Summer High School Language Immersion Programs in Rome, Italy

My experience with world class programs can never be replicated. The program is so good that my only complaint is the heat outside, which isn’t even really a problem because the staff even think of that giving everyone fans. From the begging to the end I learned about Italian history and cuisine in an extremely interesting and enjoyable way. Everyone was kind and fun to be around, everywhere we went was presented in an incredible way and everything down to the food and rooms was extremely good

Italy was such a great trip. I got such a well rounded trip. I learned a lot of cool stuff some stuff I liked to learn about some I didn't care for as much but yet I am still glad I got to learn it all. I also got plenty of time to do my own thing explore shop hangout relax. I also got to see so many cool places, 8 different Cities. My favorite part of the trip is that the instructors are more like friends than teachers. This is my second trip with this program and I love the instructors. They Genuinely make the trip as good as it is. They are the perfect amount of strict for safety and learning but also laid back for fun and stress free. I love these trips so much. Highly recommend.

It was a very fun program where they taught us a lot about Itlay and I also enjoyed it so much that I did it twice. They gave us 3 to 4 hours of free time almost everyday was definitely one of the biggest highlight of the trip.They gave us enough time to do what we wanted. The staff was always supportive and you weren't forced into doing all of the activities if we didn't feel well or didn't want to. They tried to make the trip the most enjoyable as possible and we're very flexible with what we wanted to do. We also weren't in just one city we went all over the Italy visiting at least 9 cities.

My study abroad experience with World Class Programs was absolutely incredible! From start to finish, the staff was truly exceptional – so supportive, knowledgeable, and genuinely made the trip unforgettable. I honestly wish I could have stayed longer! I learned an immense amount, particularly in subjects like color theory and various painting periods, which has been invaluable. This program provided such a rich and immersive learning environment. Highly recommend!

Honestly, at the beginning of the enrollment I was a little hesitant but I am so glad I followed through. I learned a lot of new things and met amazing people throughout this program. I tried new things, experienced the life of an Italian, and I built bonds. I am so incredibly happy about this and I would one hundred percent do it again. My homestay family was really nice and they had amazing food. My favorite thing I ate with my family was tomato pasta. We all attended a cooking class and my favorite thing we cooked in class was lasagna. Every single food that I ate was so amazing and flavorful and I am definitely gonna try to make some at home for the family. I could go on and on, but 30 days might be a lot to explain. I would highly recommend.

This summer I had the privilege of studying abroad in Italy! I got to visit sights like the Colosseum, the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Trevi Fountain, the David statue by Michaelangelo, and so much more. I loved staying with my host family who were so kind and my host sister who was so silly! All of Italy is so beautiful, and the culture even more so. The culinary training aspect was amazing! We got to make at least two courses and a dessert everyday of the course. We even learned about cappuccino making and we had a final lunch gala to show all of our work! I loved this experience and I definitely recommend it!

As an adventurous and curious teenager who loves everything to do with the Renaissance, Florence Italy with World Class Programs was a dream. Florence itself feels like you're going back to the time of the Renaissance. There are masterpieces everywhere, and it's such a small and welcoming city that you can get familiar with easily. For me, it felt like home. The program itself, first of all, is not a boring and formulaic program that will remind you of school. I know I was worried about papers and homework, because honestly after a long school year, everyone needs a break from that. Yet, without being assigned a single paper through the entire program, I learned more than an entire years' worth of a school course. The program is extremely immersive, and if you're learning anything at all, it's very likely you'll be standing right in front of whatever your topic is. Whether it be looking up at the David, or admiring a Medici's palace, you're learning simply by seeing and experiencing the culture of Italy, not counting the staff's instruction as well. I've also learned so much about the Italian culture, cuisine, and lifestyle, simply because I was given a taste of it for 3 weeks. And you're constantly around local Italians as well, it's not all just tourists. The experience is so new and so enlightening, and after it, I feel everyone needs to go to Italy at least once in their lifetime. It doesn't matter if you're not interested in history or the old masters of Italian art, or even in their delicious coffee and pasta, you'll still be blown away. There's something for everyone there. World Class Programs is also extremely lenient, and balances the schedule for students to have time to explore Florence with at least one other student/staff. (And trust me, you'll make friends if you want to. I made friends with groups of people who were a lot different than me, and I'm so glad to have met every single one of them) Exploring Florence without the direction of a staff member allows for a freedom that separates this program from others. You can be independent, shop, eat gelato, or sift through souvenir shops. You'll never run out of things to do in Florence, and I barely crossed off half the things on my list. As for the staff members, they were all so sweet, and work for you to have an amazing time 24/7. All in all, this program was easily the highlight of not only my summer, but the past years as well. It is definitely adventurous, and entails a lot of walking and exploring, but at least you have a home base in Florence, and the food makes it all worth it.

This program was so full and I learned so much I would definitely recommend this program to people who love being busy just know it’s a lot of walking and thier is a certain amount of maturity need to make this program enjoyable

It is truly hard to describe just how much I loved this trip and just how much it meant to me. First of all, the staff turned the group international flight from something stressful to something easy and straight forward. As someone who finds flying quite difficult at times, I was so grateful. The first place we went to was Athens. We stayed in an air bnb a short walk away from the ruins of the Greek Agora and the Acropolis of Athens. From there we joined a cruise for a week, where we spent the days hopping between Thessaloniki, Ephesus, Heraklion, Santorini, Milos and Mykonos. We saw beautiful churches, ancient ruins, traditional rug making, and where the Venus statue was originally discovered. We even spent a whole day at the beach on Mykonos. We spent the last week in Naples and Rome seeing Herculaneum, Pompeii, the Vatican, and eating an immense amount of gelato to escape the heat. It truly was an incredible collection of adventures. The beautiful sights were wonderful, but at the end of the day the staff were what made this trip wonderful. The classes were interesting and genuinely got me more excited than any class ever has. I came away with a better understanding of ancient western architecture, art and culture as well as just plain history. It taught me that hands-on learning is what really works for me. I learned how to learn. Going to a foreign country with people you don't know beforehand is nerveracking. There is no way around it. Derek and the rest of the World Class Programs staff helped me and my family through every single step leading up to the trip. They got to know us, answered every question and soothed every worry we had. They laid out every step of the program beforehand and walked us through all the safety precautions. By the time the trip was around the corner, I was well prepared. The staff continued to be wonderful on the trip. They hit the perfect balance of keeping things fun and safe while also treating us like young adults. The gap between high school and college seems very big. I have to go from being entirely reliant on my family and community, to being mostly self sufficient. It's a big jump. What I love about World Class Programs is that they have helped college feel less daunting. Yes I got to take cool classes and see fun things, but I also learned what its like to live away from home. I learned how to live with roommates and how to manage my own time responsibly. I learned how and when to ask for help and that asking for help isn't always as scary as it once felt. On top of that, I learned basic skills like how to use a washer and dryer in a different country and how to manage language barriers. World Class Programs gave me an opportunity to work on important life skills and strengthen the ones I already have. Long story short, this has been the best summer of my life. It's been fun and exciting as well as educational and meaningful. I know this review is cheesy but I genuinely don’t know how else to describe how wonderful this program has been. If you are looking to see if a gap year program is for you, taking a step towards living on your own or simply want a fun summer adventure, this trip is really perfect. Thank you so much Derek and Ellen, and the rest of the World Class Program team.

We found World Class Program by chance at a high school fair and immediately liked their programs. Our daughter went on a trip last year with World Class and absolutely loved it. The director Derek and his staff are top notch. This summer she went back again, this time to Florence, and there was no question that it would be with Derek's team. They saw all the great art and history in Florence and learned so much about the local culture. And amazing!! food. My daughter hasn't stopped talking about the side trips, especially Venice. As a parent I loved the focus on health and safety without sacrificing anything in the experience.

This trip to Italy has truly been Amazing! We saw SO many cool landmarks and historical sights as well as incredible old art and statues including the David! The food there is incredible and so much better than in the states. The staff are also really helpful and supportive and genuinely care about each and every students safety and wellbeing and do their best to make sure everyone has a good time. If you choose to go on this trip you will have an AMAZING time!!! My favorite part of this trip is was when we got to ride bicycles on the old wall in Luca! It was an amazing view and just an incredible experience. I highly recommend this trip!

The Greece and Italy trip was unforgettable! This was my first time studying abroad and my experience was amazing. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable on each of the subjects we studied. If the price seems steep just know that you get what you pay for; all meals are included on the trip including a sweet treats after dinner. The cruise we took on the second week was amazing and felt like a little vacation in between classes. I have nothing but good things to say about this trip let alone World Class Programs as a whole. If you are on the edge of picking this trip, I say do it! I had sooo much fun and made memories that will last a lifetime.

The Greece and Italy trip was unforgettable! This was my first time studying abroad and my experience was amazing. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable on each of the subjects we studied. If the price seems steep just know that you get what you pay for; all meals are included on the trip including a sweet treats after dinner. The cruise we took on the second week was amazing and felt like a little vacation in between classes. I have nothing but good things to say about this trip let alone World Class Programs as a whole. If you are on the edge of picking this trip, I say do it! I had sooo much fun and made memories that will last a lifetime.

World Class programs is truly an amazing and once in a lifetime experience. The staff care so much about the students and do everything in there power to ensure the students safety and that they have an amazing time. There really is no other program like it. This trip to Greece and Italy has been awesome! We got to see so many amazing things and make great memories that will last the rest of are life. If you are considering joining the program I would highly recommend that you do! You will have a amazing summer!

This was such a wonderful experience! This was my second year coming back which I didn’t expect to happen. I was hesitant to go at first because of the cruise portion which ended up being one of my favorite weeks. The friends you make along with the time and effort the staff put into this trip is so memorable! I had such an amazing time visiting the Greek islands, Turkey, Italy and the Vatican. The amount of information I was able to learn was astonishing, this was a trip well spent.

This was the best experience I could have ask for. This summer before college I wanted to spend doing something meaningful knowing that I would not have tons of opportunities to travel in the near future. This program is perfect for high schoolers or those who have just graduated that want a summer adventure in europe!! visiting 4 countries in 3 weeks is a deal whirlwind but in the best way possible. The best part for me was the week long cruise through the Greek islands especially because it was a great way to see history but also have some downtime to vacation and relax aboard the cruise. The cities we stayed in (Athens, Naples, and Rome) outside of the cruise gave so much history and knowledge of great ancient civilizations in europe. Overall this was the best way to spend my summer and it’s a trip I’ll remember forever !!

This is my 3rd trip with World Class Programs!! I did Florence and Japan last year and I loved them so much I had to come back for another one!! All three programs have been incredible and the perfect experience for a teenager wanting the study abroad. The staff is absolutely wonderful and are not just staff but also friends. Each day has a planned out itinerary and you get to see something new each and everyday! This year I did the Greece and Western Civilization trip and it was by far my favorite!! We went to Greece including Athens and multiple Greek islands, Turkey, and ended in Italy. The cruise through the Greek islands was definitely my favorite part of the trip and definitely worth every penny. Unlike most study abroad programs World Class Programs gives you the student a more personal experience rather than just another name on a sheet. You get to know the area you are in and you make so many new friends. Many of which I still keep in contact with and I grew so close with them!! I have felt safe on all trips and there are good boundaries of where you can and cannot go. I would recommend this program to anyone looking for a study abroad program that is not totally throwing you on your own but the student will definitely get a more sense of self but still feel protected. I recommend this for the travel type that wants a summer adventure, the trips duration is the perfect amount in my opinion and really lets you see the country without being too much or too overbearing. The food is amazing and the staff does a great job at making sure your pallet is satisfied. Trust me and sign up because you will have an amazing experience and it is definitely worth every penny!!

World Class Programs was such an eye opening experience, and I 100% recommend it to people who are super adventurous, and like a nice mix of immersive and hands on learning and just fun and free time. I’ve learned so much not only about history and architecture, thanks to the interactive experience, but also a lot about culture. You’re able to see more history in one day than some people see in a lifetime. You’re going to be tired but it’s definitely worth it.

My daughter stayed with a host family outside of Barcelona. With the help of Oui-Connect, the experience was easy to arrange and we felt comfortable with the host family and with the program. She had so much fun. The family had two girls her age who shared similar interests as my daughter. They explored many places including the southern mountain town of Estavar in France, the Spanish beach town of Pineda de Mar, Montblanc and, of course, spent a lot of time exploring Barcelona. They took her to Tibidabo amusement park and to see a divised opera at a university in Barcelona. She had so much fun spending time with the family and learning about their culture. Her spanish improved greatly and, I'm sure she will visit the family again. We had ZERO issues and would absolutely recommend Oui-Connect.

Our daughter, Sammy, spent 3 weeks in Spain with an incredible host family who took her in as one of their own. She had a marvelous time delving into Catalan culture and the Spanish language, enjoying weekend excursions, extended family gatherings, as well as ordinary daily activities such as shopping and cooking. This was Sammy’s first trip anywhere by herself; she came home so much more confident, open and really appreciative of this opportunity and new friendships. Muchas gracias to the team at Oui-Connect for working with us to provide the best experience for Sammy!