Winter Study Abroad Programs in Grenoble, France

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!

From the planning process to weeks after I came back CEA CAPA took care of me every step of the way. They made this experience super stress free which allowed me to be excited to study abroad. My studies abroad in Grenoble was the best experience of my life and I will never forget it.

CEA responded to this reviewMarch 16, 2024

Hi Chance! Thanks so much for reviewing your study abroad experience. I'm happy you found such value and support in CEA CAPA!

Studying abroad in Grenoble was genuinely one of the most impactful experiences I have had during my time in college. I truly enjoyed getting to explore a new culture and learn about a city I had no knowledge of prior to taking part in my study abroad program. I think Grenoble is a great location for study abroad as it has a high international student population, plenty of restaurants and activities to explore, and a wide variety of subjects to study at different universities. As an engineering student, I was very excited to be living in a city that had such a focus on technology and scientific innovation. Additionally, my onsite CEA CAPA program coordinator contributed greatly to my experience abroad. I really appreciated having her support while adjusting to a new environment and getting to take part in the activities and excursions she planned. Overall, I would definitely recommend this program to anyone looking to explore a new environment as I think Grenoble is truly a unique city with something for everyone.

CEA responded to this reviewMarch 21, 2024

Hi Stephanie! Your study abroad experience in Grenoble sounds great. Thanks for sharing your 10/10 feedback!

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.

While I was in Grenoble, the best part of my experience was getting to know my host family. For four months I was with them, they treated me like one of there own. This meant drinking licorice-flavored pastis with grandfather, and attending the nephew's baptism, and so much more. They made me the season's meals consistently to make sure I had the most authentic experience of their lives that I possibly could, and they also took me to places all around the city. They took me along my long route that I would then take every day for school to make sure I was comfortable (and a good thing too because I had never been on public transportation before). But most of all, they took care of me simply as good family, making me feel at home away from home.

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 :)

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.

My experience in Grenoble, France with CEA was beyond special, in so many different ways. Going to uni at GEM with so many international students, with so many diverse goals and backgrounds was truly broadening for me. On the other side of things, the weekly meetings that I had with my CEA group, many of whom were doing the culture program at UGA, really cultivated a sense of closeness and friendship among the group that we had. I got the chance to travel both with the CEA excursions, and my fellow GEM classmates. Being able to bond with other students in Paris, then being able to road-trip through the Cote d'Azur and experiment with local cuisine next, was one of my favorite parts of this program. I would highly recommend this program to anyone that's interested in having an incredible study abroad experience!

CEA responded to this reviewJune 19, 2018

Thank you for sharing your experience studying abroad in Grenoble with us. The insights provided will be helpful to other students considering studying or interning abroad. - CEA

I was sold on Grenoble because of it’s location, nestled in the French alps, close to Switzerland, and a quick train ride to Paris and other well-known French towns. The school, Grenoble Ecole de Management, is a triple-accredited school, making it one of the rare business schools in France to achieve such a prestigious ranking. I had no ties to Grenoble prior to studying abroad here, and that was my favorite part. I wanted to test myself by putting myself in a completely foreign environment and fully immerse myself in a new culture. The fear of it all has led to me to meet the most international, outspoken, creative, and extraordinary group of individuals. I wasn’t expecting to meet anyone from California, let alone America, and I am pleasantly surprised that almost exactly that has happened. I fell in love with just about every aspect of life in Grenoble. Patrick was an amazing program advisor and took us on some of the best excursions around France. If you are lucky enough to go abroad and end up in Grenoble, take advantage of every experience you have there!

CEA responded to this reviewJune 19, 2018

We’re glad you love Grenoble as much as we do! Thank you for sharing such a vivid picture of studying abroad in the capital of the Alps. - CEA

The best decision I ever made was studying abroad in Grenoble, France for a year. It was the most exciting, enriching, and worthwhile experience of my life. Grenoble is a beautiful city in the French Alps that's small enough to experience the authentic French lifestyle but big enough to never be bored. If you love staying active and being in nature then this is the perfect place. The CEA program is exceptional providing helpful resources, quality staff, and makes the whole process easier. The program director in Grenoble is awesome, cares about the students, and is very knowledgeable about the French way of life. There are so many ways to immerse yourself in the culture through the multiple CEA excursions across France, weekly meetings where I always learned something new, and daily school life. I enjoyed both my homestay family and residence hall living arrangements and Grenoble is a very safe town. Overall, I could not say enough positive things about my time in Grenoble and I highly recommend this program to anyone.