IES Abroad Reviews

The IES Amsterdam program offered great academics and support

I took two art history courses and introductory course on gender and sexuality studies. The professors did a fantastic job of engaging the class through excursions and guest lecturers. I learned a great deal from the courses and at no point felt overworked.

In terms of support, the staff was very responsive to emails. They helped me make sure that my academic schedule worked out and that I could take the courses that I needed to. Additionally, the office was very close to our apartment building and, thus, the staff was incredibly accessible.

1) Housing: If you choose to live in the dorm, you will have quick access to the faculties for Ciencias Sociales and Derecho: it is a five minute walk from your room to half of the department classes (it's a 15 minute walk to the IES center, where the mandatory IES Lengua class takes place). Also, you will have your lunch paid for on a once-per-day meal swipe (a worth of 6 euros) at one of three dining halls. The food is good, but absolutely forget eating there is you have food restrictions (like being gluten-free or vegetarian/vegan). Also, if you like healthy food like fruits and veggies, be prepared to eat lots of potatoes, plain iceberg lettuce, canned vegetables (or vegetables cooked with mystery meat) and other non-healthy food that they will claim is healthy! The dessert of any given day is your choice of a piece of fresh fruit or yogurt. As a dorm resident, you will have to pay for your breakfast, dinner and snacks. There is a small supermarket (El Dia) about 5 minutes away, and a larger all-purpose one (Marcadona) about 15 minutes away. There is also a small gym, study rooms on every floor, inexpensive wash/dry (4 euros per load), and a gaming room (billiards, tv, ext). If you are in a home stay: know that your food schedule is completely decided by your host family. The food is not always varied, but they are able to accommodate food allergies/restrictions. There is even a family that is great with providing food for those with Celiac-- the moral of the story is don't pick your housing based on food restrictions! As a student staying in a home stay, you also will have more of the money you saved/brought to spend on what you want (instead of what you need) because your host family will provide three meals a day and snacks. Be ware that host families can be a little overbearing and/or may not want you in their space-- they do not always consider you part of their families. Some students who lived in home stays were not allowed to be anywhere in the house except their rooms and the dining room (and especially not allowed in the family room where the tv was).

2) Internet: You need a connecter for the ethernet. Some laptops ave it built in, others you will need to buy a convertor for the thunderbolt (for Mac, not sure about PCs). The dorms do not have wifi in the rooms, but fast and reliable internet on the ethernet. You can also set it up so your computer emits wifi (just look it up) so you have it on your phone in your room. In the home stays it is hit-or-miss: some houses are great, others have spotty internet.

3) Walking: be prepared to walk everywhere. Two weeks after your arrival here in Salamanca, you will think a 20 minute walk is short. On average, I walked 6 miles a day in Salamanca without even trying. From the dorm to the IES building, it's about a 15 minute direct-route, downhill walk (nearby there is a dining hall). It is about 5 minutes to the Ciencias Sociales/Derecho faculties, about a 5 minute walk to the nearest dining hall, about 20 minutes to the Plaza Mayor, about 15 minutes to calle Van Dyck (a well-known, tapa bar street), and about 25 minutes to the Cathedral (and the plaza that has the Filologia/Language faculty). If you live in a home stay, it can be hit-or-miss. I suggest that you put location as one of your top priorities for housing because it will make your life much, much easier! No home stay was more than 25 minutes away from the IES center (which is about 5-6 minutes away from the Plaza Mayor).

4) Communication while in Salamanca: you are required to have a phone where you can be reached while in Salamanca with IES. Some students used their US phone and cell number. Others bought the Spanish SIM card (usually from a store named Orange) and added euros to it as necessary. Still others had two phones: their home one and a cheap (about 40 euro) flip-phone with a Spanish SIM card. Do what is best for you, but know that it is IES policy to have a working phone with you at all times!

5) Registering for classes: GOOD LUCK. The IES staff here are the least organized people. They also don't seem to care to help you, yet have all these obligatory/mandatory titles on everything. It was BS.

Overall, I loved my time, made great friends and got to travel plenty while still getting to know Salamanca but if I could do it all over again, I would do Madrid if I was studying in Spain.

There are many aspects of the IES European Union program that appealed to me. First of all, the program was situated in Freiburg, Germany, a city of approximately 220,000 people located in heart of the Black Forest on the Swiss and French borders in Southwest Germany. I was attracted to a smaller city, as opposed to Berlin or Vienna in Austria, because I felt I would be more intimately immersed in the culture and have more opportunities to meet and establish friendships with locals, as well as strengthen my German language skills.

I also appreciated the extensive travel that was included in the program. We took three trips that covered a large portion of the European continent and met with a variety of European Union representatives and political activists. In addition, the travel allowed us to spend time in some of Europe's most extravagant cities, including Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Prague, and many more. Although there wasn't an abundance of time set aside for independent travel, I was still pleased our group's excursions to some of Central Europe's most prominent sites.

Learning in the program was extensive and occasionally could be quite intense. Those who were not well informed of European politics before entering the program left with a vast knowledge of institutions, policies, and issues of the European Union. The Model European Union simulation that was held in the final weeks of the program also enhanced this experience.

Becoming immersed within another culture is one of the greatest benefits of studying abroad. By attending cultural immersion classes upon arrival in Germany, I was better prepared to move in with my flatmates. Language courses, which differ according to the ability of students, were also held four days a week. These classes allowed me to pick up some simple German phrases that I could use in restaurants or other day-to-day interactions with the German people. For me personally, the living environment was definitely one of the highlights of the program. Living with German students from the local university provided me with wonderful opportunities to establish friendships with locals. I enjoyed learning how German students spend their leisure time while improving my communication skills through conversations with them.

In addition, I found the IES staff to be incredibly helpful and friendly. Staff members were always willing to assistant students regardless of the situation at hand. Throughout the semester, I developed great relationships with both the IES staff and professors. It was not uncommon for them to personally show students around Freiburg or even to invite them to join them for lunch or dinner.

The IES European Union program provided me with fantastic opportunities for travel, cultural immersion, building new friendships, and exposure to diverse learning experiences. Although the workload from classes could sometimes feel overwhelming, every student with whom I spoke described his/her experience as "life changing." That was certainly the case for me. For all of us who participated in the program, Freiburg will always be our German hometown. I would recommend this program, without reservation, to any student who has the desire to learn more about the European Union and to see the world.

I had a great time with IES in Barcelona. The program staff were always so nice and helpful, and being there during the Catalunya independence protests was very interesting and educational. My living situation (a homestay) was very welcoming. My only complaint would be that there were 300+ American students in the program, which makes it very hard to immerse yourself in the local culture. Also, all but one of my classes were taught in English. IES set me up with an internship once I got there, which helped with my Spanish and feeling like I was more involved in the local activities while I was there. Overall, I had a great time!

My time in Dublin holds a very special place in my heart and I owe this to the wonderful IES staff and students. The academics and field trips within the program allowed me to gain a better understanding of Irish culture and history. I made lifelong friends during my time abroad and would highly recommend this experience to anyone who is looking to expand their horizons, grow, and see the world around them.

IES is the best place to study abroad. I never felt lost or out of place in my city because the staff was so helpful. The housing was beautiful. I lived in the best area of Dublin and I could walk everywhere without even thinking. I feel perfectly comfortable and safe. The field trips were so fun and I miss Ireland already. I met my best friends in this program and think I will keep in touch with the staff and students for years to come. The center had everything we would need academically to get our homework done. The best part of the classes that it wasn't all about classroom learning. We were constantly going to museums exhibits and even coffee and scones for class periods to take advantage of every second we had in Dublin. I truly felt at home and could be dropped at any point in the city and find out exactly where I was.

I decided to do the IES Music program in Vienna because it gave me a chance to study German, music, and political science together. IES in Vienna is a wonderful program for musicians and non-musicians alike, but I think musicians have an even better appreciation for a city so immersed in music. The city of Vienna is absolutely beautiful and just drenched in musical history. I spent many evenings standing in the golden Musikverein listening to world-class orchestras play the music of some of the most famous composers in the world. As for the program itself, I made lifelong friends and got to know tons of talented, smart, passionate people all while exploring a city and country that are too often overlooked in favor of Paris/London/Berlin/Rome. The education, both music and otherwise, is really high quality, and the staff of the program are incredible. I can't recommend IES Vienna enough.

I studied abroad in London during the fall of 2014. I lived right by King's Cross Station and my classes were held in Bloomsbury at IES London building. It was an easy walk to calss and the train station was close by to the dorm which was nice for travel. I absolutely loved my time abroad meeting new people and traveling to new places. I love seeing the friends I made while in London back here at my campus in the US. IES classes overall were interesting and I was very easily able to manage my time between school work, exploring London, and traveling to other locations. Overall, studying abroad in London with IES was an extremely rewarding experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I made amazing friends, learned alot about the world & myself, and can't wait to go back to visit London in the future.

I loved my fall and summer here! It seriously was the time of my life. I count the faculty, fellow students, and homestay parents among my closest friends. I saw more of China than I could've dreamed, expanded my language ability, and learned about a foreign and unique culture from a truly indepth, local way. IES Beijing gives you a safety blanket while also allowing you to truly experience the magic of China.

I studied in Rabat, Morocco for three and a half months and it was the most unforgettable experience I've ever had. Morocco is different from anything I had ever known and even though it was intimidating at first, I felt one with the country and the people in no time. The IES staff was so great at getting us to be immersed in the culture and always there for us if we did not understand something. The classes were very interesting and taught me a lot about Morocco's culture, Islam and issues that concerned North Africa and the Middle East. There are even classes taught in French so that French speakers could improve their French language skills while learning Arabic. One of my favorite parts about the trip was my home stay. My host family was welcoming and treated me like their own daughter. My house was in the medina (the old city) where a lot of traditional families live, which was very interesting to see every day. I was also near a lot of little shops, cafes and even the beach! I definitely recommend studying abroad in Morocco with IES because it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.