Program Reviews

Studying abroad in Barcelona with CIS Abroad was truly a life-changing experience! The program was extremely well-organized, and the staff were always there to support us while also giving us the freedom to explore and grow independently. Barcelona itself is the perfect study abroad city, full of culture, history, and energy. I loved discovering landmarks like La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, but also the everyday moments, like enjoying tapas with friends or walking along the Mediterranean after class.

This program not only gave me unforgettable memories and friendships but also helped me develop valuable skills such as independence, adaptability, and confidence. I would highly recommend CIS Abroad, and especially Barcelona, to anyone looking for a supportive, exciting, and meaningful study abroad experience!

My 5 weeks in Athens, Greece were nothing short of magical. I met the most amazing people, tried the most delicious food, and took classes that challenged not only my academics, but my ways of thinking. I came in to the program having known no one, but quickly met friends who I am still in touch with and love dearly. I got to get to know the people of our little suburb in Athens so much that we even got to call the owner of our favorite gelato spot "Ελληνίδα μαμά" (greek mom). Our CIS representative, Kostas was a highlight of the trip himself. He taught us all about modern culture, the best beaches, spots for snacks, and took us on trips to historic sites and museums through CIS. It was a wonderful time. 10/10 would reccommend to anyone.

My experience in Costa Rica was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I made friends that I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life, saw amazing views and learned so much not just about the Costa Rica culture, but also myself. Studying abroad allows you to find things out about yourself that you didn’t know were possible because it pushes you to be uncomfortable and push through it. I will always recommend the experience to others and encourage people to step outside their comfort zone. From my time in Costa Rica I learned life lessons that I will take with me forever. For instance, a phrase my host family often stated was “it is what it is,” and this phrase resonates with me strongly and the lifestyle I try to live. My host mom does not know much English, however this phrase was known and repeated often. Since hearing it so frequently in Costa Rica, I have also implemented it into my daily lifestyle at the forefront of my mind.

Going abroad was one of the best decisions of my life. I always considered myself an introvert until this experience. I studied for 4 months In Sorrento, Italy. I got to visit 9 countries in that amount of time. I met 10 life long best friends that I would have never had the pleasure of meeting without this. I got to wake up to the most amazing view of the Mediterranean sea every morning. Getting to immerse in a. new culture and experiencing life the way the Italians do was nothing short of amazing. Using CIS gave me the most amazing site director Frankie Casale who answered my 1000 questions I had! Cis provided us with an over the phone doctor (I used it), dinners, and trips. Going abroad gave me so many memories, experiences, and lots of happiness!

I had a great time in Florence with CIS Abroad! The support staff was amazing and they planned awesome activities for us. I felt like I really got to know the city while I was there. I also really liked my class - I took magazine editing and publishing with Alessandro at FUA-AUF and it was a super interesting class - so much local culture included in the curriculum! I also loved all the food and different places there were to explore around the city. I always felt like I had something fun to do. I had an amazing time!

I had the incredible opportunity to spend a month in Tokyo this summer through CIS Abroad, studying at JF Oberlin University. From start to finish, the experience was both rewarding and fun, and I can honestly say it exceeded my expectations.

The housing was comfortable, well-located, and made me feel at home during my time in Japan. The excursions were a highlight—each one gave me a chance to experience Japanese culture firsthand and create memories with fellow students. The staff were supportive, friendly, and always available to help, which made the transition to living and studying in another country smooth and enjoyable. JF Oberlin University itself was a fantastic host; the classes were engaging, and the environment fostered both learning and connection with local students.

If I had one recommendation, it would be to offer even more excursions, since they added so much value to the program. I found every outing to be enriching, and having more would only make the experience even better.

Overall, I would highly recommend CIS Abroad to anyone considering studying overseas. My time in Tokyo gave me not only academic growth but also personal memories that I’ll carry with me for a lifetime.

I went to Stirling, Scotland for my semester abroad. Stirling isn't far from both Edinburgh and Glasgow and is known as "the gateway to the highlands". It is one of the most beautiful towns I've ever visited, Stirling castle rests on a hill in the center of the town and I've watched the sunrise from the esplanade, the view is incredible. The university campus just as beautiful, with loch airthrey right in the middle. I used the walking paths everyday. There's a castle on campus as well, but the best natural feature is, without a doubt, Dumyat Peak. It's a bit of a right-of-passage to make the hike and I wasn't successful the first time, but at the end of the semester, I got to the top with the friends that I had made over the semester, and we watched the sunset. It was easily the greatest sunset I've ever seen. The best part of Scotland wasn't just the scenery, but the people. Everyone I met was kind, and everyone stops just to chat, especially on the trains. I also ended up with a wonderful group of flatmates, they made my 21st birthday so special and they are certainly life-long friends now. One of the best things I did for myself was join the archery club, not only to I regularly shoot now, but I was able to make good friends local to the area. The easiest way to immerse yourself in the culture around you is definitely to look for an organization or club you find interesting and go, you will make friends naturally. In all, I don't think I had a bad day there, my heart misses Scotland, and anyone who's considering studying abroad should definitely consider Scotland, especially Stirling, it's very residential with close connections to the larger cities!

My favorite thing about my host country was my host mom. Staying with a host family offered a super unique experience and a deeper immersion into Costa Rican culture. Staying with my host mom allowed for me to have conversations in Spanish and to develop this skill. If you are looking to learn and practice a new language, then living with a host family provides this necessary practice. It also allows for the actual culture of the country to be explored. By having conversations with your host family, you can learn about different perspectives about the world.

Studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy, changed me more than I expected. I knew I’d see cool places, make friends, learn about history, and eat good food, but I didn’t realize how much it would shift the way I think, live, and handle life in general.

The city of Sorrento itself was perfect; it was compact, relaxed, and packed with sights and history. It was easier for me to settle in and feel like I actually lived there because it wasn't as touristy as some of the larger cities. I became familiar with the neighborhood stores and restaurants and saw the same people every day and strolled down the same streets. It was genuine. One of the most important lessons I learned from this experience was how much simpler travel is once you're in Europe. Weekend travel to other countries and cities was made easy by trains, buses, and low-cost airlines. I visited locations I never would have imagined visiting at this stage of my life, like Zakynthos, Greece; Split, Croatia; Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina; Rome; and the Dolomites, and it made me want to stay longer.
In addition to the amazing food and travel, I also went through significant personal transformation. I grew more self-sufficient. I developed my ability to solve problems independently, get around in new situations, and become mature; I have more self-confidence now, grew my global network, and adjusted when plans didn't work out. I grew more comfortable going it alone, whether it was ordering food in broken Italian or touring a new city. Another highlight was getting to know people from around the world.I'll keep my global network of classmates, roommates, and locals with me.

5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going Abroad:
- Doing laundry overseas isn't a huge deal, so you don't need to pack as much.
Bring a lot of cash.
- It goes by way faster than you think, so enjoy every moment.
- Not every meal has to be fancy—some of the best food is cheap and local.
- You’ll grow more than you think.

After my trip to Sorrento, I felt more capable and excited about the world. If I could, I would return right away. Go ahead and study abroad if you're still unsure. It will test you in unexpected ways and shape you in ways you weren't aware you needed. You'll discover how to solve problems independently, adjust when plans don't work out, and accept discomfort. Somehow, you'll learn something from encountering people with different perspectives, eating foods you can't pronounce, and getting lost in unfamiliar places It goes beyond simply visiting interesting locations. It's about developing the ability to live in the world with greater confidence, independence, and a broader outlook. Studying overseas is a reset, not just a vacation from your daily schedule. When you return, you have a slightly different perspective on everything, including yourself.

I'll just go in order of the 5 categories of academics, support, fun, housing, and safety.

Academics - I found this study abroad because I was interested in the program for health professionals. As it turns out, you can only choose session 1 or session 2 if you do that specific program, but if you want to do both sessions, apply to the double session program and then just choose health-related classes. I thought the academics were too easy. For some people, that sounds perfect, for some people, that sounds boring. It just depends on what type of person you are.

Support - The program staff were wonderful. All of our questions were answered, they learned everyone's names, and really wanted to provide us with the best experience possible.

Fun - I'm not a party person, so when I rate the social scene as a 5, I'm not including that. (Although I have friends that had lots of fun going to bars and parties while there.) What I am including is the people on the trip, the local places to go, and the offerings on campus. I absolutely loved the weekly dance classes that are offered at no additional price. For fun local places, I explored book stores, weekend markets, and cafes. I definitely recommend Feria Verde that's open every weekend. You can find good food, gifts/souvenirs, and art.

Housing - Genuinely the best part of my trip. I love my Tico family so much. I had a wonderful room and support system, and ate some amazing food. I know that other people in the program didn't have as much of a great experience as I did with my family, but you can also always talk with the program staff if you ever have any concerns/needs.

Safety - If you follow the recommendations of the program staff, you will be safe and comfortable. Avoid walking around at night at all, but if you have to, do it in a group. It's pretty basic things like that to be aware of, and everything will be good. I just put a 4 because unsafe situations did occur with other people in the group, so it is important to be aware.