CIEE Reviews

From meeting new life-long friends to seeing one of the seven wonders of the world, studying in Mérida was an amazing experience that I would reccomend to anyone. I went to pool parties, made connections with my now second family, made friends that had connections so tight we are still traveling to see each other after the program, learned all about Mexican culture, and improved my Spanish skills more than I thought to be possible. Mérida is a truly beautiful city and I hope to see others going there.

Studying abroad this summer in Rennes, France was a once in a lifetime opportunity and an unforgettable experience. For the first time I got to travel outside of my country, directly immerse myself in French culture and speak the language daily.

My schooling experience in the Honors program was great; the teachers were very nice and engaging in class. Each day consisted of around 3 hours of learning in a classroom, then we had daily Ozlefrancais where we would ask locals a question corresponding with that week's theme. There were also cultural excursions: like going to a museum, baking a French pastry, spray painting, and learning traditional dance.

Living in Rennes offers the perfect mix of rich history, beautiful Breton architecture, and a lively, welcoming atmosphere. I gained independence, forged incredible friendships, and improved my French by leaps and bounds in just one month. I strongly recommend this program to any student looking to challenge themselves, grow their communication skills and experience and authentic slice of life in France!

Kyoto was amazing! I already had some brief knowledge about the city and the country going into this trip because I had gone the year prior for a little under two weeks, but nothing could have really prepared me for what it would be like! I absolutely loved it. While being there during the months of July and August was tough because of the intense heat and humidity, I come from a city that is also crazy hot (actually, even hotter!) so it was not a dealbreaker for me. Kyoto is so much fun, there is tons of stuff to do, and getting around with public transportation is pretty easy once you get the hang of it (Google or Apple Maps works pretty well). The food options are delicious, and the scenery is gorgeous. Despite being in a big city, there was nature everywhere, and you could see beautiful structures and parks anywhere you go. It was also very clean, and everything was very convenient and easy to figure out, even without a lot of Japanese language knowledge. As for CIEE in particular, I loved being a part of the program. All of the excursions were amazing and helped me to see parts of the city that I might not have otherwise gotten to. I was able to meet the others in my program and make some new friends, and the staff were incredibly kind and generous :)

If you are on the fence about the CIEE Seoul Global Internship, absolutely do it! From the moment you arrive and check in on June 15th, the energy is booming. You get to dive headfirst into Korean business culture, meeting everyone at the orientation and welcome lunch before hitting the ground running at your internship site the very next day. Working a full-time internship abroad is definitely a hustle, but gaining hands-on, real-world experience in a dynamic city like Seoul is incredibly rewarding and totally sets your resume apart from the crowd.
The program does an amazing job of balancing the daily grind with your academic and professional growth. Yes, it’s a packed schedule with your internship and academic requirements, but it all connects perfectly to what you are learning on the job. Plus, the dedicated professional development sessions, including incredible guest lectures from experts, give you such unique insights into the global market. You are constantly learning, networking, and leveling up your career skills.
Best of all, it isn't just work and classes. The cultural immersion is where the magic really happens! Right off the bat, you get a "Mission Day" with local university students called Seoulmates who help you explore and navigate the city. The organized excursions are absolutely unbelievable, whether you are screaming on rollercoasters at the Lotte World theme park, taking a profound and historic trip to the DMZ, or rolling up your sleeves for an afternoon Korean cooking class. By the time the farewell dinner rolls around in early August, you will be exhausted in the best way possible, leaving with college credits, incredible professional experience, and a lifelong love for South Korea!

Studying abroad with CIEE in Tokyo was one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career. As a student at Johns Hopkins University, I wanted a program that combined academics, professional development, and cultural immersion, and this program exceeded my expectations.

During my eight-week program, I interned full-time at an AI startup where I worked on real software development projects instead of completing busy work. I gained hands-on experience with AI application development, deployment workflows, product design, and collaborating with engineers in an international environment. The internship allowed me to strengthen both my technical and professional communication skills while learning how startups operate in a global market.

Outside of work, living in Tokyo was an adventure every day. The city is incredibly safe, efficient, and full of things to explore. Whether it was visiting temples, exploring different neighborhoods, trying authentic Japanese food, or traveling on weekends, I constantly experienced something new. CIEE also organized cultural activities that helped us better understand Japanese culture and connect with other students in the program.

One of the biggest strengths of CIEE was the support system. The staff were always available to answer questions, help with housing, transportation, academics, and anything else that came up. Moving across the world can be intimidating, but I always felt supported throughout the entire experience.

The housing was comfortable, conveniently located near public transportation, and made commuting around Tokyo very easy. Japan is also one of the safest countries I’ve visited, which made exploring independently much less stressful.

This program helped me grow professionally and personally. I became more independent, more confident navigating a different culture, and gained valuable international work experience that will strengthen my future career in artificial intelligence and technology.

I would absolutely recommend this program to any student looking for a meaningful study abroad experience that combines academics, career development, and cultural immersion. Whether you’re interested in technology, business, engineering, or simply want to experience life in Japan, this program offers opportunities that are difficult to find elsewhere. It truly became one of the highlights of my undergraduate experience.

I had a great time in Barcelona. It’s a fun social scene. Professors are kind and helpful. Barcelona has so many things to do. I attended many of the weekly activities and the staff were very welcoming. Activities were typically museums, food tastings, cultural site visits, sports, neighborhood tours. I also did four day trips with the program. We visited Roman ruins and the beach in Tarragona, a vineyard, Tossa de Mar on Costa Brava, and Sitges. The classes are not too demanding. I took classes in Spanish language and history.

Being in Berlin was awesome, even more awesome that I got 6 units of credits for just one quick course and great internship experience in a startup. Would highly recommend this for Freshmen, Sophomores, and even Juniors that may be struggling with fulfilling their credits, want a nice GPA boost, or are struggling with getting internships.

The social scene in Berlin is obviously great. Its a walkable city that has so much happening all the time. With a basically free U-bahn or S-bahn ticket you can go anywhere in the entire city in less than 45 minutes. Even though the night life is great so were the parks, restaurants, shops, and fun outdoor little markets.

If I had to describe my experience in one word, it would be unforgettable. Studying abroad with CIEE honestly felt like a dream. Everything about the program exceeded my expectations, from the location to the staff and the people I met. They made my dream of studying abroad come to life in a way I never imagined.

Whenever people ask me how my experience was, I always say the same thing: there are no words or pictures that can truly do it justice. It’s something you have to experience for yourself. The friendships I made, the culture, the food, the music, and the memories are things I’ll carry with me forever.

I learned so much about Mexico, but I also learned a lot about myself. I stepped out of my comfort zone, met incredible people from different places, and made memories that I’ll never forget. The staff genuinely cared about us and made sure we felt safe, supported, and welcomed throughout the entire program.

If you’re thinking about studying abroad, do it. I can honestly say this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I would choose CIEE all over again without hesitation

I really recommend studying abroad in Tokyo with CIEE. The partner university for semester programs in Tokyo is J.F. Oberlin University in Fuchinobe, and your dorm will be a 5 minute shuttle ride away. Tokyo proper is only about an hour and a half away by train, which means it's really easy to get out and do fun things without having to deal with the hustle of the city every single day. The CIEE group was really helpful throughout the whole process, and I learned a lot both academically and about myself.

This was honestly one of the highlights of my summer. The environment was so welcoming, and I made friends with people from all over. If you're thinking about joining next year, definitely do it! My only advice for future participants is to get involved in the group activities early on, it's the best way to get the full experience. The teachers were incredibly supportive and always willing to help. Future participants should definitely come ready to ask questions and collaborate! Overall I really enjoyed my experience.