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FIE: Foundation for International Education

4.79 Rating
77 reviews
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Why choose FIE: Foundation for International Education?

Unrivaled study and internship abroad programs in the world's most vibrant global cities.

We’re creating active educational experiences that expand minds, foster cultural intelligence, and open up exciting opportunities.

We are a values-driven community, invested in making a difference. We advance sustainable thinking, enabling students to positively impact their community, society, and the wider world.

As a not-for-profit organization, our revenue is reinvested into creating new and innovative ways for students to flourish.

FIE Scholarships Available

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Website
www.fie.org.uk
Founded
1998
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Frequently asked questions

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Aran Islands
Royal Borough of South Kensington and Chelsea

Scholarships

FIE Scholarships

FIE is a values-driven community that is invested in making a difference. They believe everybody should be able access the life changing benefits of studying abroad. Their scholarships give recipients the opportunity to build their own views, participate in the host culture on an authentic basis and go on an adventure while being supported.

Value
$1,000 - $5,000
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Diversity & Inclusion 💙

The Foundation for International Education (FIE) is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. In the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, internship policies, scholarship programs and other internally administered programs and activities, FIE does not discriminate against individuals on any basis. In its commitment to ensuring an environment that is welcoming and respectful to all, FIE proactively undertakes initiatives and actions to create an environment that welcomes diverse populations.
www.fie.org.uk
FIE is a community of staff, faculty, and students that prides itself on its diversity and inclusivity. We cultivate a welcoming, supportive, fair, and inclusive living, learning, and working environments, where the rights and dignities of all the community members are embraced and respected. FIE seeks to support students with their adjustment process as much as possible. As you are preparing to apply for your FIE study abroad program, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, concerns, and support needs around aspects related to your identity, such as diversity, background, LGBTQ+, religion and faith, first-generation, disabilities, veteran or any other aspects related to your own self.
www.fie.org.uk
FIE works closely with its university partners, placement sites and affiliated organizations to provide an accessible experience for all students.FIE's Administration & Accessibility Team can assist you with any accessibility needs or queries – from pre-application and throughout your study abroad experience.
www.fie.org.uk

Impact 🌎

FIE is committed to fostering a sustainable future for all of us. We care! We actively encourage practices that encourage ethical consumption, fair trade, and a viable 21st century.
www.fie.org.uk
From our formal missions, FIE has devised specific and Articulated Values values which underpin and motivate all aspects of our organization.
www.fie.org.uk

Reviews

Lily
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
FIE Dublin: Semester & Summer Internships and Study Programs

Summer 2026 Study Abroad and Internship in Dublin

Aug 24, 2026

I had an amazing experience studying, interning, and living in Dublin, Ireland through FIE this past summer. It was easy to make friends through the program, and there were lots of fun things to do and explore in the city. There were also opportunities to travel outside of Ireland independently, which I enjoyed.

Through the internship portion, I was able to gain valuable skills while working in the city that will help further my career. I built meaningful relationships with my coworkers and supervisors that made the program even better. I also found the internship course through Dublin Business School to be informative regarding adapting to a new culture.

Ainsley
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
FIE London: Semester & Summer Internships and Study Programs

UF in London Summer 2026 with Foundation for International Education

Aug 24, 2026

This program was great for experiencing living life in an international city. The internship portion of this experience was super valuable for me because it helped my professional development and gave me the experience of a real Londonder who lives and works in the city. Having my cohort of students living together helped me to be very social and meet so many amazing people. The British Life and Business course I took was valuable because we took many walking tours of London and I got to see so many different boroughs. There is never a shortage of activities or things to see in London, and the residence was the most supportive of my growth by giving me a great group of people to explore and travel with.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Get out of the residence as much as possible! There is soooo much to explore in London and outside of London.
Pros
  • Social
  • Diverse
  • Fun!
What other participants should know
  • Hot
  • Expensive
  • Crowded
Emma
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
FIE London: Semester & Summer Internships and Study Programs

The BEST staff!!

Aug 24, 2026

I had so much fun at my summer program in London with FIE. All professors are extremely accessible and kind; they'll help you with anything and everything! We were in a great area in London (Kensington) that made me feel safe throughout the entire program, and it was a great location near Hyde Park. The classes were extremely interactive with the city, and we were rarely in the classroom, which is an EXCELLENT design as I got to know the city incredibly well. Overall and awesome program and I'll never forget it.

Maria
Chile
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
FIE London: Semester & Summer Internships and Study Programs

Summer 2026 Study Abroad & Internship Program in London

Aug 24, 2026

My experience with FIE in London was one of the most exciting and memorable experiences I have had in college so far. One of my favorite parts was how easy it was to meet people and make friends. I really enjoyed going out, exploring London, and making memories with the people I met through the program. London was also an amazing place to live. It was very easy to get around using public transportation, and being based in London made it easy to explore the city during the week and travel to different places on the weekends. I was able to take several weekend trips while still having London as my home base. I also really enjoyed the housing at Mansion House because of its close proximity location and how convenient it was.

I also enjoyed the classes FIE offered. In British Life in Business, I learned about British culture and how business and workplace practices can differ from what I am used to. The Internship class also gave me a chance to reflect on my experience and connect what I was learning at my internship to my education. My internship with Wild was another important part of the experience. I gained hands-on experience in marketing, UGC, TikTok, Pinterest, and developing a campus brand ambassador program. I really appreciated being matched with an internship that connected to my interests in marketing and the beauty industry.

Overall, I would highly recommend FIE to other students. I loved that the program allowed me to combine an internship, classes, travel, and social experiences while living in London. It gave me the opportunity to become more independent while still having a supportive community around me

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I could do the experience all over again, I would make more of an effort to meet people within the FIE program from the very beginning. I met a lot more people toward the second half of the program, and I wish I had gotten to know them earlier. I would definitely try to be more social and introduce myself to more people during the first few weeks so I could have had even more time to build friendships and make memories together.
Pros
  • Easy to meet people and make friends
  • Great location with easy transportation and weekend travel
  • Classes and internship were relevant and add on to resume
What other participants should know
  • It can get very hot within residences
  • No elevators
Taryn
Female
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
FIE Dublin: Semester & Summer Internships and Study Programs

2026 Summer Internship Abroad in Dublin Ireland

Aug 24, 2026

My intern abroad experience was equally exciting as it was professionally enriching! FIE’s system of matching students to internships that closely align with their interests is highly successful. I felt wholly supported by program staff, who were receptive and committed to building relationships from the start of our program.

I could not recommend the FIE experience more as a student looking for an experience abroad. Though- I will say if you thrive in larger groups of people you may want to consider joining on the Summer 1 program if offered through your school.

Dublin is rich with student life, but also with cultural facets to uncover, and cool neighboring towns to explore. Living and learning in such a place was truly a pivotal experience, and I had such an amazing time building relationships in the community.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
Plan your weekends ahead of time! I thought Dublin would be relatively easy to see in a short amount of time, but I unfortunately had to depart having missed out on some things I would have liked to see. Weekends will be your best time to maximize sightseeing, so plan accordingly!
Pros
  • Internships selected based off Interest and preference
  • Friendly cultural exchanges
  • City living easy for acquiring public transportation and necessities
What other participants should know
  • Few program led activities
  • Other internship programs run in Dublin so there are often multiple interns at one small organization.
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Programs

Displaying 1 - 5 of 5

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Becky Franta

Program
FIE Dublin: Semester & Summer Internships and Study Programs
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What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

CSB was really great with setting us up with FIE. They coordinated all of our housing and accommodation once we got there. Leading up to the semester, CSB gave us a handful of informational meetings, letting us know what to expect as far as people and the school goes. We were given a list of classes that we were eligible to take and we only had to choose the ones we wanted.

FIE was in charge of our internship placements which was very helpful. It would have probably been near impossible to find one on our own. We were responsible for booking our own flights and other travel. There were two weekends when we traveled in Ireland with our FIE directors, but otherwise we were in charge of our own plans. Food, laundry, and other cleaning supplies were not supplied; however, most of us were provided with leap cards (bus/train pass) to get us to and from our internships.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

A little bit cliché, but don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and explore everything! It’s so amazing the kinds of places that you’ll find yourself in and everything will make for a good story. When you fully immerse yourself somewhere else, you set yourself up to learn so many new things. New things about whatever country you’re in, new things about the world, and most importantly, you’ll learn things about yourself that you never would know without putting yourself half way across the world in somewhere unfamiliar.

Additionally, to really be immersed in a culture and truly understand the society around you, learn as much as you can about their history - especially the major events or the things that students would learn in their early education. This will help you understand the people, the perspective, and the culture in general. I guarantee your global awareness will be exponentially greater, and you will appreciate your abroad experience so much more.

And also always be willing. If you’re only doing a semester abroad experience like me, it will go by so fast and you may not ever have this opportunity again. There were a handful of times when there were activities that weren’t of my particular interest, but they ended up being some of my favorite nights because we made the most of our time.

Life is too short, and study abroad is too short so embrace every moment with positivity and enthusiasm, you won’t regret it.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average day typically was sleeping in a little bit because internships didn’t start until 9 and class usually didn’t start until after lunch. Most days I would go grab a coffee from a local cafe (never Starbucks or any chain), then after work/class was done, I’d meet up with my friends and we’d make dinner together then either head to a pub for a pint, or join our neighbors for cards or a movie.

A typical week was classes Monday, Wednesday, Friday - one class per day. Then internship Tuesday and Thursday from 9-5. We typically didn’t have much homework, so on class days we would do lots of exploring around the city, usually around Phoenix Park or Grafton Street. Usually a couple evenings out of the week our group would get together or pints or games or both. When the weekend rolled around, we would be traveling. 80% we would be going outside of Ireland to a different country in Europe for the weekend.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was not getting along with the people I was traveling with. From CSB there was only 7 students, with FIE altogether there was about 60 of us. I was really nervous that we wouldn’t be doing things together and everyone would do their own and I wouldn’t come home with close relationships. To overcome this fear, I had to make myself a little bit vulnerable and be the person to encourage my classmates to do things together like walking to class, going for a pint or even watching First Dates Ireland on Tuesdays with everyone. By the end of the semester, we were all so close like we had been friends for forever. Looking back, I’d say that this was something a little bit naive to be nervous about.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Arturo Jarque

Program
FIE Madrid: Semester & Summer Study Programs
Job Title
Director, Spain Programs
Dr. Jarque has been in the study abroad sector for more than 30 years. He has had thousand of students in different programs and cities in Spain and looks forward to supporting and guiding more American students in the future. Study Abroad is the best living experience for any student in the world.

FIE Madrid image of students walking in the city

Staff Spotlight: Arturo Jarque

What is your favorite travel memory?

The first time I crossed the Atlantic. It was a trip to the US and that experience changed my professional and personal life. I learned about studying and living in a foreign country. This is what our American students do when they come to Spain and I want to guide them in this wonderful, life-changing trip.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I learn new things every single day. It is what we all must keep in mind. Learning is a continuous, never-ending process. The more we learn the better prepared we are for our students. I personally feel renewed every semester as we receive new cohorts of students. All of them are different and it is fantastic to have the opportunity to share our local culture and experiences with them.
 

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I have heard many great stories, but the one I like the most is "this study abroad program changed my perspective of the world and helped me learn not only about other cultures but also about mine and myself". This is a common situation that some people do not realize: students learn a lot about themselves and about their own culture when they are abroad.
 

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Any program. All of them are special. We have programs in Madrid and Barcelona (Spain); in London (England); in Dublin (Ireland) and also short-term programs in Seville and Rabat (Spain and Morocco) and Amman (Jordan). All of them are very solid academically and also provide a great opportunity to "discover" experiences that will positively impact positively our students. 
 

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

It is a family-owned company. We do care about our students. We know our students personally and are with them at any time they may need us. I am especially proud of my team when they not only do what we agree to do but also when they, personally, find out what is the best thing to do in an unexpected situation. 
 

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Being very professional with a huge human touch. FIE has more than 25 years of expertise in developing and managing experiential learning programs. We enable students to transform life-changing cultural experiences into personal and professional advantages. We are passionate about what we do and, personally, I think our students feel this and like to be part of this great adventure. 

Professional Associations

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Institute of International Education Logo
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