AIFS Abroad in Berlin, Germany: January

The housing was awful— our apartment came extremely dirty and there were constant issues with the plumbing. The shower didn’t drain and they refused to fix it or call a plumber. The activities were lacking; administrators and trip leaders were bad at overseeing and administering group excursions and were very insensitive when it came to Holocaust history in Berlin. The housing was so unpleasant — just so dirty and poorly maintained. I would not recommend this program.

Previously I lived in Stuttgart for 3 years, so I chose the Berlin program because I really wanted to back to Germany. This program was SO much fun, got to meet so many amazing people from all across the US and the world. Activities were always worth going to, even got to go to a hockey game for the first time!

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I decided to go alone for the January term study abroad in Berlin, Germany. I met so many amazing people that I hung out with the whole time. The whole experience was perfect. Our group leader was personable, knowledgeable, and helpful. She walked us through how to use the train system, how to get a SIM card, and any other questions we had. The class instructor was also very nice. Our group instructor gave us great recommendations on things to do. It was the best month of my life and I miss it so much. I would recommend this to everyone. I learned a lot about myself during this trip and gained some new friends and lifelong memories. We were immersed in the culture of Berlin and took an extra add-on trip to Warsaw, Poland.. which was absolutely breathtaking as well. I would go back and do it all over again a hundred times. Thank you AIFS!!

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The AIFS J-term study abroad program in Berlin was one of the most amazing experiences I have had. Classes are taught at local universities on a three-week schedule, where you study one of a variety of subjects with other international students from German teachers. The AIFS site faculty are excellent and great resources about the city and country, and provide many different guided tours, visits, and other exploratory trips. The apartments that AIFS students stay in are very nice. Berlin is a modern city with lots of history, and their extensive public transit system makes it easy to explore and share new experiences.

I studied at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany in January of 2016, and a year later, I still find myself thinking fondly on it and wishing that I could go back! The wonderful staff of AIFS undoubtedly contributed both to how much I enjoyed my time there and how smoothly the transition between countries went. From providing support in traveling to planning a fascinating variety of activities to participate in, AIFS provides its students with opportunities to be as involved as they are comfortable with, and that freedom certainly proved useful. By being able to balance personal adventuring with group activities, I felt as though the staff and fellow students were available to me as resources and as friends, but did not feel as if I was being overwhelmed by being part of the group. In addition, I was drawn to AIFS by its all-inclusive fee, which included a pass for public transportation and a meal plan among other things. Though the cost of studying abroad is often a daunting factor in the decision to do so, AIFS ensures that you're getting your money's worth, and I was very grateful for the ability to pay one time and get everything I needed. Overall, AIFS is an excellent program with friendly and competent staff, and my decision to study abroad through their program is one that I'm thrilled with to this day.

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This was the first of two study abroad programs I did with AIFS and the fact I live in Berlin now is a direct result of my experience during this program. I lived in a home-stay arrangement that was just far enough from school to allow me to walk and experience the city every morning without taking a long time. I know this wasn't the case for all of the students, but finding suitable home-stay lodgings is difficult enough in and of itself. There were several opportunities for us to participate in group gatherings at museums, do tours around the city, a trip to Dresden was included, and a trip to Prague was optional for an additional cost. Overall, the trip helped to immerse me in another culture in a way completely different than a short vacation can. Our program coordinator was extremely helpful and kind and had to put up with a lot of difficulties students were having trying to adapt etc, and yet she still did an outstanding job.