CIEE Reviews

My time at CIEE Berlin was incredible. From the moment I stepped foot past the blue gates, I was met by a CIEE staff member offering to help me with my bags. This welcoming energy, whether it was with the CIEE staff or other students, persisted throughout the four months I was there. I loved living in the dorms and being able to see my friends any time of day to have cooking parties, explore our neighborhood and the city of Berlin, or just hang out in our rooms! Berlin is such a unique and fun city, and CIEE offered a lot of options, such as museum tours, opera or drag shows, stadium tours, and more to help us explore. All of my time abroad in Berlin was amazing, and I'm so thankful to my friends and the CIEE staff for helping to make it so great. I hope other people will find their home with CIEE!

My experience with CIEE in Sevilla was truly unforgettable. The beauty of the city, wonderful cultural events, and language immersion made my spring semester of junior year easily the best part of my college experience. Being immersed in the Spanish language not only drastically improved my skills, but made me feel at home. Having the opportunity to live with a host mom was my favorite thing about the program. We developed an amazing relationship through the many meals we shared together, time we spent watching her favorite shows, and conversations we had about our lives. Her impact on me will always be cherished.

The staff at CIEE made the transition from attending an American university to a Spanish university as comfortable as possible. They were warm and welcoming to all of their student and ensured that we know their role in helping us have an amazing semester. Taking classes taught in Spanish at CIEE, as well as the University, greatly improved my comprehension skills and made it easier to build fluency. Having the ability to communicate with the locals and build relationships with other exchange students from around the world gave me friendships that will last a lifetime.

Sevilla is breathtaking. The architecture of the buildings gives a glimpse into the city's rich history. CIEE provided activities and excursions throughout the semester to explore everything Sevilla has to offer. In the spring semester, students get to experience La Semana Santa and La Feria, two of the biggest festivals celebrated in Sevilla. Students can be immersed in the beautiful culture of Sevilla and learn more about the history of Andalusia while engaging with the locals and participating in the Andalusian lifestyle. These memories studying in Sevilla with CIEE were truly unforgettable and made it the experience of a lifetime.

I was able to study abroad in Rome, Italy for three blocks through CIEE my junior year of college. I have wonderful memories of learning to order at a café near my school for a class project in beginning Italian, meeting wonderful friends, enjoying delicious cuisine, and traveling throughout Italy as well as to Denmark, Switzerland, and Greece. I had such a special and wonderful experience thanks to CIEE that I now represent the program at my university! From CIEE, you can expect academic excellence, student support from directors & staff, and travel opportunities. I highly recommend this program.

This previous spring semester, I had the chance to study abroad with CIEE in Rome, Italy. To say the least, it was life-changing. I went abroad knowing essentially no one, and got paired with roommates from an entirely different university - not to mention the language barrier. Despite all of this, CIEE made this experience the most amazing 4 months of my life. The on-site classes and activities provided an immersive educational experience, but I was also able to travel to prioritize things like traveling, exploring new cultures, and having fun!

My time at CIEE Berlin was incredible. From the moment I stepped foot past the blue gates, I was met my a CIEE staff member offering to help me with my bags. This welcoming energy, whether it was with the CIEE staff or other students, persisted throughout the four months I was there. I loved living in the dorms and being able to see my friends any time of day to have cooking parties, explore our neighborhood and the city of Berlin, or just hang out in our rooms! Berlin is such a unique and fun city, and CIEE offered a lot of options, such as museum tours, opera or drag shows, stadium tours, and more to help us explore. All of my time abroad in Berlin was amazing, and I'm so thankful to my friends and the CIEE staff for helping to make it so great. I hope other people will find their home with CIEE!

I had few expectations of going abroad for the first time but from the moment I was greeted by the CIEE Paris, France team I knew it was going to be the best 4 months. To begin, the housing was impeccable; it was in proximity to the heart of Paris and a super safe community. Next, the CIEE staff were the most amazing hosts and knowledgeable experts. Having native Parisians travel with us around Paris on impeccable excursions really made the difference in immersing us in the culture and language. Not to mention I made lifelong friends that I got to travel the world with.

CIEE Open Campus program was something I've literally never heard of so when I found out I could live in 3 countries throughout one semester, I got excited! This program allowed me to meet so many incredible people and take classes that immersed me in my host culture while also giving me the freedom and encouragement to explore on my own. Each experience was so unique while I lived in Rome, London and Copenhagen for 6 weeks each.

I bet y'all are looking for some details though so here's some specifics. I attended this program in the spring of 2022, Covid was still pretty strict around Europe so parts of my program were a little different because of restrictions and rules. This sucked at times because we would have to get tested before every trip or excursion BUT CIEE handled this very well and we were still able to go on day trips through the program and attend fun events like pizza making in Rome or Hygge nights in Copenhagen!

I know traveling alone or committing to a study abroad program when you don't know anyone can be scary and I was a little nervous at first too but that's one thing I LOVED about CIEE. They are so hands on with meeting you at the airport, providing transportation to your housing, having people greet you at the study centers and having an orientation with important general information of your host country. All of this gave me so much peace while settling into each country and not having to worry about how I would get where in a foreign culture.

I can not recommend designing your own semester abroad enough! Why Wouldn't Ya?

p.s. I'm open to answering any specific questions anyone has whenever :)

CIEE's Open Campus program is a brilliant way to experience a variety of cities all within a semester. I chose Madrid, Rome, and Copenhagen as my 3 locations, and I could not be more grateful for the experiences I had in each of these unique cities. I was introduced to so many new foods that I'm still obsessed with today, new scenery, and frankly, a new way of living. CIEE also provided a bunch of cool extracurricular activities that were included in the program's price such as a paella-cooking day in Madrid and a trip to the Tivoli gardens outside of Rome. Seriously, I'd recommend anyone who's thinking about a semester abroad to consider CIEE's Open Campus program -- no regrets, and I'd do it all over again if I could.

My summer studying abroad in Alcalá de Henares outside of Madrid was the most memorable experience of my life, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to attend the CIEE program. I felt incredibly supported by the program staff as they were very encouraging during my studies and always available for advice. I gained a better understanding of Spanish culture and became independent through navigating public transportation which allowed me to explore Madrid, as well as take advantage of the ease of travel to visit places including Granada, Valencia, and San Sebastián. I also improved my Spanish speaking and writing abilities, and gained so much confidence through interacting with CIEE staff and locals in the language; I now feel comfortable using Spanish with anybody and left with new vocabulary. I made many friendships that I will cherish forever, and have developed a strong love for travel. I hope to return to Europe one day, and am so glad to have spent the summer in Alcalá de Henares which is filled with such amazing history, beautiful sights, and easy access to Madrid!

Choosing to go abroad with CIEE was one of the best choices I have made for myself. Prior to arriving in Europe, I did not realize that CIEE would go above and beyond by organizing trips and events for us. Upon arrival in all three cities, CIEE staff greeted us at the airport and took us directly to our dorms which were all very nice; the dorms in Madrid were my favorite! All three cities took us on tours either the first or second day after arriving; this allowed us to really familiarize ourselves with the city. The CIEE staff was always so responsive and helpful, I could always rely on them if I had a question about the best restaurants to eat at or where to go see a doctor. They also did an amazing job at organizing trips that all students would like. Two of the trips that stood out to me was visiting Tivoli and a winery, both in/around Rome! Additionally, I loved the courses I was able to take and loved the fact that classes were three hours classes twice a week. This flexible schedule allowed my friends and I to travel and really make the most of our close proximity to other European countries.