SAI Study Abroad at Florence University of the Arts (Italy)

It has been about 3 months since I came home from Study Abroad, and I still haven't found the right words to describe this experience! When I left for study abroad, I was stepping into the unknown - moving to a new city, far away from everything and everyone I had ever known. Some moments challenged me, pushed me out of my comfort zone, and forced me to grow in ways I never expected. Along the way, Ifound a new sense of independence, confidence, and trust in myself! What I will cherish the most are the people. The friendships I made, my roommates and forever friends who turned into family. They were there for every laugh, every tear, and served as a shoulder to lean on when I needed it most! I was lucky enough to do something most people only dream of. I got to experience cultures, traditions, and places that opened my eyes to how beautiful our world is! I left study abroad with more than just pictures and postcards, but lessons, stories, friendships, and memories that will last a lifetime!

I went abroad with this company, and it couldn't have gone any better. In any situation that was rough, they were always there to chat or help resolve the issue. Great company; would love to go again!

Studying abroad through SAI was the best choice I have made in my academic, personal, and career life yet. Not only are the staff and program well structured, but they truly allow you to be supported, make friends, and experience places/things you never would have expected. As a participant of the 2-city program, I experienced life in two cities of Italy, each unique but special. While La Spezia helped me settle into Italian culture and appreciate the slower pace of life, the hustle and bustle of Florence showed me why Italy is such a destination for people to experience. My 4 months flew by faster than I could imagine, and staying so busy and immersed (in the best way) now allows me to share about my time- and how I have absolutely no regrets. Being involved in the moment, taking time to talk to locals and do "non-touristy" trips/things, and keeping an open mind can shape your life and is truly what makes the experience. It's the little things. People watching. A scrumptious cappuccino. An immersive class experience. Studying abroad is, yes, about education and pursuing a career, but so much of the learning and growing for it are done outside of the classroom, often through unexpected moments. I always felt the support of SAI staff, and their focus on the student experience at a personal level created a sense of belonging and home away from home. If you are on the fence, just go! You won't regret it!

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I genuinely had the best study abroad experience through SAI in Florence. I was able to live with 3 of my best friends and we loved our apartment so much! Although we weren't right in the city center by thew duomo, we found that we loved being across the river as we were more immersed in the culture by being in a neighborhood filled with locals. Outside of our housing and classes, we had so many opportunities to do different activities whether it was a cooking class or a gold leafing class. I could not recommend this experience enough!

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I went to study abroad knowing nobody, completely throwing myself into a different culture across the world, and it was the best choice I made in my life. I met the most amazing people in the most amazing place, and I would choose to do it all over again if I could. Study abroad if you have the opportunity!

If you are thinking about studying abroad with SAI, DO IT! They were so helpful with getting me prepared before I left, while I was there, and even once I returned home! By studying abroad I gained so much confidence that I knew I had in me but hadn't unlocked yet. I studied the Italian language, and am proud of how much I learned. I took a class on the Italian-American Experience where I learned about Italian history, the immigration process, did a research project on my family's immigration from Italy to the United States and found supporting documents along the way. Each member of the SAI on-site staff was wonderful and so helpful! All of the FUA professors were passionate about what they taught, new me by name and were so accommodating and kind! Florence is a wonderful and beautiful city that I would love to visit again. I am very thankful for my time there and highly recommend studying abroad with SAI.

To any student who’s even contemplating studying abroad: Go for it! SAI will change your life in amazing ways you never would have expected. Studying through SAI at Florence University of the Arts in Spring 2025 was the best and most memorable experience of my life! In just four and a half months, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and into a world filled with new languages, cultures, friendships, and adventures I never imagined possible. Whether I was exploring Italy on day trips provided by SAI, learning to cook regional dishes in class, or traveling over the weekends to European countries, every week brought something meaningful and exciting into my life and if I could have, I definitely would have stayed longer than just one semester in Florence, Italy. What made this experience even more special was the constant support that my roommates and I received from SAI throughout the entire year; they supported me with the initial application process up until the day I returned home…and even now, months later, other opportunities with this program await me. At first, I was overwhelmed and nervous before studying abroad, but the staff made everything feel manageable and exciting, and they were always just an email or phone message away whenever I had a question or needed guidance. The SAI staff would even show up at our door if we needed anything while living and learning abroad! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and SAI makes it not only possible, but also truly unforgettable so I without a doubt recommend this program to anyone interested in studying abroad!

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It was such a crazy life changing experience, I loved my class and SAI was so incredibly helpful along the way. Any question I had, before, during, or after, was answered efficiently and effectively. I never felt like I was alone in a foreign country which is super important when you're out there. They also provided so many awesome and unique experiences that are included with your tuition, which I highly recommend! I will always recommend SAI to anyone wanting to go abroad.

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SAI was the best program at our university in Florence. We always had activities to attend that were included in our tuition. We could go to cooking classes, bind books, take day trips, and more. The onsite staff was always keeping us updated with current events and happenings in the city. You can always stop by their office to ask questions or just talk. They are so helpful with anything you need or ask for. Florence itself is such a perfect city for study abroad as well. The people are so welcoming and kind and the city is just big enough to have so many things to do without feeling overwhelmed. The museums and historical sites are stunning as well as some of the landscape if you take yourself a little bit outside of the city center. Overall I couldn’t have asked for a much better experience studying abroad in a different country.

To say I had the time of my life during my year abroad would be an understatement. Before going abroad, I came from a small town, small college, wasn't much of a risk taker or adventurer. After settling into my new life in Florence, Italy, it was all the cliches and more— the amount of personal growth that occurred was off the charts. Traveling to different countries on weekends, trying new foods, meeting new people, living alone in a foreign country, even the process of navigating pharmacies and the doctor's when I was sick, all these were things I couldn't imagine doing on my own before I left. SAI was great in every aspect, from providing help when I really needed it (even sending me with a translator when I had to visit the ER) to setting up social and cooking gatherings with other students (completely free!). I had a great time during my year abroad and deeply encourage everyone to take one too.

To put it simply: studying abroad changed my life. The thought of going abroad for the first time can be really scary and intimidating but I promise you it will be worth it. I learned how to appreciate the small moments, connect with the local community, and most importantly I gained a better understanding of who I was as an individual. Studying abroad truly changed my perspective and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to call Florence my home. Through it all SAI remained a helping hand and the moments and memories made in Florence will be cherished forever.

I made lifelong friends and memories that will last a lifetime! I was so lucky to have been in one of the most beautiful places in the world with such amazing history and culture! For this being my first time in Europe, it will be hard to beat, and I will always reminisce my time in Florence. The SAI staff were very helpful and easy to communicate with during my stay in Florence. They were always there to host their own activities to help immerse us in the culture and also have tons of fun! Overall, I would definitely recommend to anyone who is interested in growing their cultural competence and looking for a program that can be affiliated with their university!

SAI genuinely cares about the well-being of their students and is supportive yet encouraging of trying new things and not being afraid to tackle a challenge! Especially loved the proximity of the office to FUA and the "open-door policy" in them encouraging us to come to them if we ever need anything. The SAI Viva Experiences were amazing and integral in helping us get to know the city and Italy as a whole, as well as engage with authentic Florentine culture through activities such as gold leafing, bookmaking, and cooking classes!

I loved my experience abroad so much words cannot explain. I lived with a host family and felt very connected to them, and will be in touch with them for a long time! The school was great and all of the staff were so nice and helped us integrate into the city. There was a ChatPal program to practice speaking italian and make friends with local students which I loved!! I practiced speaking italian a lot and my language skills improved dramatically, and I got to make so many friends and go out with Italians to really feel like a local. I also really felt like part of the community with all of the fun activities SAI had planned for us. From wine tastings with the owner of our favorite sandwich shop to day trips to the most magical cities, it was overall an incredible experience.

SAI Programs provided me with all of the necessary resources to have an amazing experience studying abroad. I studied abroad in Florence, Italy for a semester program. SAI provided many resources to help me acclimate to my surroundings and build a community within my program. They also hosted a survival Italian course so that I could learn enough of the language to get by. Compared to my friends from other study abroad providers, I felt much more well-adjusted and prepared for my experience. I also had a great living situation and made lasting connections with some of the people that I lived with. SAI assisted us with any maintenance needs as well as helping us to monitor our utilities. One of my favorite things about SAI Programs in general were the Viva Experiences. During my semester, SAI hosted a large variety of experiences such as cooking classes, bookmaking, gold leafing, visits to a mushroom circular farm, hikes, and many more! I always had a great time on these experiences and felt that the price of the program was reasonable for how many great experiences we were able to have. Lastly, I loved the on-site staff. I was constantly in the office because I had a semester internship with SAI. The office staff were always so friendly and helpful. It was such a warm environment to walk into each week, and I am thankful that I got to know them.

I had the best 3.5 months of my life studying abroad in Florence. SAI made it so simple to plan and prepare for. Lots of free events with SAI such as pizza making, Italian dinner making, book making, walking tours, weekend or day trips, you name it! Felt so safe in Florence and in the hands of SAI, would recommend this experience to everyone I know

Studying abroad with SAI was a great experience. They helped us adjust to life in a foreign country, were always there to assist us, and facilitated many culturally immersive experiences to help us feel like locals in Florence. I learned empathy, responsibility, and resourcefulness. This experience fostered my curiosity for and appreciation of different cultures.

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Ever since I was little I dreamed of living in Italy (mostly because of the food), and was ecstatic when I was able to spend an entire semester in Florence. SAI sent me very clear instructions on getting my visa and all my pre-trip requirements sent in, even helping me work out some issues when I turned in documents late. The combination of SAI's cultural immersion programs and Florence University of the Arts' student clubs gave me ample opportunities to experience not only wonderful Italian food, but also Italian arts, geography, and language. I was lucky enough to fill requirements for my degree while also getting to take Italian culture classes such as Italian Food and Culture, and an Italian history class. My favorite part of participating in an SAI program was all the excursions they provided for us: bookbinding, cooking classes, hiking, wine tasting, a weekend trip to the seaside, it was incredible! Not to mention, every fun program we did came with a wine tasting! I'm very happy I chose to study with SAI, they paired me with a fantastic school, gave me so much support and community while I was in Italy, and helped me fulfill my dreams of being immersed in Italian culture.

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I would go back and live abroad in a heartbeat, and it's all because of SAI. I had the best four months of my life in Florence, and I can easily say it is my favorite city in the whole world. SAI was so helpful throughout the whole process. I really appreciated the countdown dates they had prior to departure, which helped me figure out what I needed to have done by when.

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I studied abroad for six weeks in the summer of 2021. It was the best experience of my life, I was incredibly comfortable there, and SAI took care of everything I needed. They had orientation and welcome events to help us get to know the other students who I would end up traveling with every weekend. They also help emerse us in Florence’s culture by having locals take us on tours or bring us to their favorite spots. I was never once concerned about my safety and felt that SAI did a great job about educating us on cultural differences in Italy compared to the US so we knew what to expect. They also had us fill out a travel form so they always knew where we were incase something happened but we’re not overbearing. If you’re even thinking about studying abroad, go with SAI! It was the best!

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