Florida State University International Programs

I have always loved the idea of living in Italy. The FSU Florence program offered the courses that I needed to graduate as well as a type of meal plan that helped financially. Only students who signed up for the program were housed together and attended classes. Therefore, the class sizes were smaller and students were able to have a one-on-one relationship with the professors. Studying abroad with FSU was one of the best decisions I made during college.

Overall the experience in Valencia was very enriching in the sense that we spent several weeks living and studying in a Spanish university setting. Unfortunately, the program is not adapted to those wishing to be immersed in the Spanish language. As Valencia is a very multicultural city, English is very widely spoken and therefore the participants are not forced to use the local language. Because the study abroad program is over the summer months, there are very few local students lodging in the dormitory and therefore we have very little contact with the locals of the same age group. I believe that the experience would be much more interesting and culturally enriching if the option to live with a host family was made available to those wishing to progress in the Spanish language. Administratively speaking, the program is extremely well organized with many trips available to those interested in visiting other cities. The courses offered are interesting and well scheduled in order to leave enough time to explore the city and participate in the local life. Overall, a great experience!

Had a great time in Spain, learned a lot, including a lot of the Spanish language. Administration was very helpful in assisting us with learning the culture and staying safe. The living quarters were very up to date and nice but I had 3 people living in one room which wasn't ideal.