AIFS Abroad in Budapest, Hungary: Semester

Studying abroad in Budapest was such an incredible experience! The program size was perfect; we had 18 people which wasn't too small, but still small enough that you knew everyone in the program and we became a close knit community. It was so cool to get to meet students from all across the United States and Europe; AIFS has students at schools all over the US, and our accomodations are in an apartment building that is almost entirely student housing, which is a great way to meet people! Budapest itself was wonderful; it was such a hidden gem with lots to do, all while having great public transportation that is covered in the program fees. I loved getting to run by the Parliament at night, climb up Gellert Hill to see a panoramic view of the city, and explore different cafes all throughout Budapest. There were also so many opportunities to travel, including trips with AIFS to Vienna, Lake Balaton, and an optional excursion to Prague! The trips through AIFS were lots of fun, plus they were all planned for us so there was no stress over what we would do when we were in the cities. While the adjustment to being abroad was a bit of a challenge, it was such an opportunity for growth and coming out this program my confidence has grown so much. I would recommend this program to anyone looking for a unique study abroad experience!

Budapest is an incredible city for studying abroad! A lot of people questioned why I would pick Budapest over the other common cities, and I am so so happy with my decision. AIFS supported me throughout the pre-departure process and was always available to answer my questions regarding absolutely anything. Once I arrived, our resident director had activities planned for us to introduce us to the city, and made us feel welcome right away. The housing provided is at a convenient location, right at a metro stop which is huge for commuting here. Throughout the semester, I've fallen in love with this city and everything in it - the attractions, the food, the culture. Budapest is also very budget-friendly, and a great spot to get cheap flights from if you're planning to travel on weekends while you're here. I would absolutely recommend going through AIFS to Budapest for the semester to anyone!

Doing the AIFS Budapest program was such a great decision. Budapest is such a vibrant city with so much to do, and it was great being able to explore it through AIFS activities and with the people I met on this program. The housing was nice and the program is super cost effective with all the different excursions and cultural activities included in the cost, like the trip to Vienna and cooking class (among other things). Studying abroad through AIFS was a life changing experience and I would highly highly recommend.

It was good. Housing was very meh. Over priced and not very good. Just get us apartments with common space. The city was very good. I had lots of fun traveling and overall it was great. I would really just saw have a normal apartment where I could hang with friends

The city of Budapest was a great city to study abroad in. It is easy to travel in-and-out of the city with affordable direct flights, trains, and buses all over Europe. The city has a great public transportation system, making it very easy to get around and explore. Food options are great, with a myriad of options both local and foreign; my favorite was an inexpensive Indian food spot just down the road from the dormitory. Pest has a great nightlife scene as well with many bars, pubs, clubs, and "ruin pubs" with plenty of character and at a fraction of the price of many other countries. My courses at Corvinus University were great... they offered enough work to stay engaged and learn while leaving plenty of time to travel on the weekends and experience the city. I would highly recommend taking the "Hungarian for Beginners" course as it really does help with cultural immersion and is easy to digest. Regarding AIFS, my residence director, Deniz, was spectacular. She was very helpful, could answer any questions, and offered great advice and assistance for travel. The AIFS trips were a lot of fun. It was nice to have a few planned out, guided trips in addition to my independent travels. These allowed us to see more of Hungary than we probably otherwise would have. My favorite was the trip to Lake Balaton where we explored the Hungarian wine country by bicycle, saw some spectacular views, learned about Hungarian history and culture, and took a dip in the "Hungarian Sea" (the lake). Overall, the program offered enough structure and guidance to get something extra out of my time abroad without being overbearing.

It would be easy to say something along the lines of “I don’t even know where to begin” or “Everything was so wonderful” — but the truth is, I know exactly where to start and how I want to describe as my experience. I write about Now. It has been almost two years since the succession of experiences in Budapest and beyond has come to a close. It is chilly here in Minnesota, much colder than it was in Buda or Pest. My mother is downstairs, our cat is curled up near the warmth of the radiator. I write about Now; the arm of my desk chair just broke as I pushed it too hard, distracted by concentration. I write about Now; in part because of how it connects so directly to these moments abroad. On my bedside table is the Hungarian parliament, proudly presenting a book titled “Budapest - Art & History” by Delia Meth-Cohn. One of the two journals from Budapest sits on the shelf beneath it, waiting for when I am in need of a moment of happy reminiscence. I write about Now — which may not yet make sense to you. I should be expressing my infatuation with the public transit system, or the fur coat I purchased from the thrift store despite it being oh so silly. I should be sharing gratitude for Deniz, our wonderful program advisor whom showed us how every moment is secretly a shared experience. I write about Now because Budapest taught me that this is what matters, this moment, these keystrokes, the crack on my iPad screen. I still write about Now. It is no longer the same Now that was when I began writing… or is it? Even in an hour it will sure feel like the same ‘Now’. In an hour I intend to move downstairs, to sit by the fireplace. There is something waiting for me there. A collection of short stories, not so different than the one I just wrote, the one you just read. A red infinity sign, a man going everywhere but ending up in the same place, a mysterious relationship. “The World Goes On” states Laszlo Krasznahorkai, the author of those short stories — the inspiration for my review, one of many sources of connection between ‘then’, and Now. And the world does go on. During my time abroad with AIFS I learned to appreciate every moment, to notice the small details, to follow the adventure. What I learned ‘then’ is what I practice Now, and for that I am forever grateful; even if forever only lasts a second.

I always knew I wanted to study abroad. The idea of traveling to a foreign land and living in a new place while conducting my studies was always something that intrigued me, but also scared me. It can be scary deciding to leave everything and everyone you know to embark on journey like this, but I could no recommend it enough. My fears of not making friends, not knowing how to get around and not enjoying the culture were completely unfounded. I've traveled to places I never thought I'd see, made it to 13 different countries, made lifelong friends and even met my current girlfriend all in the span of 4 months. This experience of a lifetime was not only incredibly fun, but I was also able to conduct my studies at the same time, so while I was living my best life, I was also being productive and earning my degree. I got to dip my toes in the water of a culture so different than mine, and found myself surprised that the water was so warm and welcoming. If you're interested in studying abroad, I cannot recommend AIFS, and Hungary enough as it exceeded my expectations for what I had already set an impossibly high bar for

Everyone I met through the program, my professor, the on-site director, other students, and locals were some of the most welcoming people I've ever encountered! The AIFS staff went the extra mile once I arrived to ensure that I had the experience of a lifetime. At the end of my program, I ended up having to quarantine an extra week but was well taken care of by the AIFS and accommodation staff (truly can't say enough good things!!!) I didn't know what to expect from the course going in but quickly found I had lots of time to explore Budapest outside of class. And with only four other students in my program, we got to know each other really well in a short period of time. I am still in touch with many of the people I met while abroad and am so grateful for the experience!

Studying abroad in Budapest was the best thing I have ever done. I lived in an amazing city and made lifelong friends. Without this experience I would not have had the ability to learn in another country with such ease.

I know it's cheesy to say study abroad changed my life, but it really did. It was by far the best decision I've ever made. My family originates from Hungary and having the opportunity to connect with my heritage on this level was the most incredible opportunity I've ever had in my life. I absolutely loved studying abroad and my experience with AIFS was great. The resident director was amazing and I loved all of the planned excursions through the program (the optional Prague trip, Vienna, Szentendre and the Lake Balaton). Living in Budapest was amazing. The city is absolutely gorgeous and my apartment was great. I lived with two other American women in the AIFS program and our apartment was very centrally located, less than a 10 minute walk from the university. I loved Corvinus University. The culture of the university was very different from what I was used to which was a very refreshing experience. My only wish is that there were more opportunities for getting involved with locals, but that's a difficult thing for a program to make happen organically. Overall I had an incredible experience and if I were to go abroad again I would definitely go through AIFS.

Choosing to go abroad with AIFS was the best decision I ever made. They created a safe place for you in your study abroad location equipped with US and local staff to answer any and all questions before and during your program. I loved all of the excursions they planned for us in Budapest, around Hungary, and in closely located countries. My program grew so close and we made friends with locals and other international students. I would return in a heartbeat.

I went abroad with AIFS for over 4 months in the spring semester. It was such an incredible opportunity. I was able to learn from teachers from all around the world with students who were just as diverse. I was also able to learn the Hungarian language and immerse myself in Hungarian culture living in a local apartment building and going to school with many local students. AIFS also provided travel opportunities to different countries with amazing tour guides and guides in Hungary so you are able to learn so much. Being fully immersed in a foreign culture was unlike any other experience I have ever had and I would go back in a heartbeat.

I always knew that I wanted to study abroad and after much research and comparisons I came to the conclusion that the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) is who I wanted to study abroad with in Budapest, Hungary. This was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Everything went very smoothly when applying and getting accepted into the program. Pre-departure instructions were clear and someone was always readily available to answer questions that I had about the Visa process. Once I arrived to Hungary, the onsite AIFS staff member (Deniz) was so incredibly helpful to acclimating us to our new apartment and culture and provided us with her email and phone number so that we knew she was always readily available should we need her. The apartment provided through the AIFS program was so nice, comfortable and centrally located. When speaking with students from other programs, there were many complaints about how they had to stay in dorms or far from campus. I'm very grateful that with AIFS we had a spacious and perfectly located apartment. The classes offered by AIFS through Corvinus University were very educational and all in English. AIFS also requires that you take a Hungarian Language class which helps tremendously when getting accustomed to Hungary and communicating with locals. AIFS coordinated multiple excursions (to places like the countryside of Hungary and Vienna, Austria) that were included in the cost of the program and were so fun and interesting! Across all areas of my experience studying abroad, AIFS made sure that I always had the information I needed and that my experiences would be memorable.

While living in Budapest, I met some of the most genuine people. This experience has taught me more about life and the value of personal connections than anything I have experienced before. Everyone should go visit Budapest if you do not have the opportunity to live there, because it's one of the most down to earth big cities you can imagine. The culture and history is too important to pass up. It's a great city for young adults because the cost of living is very affordable and the young adult demographic in the city makes for a homey feeling.