IES Abroad Reviews

I LOVED my experience at UCL!
I got to take classes from world renown faculty on some great classes while experiencing one of the most diverse and fun cities in the world. On a daily basis, I would go to class, then once classes were done I would go exploring with my friends. Walking in London was great because there is so much to see and the tube stations were very close to our housing when we needed to go a little further away.
I also loved all the markets they had during the weekends as well as the authentic restaurants around the city.
The obvious tourist experiences were also very much enjoyed and I loved every single moment I was there.

Arles is made amazing by the clash of ancient ruins with modern transportation, ancient architecture and modern interiors, museums and art galleries, traditional Provencal and modern cuisine. And the best part? It’s not in an overwhelmingly large city. Everything is within walking distance, events are accessible to almost anyone, and the locals are incredibly kind and helpful.

A typical day started bright and early with class. before lunch it was nice to visit a local café, enjoy a coffee and read for class or for pleasure. Lunch was always enjoyable because we split up into groups with the staff and the instructors and ate at different restaurants around town. After lunch was another study break and then class again. The evenings varied the most. Sometimes there would be tours around town with the program, then students would eat dinner out in town or with their host families. At night there were always things to do like concerts, art showings, festivals, movies, or just having a drink at the local pub. Things were slower some days, but everyone needs a few of those. If nothing else, it's a slower pace of life in the summer there.

I must say though that high above all else, what created the most memories, were the people. The staff in the US and France, the instructors, all of the host families, the locals, and the other students in the program all created an amazing trip. They are the ones that create each summer’s unique feel and experience.

Everything from my classmates and roomates, the local food and learning the language, living with a host mom, commuting into the heart of Barcelona to go to school- made it an unforgettable experience. IES was great at incorporating the local culture and history into all of our classes, which made it personal and more interesting. Another thing IES did really well was organizing day/weekend trips to other cities in Spain, always creating a learning and cultural experience out of it.

Studying abroad in London with IES was one of the best decisions that I've ever made. London is a fantastic place with world class culture. Concerts, art, pubs, shopping all abound.

Nido Spitalfields, where we lived, is in central London right off of the Liverpool Street Station. You can get nearly anywhere in the city from here. It is also right next to two of the hippest neighborhoods for young people, Shoreditch and Brick Lane. The dorms are nicer than any other college's that I've seen.

The staff is supportive and approachable. They are there when you need them, but are not overbearing in any way.

Classes were some of the best I took in college. Between 'British Youth Culture' taught by historian Richard Weight, and 'Medieval London' taught by Julian Putkowski, I learned so much about London past and present.

I cannot recommend this program enough.

I went to this program solely looking to have a good time. For a summer program abroad, you should not have lofty goals of becoming perfectly fluent or visiting every city in Spain. I took the days as they came and it was a phenomenal experience all around. I stayed in a home stay near the Pacifico station. Your average weekday starts with breakfast like cereal and fruit. Everyone has grammar class early in the morning followed by your elective class either right after grammar or later like 3 pm. During the summer program, they are more relaxed on the academics compared to the semester because they know the students are there to have fun. That being said, you learn useful grammar tips and my elective went to the Prado two days a week. The academics are very manageable. Between classes, you can go home to have the large lunch prepared by your senora. Around 5, I would go out everyday to meet up with the other students in the program. Most times, we would walk around a plaza, grab dinner, and possibly go to a bar or club. Those nights just hanging out with the other people in the program are some of my favorite memories. This program also has two weekend trips which are awesome as well and not restrictive, you go to Valencia for 2 days for example. You can also travel over the weekends if you like. In my opinion, this program doesn't take up too much time which allows you to really take in Madrid and the culture. Also, the city of Madrid is awesome and offers so many different adventures!

I had a great time studying abroad in Madrid with IES. The staff was helpful, caring, and nice. The academics were challenging enough, offered plenty of class options, and still allowed me to experience Madrid life and travel around Europe. My living situation was fantastic, with a host mom and a 14 year old host brother in an apartment about 40 minutes away from the IES center via metro. I was provided for daily by a very loving host mother, who fed me more than enough food for every meal. In addition, the classes were interesting and challenging without requiring too much out of class time on homework (compared to college in the US). I also took a class at the university in Madrid, which IES helped me find, enroll in, and find resources to help me in my class. There were all kinds of other students on the program, and I was able to find people like me who I connected with and could travel all around with. One of the best parts was having 3-day weekends every week, which allowed for a lot of travel and exploration. Also, IES provided some weekend trips which were always fun and filled with activities.

The program is administered in true German efficiency. All of the logistics are taken care of, but they are still respectful and treat you like an adult. The courses are interesting and rigorous but do not get in the way of the study abroad experience. Freiburg immediately feels like home. The field study program is unforgettable. The problem with the program is returning back to your normal life. Enjoy.

Barcelona is an absolutely incredible city - I truly don't think I could have picked a better city in which to study. There was always so much to do and it is truly a city that has something for everyone. The parks are beautiful, the Spanish tortilla is incredible (I ate it at almost every restaurant), the sunset on Barceloneta is something you have to see, the nightlife is great, and there are so many hidden places that you just have to discover for yourself. The people are friendly and as lame as this sounds, the subway system is great. I loved my daily walks through the city, and even getting lost was a fun adventure. The IES staff is absolutely incredible - they are eager for us to not only learn the language, but to become truly immersed in the culture. I am counting down the days until I can return to Barcelona.

Granada

In one sentence, IES Granada is fantastic. Here's why you should go:
The City:
Granada is a great size, small enough where I felt like I could navigate well but big enough that there is always something interesting going on. It's walkable, which makes it easy to get together with friends and to explore. And there's so much to see! The Alhambra is fantastic of course, and so are the free flamenco concerts, the Albayzin, the cathedral. Plus the weather is gorgeous and Granada is close to both the ocean and the mountains (I took independent trips to both). And it's easy travel to the rest of Europe and to Africa!

Academics:
The IES teachers are some of the best teachers I've had. There classes are interesting because they're about the city (and because the teachers are excited to be teaching them). The class work was not very hard but I felt like I learned enough to make them worthwhile. The university classes, on the other hand, were a struggle. They are hard to coordinate with the IES schedule, the class I took wasn't very good, and the program ends before exams so it's a hassle trying to make everything work.

General Awesomeness:
The IES "field trips" set the program apart for me. While my friends and I planned trips on our own as well, it was so nice to have a few that were planned for us, and to such cool places! Definitely go on the Morocco trip, it's well worth it.
My host family was fantastic and while I had two friends who didn't enjoy there stay, everyone else I knew on the 150ish person program was very satisfied. The IES meal plan works really well in this setting because you get a delicious lunch from your host family and then get to enjoy the "free" tapas (with the order of a drink) at bars for dinner. It makes nights a great time for bonding and hanging out.

Buenos Aires is an incredible city to study abroad in. It has such a vibrant and intriguing history, blended with a very fresh and unique culture. It is a huge metropolis, with a variety of barrios that each have their own feel. IES has a great program that really orients their students to the culture and city. They offer wonderful activities and an array of pertinent and fun courses. The staff was very helpful and followed through on student concerns, based on personal relationships.