CIS Abroad Reviews

I have lived under a dozen roofs in my lifetime, but I have found my favourite home here in Newy. I arrived in Australia to study in Newcastle in February 2018 and am currently in my THIRD semester here through CIS. I could ramble for ages regarding my love for Newy and what this program has given me, but I will try to briefly outline the experience for you:

Academics:
Uni is structured differently here - but don't let that intimidate you! The set up is far more independent and relaxed, although I must admit that the curriculum is more challenging in comparison to my university in America. You will have a lecture once a week and a lab or tutorial for the same course within the week as well. (I have added a screen shot of my upcoming timetable so you can see the structure!)

Living Situation:
From February until the beginning of December, I lived on college (on campus) at uni. At home, I have always commuted so I didn't really know what I was in for, but I was not disappointed! The "dorms" were more like apartments and they were just put up in 2015 so everything was new! I have since moved off campus nearby to uni and love this lifestyle as well! It allows more freedom and it is easier to navigate to some places, but overall I've loved both experiences.

Cultural Immersion:
I will preface this by saying that although they do speak English, YOU WILL RUN IN TO MORE LANGUAGE BARRIERS THAN YOU ANTICIPATE! In fact, I still find myself coming across them. Overall though, the Aussie culture is super easy to acclimate to!

Program Administration:
I have become great friends with my on-site coordinator in Newcastle and have always felt comfortable reaching out to her or any CISabroad staff when I've needed assistance!

Social Life:
Newcastle is a wonderful place to be social! I suffered a great deal of social anxiety in America, which was one of my main concerns when entering this program. Thankfully, I no longer have fear of social events. In fact, I look forward to them!

*Update 4/18/2018*

When I was looking at locations to study abroad, I came across Greece. At my school, CIS Abroad was one of the few programs that offered Greece. Little did I know how much the experience would change my life. It has been almost over a year since I came home from Greece and I still keep in contact with almost everyone I met over there. The hospitality was incredible and everyone is so kind. It was easy to make this place my second home, and I hope someday I can live there again.

*Update 2/21/18*

When I decided to study abroad I had no idea how great it was actually going to be. I knew that I would be able to go and travel and see cool places but my time in Athens was so much more than that. I was able to immerse myself in a different culture that truly felt like home to me. I would give anything to go back for just a second and relive my time there. So to whoever is reading this, go and study abroad... trust me on this one.

*Original review 11/5/17*

Going through this program and spending a semester in Athens, Greece changed my life for the better. I became a person who wasn't afraid to try new things and step outside of their comfort zone. I met so many wonderful people and really immersed myself in the culture and got to know the locals. If you are a future participant and you are wondering if you should go to Greece or not, DO IT. I wish I could go back and relive my experience, it's just something you won't regret. My favorite memory was just soaking up the sun in the city of Athens, there is so much to see and do, I miss the days of roaming around that city.

First of all, I really loved the price tag of this program. It's one of the most price-conscious programs I could find anywhere from any provider that still included housing, excursions, and on-site support. Prague is a beautiful city, with a really cool history and tons of stuff to see. It's also really cheap. Most everyone speaks English, which is helpful as well. I also loved our on-site coordinator. Leah was so helpful, she never skirted around anyone's questions, which is really important when you're in a new environment like this and really need something. She went above and beyond all the time. There was nothing to complain about with academics, the teachers are all very professional and knowledgeable. The Buddy System events and benefits on this program were phenomenal. There are so many things in place at VSE to make sure you interact with local students and have fun social stuff to do with your friends. I highly recommend this program.

Living in Edinburgh was the best time of my life, and CISAbroad made it all possible. Everything I needed to have a smooth semester, from getting to Scotland, actually living there and attending classes, was all taken care of by the CIS team. One of my favorite things about CISAbroad was the on-site director. My director was the sweetest human ever who shared lots of knowledge of her city. I also made life long friends through my program, who I will cherish forever. I’m so grateful to CISAbroad, and would recommend it to anyone.

I cannot begin to explain how amazing my 4 month experience was in Dublin, Ireland. Lets just say that I couldn't get enough because I now go back 2-3 times a year to visit my incredible and loving host family in Raheny, Dublin.

The CIS staff is just amazing in helping students and making you feel safe and at home before, during and after you travels to Ireland. John, the on-site director is there to help whenever needed and can give you advice on anything in the country.

Dublin City University is a very modern college, with plenty opportunities for study, and fun! I can't rave enough about how beautiful the country is, and how friendly the locals are. I am forever grateful to CISabroad for giving me the experience of a lifetime in my favorite country ever!

I couldn't recommend this program or this city any more! I absolutely LOVED my experience with CISabroad both before departure and during my abroad experience. They were so helpful with the planning process, even doing live webinar sessions to get you excited and ready! During the webinar for our pre-departure orientation, we were able to talk with our on-site director (who is the sweetest lady on earth!) and had her share some insider information on what to expect once we got there. Once I landed in Edinburgh, CIS had worked with a service that picked me up and drove me to the hotel we were staying in for the night (our flats weren't ready until the next day). Even down to the cab driver, my experience was incredible. The man who picked me up from the airport gave me a small tour around the city, drove me by where my flat would be, where I could get my groceries, and so on. It was so sweet and really calmed my nerves. Once I got to the hotel, our on-site director let us get settled then took us on a small walk to a place where we could get some dinner. She helped us with getting to our flats, school orientation, and even an actual walking tour (from a true local!!). She even coordinated an weekend trip to the Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye which is one of my favorite memories of the entire adventure. I am forever grateful for CISabroad for the journey of a lifetime and all of their assistance in making it the best adventure I could have ever dreamed of. The city of Edinburgh is surreal. The history is in every stone in the city with roads that snake along century old stone structures. There's a perfect combination of old city and nature to explore. The city feels more like a large town with friendly locals and a very walkable and casual atmosphere. The nightlife is epic and I always felt safe walking home with my friends. The best memories of my life take place in Edinburgh on this study abroad program. Even a year later, I think about the friends and memories I made. I can't wait to go back!! Study abroad in Edinburgh with CISabroad, it will be the best decision of your life!!

I had an incredible experience with CISAbroad in Sorrento, Italy. The fact that they even offered a program in such a quaint town unlike Rome or Florence was a huge plus for me. I felt comfortable and confident having my adviser by my side. The school I went to was so so beautiful the staff was so welcoming and I truly loved all of my professors. My apartment at first seemed far from my school about a 20 minute walk but as soon as I realized what I'd be passing the beautiful sights the walk was no problem at all! The way in which CISabroad was able to handle my apartment rent and everything was greatly helpful and not something I could have done on my own. I LOVED being able to meet up with my advisor Romina in Italy and be treated to a delicious meal and some little presents. The made the experience so so special to me and I learned so much from her as she was a native of Italy but also spoke English. She never made anything uncomfortable for us and encouraged us to try new things as well as warned us about certain more dangerous areas.

Studying abroad through CISAbroad was a great experience for me. I really appreciated how easy and organized the application process was through the portal online. Once you get accepted be sure to find or ask for the Facebook group as the information posted in there is often very important as soon as you land in Thailand! I had a positive experience with all the on site staff, they were amazing and answered all of my questions as soon as they could.

Mahidol was a little unorganized at times. The campus was beautiful and the teachers were great, but the school's orientation could have actually gave us a tour or told us about all of the services offered around campus. When we had to renew our visas lots of students were confused with the process so just keep asking questions so you don't make a mistake. The on site coordinators helped to the best of their ability but it was really up to Mahidol to help us. Many people said the classes at Mahidol were easier than their home university classes, for me it really depended on the class and the teacher. Many classes (especially science classes) provided paid for field trips, which were amazing. There are also lots of clubs and activities where you might do a day trip or a weekend trip to different places like a sea turtle rehab, or a trip to Ayutthaya.

The excursions CISabroad provided were amazing, definitely would've liked to spend more time in Chiang Mai and Koh Chang but if you chose to leave earlier or stay later than CIS they worked with you to pick you up or meet you somewhere when they got there.

We got to choose between Baan Suan or Bundit housing. Both had pros and cons. Baan Suan didn't have a van to get to Mahidol like Bundit but CISabroad provided each of us cash for taking taxis to school. The bus system is awesome and cheaper too, but involves walking over a bridge to get to campus. The beds could have been more comfortable, but that is kind of across Thailand.

Some other cool things that CIS provided us was a cellphone with about 2gb of data per month. You could also buy more data or minutes if you wanted to. I mostly used my phone for gps when we went into the city and I decided not to use it. If your phone is unlocked you can insert the SIM card CIS gives you in your own phone, which I highly recommend because the phone they give us is understandably poor quality. Everything that they fed us on excursions was always really good, they always had, vegetarian options but you usually have to let them know if you want it. During our last week they took us to a pretty fancy upscale hotel's buffet and we got to gorge on all different foods and desserts, and then we took a bunch of photos and said our goodbyes. Those memories will forever be in my heart.

I highly recommend studying abroad through CIS!

Summer 2017 has been one of the best one's of my life! Currently a Senior at the University of Texas at Austin I had the grand opportunity to intern abroad as an education intern. From the food, the amazing strangers who instantly became friends, the breathtaking architecture, navigating the metro, to simply relaxing at the beach reading a book, Barcelona was everything and more that I wished for. I love traveling independently, as a student with a congenital physical disability accessibility was important for me. The program personnel were extremely communicative to ensure all my accommodations where in place for when I arrived. This made my stay comfortable and allowed me to experience the city to my full potential. My work environment was enjoyable. A good experience lies in your attitude. Yes you will experience challenges, but that is part of life. Enjoy every second and capture a mental image every moment. Go out by yourself, and explore. Meet strangers, get acquainted. Most of all be positive and make the most of your time in beautiful Barcelona.

I had a great time studying abroad in Costa Rica. San Jose was a good location because it's the capital and you get to see museums and all the history but you are also in a central location to take buses to beaches/other parts of the country. This was my first time going abroad, so it was so helpful to go with a third party program that would coordinate my housing, some meals, academics, some excursions, etc for me. Now that I have travelling experience, if I were to study abroad again I would arrange it myself (do direct exchange instead of a program) to save money. I liked that the program had excursions at the beginning to help you get acquainted to the culture/country. As time goes on, you get more comfortable with travelling and navigating the language/money/culture, and you can plan your own trips. In my last month, I planned a trip to Nicaragua with 3 other girls, and for our week off we booked everything ourselves and traveled all over Costa Rica. Basically, the excursions are expensive but worth it at the beginning, but once you know how to travel you should plan trip with friends to save money plus you get to choose exactly what you want to do. When students got sick, they initially paid for the hospital bill themselves, and were reimbursed later from CISabroad. My pre-departure advisor Jessica was THE BOMB - so helpful and kind and understanding. She checked up on my several times and was SO much more helpful than my school study abroad advisor. I felt taken care of and supported as I prepared to leave the US.