Program Reviews

I had the amazing opportunity to study and intern abroad in Milan through IES. I absolutely loved my experience in Milan, and the IES team was extremely helpful in preparing me for my time abroad. I especially appreciated how easy they made the pre-departure experience. They helped with all preparation aspects, from the visa process to packing for 4 months away!

While there, I took classes in subjects I was interested in that helped me learn more about Italian culture and contributed to my major. Through my internship, I expanded my cultural awareness and developed skills I know will be beneficial in future work experiences.

I also had the opportunity to explore the city and other parts of Italy through field trips IES planned. Whether it be taking cooking lessons, touring historical sites in Milan, or flying to the south of Italy, I will remember these experiences forever. I am grateful that IES planned them because I would not have been able to do them on my own, and they made my abroad experience even more amazing.

The apartment I lived in was also great. It was in a safe area and was very secure. The Italian student living with us, called a CA, was extremely helpful and helped me adjust quickly!

An amazing opportunity for self-growth, adventure, and a wider sense of the world. IES Rome gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in Italian culture and encouraged me to use my language skills. I became quite familiar with Rome and grew to really love the city and its thousands of years of history. Having a home base in Rome additionally allowed me to travel to many different places in Italy including Cinque Terre, Venice, Amalfi, Florence, Milan, and San Gimignano. It was an incredible 4 months and I am so happy and grateful that I was able to have such a once-in-a-lifetime semester.

My study abroad in Rabat, Morocco was unlike any academic or cultural experience I'd ever had before. In a city rich with religion, language, and life, the history and culture of Morocco were embedded into every corner, every view and every interaction I had. Along with taking relevant courses on North African politics, North African cultural identities, and media in the Middle East, all taught by Moroccan professors, my study abroad experience was enhanced through the opportunity to participate in a part-time internship with a local organization. Also, through my experience living with a host family and the relationship I cultivated with them, I was able to experience what felt like a much more authentic reality and integration into Morocco. IES Abroad Rabat also did a fantastic job of hosting weekly cultural events and organized numerous group trips to different cities and regions across Morocco; some of my favorites included Chefchaouen and the Sahara Desert! This experience not only allowed me to further explore academic interests in North African post-colonial politics but also develop personal ties in the exploration of potential career paths that could take me back to Morocco.

Granada is one of the best cities to travel around by yourself. If you are ever bored on a Sunday, take a stroll down the river and pass people biking, skateboarding, and running. It is a lively community that feels welcoming to even those of us who come from across the pond. I lived and loved every aspect of the small-city charm that Granada gives you and am already planning my next trip to hike above the Alhambra on my next visit, only this time I hope that I can share my experience with more of my family and friends!

I had such an amazing time studying with IES Abroad in Tokyo! The administrators were so encouraging when I expressed interest in getting involved with the local community. The traveling opportunities were so much fun, and I enjoyed our excursions a lot. The coursework was a little light, but it allowed me time to really get out and explore Japan, and most of the Japanese learning I did occurred when I interacted with other students at Kanda University of International Studies. The KUIS campus is absolutely gorgeous - a wonderful place to spend a semester.

IES Abroad Amsterdam is a great hybrid between a direct enrollment option and an American study abroad parent program. I was fortunate enough to take classes at the University of Amsterdam and with guest professors at the IES Center. The IES liasons to the university were very helpful and accessible, but as a whole I wish I'd spent more time at the university itself, and some people on my program didn't have any classes there at all. The IES workers planned free social gatherings in the city for us, as well as mental health breaks like yoga classes and paid field trips, like to see the Dutch National Football Team and spending a weekend in Belgium, to help us get to know the area. They were always available in case of emergency and helped those who needed medical support.

Amsterdam is a great place to go for a semester abroad because it's very easy to travel around Europe from the city by bus, train, or plane, and the Netherlands is a wonderful country to explore. Amsterdam itself is huge, but IES made sure to place me in an apartment close to my university and was willing to help me acquire a bike to travel the city, which is by far the most-used means of transportation. Dutch adults are usually fluent in English, so even if you don't take a Dutch course, you'll be able to get around fine – though I strongly suggest trying to pick up some Dutch, which will require a lot of effort because of the prevalence of English.

Grading in the Netherlands is very harsh, and students don't have GPAs at the universities, so be prepared for a very different academic sphere. Many classes base the overwhelming majority of their final grades on a single final exam or project, which is very intimidating. I enjoyed all of my classes and professors, both in and out of the university.

Amsterdam is an expensive city, especially near the center. Groceries are a good price, but going out to eat or grab a cup of coffee can be costly. Bring your own cold medicine and pain medications, because you will have trouble finding those things in the Netherlands. I wish more advice like that was given to me pre-departure, but after the first couple weeks I figured everything out. IES makes sure to send a newsletter with events around the city every two weeks so we have plenty to explore. Overall, a very well-organized, well-run, kind program.

I had a great experience studying abroad with IES. It was amazing to experience a new culture, and I had a great support system while doing it. The IES Salamanca staff is helpful and well-organized, and gave us the chance to go on some cool field trips within Spain, included in the cost of the program. I stayed in the residence hall, where I enjoyed living in a single in close proximity to other students, but I know that those who stayed with host families also had great experiences. Salamanca is walkable, beautiful, and rich with history without being very Americanized like some other cities. For me, it was the perfect city to study abroad in.

Living in China is becoming a more influential resume builder as China becomes an international player. Immersion in China is difficult for any foreigner, and traveling around the country isn't meant for noncitizens. However, IES Abroad staff are quite helpful in guiding students to helpful resources in order to facilitate travel. The best part of living in China as a part of the IES Abroad program is the abundant opportunities to learn. The classes IES allows you to take partnering with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Fudan University are topical, and give a student unique insight into Chinese education and the Chinese economy. The IES professors are extremely knowledgable and incredibly helpful throughout the semester. I learned more about Chinese economics, culture, and language in this one semester than I learned in my four semesters before it combined. Making lasting Chinese friends is not for the faint of heart, and cultural immersion is difficult living in an apartment (but the Western toilet is a lifesaver).

My experience studying abroad in Paris was absolutely amazing. Right from the start, my roommate and I bonded and made other friends at orientation. I got to visit many great countries and learned so much about their different cultures. I really am blessed to have met so many amazing people, not only in my friends but also in the staff at the IES Center. Someone was always there to answer my questions, whether it was about where to eat, how to use the metro, how to buy medicine, or academic questions, they always got answered.
My classes were really interesting, they offered a variety. My favorite one was my digital marketing class, my professor was a marketing manager at Chloé so I got to learn a lot about the real world of marketing.
IES also offered many free field trips and museum visits. One of my favorite parts was that every week they did a raffle where you answered a couple of questions about Paris and the winners got tickets for the Opera, macaroon classes, wine tastings, or cheese tastings. Leaving Paris was honestly super devastating.

I'd been to Japan before, so I more or less knew what to expect from being in Japan, but I got to explore Japan a lot through this program! Each IES class had field trips in Tokyo to expand on what we learned. We had two cultural activities through IES: learning about Noh in Nakano and making Chicken Ramen in Yokohama. We also went on IES field trips to Hokkaido and Nikko! This program does well with helping you learn about Japan by being IN Japan, not just being in a classroom! The KUIS campus also has lots of clubs, including taiko and kendo, and an entire building dedicated to encouraging students to speak English, so you'll definitely feel comfortable on campus too!