Journalism & Broadcasting Study Abroad Programs in Western Europe

My time in Italy was one of the most amazing, life-changing, and enjoyable experiences I have ever had. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to visit Italy for the first time, especially since it was also my first time flying on an airplane. I loved how affordable the program was for everything that was included. We traveled throughout Central Italy, enjoyed amazing food and accommodations, and were guided by caring faculty and tour guides who truly wanted us to have the best experience possible. This trip gave me unforgettable memories, new friendships, and experiences that I will always be grateful for.

I had an unforgettable time in Italy with Molise Italian Studies. It was my first time visiting a country outside of the United States, so I was a little worried at first. However, the program was so well run and smooth that I soon had no worries whatsoever. Our guide, Andrea, was excellent and our trip would not have been what it was without him. I would highly recommend Molise Italian Studies to any one who is interested in Italian culture, history, or exploring another country.

My study abroad experience to Italy was incredible. I had met so many new amazing people and new connections. Our tour guide, Andrea, was very helpful, patient, and kind throughout the whole trip. I am very grateful to be chosen to attend this trip.

I studied abroad in both Pau, France and Madrid, Spain in the summer of 2015, and had a wonderful experience in both cities. Being that it was the summer, the university campus in Madrid was a little quiet, but I absolutely loved the classes I took with amazing professors. My Spanish improved immensely and the professors worked hard to challenge me in speaking, reading and writing. I lived in a small but nice apartment with a roommate from my home university, the University of Nevada, Reno (the USAC headquarters!). We lived right near Atocha, the main train station, making travel within the city and to other places in Spain convenient. Madrid in the summer is an incredible city, especially for a young person without a lot of travel experience, as it is quite safe and easy to navigate on foot and has quality public transportation. Madrid has plenty of nightlife for those who like to party, but plenty of high culture in the form of museums, historical sites and cuisine for the more bookish types like myself. One of my favorite memories is enjoying churros con chocolate with my friends at the famous Chocolatería San Ginés!

My study abroad program was an amazing experience! I really enjoyed making friends with locals and being immersed in the language so quickly. The extracurricular activities offered through the program were eye-opening, exciting, and gave me opportunities to experience the culture in ways I would not have on my own. The accommodations also exceeded my expectations and made the entire experience even more enjoyable. Overall, I’m very grateful for the experience and would definitely recommend the program to others!

I took an architecture and a holocaust class during the summer and it was an incredible experience. I went by so fast and I wished I would have done a semester. One of the coolest things we did was tour the Franz Ferdinand's estate. The professors were so kind and passionate, you could tell they want to be there and the program felt like a family.

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!

I had the absolute best time while in Italy! I met so many nice people, ate the most amazing food, and traveled to nearby cities. My program coordinated many great field trips for our group to go on, including a castle, a cheese factory, and the Ferrari factory. I felt safe exploring and sightseeing, and loved being a part of the Italian culture! Such an incredible experience I will never forget! I am so glad I studied abroad in Reggio Emilia, Italy!

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!

My time at Richmond has been the best 3 weeks of my life. I've never felt freer and happier. I have made so many friends along the way that I will never forget, friends that I laughed with until we were all out of breath and crying. The history that London has is almost unreal, walking by churches that are older than America. Everyone was unbelievably kind, at concerts we were upgraded to front row seats, and in class we were given opportunities to see Oxford and York - both of which were some of the best moments I had with the friends I made. Our professor was always willing to answer two million questions, before Richmond I had never had fun learning. I'll never forget my time in London with Richmond and every opportunity it's given me.

I wrote this while I was abroad, and it felt correct to share in this space for anyone considering Viterbo. What a blessing to be studying abroad in Viterbo. Recently, I have been reflecting on what dropping into a community longterm offers. In having the opportunity and capacity to build a rhythm in a medieval Etruscan town, I am connecting with locals and learning so much about how life moves here in Viterbo. Italy, like the US has a lot of different vibes and paces from town to town and city to city. Viterbo is no different. Study abroad offers a unique opportunity to drop into a region and to feel out what life is like in a space very different than your own. Speaking Italian has offered me an incredibly unique lens to conversations with locals and those who are considered locals from other regions. Overall, they echo the same sentiments about Viterbo, something I have yet been able to see, and will need to process when I am away. Daily, everything closes down in the early afternoon, which is the hottest part of the day. It’s been incredibly hot overall, with some days reaching 38 degrees celcius. I feel I have adapted overall, but today was especially hot and last night was hard to sleep. As an anthropologist and musician, there have been so many opportunities to drop into playing music and connecting with historical sites, stories, and more. It was a bumpy transition into Italy as the student loan changes arrived on July 1st and I have been connecting with students who are expressing how their financial aid packages will be changing this fall. It’s a major moment of change in the world, and I am thankful to be experiencing it from a new space where I am gently adapting and becoming used to how many people enjoy smoking overall. I'll never be the same!

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!

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!

Before Expanish, I struggled to feel confident/comfortable in Spain due to my lack of knowledge in Spanish. Expanish not only allowed me to finally feel comfortable in Madrid, but helped me to really thrive in Madrid. By being able to learn Spanish I felt so much more connected in my Madrid community by being able to build relationships with my gym instructors, the clerks at my regular grocery store, waiters at my favorite restaurant. That changed everything. I also learned and saw so much of Spain and Madrid through the cultural immersion events. It had the most positive impact on my experience and I’m forever indebted to Expanish. The classes themselves were great! My instructor was Aurora. She was very kind and patient which is so necessary when learning a new language. She was also great at explaining new concepts and will repeat it as many times as you need. Everyone on staff is absolutely incredible. Everyone was more than willing to offer help if I needed something. I was having issues with my apartment agency and one of the staff was more happy to call the agency to speak with them in Spanish on my behalf (I didn’t stay in housing that was part of Expanish). It just goes to show how much they care. They all ask questions about you and want to get to know you personally. You’re not just a number at Expanish. If anyone’s considering signing up, I promise you won’t regret it!

Expanish responded to this reviewJuly 25, 2026

Alexa, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a nice review! :) Reading this genuinely made our day, especially the part about feeling connected to your Madrid community, building those everyday relationships that really make a place feel like home. That's exactly what we hope for, so knowing you got to experience that means the world to us. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to Aurora, she'll be so happy to read this. And to our team, thank you for noticing and appreciating that extra effort. You're not just a number to us, you're part of the Expanish family, and we love being able to support you even beyond the classroom. Thank you for recommending us and for being such a wonderful part of this journey. It was truly a pleasure having you with us!

I've had an incredible time studying abroad in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Every day I find myself in a new adventure, meeting new people, and immersing myself in the culture here. USAC has done an incredible job at making me feel safe, supported, and comfortable. Academically, I feel scaffolded to learn new information about the community and the Reggio Emilia approach, combining the perfect mix of theoretical and practical study. Socially, this community has been an amazing place, filled with weekly events, concerts, and just a welcoming town feeling in general. This has definitely been an experience of a lifetime.

The best part about Reggio Emilia is it is not super crowded with tourists. It’s a small city full of life where you can meet Italian locals and truly immerse yourself in the culture. I loved being able walk and get gelato whenever I wanted, then explored using easy access to bus transportation to the mall and movie theater and then to the train station too. The local cuisine is also phenomenal, erbazzone is devine and each Wednesday during the summer the piazza’s are full of energy with dancing, concerts and so much more. The planned field trips were amazing from trying balsamic vinegar to even exploring a castle there is something for everyone. The support from the program directors is excellent, they were always there for all my questions and made the program feel like home.

My experience studying abroad in Molise Italy was absolutely life-changing. I learned so much about culture, made lifetime, friendships, and endless memories. Getting to experience the culture and beauty of Molise was the absolute highlight of my summer.

Molise Italian Studies responded to this reviewJuly 21, 2026

Grazie, Breanna! Colli really is beautiful and it's such a great partnership!

It was a great experience and I made some good friends. Being in a new culture was very beneficial for me. I miss it already and wish I stayed for longer but I also got way to hot towards the end of the adventure.

Studying abroad in Italy is an absolute dream come true, offering an incredible mix of world-class education, deep historical immersion, and unforgettable weekend travels. It is the perfect destination if you want to balance your academic goals with a vibrant, slow-paced lifestyle full of incredible food, art, and culture.