CIEE Reviews

The apartment housing for this program was great. I had one roommate and the space was very big to share. The walking tours with the program every week let you explore the city with a guided tour. The people in the program were very friendly. Time management for class was easy and you still had lots of time explore the city. Class was Monday through Thursday so you were able to go travel places on the weekend. The staff was very friendly and made an effort to check in with students to see how their classes and we’ll bring was going.

Studying abroad with CIEE in Berlin was an incredible experience. I lived in G.27, the dormitory building, yet it was a lot nicer than a traditional dorm. The spaces were large and comfortable, including the kitchens and lobby. All of the CIEE staff members were extremely kind and helpful, which is necessary in situations that occur while studying abroad. One particular situation I encountered was getting COVID at the beginning of my term. The CIEE staff helped me feel safe by checking in with me often and setting up ways for me to easily order food or anything else I needed. Berlin itself was such a special city to experience, filled with creative people and places and a huge variety of parks, clubs, and restaurants. I feel as if I learned so much from experiencing the culture of the city in comparison to American cities. Being an architecture major also gave me the opportunity to take classes focused on the architecture of Berlin, which was a unique and inspiring experience, especially due to the reconstruction of Berlin following the wars. I truly believe there is no better city to learn about urban and sustainable design from. CIEE also gave us many opportunities to visit and learn about other German cities, such as Dresden and Hamburg. These excursions paired with learning German, whether it was the more simple survival German class or the in depth German courses, helped me get a grasp on German culture as a whole. If you're considering studying abroad, I would highly recommend this program!

I loved my experience with CIEE because they took care of a lot of logistics. This included housing and my visa. From there on, I got to focus on enjoying the culture of the Netherlands and engaging with Dutch locals. They really gave me a lot of freedom in class choices and were very hands off — which I preferred. Then I got to explore however I wanted.

Regarding academics, it was great to learn economics in another country. Economics is very popular in the Netherlands and finance is an elite field in the country too. I found the courses were very easy, and so did many of my peers. I almost never attended classes, certainly never took notes, and only completed the finals. I received the equivalent of a 3.8 with very minimal effort. This can be great if you're focusing on learning in the culture, rather than within the classroom.

I recommend this program for very independent students who are looking to grasp global insight through experience.

I had the most incredible time studying abroad with CIEE through the open campus program. I loved this program because you are able to change locations throughout your semester three different times. I skipped the first block and then went to Rome, Italy for block 2 and Madrid, Spain for block 3! I learned so many different things abroad and created so many lifelong friendships! CIEE specifically made it very easy to meet other students by creating fun activities throughout the week and interactive classes!

Hi everyone!

As you may have assumed based on the title of the review, this past summer I traveled to Madrid, Spain! I remember first being hesitant about fully committing to the program since there were so many things going on in the world at the time, but I decided to get out of my comfort zone and go for it. I’m extremely glad I went that route because the memories created there were unforgettable.

First comes the people. Going alone was one of the factors that contributed to my hesitation on going abroad. I decided to just stick it out and go. Who would’ve thought that the people I met there would be so fun to hangout with in another country. Conversation came easy and making plans while in Madrid came smoothly. The staff at the CIEE center were really cool and easy to talk to too! If my friends or I ever had any questions, comments, or just wanted insight on where to get the best Paella from, the staff at the CIEE center never failed to provide. As for the people in Madrid, for the most part, they were all pretty friendly and helpful if we ever had directions questions or anything similar to that matter. Of course, being a woman, you’ll receive your fair share of catcalling and long stares, but truth be told, it’ll be like that wherever you go in the world.

Next, comes the sightseeing and scenery. Madrid was honestly such a beautiful place. It definitely had its more traditional parts and old architecture but also provided more urban and modern areas as well. The public transportation - in reference to the metros - was SO convenient. I could literally go from one end of Madrid to the other in a short amount of time, and I honestly liked how normalized taking public transport over there is. However, something to be cautious about is pick-pocketing. Pick-pocketing is extremely common in Europe, including Madrid. In fact, my friend briefly put her cross-body bag behind her, and when she turned it back in front of her, she had her phone stolen from her bag. This was only the second day of being abroad too. On a lighter note, I’m also big when it comes to cafes, so cafe hopping is a MUST here, and I promise you will not be disappointed. Of course, while in Madrid, you have to visit well-known spots such as El Parque de Retiro, Plaza Mayor, The Royal Palace, Sol, and much more.

Now the most important part, is the program itself. The class I took and was getting credit for was called Arts and Activism. Classes were Monday through Thursday, from 1:30pm to 4:30pm. My class days mainly looked like: 1) waking up at the dorm and getting ready 2) having breakfast then taking the metro down to sol 3) have class 4) then having the evening to do homework, dinner, and spend time with friends. The dorms we stayed at were really nice and acquiring transportation cards was fairly easy. One thing I wished CIEE could've done better is to reach out in regards to what to pack and bring. I had to ask previous alumni who did the same program I did what to and not to bring, as well as do my own research. I could go on about how cool this program is, but do feel free to check out: https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/college-study-abroad/programs/spain/madrid/summer-madrid for more info as well as reach out directly to me!
And remember: bring your Euro-plug and/or voltage converter, a small hand-held fan, and be prepared to walk!!

Studying abroad at Yonsei University with CIEE was an excellent academic and social experience. You will have the opportunity to take challenging classes at one of the best colleges in Korea while also being able to enjoy the beautiful campus and wonderful city of Seoul. It was almost difficult to choose what to do in such a short time frame as you can explore the more modern sides of Seoul with its various shopping districts or the more cultural and traditional sites scattered throughout the city.

Gosh, I love this program, the staff, and this city!!!!!! Not only is Denmark an incredible well fare state but it's something that tourists or more long-term tourists can see and experience. I used CIEE as my study abroad program and couldn't recommend it more; the staff really made the city feel empowering and fun, even when things got intense (medical issues) I was greatly supported. Copenhagen's public transportation is so clean and effective that it made it seamless to move around and even travel outside the major metropolitan city.

My experience with CIEE in Barcelona was unforgettable and invaluable! I lived in an apartment just a 15-minute walk away from the class building and a metro stop away from La Sagrada Familia. I had 4 other roommates, and even though the living spaces are generally smaller in Europe than in the U.S., we had plenty of space and loved our apartment. We attended classes four days a week. The classes were so interesting, and it was great to be able to take so many that counted towards my major. In this specific program, all of the teachers, although native Spanish-speakers, taught the classes in English. The classes were challenging but not so difficult that I had to spend all of my time on work. All of my professors were really knowledgeable and passionate about the topics they taught, and they were so supportive and welcoming. CIEE also has other support staff available for questions and help unrelated to classes, and they are all so helpful and kind as well. They are always willing to help students, whether it’s an issue with their apartment, or health-related, or even just wanting something as simple as restaurant recommendations. They also put together so many events that allowed students to meet each other, to meet locals, and to get to see parts of the city that they hadn’t before. Having a three-day weekend was so exciting. Every weekend, I took advantage of the time that I had and explored Barcelona, other cities in Spain, and even made a few trips out of the country. I loved getting to explore the places that I had never been before and getting to learn about the different parts of Barcelona, some of which I did on my own and some of which I actually did through class field trips. Overall, I absolutely loved my study abroad experience with CIEE! I had such a blast getting to practice my Spanish, live on my own in another country for a few months, learn from my professors and the locals, meet so many people, and get to experience so many incredible places.

Living abroad is hard. Loneliness is your neighbor and a new world can be overstimulating. Having a community of people who are in the same boat as you helps. It forces you to work with and learn how to deal with people from varying backgrounds. How to learn from diverse experiences while creating your own. The most impactful experiences are the little ones. The moments where I watched anime or Netflix indoors when it rained. Or when we, as a group, walked to and from the Night Market reminded me of who I am. A writer, musician— creative. These mundane things made me value this human experience of camaraderie and forced me to relax. Life abroad is it; There is no train or bus ride to mommy or daddy. Not always reliable water or complete group homogeneity. Conflicts happen and personalities clash, however, we remained one. The care and genuine feelings of belonging and acceptance is reciprocated. This experience is a rarity and a blessing with memorabilia that’ll be cherished forever.
Some of the most impact totems I brought back are my kente cloth and painting of a Baobab tree. I brought back several chocolate bars as well but we all know how that goes. They were cherished in the moment though.

In summer 2022 I got the opportunity to study abroad in Prague, CZ through CIEE. I took two courses there; a social psychology course and an intro Czech language course. Everything about the program was seamless; CIEE employees greeted us at the airport, provided housing, had on-site orientation, and planned excursions and activities for everyone in the program. Every employee of CIEE that I interacted with was kind and went out of their way to make sure our needs were met. I would recommend CIEE to everyone!