted that included little cafes and pizza shops. It was so nice to live in a smaller town because I became a regular at some places. One place in particular (I forget the name at the moment) sold fresh fruit smoothies and paninis. I used to go almost every day with my fellow classmates! We became so close with the sweet man that lived there. He would only speak to us in Italian and told of us of his journey from Algeria to Italy and how he always wanted to own a shop. Hopefully one day I go back and visit and he will still be there!
All in all, my study abroad experience was unforgettable. Still to this day I think about the amazing times I had in Perugia, Italy. It was challenging at times, but I am grateful because it shaped me as a person and put me out of my comfort zone. I would recommend studying abroad to anyone! CIS Abroad made my trip so enjoyable and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

I absolutely loved Italy. The CISabroad program helped ensure me that I would be safe, a fear of mine since I was traveling alone, and made everything I needed to do easy to follow. I highly recommend CISabroad for any study abroad programs. I would definitely return to Italy, and would definitely travel again through CISabroad! With so many options, CISabroad will help you get to any destination!

Studying abroad in Florence, Italy through CISabroad was the best experience of my life. I recommend studying abroad to anyone! CIS was very organized and made the whole process a lot smoother. I loved the food, wine, friends, atmosphere, and so much more about Florence. :)

I studied abroad in Florence Fall 2014 through CIS Abroad. I was very anxious going into the process because there was so much to be done. I had two advisors, Rachel and Ashley, who were the representatives for my school in Connecticut, and they were so unbelievably helpful with everything; I couldn't even believe how easy they made the process. They walked us through the application process, course selection, visa applications, and they even booked our round trip flights, all costs included. When we got to Florence, we had transportation from the airport that brought us right to our apartments. The costs of our textbooks, programs/events through the study abroad school, and day trips in Italy were ALL covered by CIS which was such a pleasant surprise. Our advisors and representatives were always checking in with us to make sure that we were having the best possible study abroad experience. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I am so glad I did it through CIS Abroad!