Government Study Abroad Programs in China

When I decided I wanted to go abroad, I was nervous about a lot of things. First off, I was scared that when I went abroad I would have to settle for a location I did not want to be in because I needed my credits to transfer over. Luckily AIFS had a program in a wonderful city with a bunch of classes that would transfer back to my home university super well. When I chose this program, I was overjoyed but nervous about living in a homestay. When I got there I was happily surprised to find that my host family was amazing and provided me with an experience I would not have been able to have if I had been in a dorm/apt. The people that I met in the program were some of the coolest people I have ever known and am happy to call them my friends to this day. If you are looking for a great program in Paris where you have the freedom to meet new people, travel, and find yourself in a new place, I would 100% recommend this to you!

My semester abroad in Granada, Spain was absolutely unforgettable. I decided to stay with a host family and I lived in their home with another student in the same program. Living with a roommate, we became really close friends. My host family was so kind and welcoming, they included us in everything they did. I learned so much Spanish culture and tradition from spending time with the family. The school was called Center of Modern Languages and I had a mixture of Spanish and Business classes. I loved speaking Spanish in class and getting to know other students. AIFS provided a level placement test at the beginning of the semester so that everyone found courses that were appropriate for their knowledge of Spanish. The classes were very fun and I enjoyed going to class. The AIFS program excursions were some of the best experiences/trips that I went on. I was blown away by the Morocco trip as well as the Seville/Córdoba/Gibraltar weekend. The trips were well planned, affordable, and allowed for free time to explore with friends. I made so many connections with locals, got to experience once in a lifetime activities like riding camels next to the ocean, and tried amazing foods. The program application process was hassle-free and the program advisors in Granada are so helpful. I would often visit their office and just chat with them or ask their advice on where to visit on the weekend. They organized cooking classes, art classes, sporting events, and cultural activities like a flamenco show. Granada is such a wonderful city. It is very walkable and the people are very friendly. There are endless tapas bars in the city where you get free food with each drink purchase. I made friends with lots of locals and other students from across the US. I attended exchange club meetings where you get drinks and tapas, and you chat in whatever language you are trying to learn with people from around the world. AIFS did a wonderful job providing opportunities for all of the students in the program to get to know each other. I made a close-knit group of friends and we spent so much time together. I am so thankful for having met them thanks to AIFS. We even visited each other once we arrived back in the US! I would highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to experience Spain on a more personal scale compared to bigger cities. I think Granada is the most beautiful city, and the Alhambra is a must-see!

Berlin is a really wonderful and historic city to live in. My German is basically nonexistent and I still felt like I was able to get around fine. The AIFs staff are very supportive, and the organized actives were well structured and thought out. If you weren’t interested in some or all of the activities, you didn’t have to participate and there was plenty of time to do your own thing around Berlin or travel throughout Europe. I didn’t particularly enjoy my academic experience at Humboldt, there were a few good classes but also a few really awful ones. So, if I could do it again I would probably do the AIFS program with Freie Universität academic program.

My colleague and I have had the pleasure of accompanying 21 amazing humans on a 3 month journey that will most certainly change them for the rest of their lives. Thank you to AIFS for sharing Rome with us and attending to every detail that made this an experience that will live with us eternally. The AIFS Rome center staff were excellent in providing impactful excursions, extra-curricular courses, and ensuring that all of us were well informed and provided for in every part of our journey.

I had a lovely time here, although it was not without flaws. The amenities were not great especially considering how much we paid to be here. The company guilt tripped and body shamed us. But I made innumerable new friends and had experiences that I will cherish forever.

Very nice experience, learned a lot. People I’ve met here are now friends I will still be in contact with. The internship was where I learned new skills and networked with people within the fashion industry and got inspired by being here abroad

I definitely had a really exciting and wonderful trip. There were a few aspects like traveling and staying at more cities besides just Salzburg would have been a lot more fun. But the tours and field trips were absolutely incredible and the people who showed us around were amazing! Loved to see the history and beauty all over

From arrival to departure, AIFS made my study abroad experience a 11/10. Great staff through and through allowed for a complete cultural assimilation in the time I spent there. It was the experience of a lifetime that I would recommend to everyone.

AIFS was definitely the right choice for me and I think it will be for anyone else seriously considering study abroad. From the moment I signed up for emails (before applying) to now (over a year out from leaving Germany), I have felt so supported and have had a lovely experience. The included trips and activities were definitely my favorite parts (the street art tour and cooking class especially!) and I’m still in contact with our Resident Director, Nele :)

I enjoyed my abroad experience a lot! Though I felt like the immersion into the campus community was lacking in some ways and some of the professors did not communicate with the students well, I think the on site staff was incredibly helpful and supportive and all of the Chinese professors were amazing. My Mandarin skills increased so much, and I got learn about and see aspects of Chinese society that I would never have found out on my own.

Studying abroad in Shanghai, allowed me to interact with a city that had traditional neighborhoods and modern ones all in one place. I'm a huge coffee lover, but being in Shanghai didn't deprive me of that. Given its modernity I was still able to enjoy my slice of home while living and studying abroad in a foreign country, enhancing my language ability, and traveling to new places.

I had the time of my life in China! As my friend back home put it, I just ‘became more me’, which I’d an amazing thing to do. I not only developed confidence in my language skills, but in life itself. If I can survive in a country with limited understanding of the language, I feel like I can do anything. I learned so much about China, which is something I’ve been wanting to since I got to college. I made great friends that made me a better person, and had the most wonderful teachers who had so much patience when I struggled. I miss China every day I’m not there; it really cemented that I love what I’m doing and that I want to continue with it.

Choosing to study abroad in Shanghai through the IFSA program was one of the greatest experiences of my life! Prior to departure, the IFSA staff helped me with visa application, flight details, and lodging logistics. When we arrived, they helped us navigate all the unfamiliar things that have to do with living in a foreign country including phone plans, bank accounts, and navigating transportation. Their support throughout the process was incredible! The program was a great balance of academic learning and real-life exploring. The professors were cool and my internship was amazing! My favorite class was the Chinese class. I really felt that my Chinese ability got exponentially better by being immersed in the language every day. We went on many weekend trips and even one IFSA planned trip to Qinghai (in Western China). It was an incredible week with a professional tour guide who took us to monasteries, art galleries, beautiful views, and much more! I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to have a rewarding classroom experience mixed with cool opportunities to travel and experience the Chinese culture.

The program was extremely helpful whenever I had issues, the classes taught me so much in Chinese and about Chinese society and politics. Although the classes were too small for my taste, I recognize the program is not at fault for that. I wished there were more ways to become more culturally immersed with local students since all my classes were with Americans. Overall, I had a great experience. My program brought us on a trip to outside of Tibet and it was amazing!

I went to China on the mindset of traveling and learning about the community and culture more so then purely academics. I traveled to 20 or so cities/parks but still learned so much about my host city and host community of Shanghai. The best experience by far was the cultural immersion trip to Xinjiang province, the most western province of China. It was a whole different experience. I got to know some of the other students that I didn't hang out with as much extremely well. There were some difficulties but it just made us closer and bond. All the teachers were wonderful, especially mine. Some of the classes were more work than others but they all just reminded us of a different style of education. I wish I did a full year instead of a just a semester.

Everyone needs to go abroad. It is awesome experiencing so many cultures. Professors while abroad are very helpful and care about their students. I really enjoyed getting to know my professors and learning not only class content but also from their real life experiences. Traveling on the weekends was obviously my favorite part of this experience. I was able to visit a bunch of different countries. Wish I could stay longer.

By getting outside of my comfort zone as much as possible, I was able to experience parts of the world while figuring out new things about myself! Staying in a home stay is completely worth it because you get to practice your Spanish and meet incredibly interesting locals!

Living in Spain was such a great experience! From the food to culture and things to do, Spain has it all. I´m definitely going to miss my time here and all the great people I met. Studying abroad helped me grow so much as a person, and I won´t ever forget this experience.

I made the most of my time here by travelling every weekend except for one. | recommend that everyone does that and explore their home city during the week. The professors were great and a lot better than in the US.

This experience allowed me to reflect on the type of person I am, what I like and what I do not like, and really step out of my comfort zone. Studying abroad has allowed me to develop critical values that are important for everyday life. I have always believed that one of the best ways to erase ignorance is by traveling and my experience here has proved that.