API: Experience Seville, Spain (Scholarships Available)

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience studying abroad with API. It was a unique opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture, meet people from different backgrounds, and expand my academic and personal horizons. Seville proved to be an ideal location for this experience—rich in history, vibrant in spirit, and full of charm. The city offered an incredible blend of food, attractions, and welcoming locals that made my time there truly memorable. Academically, the courses I took introduced me to subjects I might not have explored otherwise, such as the history of winemaking and Andalusian culture. These topics deepened my appreciation for the region and broadened my global perspective. While my overall experience was overwhelmingly positive, the housing situation presented some challenges. My accommodation was significantly smaller than other available options, and unfortunately, the building was not equipped to handle the unusually high levels of rainfall—reportedly the most Spain has experienced in over 50 years. As a result, the roof began to sag and eventually leaked through the walls and ceilings on multiple floors. The water damage led to warped floorboards and damaged built-ins. When I brought these issues to the attention of the building manager, I was told the unit had dried and no further action would be taken. Since only two weeks remained in the program, I informed API and my program advisors in hopes that the matter would be addressed for future participants. Despite this setback, my study abroad experience was incredibly rewarding, and I would strongly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to pursue international education. It’s an experience that fosters personal growth, cultural understanding, and lifelong memories.

I like to think pieces of my heart are sprinkled throughout Sevilla. A little with my host family, my professors at school, the sweet lady I’d see at church, my API coordinators. There’s a bit of me on the rooftop of my host home apartment complex, along the river where we’d picnic, at the bike rack where our group met, in the beautiful plaza, in the heart of downtown with my friends. The night before I left for my semester in Spain, our kitchen table was covered with my suitcases, carry-on bags, passport, snacks, books, and a printed copy of the layout of the airport where my layover would be. I was as prepared as possible; this was my first time flying solo, and it was to a foreign country to live with a new family who didn’t speak English and hopefully to make a few friends from a group of strangers I would be meeting. What I experienced was more than anything I could have ever hoped for or anticipated. The following four months brought innumerable incredible memories and experiences, but it also brought plenty of challenges and opportunities to step outside of my comfort zone, even right from the beginning. But I can guarantee that every minute of it was worth it, I wouldn’t change a single moment of it, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without that experience. There isn’t enough time in the world to recount every incredible experience, but so many of those memories are due to the amazing preparation and planning that went into our excursion trips through API. We experienced weekends in Granada, Cádiz, Ronda, and Lisbon. We stayed in castles, toured marketplaces, and even attended a flamenco show tucked away in a cave in the hills. With each trip was a new opportunity to encounter new people, practice the language, and just be in awe of the vast world that I felt like I was seeing for the first time. I practiced Spanish daily at home with my host mom, laughing together at each of our mispronunciations as she learned a few English words from me too. I said good morning to the woman at the grocery store I passed every morning on my way to the metro stop before school. I exchanged a new vocab word with the security guard I became friends with on the university’s campus before heading into class. Every little piece of my day became extraordinary even in the simplest ways; whether it was attending a fútbol match with seats right next to the pitch, or paying for groceries for the first time on my own, each little moment held an important value in my experience of living life in my new home. It’s hard to believe there was a time in my life before living with daily memories of Spain. Whether it’s in seeing the framed pictures in my room, going to Spanish classes, or talking to friends from my Spain program, not a day passes by without a memory crossing with it. It’s shifted over time in a natural progression. I vividly remember the first few weeks after coming back- a confusing mix of heartbreak, frustration, sadness, uncertainty, everything a human could feel at once. I remember thinking many times during my semester abroad that I figured I felt just about every emotion humanly possible throughout those months. A lot of the time, I couldn’t even figure out how to put into words all of the emotions I was feeling. The most reassuring part was having friends experiencing similar feelings who I could talk to about it as it all happened. No one had all the answers, but we were all in it together, and we continue to carry our inseparable bond from that semester. I’ve found solace in conversations and reminiscing with friends, putting together videos of life abroad, rereading journals or vlogs of moments as they happened, looking through photos, listening to music, talking to other people, keeping in touch with my host family, and continuing to write and process everything. It’s been over a year since moving to Spain, and I’m still trying to reflect and unpack it all. And truthfully, I don’t think I’ll ever fully comprehend everything from that semester. I know I’ll be recognizing and realizing lessons I’ve learned from my time abroad for months and years to come, both life lessons and just ways of understanding myself better. I’m forever grateful for all the people I encountered who made my time abroad exactly as it needed to be. I’m grateful for every ‘yes’ that led to the opportunity to study abroad, and for every ‘yes’ of all the people I came to know and love.

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I first heard of Seville in my high school Spanish class and it never left my mind! That is why I was beyond excited (to say the least) when I found out that API offers an experience in Seville. This program led to a once in a lifetime experience that I will cherish every moment and memory from. Originally, I had only planned to go abroad for the spring semester of my junior year but then I discovered that not only does API offer a program in Seville - they offer one for the academic year and this is what I found myself doing! I will say it was an intimidating experience because not only was I leaving my life at home for a long time, I was one of the few year long students! But in the fall when I first arrived, API made sure that I got to experience the orientation just like all the other students. Orientation was really exciting because we got to fly into Madrid and spend a few days there! This gave me the opportunity to meet the other students on the program, including my future roommate. I have a fond memory of the whole group going together to explore the city and finding this awesome food market! API immediately had activities planned for us to orient to the abroad experience and get to know each other. These included a guided tour of a palace in Madrid and a group dinner. The special activities did not just end at orientation, they were extensive for the rest of my whole year-long experience! Some of my favorite memories from abroad come from the excursions we took like making homemade bread in a small village outside the city, staying the night in a monastery, flying to Barcelona, going on a walking tour in Cádiz, and so much more! Not only were these excursions a great way to explore Spain and the culture, they gave me a chance to become even closer friends with the students on my program. The friends I got to meet abroad are still some of my best friends today and even though we live in different parts of the country, we still stay in touch! I even got to meet up with one of then in Boston! Overall, choosing to study in Seville for a year was the best decision I have ever made in my life and I am already planning to take a return trip! API created an inclusive environment where it was easy to meet other students and the program leaders were always available to answer any questions. I appreciated their knowledge of the city and suggestions for restaurants and places to visit. The office has open hours where students can come in for support and email responses are fast. The program offered many housing options ranging from host families to apartments. I am so happy with the apartment I stayed in because I had my own room, a shared kitchen and living room, and the location was fabulous. (the rooftop pool was also a plus!) If you are deciding where to go, I highly suggest checking out the Seville program offered by Academics Program International because you will have the best time of your life and never want to leave the beautiful city!

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During my time in Seville, Spain I learned a lot about a new culture, country, and myself. The university courses were incredibly interesting and informative and were all taught in Spanish. These courses along with my living with a Spanish family and interacting with the people in the Seville community made me a better Spanish speaker and really allowed me to grow as a person. I was living with a wonderful host family and roommate while also navigating living in a city on my own for the first time as an adult. The API staff on site in Seville were very interactive and supportive and made all of the many excursions even more interesting. Seville is an incredible city with a perfect mixture of beautiful history and modern city life. We were also able to explore other areas of Spain as well with API including Barecelona, Granada, Cadiz and so many others. I met so many new people and had so many new and fun experiences with them. I learned so much about myself and my passions while abroad in Spain and I have definitely become a different and more mature version of myself after returning from this experience. I grew a lot as a person and it is all thanks to this incredible immersive experience I had with API Abroad in Seville, Spain.

There aren't enough words in the world to both capture and do justice to my semester abroad in Sevilla. From the buildings, the restaurants, the music, the food, and most of all, the people, everything played a part in developing some of the most cherished memories of my life. Day to day, I would take the metro to my university, where I took Spanish classes along with other students studying abroad from across the globe. Classes were available in English, as well as different levels of Spanish, so it's perfect for any language level. Transportation throughout the city was very easy; there's one metro line that keeps public transportation simple, and everything you need in the city is within walking or biking distance, which is the most common way people get around. I loved Sevilla because it was smaller than the bigger cities like Madrid or Barcelona which made it feel more personal, but there was still so much to see and do. I lived with a host family which was a great way to get more comfortable with the language and meet some locals from the city, and they helped Sevilla feel more like home for me. I also became very close with the other students in my program, who were like-minded people all in an unfamiliar place but excited to try something new. I can't speak highly enough of the experience as a whole, the API team members who played such a huge role in making it so wonderful, the faculty at the school who taught me so much in and out of the classroom, and every part of the city that made it feel like home.

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I studied abroad in Seville, Spain during the spring semester of 2019. I will cherish those memories for the rest of my life and I am so grateful for all of the time I was able to live abroad! Living with a host family was the highlight of my experience. I lived with a older woman and her husband, but her husband was typically away living at their beach house. She only spoke Spanish- and my Spanish was not great upon arrival! We ate lunch and dinner together and that made my Spanish improve dramatically, as well as allowed us to bond. The Spanish people are very direct. I would say that it is more offensive to be wasteful of food and say you like it, than to say you don’t like it or don’t prefer it. To have a good relationship I think it is important to keep your room and area clean, to communicate directly, and to occasionally bring home little treats from travels (my host mom loved that!) For a typical school day, I only went to school from 9-6, two days per week. I would have four classes throughout the day. They were blocks of about an hour and a half I believe! I would sit and eat lunch with my friends outside or run the track at the university. The API excursions happened every so often, and were so fun! We got to stay in amazing places, like a Montessori! They provided educational and informational tours as well. They also arranged fun things for us to do in Sevilla, like go to the movies or attend a tile painting class. I traveled outside of Spain quite frequently! I went to about 8 different countries, like Morocco, France, and Hungary. I would take the bus to the airport (it cost 4 euros) and then hop on a flight out of Sevilla! The flights were generally very inexpensive (like round trip to Italy for 30 euros). I always felt safe in Sevilla. I would walk to and from my house very late a night with my roommate, and although we were on guard just in case, I never felt like I needed to be. Sevilla has more petty crime, like stealing bike tires, as opposed to violent crime. API was also so helpful when it came to safety and health. I was sick for about a week and needed to go to the doctor when I was there. My host mom called API and they arranged for a translator to be on the phone with me at the hospital. My host mom held my hand the whole time and I felt at peace because of the support around me provided by API. Sevilla became my home, and it will always have a special place in my heart.

I studied at the University of Seville in Seville, Spain in Spring of 2019. I was worried about the language immersion however, as I was able to practice I felt more and more comfortable. During my studies, my classes would take me on field trips around the city to better understand what we were teaching and I loved the ability to actually see it in person. I took classes such as Literary and Cultural Traditions in Spanish Speaking Countries, Spanish Cuisine, a Flamenco class, a Healthcare and Voluntary work class, and a Spanish language course. I was able to take a few classes in Spanish and a few in English. I definitely learned a lot about cooking, the origination of Flamenco, and more. I stayed with a host family during my stay and they were wonderful. They made sure that I was being well taken care of and gave me tips on where to go visit. Between classes, there is also a lot of time to explore the beautiful city and travel to other countries. The Semana Santa and the Feria in Seville are must sees if you study during the Spring. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in studying abroad.

I studied abroad in Seville, Spain with Academic Programs International for the 2016-2017 academic year. This program stood out to me because of the options to take both courses in Spanish and in English, live with a host family, and the included excursions! I learned a lot about being independent while studying in Seville, and I made lifelong friends. I felt very supported by the API program staff, but also like I was living in a foreign country on my own, which is something I wanted out of my experience. API was the most affordable option that I found, while also including so much more in their program than others. Universidad de Sevilla is a centrally located university in Seville, and it's close to many shops, restaurants, and historical sites. I was able to take both English and Spanish courses, and received credit for all of them. My favorite classes included Painting in Literary Seville, a water color class, and Literatura y Cocina, a combined literary and cooking class. I also took some incredible history courses that actually involved a lot of time outside of the classroom, at historical sites and museums in and around Seville. I think that the classes were challenging in that many of them were long lectures entirely in Spanish, but the workload was very manageable. I chose to live with a host family in Seville, and I think that this really added to my overall experience, and to my immersion in the local culture. My family consisted of a host mom, a host grandmother, and a host uncle. I also had an American roommate, another student from API. The family provided all of our meals, and also provided a lot of helpful information about the city. If you are looking to really improve your Spanish, choosing to live with a host family is the way to do it! I ate most of my meals at home, which meant a lot of my time was spent in Spanish conversation with my host mom. My favorite aspect of my program with API was the availability of such incredible excursions, all included in the program! This is something that really sets API programs apart from other program providers. I was able to see and experience so many things in my host country that I know I would not have even known about otherwise. My favorite excursions include a trip to Extremadura, where we hiked 13 miles to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, and a trip to Aracena to make bread. The international excursions were incredible as well, and during the 2016-2017 year we went on an excursion to Paris and to Lisbon. Although the excursions are constantly changing, no matter where you go with API, you'll have an incredible time. If you are considering studying abroad in Spain, Seville is a lively, warm city with close proximity to an airport, which is important if you are planning to travel during your time abroad! I looked at many of API's programs in Spain, but the proximity of an airport was a deciding factor for me, as well as the size of the city. Seville has a population of about 700,000, which means that you'll never run out of things to do or see. While I did love Seville, I think that if I would do it again, I would maybe have chosen to study in two different cities in Spain with API, one each semester. It can be difficult to make friends with the new student arrivals your second semester, as you are much more integrated into the host city than they are. The excursions and affordability of API's programs in particular really sold me, and I'm so glad that I made the decision I did! Having the ability to take a wide variety of courses in both English and Spanish also helped me to find credits that would transfer to my home university. I was able to finish my Spanish minor at the Universidad de Sevilla, and am now participating in the Global Leadership Academy through API, to continue integrating international experience into my final year at my home university. I could not recommend studying abroad with API more, and Seville is an incredible place to study!

Studying abroad in Sevilla was the best decision Ive ever made. The city is stunning, the classes were in a gorgeous university with local Spanish students and everyone is so friendly. It's a great place to solidify your fluency in Spanish. Make sure to live with a host family for an even more authentic experience! I would HIGHLY recommend this!!

I recommend API to everyone I know that is thinking about spending a semester abroad. From the smooth application process, organized pre-departure process, the friendly individuals stateside and in Spain, the value of the program and even the opportunities offered after the program, API is the only feasible program in my mind. When applying Christie, Brittany, and the gang in Austin were awesome with my million questions every week. Applying and preparing for departure couldn't have gone more smoothly. There is even a service that takes your visa application to a consulate-- which saves you tons of time. From the second I stepped off the plane I was greeted at the airport and could never have felt more welcomed. My whole semester was phenomenal from the planned excursions to the support in Sevilla the program directors provided. I got sick a couple times while abroad the program directors made it so simple to visit the doctor. In addition, my host family was fantastic and I feel as though I was given a much richer experience than students in other programs based on the quality of host families API selects. Our international excursion was to London and included a number of tours, our flight and housing. I made lifelong friends while in Spain because API's program sizes are smaller, so you don't feel lost in the mix. They know you by name and treat you as a person, not just another number. API offers tons of resources to adjust back to life in the States as well as professional development opportunities to spread the word about studying abroad. Overall, I cannot say how pleased I am that I chose API as my study abroad program because they are truly experts and so passionate about international education.

Traveling to Morocco, Africa is a learning experience of a lifetime

My experience has been amazing so far! I love the culture and food, and my Spanish language skills are improving everyday. I hope to come back here again someday!

I've had a great time in Sevilla but have also really enjoyed the trips I've been able to take from here. I do wish Sevilla has stronger character, but overall, great!

Seville is a great low key city that makes a great "home base" to travel from. Rich in history, this city has an enormous amounts of sites to see! Check out Alfalfa and Calle Betiz. :)

My experience has been remarkable in the sense that I have grown in so many different ways- as a person and a student, and instead of feeling confident to be a part of one nation and one identity, I feel as if I no longer have boundaries and getting that feeling makes me feel more capable of tackling many adventures and problems.

Sevilla is the perfect city to be abroad in. The people are welcoming and the culture is abundant. Also, you are too far away from many other locations such as Morocco, Portugal, Italy, and France. The weather is also perfect.

My experience has been amazing so far! I love the culture and food, and my Spanish language skills are improving everyday. I hope to come bac here again someday!

My experience has been amazing so far! I love the culture and food, and my Spanish language skills are improving everyday. I hope to come bac here again someday!

I've ad a great time in Sevilla but have also really enjoyed the trips I've been able to take from here. I do wish Sevilla had stronger character, but overall, great!

Seville is a great low key city that makes a great "home base" to travel from. Rich in history, this has an enormous amounts of sites to see! Check out Alfalfa and Calle Betiz. :)