Program Reviews

My experience with CIEE in Seville was a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience a new culture. I opted for a language immersion program so I was completely engulfed in Spanish all day, everyday. There were plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in the local area. For example, I was able to volunteer teaching English at an elementary school and I even made some extra money tutoring kids on the side. I absolutely loved my host family as well. The helped build a connection that I will keep with me for the rest of my life. Furthermore, the CIEE support staff is amazing and always willing to help with any problem you may have.

Going to Prague has been by far the best experience I have had as a college student. From the support I had at the program’s school to housing to my location within Europe which allowed me to travel - everything was close to perfect. I think the greatest part though, were the people. The staff, the professors and my fellow American classmates made my abroad experience so special. On a personal level, my experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me understand that the world is 100x larger and more diverse than I ever imagined.

The CIEE experience in Prague was awesome. There was a great balance of school work and being able to travel around Prague and other countries on the weekends. The school includes five required courses that can count towards your major back at your university or you can branch out and try new courses. The teachers are awesome and the classes are all interactive by being focused around group work and conversation. To add, the program gives an appropriate amount of homework which allowed us to get immersed in Prague culture.

My experience abroad was incredible. The staff of CIEE was wonderful and made the experience as educational and enjoyable as possible. This program allowed us to travel throughout Spain and immerse ourselves in the culture. The staff in this program went the extra mile to make sure we were comfortable and able to thrive. The front desk staff especially was always so friendly and willing to give recommendations for everything, even if it is just where to go to lunch that day. This program brings in people from several different schools so you have the opportunity to meet a plethora of new people and make lifelong friendships.

Coming to CIEE in Berlin was one of the best decisions I've made in my life. Academically, I had a lot of fun learning about entrepreneurship and start-ups with a great professor who made the class a lot of fun and taught us a lot. On the personal level I had great time. I met a lot of cool people from either the United States or Germany and made great friends in a very short time. CIEE was also really helpful in that aspect as they organized some excursions that helped us explore more of Berlin and outside Berlin as we went to Leipzig.

I had a great time in this program. Firstly, all staff were incredible- empathetic, smart, helpful, and interested in building relationships with us. I achieved a level of Arabic proficiency I never would have had I not gone abroad. I got to see the most incredible historical and cultural sites in Jordan, and had the freedom to travel on my own or with friends. I also got to meet locals and get immersed in Amman. Another great feature of this program is that you can participate in an internship while there, which I did as well- it helped me gain experience working abroad and is a great thing to have on your resume. Overall, I would definitely recommend this program!

I studied abroad with CIEE in Amsterdam in the January 2023 term. I spent three weeks total in Amsterdam and took one 3-credit course - Dutch Public Health. This was my first time going abroad alone, and CIEE did a great job of making everyone feel safe and at home regardless of study abroad experience. Before the trip, we were provided with a plethora of detailed information about every aspect of our study abroad experience including housing, meals, packing, and an overview of the Dutch culture. I never felt unprepared once or unsure before leaving! They also provided an itinerary for our first few days in Amsterdam so we knew what to expect from the moment we got off the plane. We also had the chance to virtually meet the other students participating in the program via Groupme and Canvas.

I am from Texas, so the moment I got out of the airport, Amsterdam felt like a different world, but I was excited to be immersed in a new city and culture for the coming weeks. On the educational side, we were enrolled in class for about two full weeks with 4-hour class times a day with an hour lunch break in the middle. Depending on your desired course choice, the class format may be different, but for Public Health, it was lecture-based with one day of excursions. The CIEE program scheduled time for 3 group excursions in various parts of the Netherlands including Leiden, Rotterdam, and the Red Light District of Amsterdam. Each excursion showcased a different side of the Netherlands and made our time there more worthwhile.

We were housed in a popular student housing dormitory/hotel that many international students live at. It was very modern and fun, and included a café, free laundry, a gym, and plenty of social and work spaces. Each student had their own room and private bathroom, which were both of great quality and cleanliness. The location was very close to the city center, had a grocery store across the street, and was near plenty of restaurants.

Overall, it was a great experience and would recommend it to any study abroad experience!

I was a student in the Summer 2022 Moroccan Language and Culture program and since I returned home in July, I have been trying to find a way to return. I loved Morocco so much, and I am so glad that I chose this program to be my first experience in the country!

I have seen other reviews talk about the people and the program staff, and I wholeheartedly agree that was the best part of the program. The Rabat center staff were absolutely amazing. They were so enthusiastic about teaching us about the country and consistently went above and beyond to make sure that we all had a great experience. We were able to request some of the excursions and activities that we did, including a trip to the Rabat zoo and a day with migrants and refugees from the Foundation Orient-Occident at the beach where we had some great discussions about immigration and race in Morocco. The weekend excursions were truly unique because of the connections the staff had, and we got to learn so much just from having conversations, tours, and workshops with the locals. On top of this, all of the people I met in Morocco were so kind and welcoming and made me feel at home.

I learned so much on this program about Morocco and about myself. This experience truly changed me, and I cannot emphasize how much I recommend this program!

I had an excellent experience in the CIEE Amsterdam: Social Sciences & Humanities program. The staff was helpful and kind, and they made the transition seamless. The CIEE courses I participated in did a great job of integrating us into the culture while also challenging us academically. The social scene in Amsterdam was so much fun and fairly easy to navigate. The city has a great variety of activities, including expansive flea markets, museums with amazing history, and unique attractions such as the Red Light District. I would absolutely recommend this program and Amsterdam as a city itself.

I took Sustainable Development of the Tropics while at CIEE for January. I think it was possibly my favorite class I have ever taken. The professor was awesome. He was super interested and well versed in the subject, which made him super engaging. The format of the class was awesome, we had lectures and then would go to various locations that illustrated what we had learned (about sustainable agriculture and energy sources). We also got to experience some of the different kinds of tourism, which was one of our units in class.