AIFS Abroad in Salamanca, Spain: Semester

I studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain with the AIFS Early Start Program in Spring 2025. I chose this program because of the affordable price, the ease of getting a visa (AIFS even sends someone to the consulate on your behalf), the variety of upper-level course options, and the early start, which let me spend a month at the university before the official program began. That extra time really helped me immerse myself in the Spanish language and culture. The staff support was excellent from start to finish. Before the program, they provided clear information about scholarships, logistics, and the overall process. During my semester, my advisor was attentive and always available to help with anything I needed. I LOVED my housing situation! I stayed with a host family, which allowed me to practice Spanish daily and experience the culture in a much deeper way. AIFS also offered numerous included activities, such as a trip to Portugal, a cooking class, and a dance class, which made the experience even more memorable. The professors were kind, supportive, and explained everything clearly, ensuring we truly understood the material. Studying abroad with AIFS helped me realize how capable and independent I am, while also allowing me to build friendships with people from all over the world. I would recommend AIFS Salamanca to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish, broaden their global perspective, and experience Spanish culture firsthand.

I studied abroad in Salamanca for two weeks, and I wish I had more time and the opportunity to stay for a whole semester. But in that little time, I did so much. The program was well organized and included many excursions while also leaving time for you to plan your own activities. Classes were from 8 am-2:15 pm and after classes came the best part, Siesta time. There are many bars, stores, and museums where you can spend your time. Compared to more recognized cities like Madrid, Salamanca is cheaper, so I recommend taking advantage of that. During my time, I also had the opportunity to go to Barcelona for one weekend and Madrid the next. I absolutely loved both cities too. My recommendations for you are to make sure you are ready to walk a lot and if you are doing a January term- since it's a short program you will do a lot of activities- so save your energy. Plan accordingly. Rest whenever you find the time but take advantage of the opportunity and your time there so you don't regret anything. Take pictures for memories!!!

My semester in Salamanca was one of the best times of my life. Here are some words I would use to describe Salamanca and my college experience there: peaceful, entertaining, fun, fascinating, simpatico, and take-me-back. My international business courses were interesting, the professors were great, the food was amazing, going out was fun, and the excursions to Portugal and around Spain were awesome. I highly recommend looking into the AIFS Salamanca program if you are at all interested in the Spanish culture, a fun college experience in a beautiful walkable city, or learning about international business in a foreign country.

Studying abroad in Salamanca was the best experience/semester I had while studying in University. I was immersed in the Spain culture due to the lack of English that was spoken there. The people, the food, and the way of life in Spain is amazing. I learned more studying abroad in Salamanca than any semester I had back in University. If you want to learn Spanish and have an authentic Spain experience you should study abroad in Salamanca.

I loved this study abroad experience! I spent 3 weeks in Salamanca, Spain, which is a smaller city. In those 3 weeks, I felt like I truly lived in that city. The smaller city size meant that less people spoke English, so that provided me with an opportunity to progress in my Spanish. I got to explore, learn about its history, and meet some amazing people. A large focus of my trip was learning Spanish. I lived with 3 other students in a Spanish family's home. That was pure immersion since they didn't speak English. The host family was so welcoming, fun, and the host mom made amazing food! We got to speak with the children in Spanish and watch movies with them! Our classes helped me learn a lot of Spanish. We had awesome excursions, and opportunities to make friends with other students. Overall, this was a great way to spend a winter break!

This study abroad experience was the best decision I have ever made. I didn’t just learn about a new country and their culture but I learned more about myself and how to be more independent. Salamanca was an amazing city! The history, culture, and people were all amazing. Walking to school and passing by historical and beautiful buildings every day was such a surreal experience. I will never forget this study abroad experience, and truly hope everyone gets to experience this at least once in their life.

While abroad, I felt that I became a whole new person in the best way possible. I would say that my time abroad was unique as I did not stay in my host city on the weekends. During the weekends, I was fortunate enough to travel to others countries and experience their culture as well. I have a deep respect and desire to want to understand the different languages and traditions other cultures have and I have found the best way to discover this would be through traveling. Much to my surprise, I solo traveled all these adventures and I know that if I were to tell myself that when I was younger, I would not believe it. Though, I will admit, my first solo trip was not planned as I had a flight error while in Madrid and then elected to stay in Madrid alone the rest of the weekend rather than head back to Salamanca. But this spontaneity, something I don't typically practice, was so freeing and honestly led to the best memories. Throughout my travels, I had met so many wonderful people from all different walks of life and loved to learn more about their own unique stories, but still found comfort in my "homebase" of Salamanca. I found much independence and liberation through solo traveling as it allowed me to choose what I wanted to do and where I was headed. That being said, traveling around Europe was not only easy but also cost-efficient. I really enjoyed being able to utilize the public transportation systems and loved the overall ability to walk everywhere. Additionally, the awareness to the environment is so much different because of public transportation, which allows less pollution in the air. Due to all the factors and aspects that I loved abroad, I am hoping to return and reside in Europe permanently, but I must complete my undergraduate degree first. However, I will admit that I am applying to masters of public health programs abroad, as another benefit of Europe is the affordable education. Overall, I think the United States could learn a thing or two from Europe, but until then, I will just continue to share my amazing experience with others, hoping that they too can experience Europe for themselves. Upon returning abroad, it was difficult to assimilate back into my old life as it was not Europe. While in Europe my mental health was amazing, I was present everyday as I was experiencing new things all the time. But here in the states life was so much different. The cost of goods was more expensive, everything was further away from each other, and public transportation was rarely utilized in my suburban community. In complete honesty, I still have trouble being back home and am looking forward to the day that I can return to the "best version of myself" while I was in Europe. I was brave, independent, excited to explore, less stressed etc. Prior to studying abroad, I have been overseas but I never. knew the full extent of the European healthcare system. As a public health major, I found this perspective of Universal Healthcare so beneficial but was also cognizant of the disadvantages that come with Universal healthcare. This opportunity to not only learn about Universal healthcare but also experience it was so fascinating to me which thus led me to question many of the systems in the United States. My long-term plan is to work with a global organization on better healthcare access and through my travels, I was able to experience the benefits and negatives, providing me with a whole new perspective.

This study abroad program was amazing. The people of Salamanca are very friendly and appreciate your eagerness to learn Spanish. The teachers are very nice and care about your learning. The students I met here were incredible. You will be put out of your comfort zone in the best way possible. This was a life changing experience.

I had a great time in Salamanca. I met friends from all around the world and got to practice my spanish in class and in my homestay. I was also able to travel a lot during my time in Spain which was such a great experience for me.

My time in Salamanca contains the majority of the happiest moments of my life. From the people including friends I made, my host mom, and the program director Gaye Michaels, to Salamanca itself with all its beauty and history, I miss it every day. The education I received was also incredibly at the wonderful Cursos Internacionales. The professors there actually develop relationships and care about their students. It was incredible.

Studying abroad in Salamanca through AIFS was without a doubt the best few months of my life. AIFS was so helpful throughout every step of the way - from deciding if study abroad was right for me, to choosing with program, and even how the classes offered would help with my degree. Once I was sold on Salamanca, I was met with more support than I could ever ask for. First, the AIFS staff did a phenomenal job with roommate matching. I had decided to stay in a homestay, and my roommate quickly became my best friend. We got along so well, and despite me not knowing anyone in the program prior to arriving in Salamanca, we immediately clicked and this really helped me have a positive study abroad experience. As for the homestay - DO NOT PASS UP THE CHANCE TO STAY IN ONE!! It is such a unique experience and really lets you dive into the culture and traditions of the city you're in. My host mom lived her whole life in Salamanca and cooked the most amazing traditional meals - from paella to tortillas de patatas ... my mouth is watering just reminiscing about it! It was so clear that my host mom cared so much about my roommate and I too - from the way she meticulously folded each piece of laundry to the way she carefully packed a lunch full of bocadillos for me before a trip out of the country, I knew that I was truly considered to be part of her family too. My friends in the program that also stayed in homestays all had similar experiences as well - you just can't go wrong! finally, the resident directors in Salamanca are AMAZING!!! they really cared so much about us and made sure that we were taken care of in every way imaginable! literally so so so so grateful to the resident directors for helping me with everything - from how to navigate ordering in a tapas bar to getting a new sim card for my phone! 100000000/10 experience!!!

Studying abroad in Salamanca was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Despite the short semester and early return, I genuinely felt immersed in the culture, area, and schooling. I made friends that I'll hopefully be in contact with for the rest of my life, and traveled at every opportunity. It bolstered my independence and opened up new horizons for me to travel and return to Spain in the future!

Studying abroad in Salamanca Spain was the best decision of my life! There is no better city to learn Castellano or enjoy the beauties and excitement of urban Spanish life. I explored the city everyday and found adventures around each turn. My time in Spain was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but I will always be grateful for the help of the AIFS staff for getting me home safely. I can't wait to return and make up for the lost time! Salamanca, te echo de menos.

My time in Salamanca was absolutely amazing. I loved my class schedule and had a great relationship with all my professors. They were all very kind and surprisingly funny people. I was able to immediately adapt to their teaching methods and felt comfortable in the classroom. The group activities that our program directors held in the beginning of the program made it easy for me to meet the other students and find my group of friends. I traveled, immersed myself in the community and culture and had the absolute best host mom. AIFS even did a great job at pairing me with an awesome roommate, we were able to live very well together and became great friends. The location I chose was perfect for me and I fell in love with the relaxed flow of Spain, and most importantly I became more confident in my Spanish speaking because of all the practice I was doing. Another thing I'd like to mention about this location is that as a small petite woman I felt save walking alone around the city. Unfortunately my experience in Spain was cut short due to the pandemic but I can only imagine how many more amazing experiences, new friends, and confidence I would've gained if we stayed the entire time.

My semester in Salamanca, Spain was one that I will never forget. I learned so much about myself while getting to see so much of the world. AIFS was amazing and so helpful with helping me prepare to go abroad, getting abroad, while I was abroad, and even after my return home. I never felt like I was alone, even though I took on this journey completely by myself. The program was set up to where there were many activities that allowed everyone to meet and get to know each other, activities that showed us around our new home, and even excursions that allowed us to travel in a safe and informative way. This program gave me some of my best friends that i am so thankful for finding and I owe all of that to AIFS for allowing this to happen. My homestay experience was second to none and was the best decision I made for myself. I was placed in a home of a single woman who quickly became a true second mom to me. She was very outgoing, warm, kind, and extremely helpful. My house abroad felt like my home in the U.S. and I always felt comfortable and calm. This was especially important during the beginning weeks when everything was so new and foreign to me. Our house was centrally located and in a very safe area. I was able to walk to the city center in less than five minutes and the location was incredible. I still keep in contact with my host mom and look forward to getting to see her again. The classes provided were great and set up in a way that allowed us to still have free time on weekends as long as you stayed busy and focused in class. The professors were very educated and challenged us everyday to speak as much Spanish as possible to help us learn. They saw so much potential in all their students and encouraged us to see that same potential in ourselves. Overall, this program was all around such a great experience and made going abroad such an easy process. I recommend this program and location to all students. It changed my life and I will always have a home in Salamanca and with the AIFS staff. -Matea Manterola

My experiences with AIFS in Salamanca were amazing and unforgettable. Before I left, I received advising every step of the way from the adviser for Spain. When I got to Spain the on site AIFS staff showed everyone in our program around Salamanca, took us to dinner, engaged us in cultural activities, and introduced us to our host families. After the first two weeks I knew that I would miss Spain more than anything because of the incredible experiences that AIFS provided to me. I was practiced Spanish all the time, I took cooking classes, I went on excursions throughout Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, and I engaged in all of my classes. I wish that I would have stayed for a full year rather than only a semester.

This was the most amazing experience, I honestly can't emphasize enough how great my program was and it's staff! They were very accommodating and made everything feel so comfortable. The class work was challenging but not impossible. Salamanca is an amazing small town and really gives you the feel what life would be like as a native Spaniard. This town was full of history and was VERY safe.

AIFS Salamanca, Spain was the best experience of my life. I was only there for 6 weeks during the summer, but these 6 weeks changed my life. Salamanca is a small college town filled with students from all over the world. From the very moment we arrived in Salamanca the city and its people, our home stays, and our program directors were so welcoming. We all felt right at home and never had any problems. My home stay experience was what made my time in Salamanca so amazing. AIFS did a great job organizing and coordinating a tremendous amount of things to do for us and went out of their way to make us feel at home and to provide us with anything that we needed. There is something going on every single night in Salamanca so there is never an opportunity to be bored. Academics: The teachers are so nice and understanding that it actually makes you want to go to class. They are all willing to go out of their way to make sure that you understand what is going on and that you do not fall behind. They are so cool and actually want to form a relationship with you rather than just being there for the sole purpose of teaching spanish. They understand that the students are there to have a good time and to actually enjoy Spain so they make sure that school and the work that comes along with it do not take over your life. Living Situation: I could not have been more pleased with my living situation. I did a home stay which I was very nervous about because prior to the trip I did not speak any Spanish. It was a little difficult at first because I could not communicate with my home stay mom, but after about 2 weeks I was fine. She cooked us the most amazing food and was so welcoming from the very moment that we arrived. My home stay mom by the end of the 6 weeks I was in Salamanca felt like a second mom to me and will always be a big part of my life. My home stay experience is what made my time in Spain so great and is where a lot of my memories were formed. Cultural Immersion: Salamanca is a college town so there were tons of people our age there. In the summer time there was something to do every single night. We met tons of people from around the world that quickly became our best friends. Salamanca is a very friendly city where it is easy to pick up on Spanish very quickly. It is a little bit of a culture shock at first because no one there speaks any English, but everyone there is patient and does their best to help you out. Program Administration: The program directors were AMAZING. They were so cool and went out of their way to be there for us during our time in Spain. They had activities planned for us every single day of the week so that we always had something to do. By the end of the trip it seemed as if the directors were actually our friends rather than the people who were in charge of us.

The experience of a lifetime! I cannot express enough how much studying in Salamanca has shaped me as a person since then. I think about it often, and my only regret is not being able to stay longer! Highly reccommend this program.

Salamanca is a fantastic place to study abroad. It isn't an overwhelming city - it's small, friendly, and very welcoming. The professors at the university are very passionate and eager to teach and the University itself is one of the oldest in Europe. AIFS did a fantastic job immersing me into the culture. My homestay family was sweet, warm, and all around great people. The cultural advisors also kept us busy with tons of things to do around the city and opportunities to fall in love with city. At the end of my stay, Salamanca felt very much like home and I don't think I would have appreciated the city nearly as much if I studied with a different program