CIS Abroad Reviews

From the very beginning I realized CISabroad was going to be the best program provider to study abroad with. Everyone got back to me with answers for my (many) questions very quickly which is super important when you have so many deadlines to meet when it comes to paperwork, passports, etc. This helpfulness continues throughout the entire semester with our amazing site director Leah. She had so many fun events planned for our group, was always there to help and flat out is just super cool. Only taking four classes is nice, it’s a lot less of a workload than I and I’m sure many others are used to. This allows you to really immerse yourself into the Czech culture and explore the amazing city that Prague is. For the housing you will live with three others in a two-bedroom dorm. They are somewhat small but nicer than expected, and overall super fun because you are living with all exchange students. There is ALWAYS something to do no matter what day of the week it is. One of the main reasons I chose Prague was because of how centrally located in Europe it is, making it fairly easy to travel to a number of different places. After now having been to 16 countries and 30 cities I can honestly say Prague is still my all-time favorite. I feel like choosing to study abroad in Prague was easily the best decision of my life. I made friends and memories that will last a lifetime and I’m confident you will too!

Honestly a numerical value can’t sum up my time in Edinburgh. It reignited my passion for travel. I got to live and study in one of the most amazing cities in the world and I met the most amazing person. CIS did amazing setting it up and I couldn’t of asked for a better trip.

I studied at Edinburgh Napier which ended having courses that matched up to what I was studying. The professors I had were amazing a really knew their stuff. Housing was ok, but it was a nice adjustment to be living in an apartment on my own instead of a dorm. I lived with Americans that also were going to Napier so it was nice to have others around to help get adjusted to a new city.

All of the students in my program are confused about what is going to happen and when. It is very hard to plan our own excursions when we don’t even know when the program excursions are. Communication needs to be a higher priority. I have a lot of fun though and would definitely come back. The housing situation is a little stressful too because when we first arrived I was one of 9 international students in the house. It is very impersonal.

I was amazing with my program and it was much great than I could’ve hope for. Stirling was a great school and I loved having my own room and bathroom. The classes were challenging but interesting. I made a few great friends and one is returning to the UK for grad school. I can’t wait to go back to visit and CIS gave me the travel bug. Since returning to my home college I have already don’t anther study abroad. I alway encourage my friend to get out and travel.

Writing a simple review about my experience doesn't seem possible, but I'll try. My semester abroad in Costa Rica was crazy, wonderful, awful, and amazing all in one! It was so different than just traveling. I actually LIVED in another country for 5 months. Not every day was amazing and happy and crazy. Some days was normal, or even a little rough. But that's when I knew I'm not just a spectator; I'm actually there and living it. I lived in the capitol city of San Jose during the week, attending classes at Universidad Veritas. I took intensive Spanish and some electives. And as intense as those Spanish classes were, I learned absolutely so much. However, I learned so much more at my host home living with my "Familia Tica." These people let me in their homes and treated me like family, and showed me more culture than I could have possibly learned anywhere else. And on the weekends, the oh so amazing weekends, I traveled. I adventured. I explored. With new friends every weekend, I zip-lined through rainforests, I para-sailed over the ocean at sunset, I jumped off waterfalls... The adventures were insane and I couldn't have done them anywhere else besides Costa Rica. And the people I met will forever hold a special place in my heart. I became so close with some students and my housemates, but I also met "Ticos" (Costa Ricans) that it almost broke my heart to leave them. My favorite memory comes from a weekend when I traveled to Nicaragua and went volcano-sledding with my housemate. I fell in a heap at the bottom of the volcano, covered in ash and panting from exhilaration. I slipped when I tried to stand, so shaky but with a smile so big that it hurt my face. My crew at the bottom cheered and clapped as I ran the rest of the way to them, tripping over ash and rocks but never losing my smile. Thank you, Costa Rica, for everything you've shown me. PURA VIDA
-Moeryae

I overall enjoyed my time in CIS Abroad's January in Japan program. As the title states, it was indeed my first time in Japan! The advisors were really cool people, and thanks to both the excursions we had, and their advice to us students about various aspects of the country (how the public transportation system works, many different places of interests to visit, etc.), I'm more knowledgeable about the country, so the next time I visit the country on my own, I'll have no trouble getting around!

I think that Rome was the most amazing city to live in all of Europe. It has everything a city should offer for a study abroad student. Good food, great teachers, and just an amazing city life. I think it has a classic European feel but a modern twist. Its a very international city and you'll meet people from all over the world. Everything from the food to the culture was amazing. CISabroad is a good program to facilitate my experience abroad and I think having an amazing advisor, Romina, while I was there was rewarding because I came to her with any of the problems I faced. Aside from that I learned a lot in my major and networked with a lot of people who are going into the same field as me. I definitely recommend studying abroad in Rome!

During my first 2 years of college, I wrestled with the idea of studying abroad and asked countless friends, family and professors for their advice. Everyone I spoke to told me the same exact thing: Do it. Friends who had previously studied abroad shared stories of their incredible adventures, the amazing food they ate, and the lifelong friends and memories they made. In my junior year, I decided that I wanted to go abroad, no matter the cost or nervousness I may have felt.

I searched through the different programs my university offered and found nothing that interested me or was beneficial for my Spanish minor; that's when I came across CISabroad and immediately fell in love with the locations they offered for the Summer, the amenities included in the program and the reviews were great. The application process was seamless and gave me no problems or concerns while applying. Once I was accepted, the process continued with Webinars and constant emails about pre-departure activities, what to expect and how to prepare before going abroad. That constant communication gave me the confidence in this program and showed me that they truly cared about their students going abroad; I felt safe, protected and excited about going to Madrid, specifically with CISabroad.

From the moment I touched down in Madrid, CISabroad was always there for me, both in person and electronically. My site director was the most incredibly kind-hearted and fun person I have had the pleasure of befriending; she thought of us as her kids that she needed to look-out for during the summer, and we really became a little family throughout this experience thanks in-part to her. While there were a few bumps in the road concerning the actual school part of the study abroad experience, everything outside of school was great. Every week CISabroad provided us the opportunity to travel to different cities together, go on wine tours, visit historical sites, watch flamenco dancing, and so much more. CISabroad made sure that their students got the most out of their time abroad as they could.

It has been almost one year since I studied abroad in Madrid with CISabroad, and I yearn for it daily. I miss the friends I made, the food I ate, the places I got to see, and living in that lively city every day. Everyone told me that this experience would be one of the greatest of my life, and they were correct. Thanks to CISabroad, I had the chance to live my very best life for one short summer and I made memories to last a lifetime. This was easily the best decision I ever made, and hopefully it will be yours too.

Studying abroad with CIS was the best decision I have ever made. From the moment I applied, their program was thorough, clear, and simple, and their team is responsive, passionate, and caring. Over a year ago, I showed interest in studying with CISAbroad. I was almost immediately contacted by the representative that specialized in the area I was interested in to introduce herself, see if I had any questions, and invite me to phone call conversation to discuss my options. She was so personable, caring, and patient, and had a clear answer to every question I asked. I immediately knew that this was the company I wanted to study with, and now only had to choose my location. This representative was happy to engage in another phone call and help me decide on the program best for me, after weighing my options, we decided Edinburgh was the place for me. From then on, the process only got less stressful. Their team members were welcoming and enthusiastic and made me feel as if I was a part of a community before even setting foot on the airplane. Their information packets were thorough, comprehensive, and detailed. I knew exactly what needed to be done, by when, and how. Any questions that popped up were answered in a timely, professional, and enthusiastic manner. Then, the pre-departure orientation explained nearly every detail of what to pack, what to do, and what to expect. It also introduced us to our wonderful program coordinator Jeanna. If I could write an entire review on how incredible Jeanna was, I absolutely would. She was so caring, kind, and motherly. Every person in our program cherished her and agreed that she helped us to feel at home in such a new country. Maggie, our program coordinator in the states was in frequent and personal contact with us to make sure that we were adjusting well and enjoying our experience. When we arrived in Edinburgh, we were instantly taken care of, with rides from the airport provided, on-site orientations, and recommendations about where to buy necessities, I never once felt lost or overwhelmed during my first week in Scotland. Jeanna brought us out for dinner that night to help us get to know one another and discuss what we should expect coming up, and then took us for a walking tour of the city. I can still remember the things I learned on that tour because of how personable, knowledgeable, and kind Jeanna is. I felt as if I was moving into my new home. Jeanna made sure to meet with us often and check in frequently, from coffees to Facebook messages, she went far above and beyond to help us have the best semester possible. I genuinely believe that she is the reason I did not feel homesick, and I could never have enough words to thank her.
The best part of my study abroad experience by far was the infamous CIS Scotland Highland Tour! This excursion, covered in our tuition and fees, took us on a tour of the highland to see the most beautiful, memorable, and incredible views I have ever seen. I will never, ever forget the experiences I saw on this trip from famous landscapes (including the Harry Potter Bridge), bonding with my fellow students, and, of course, eating Haggis!
CIS was not only affordable, but so beyond worth the money spent on the program. For less than I pay a semester at my home institution, we were provided extremely comfortable student accommodation, a fantastic education at a Scottish Institution, and experiences that I will never in my life forget. I absolutely loved my classes at the institution. I learned so many interesting things from extremely knowledgeable professors and was both intrigued and challenged by the subject matter. Likewise, there were so many course options to choose from that it was nearly impossible for someone to not find something they were interested in. I loved collaborating with Scottish students, and creating bonds with people from the institution on group projects and outside of class time.
To CIS, I can only say “thank you” for giving me the semester of a lifetime.

I loved this program! The internship coordinator at my school in Aix was so helpful and made sure I was placed in a good environment that would help me grow. My host family was awesome and I learned so much from that experience. I made friends for life--American, French, and more! My life has been impacted for the better and I have grown immeasurably as a person. It was truly an unforgettable semester.