IES Abroad Reviews

Why Milan? Because it's the best combination of adventure and academics. The IES program in this thriving Italian city does such a great job of not only making students feel comfortable, but also encouraging students to explore and dive into the Italian culture. The program had us live in the apartments with an Italian roommate and she completely enhanced my Italian adventure. Not to mention she helped translate a time or two...There was just enough school, just enough travel and just enough social life. Everything was balanced and, of course, beautiful because it's Italy...

Studying abroad as an American student is such a humbling experience. You learn about yourself, the culture you primarily identify with, and most importantly the particular place you are living. That's why Milan is such a great choice. Combine curiosity with great academics, an interesting city, and an awesome culture and you have yourself an amazing experience. Living in the city was the coolest way to completely immerse myself into the Italian lifestyle. Although a famous city, Milan is less touristy than other Italian favorites which is why living there was such a great decision. You really get to experience the best of both worlds: being a tourist yet seeing the truest form of Italy.

AND THE FOOD...I don't even think I have to explain...

As far as traveling goes, Milan was the place to be. The transportation options were incredible and everything was so accessible. Personally, Milan was the best place for me to study abroad because I could balance my academics, internship, social life and travel for an incredible four months. Sitting here and writing this review I am experiencing the infamous nostalgia you hear everyone talk about. It's real, and to be honest, I'm happy I have it. I just goes to show you how much of an impact my life Milan had on this small town girl...I had never been out of the country before my semester abroad and I am so incredibly happy Milan was my first stop!

Living a full 24 hours away from home can be terrifying. Ultimately, you will be flying into the unknown, forced to really put yourself out there, learn new things and make new friends all at once. With the help of IES, this process becomes not only smooth but also extremely enjoyable. IES works tirelessly to ensure that you are living safely and comfortably, succeeding in your classes, and forming lifelong friendships. IES organizes a variety of day activities and even weeklong trips to the Great Barrier Reef in order to guarantee that you reach your full potential during your time abroad. Along with the help of IES comes the help of living in the great city of Sydney. Between beaches, restaurants, and clubs, boredom becomes almost impossible. You will never grow tired of exploring the various neighborhoods and famous sites of Sydney all while experiencing new things and assimilating to Australian culture.

My time in Dublin, Ireland was an experience of a lifetime. I was never much for travel before but in the EU travel is so cheap. You could choose to buy a brand new outfit from a store or fly to another country. The culture in Ireland was also in some ways very similar, but then there were many of its differences. Food there is definitely a difference in quantity. You will learn to appreciate the grocery shopping centers that we have in America (Walmart). There are not many 1 stop shops, you must go to 2-3 different stores to get everything you may need from time to time. The culture in Ireland was also something that was very surprising. Everything from the morning life to the night life will take you by surprise. I will say the jet lag is something that will keep you groggy for the first 10-15 days. College was also a big change. School in America is a very strict attendance based classes and very reliant on weekly homework assignments. Classes are not attendance based, (pending on major) and the university is very big on large projects/papers to be written for weeks ahead. Plenty of time is given for the projects and everything else university wise is the students just constantly studying for finals at the end of the year.

Studying abroad in Barcelona was the best decision I have ever made. It opened my eyes to so much about the work and about myself. While in this amazing city I grew to be an independent, open-minded, global citizen. I would not trade this experience for anything (except maybe the chance to go back again :))

Studying abroad can be scary and difficult but also very exciting! IES most definitely helped me as I prepared for, arrived, stayed, and left from Australia with the greatest ease. Being skeptical at first of the cost and copious amounts of emails, I am so thankful I stuck with them!
The website clearly explains what needs to be done and when so that you can leave your home country for all pre departure information. I would have never known where to even start with all of my paperwork without them- plus, it was awesome that I could chat with an IES ambassador at my home college before I went to feel out with program I wanted to do and what I was getting myself into before I started the process.
I am pretty sure that the Sydney IES staff, Kristen and Matt, are the best people in the world! Over the course of the semester, they provided us with an orientation and various fun and exciting activities in and around Sydney. They also looked after our health, were there to always talk to, and were simply people I knew I could count on.
I would never trade this amazing experience for anything, and IES made it possible! Thanks, IES!

I learned more through studying in this city, via academics and outside of the classroom, than I have in my entire college career. Kunming doesn't have a lot of English speakers other than the relatively small foreigner population, which can be intimidating, but embracing it was absolutely the best way to improve language skills. Even if you can't speak a word of Chinese, the people there are more than happy to connect with you. The city has tons of worthwhile travel sites, and is a change of pace from bigger cities like Beijing and Shanghai. The academics of the program were intensive. The only complaint I have is about the administration and the expectations of handling the high level of coursework. The classes were challenging, and the workload was unreasonable at times. However, if you can manage your time and remind yourself that learning outside of the classroom is equally as important as the coursework, then the program is nearly perfect.

I was so blessed to study abroad in London for a semester. The experience challenged me as a person in a broad range of areas: socially, academically, and vocationally. Socially, I loved meeting new international friends outside the program in my student dorm, the local gospel choir, my sister's church, a London faith-based group, and just strangers I'd run into on the street and Tube! Academically, the classes were brilliant and allowed me to study subjects--such as art, architecture, and marketing-- that I didn't have the time to take back at my home university. Vocationally, my eyes were opened to the numerous homeless people living in London, and my interactions and conversations with them has deepened my desire to work with that demographic in the future. Overall, London became my second home and I'm so thankful for IES allowing me the privilege of studying abroad and growing as a person because of the places and people I knew there.

The IES Granada program is very tailored to the American student. It provides many ways to immerse yourself in the city of Granada. You can attend a wine tasting and olive oil tasting, go hiking, bike-riding, or skiing in the Sierra Morena Mountains. The nightlife in Granada is lively with young people from Spain and all over Europe. The IES program is one of many study abroad programs in Granada. They have their own "school" located in a building in one of the main plazas. I was not particularly fond of the academics. The classes were 1.5 hours Monday-Thursday. Most did not require much homework but all classes had a midterm, a final paper or project and a final exam. Most classes are in Spanish and are taught by professors from the University of Granada. You can choose to take a class at the University or do an internship, which I recommend. I met many of my Spanish friends through my class at the university and found it interesting to see how the Spanish university system works. The IES program also plans many weekend trips to see other cities of Andalusia and a trip to Morocco. The trips were very well planned with lots of things to do and free time as well. The IES Granada faculty are so helpful and understanding and they make your comfort and security their top priority. It is a very much "hand-holding" program in which they help and arrange things for you in any way they can. I loved Granada and I was very happy with my experience!

From what I have been told, compared to IES's other sites, IES Vienna is a bit more resourceful in transitioning students into the respective culture. Yet, I never felt like my hand was being held. What IES Vienna does well is provide resources and opportunities for students to experience the culture first-hand, while also giving space for students to explore the city and discover the culture for themselves. The field trips they hosted were fantastic, the staff is friendly and extremely helpful, and the location is perfect (in the middle of the city). Vienna is a wonderful city and though it may not be considered one's first choice, it's a perfect place for someone like me, a music and psychology double major, to deepen my knowledge in both areas. Every class I took with IES was extremely informative and challenging enough where I still remember what I learned to this day. Yet, the work was just enough where I could still travel every weekend and not have schoolwork be in the forefront of my thoughts. Since Austria is in the center of Europe, I was able to go to so many new countries, even ones that I didn't expect to go to.

Overall, IES Vienna is an amazing program in an amazing city in the center of an amazing continent. As the philosophical Shia LeBeouf would say, "DO IT!"

Milan is an amazing city! It is modern, international, and it is important within global markets. However, it is not overly crowded and it retains Italy's rich culture. From da Vinci's The Last Supper, to risotto alla Milanese, to the UniCredit Tower - Milan remains a hub of history, culture, and business. It's an extremely walkable city, though the public transit system will take you anywhere you need to go. The Navigli (canal) area lined with bars and restaurants is beautiful any time of year, and the birthplace of the aperitivo does not disappoint. As for IES, the staff is generous and attentive. They are very helpful in the accommodation process upon arrival, as well as with any other need you may have throughout the semester. I stayed after the end of my semester for an internship outside of IES, but I remained in close contact with them and they were always happy to see me. I highly, highly recommend this program!