Program Reviews

After being back in the States for almost four months, I am still continuing to rave over my study abroad program. I loved IES and everything they had to offer. The London center was phenomenal-professors, staff, location.

All of the classes that I chose to take gave us a chance to be immersed into the London culture, with field trips to art and history museums, walking tours of the various London neighborhoods, and theatre performances. All of my professors were knowledgeable in their fields, and I learned a lot from them.

The staff at the IES Center were always very friendly and helpful. I was a part of the running and yoga clubs, and got to know some of the staff members because of it. These extra-curricular opportunities not only continued to allow us to get to know London better, but it allowed us to get to know the people we were studying with, and showed us that the staff at the center weren't just there as staff. They were there to help make our study abroad experience the best it could be! And when I got sick during our exam week, I was able to get into see a doctor immediately, and everyone-staff and professors-were extremely accommodating.

I always felt safe in London too. My apartment was in a great neighborhood, with only a twenty minute bus ride to most of the iconic London places. All of the housing locations were close to each other too, which made visiting friends even easier.

IES Study London was a fantastic program that I am always going to recommend. It made my study abroad experience what it was, and I am forever thankful for that.

I studied abroad with IES Abroad Nagoya in the Spring of 2019.

The IES abroad program at Nagoya is amazing. the staff for both the program and the university are very kind, and very helpful. they understand all of the struggles you might go through while studying abroad. Nazan also has counselors for international students.

Nagoya is a small but very nice city. In the areas where you will live, host family or dorm, there are very little foreigners so you don't have to worry about being treated like you know very little to no Japanese. it's also a very convenient city to make trips from. There are a lot subways, trains, and bus lines in the area to go almost anywhere of interest. And you can easily take the bullet train along the eastern coast which goes all the up to Hakodate and all the way down to Kagoshima. The airport is also a major one so you can easily take a domestic flight to a lot of cities.

The trips you are broad on are amazing as well and super generous. You get to go to some really cool locations, stay at very nice hotels and Ryokans (Japanese inn), and eat very good food.

The convenience and cheapness of the public transport system in Japan really encourages you to explore. I've made many solo trips. If your Japanese level is good enough, you can go almost anywhere.

Overall, this program completely change me. I was able to grow a lot as a person, a student, and a professional. My Japanese ability also skyrocketed.

I highly recommend this program for anyone who has the chance.

I spent four months in Paris, France during the Spring 2019 semester. I am a nursing major at Hope College and I went to Paris to finish up my French minor. I decided to choose this particular IES Paris program because I really desired to grow in my overall French language skills, even though French may not have any direct involvement in my future career as a nurse. That being said, my decision to take classes entirely taught in French and to live in a home stay with a woman who only spoke French was hands-down THE best decision of my life. I grew immensely in my language skills, and I got to immerse myself in Parisian culture while also traveling around Europe on weekend excursions with the new friends I made there and together with my entire program. I grew in self-assurance and maturity as I navigated my life abroad very much independently, and I got to experience cultures drastically different from my own - which I believe is one of the most important things anyone could ever do. When I ask people now if they have plans to study abroad, and their response is "Well, I don't really have any reason to with my major," it is difficult for me not to laugh because I know what a huge impact studying abroad had on me and my entire perspective on life. Everyone should study abroad. I made some of the best friends of my entire life, and I grew into a mature adult with the confidence to travel and take huge leaps out of my comfort zone. I now better understand the importance of taking the time to appreciate and learn from other cultures, and I can understand a whole new language!! I was lucky enough to be able to take a ballet class taught in French, and I received French credit towards my minor! This was something I would have never expected, but my program directors were so passionate about making my experiences as personal as possible.

The whole idea of studying abroad was one that I had held for a long time, yet I never thought that I would walk away as the individual that I am after spending a semester in Sydney, AU. The sheer joy of being surrounded by new friends constantly built bonds that will last me a lifetime. Additionally, the bliss of having the accessibility to one of the most coffee, food, and drink centric cities in the world elevated my taste for authentic experiences within the cultural melting pot that is Sydney. I am truly grateful for the spirit of adventure that led me to embrace the call of Aussie living because it gave me my greatest semester of college, alongside branching me out of a place of comfort that I never knew existed. Studying abroad is much more than simply living in another part of the world for a short time, but it is about embracing the newness that surrounds you and allowing yourself to embark on a journey that is bound for greatness. Praises upon praises for this program and for the Land Down Under!

I attended the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin through IES. Best semester I have had yet! I learned so much in such a short amount of time. Studying abroad was such a great experience. IES was so helpful and supportive throughout the entire ordeal. Staff members of IES and GSA were fantastic. IES was fantastic in encouraging us to experience the beauty of Ireland and experiencing the culture with field trips and such. I recommend taking the field trips, even if they are out of your comfort zone.
Dublin has such a rich history that is evident throughout the entire city. Highly recommend traveling to, especially for the theatre! I saw some of the best shows I have had the privilege of seeing in Dublin. IES is there to help you explore the beautiful world around you, with their financial aid, contests and tips and tricks, they make it as affordable as they can, it may not be as out of budget as you may think. Give them a chance, check it out and if you can, go explore this beautiful world!

Shanghai Jiao Tong University is located outside the downtown area of Shanghai but is still accessible within an hour on the train. There is a very extensive transportation system all throughout the Shanghai city and surrounding area, and they have over 20 metro lines. Shanghai is often called a city of cities, so take time to explore the many areas.

The school is very known for its alum and technical achievements and there are many tech talks that go on throughout the term that international students are more than welcome to attend. Setting up classes was very similar to the process at universities in America, it's done online using your student ID number and you pick the courses you want to register for and you can add or drop online before the deadline.

The staff and support are phenomenal! Upon arrival, there is an orientation with everything you need to know to get around in China. Coming from someone who just started Chinese when I arrived in Shanghai I was more than prepared for the basic things like paying and eating.

I was searching for a study abroad experience that would allow me to study what I am interested in, travel to multiple places, and have experiences that I could not plan/afford as a college student. The IES European Union program offered me all of these opportunities. We traveled to seven countries during 22 days of the program, where we attended talks specialized to our academic interests. The program also organized city tours for us, and we stayed in hotels close to the middle of the cities.

In Freiburg, I lived in a seven person suite, and the rest of my suitemates were German. This offered me opportunities to immerse myself in German culture, and also allowed me more exposure to the language.

The additional IES EU field trips allowed me to visit countries and environments I would not have had access to otherwise. The two most popular field trips they offered my semester were a tour of castles in Germany, and a beautiful hike in Switzerland. They always arranged a tour and transportation, and so it was a stress-free and highly enjoyable experience each time.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and matched all the aspects I was looking for in a study abroad program!

Being a smaller, lesser known city than a lot of other study abroad options, I thought Freiburg facilitated a more authentic cultural experience. I didn’t know any German before I went on the program (which is not a problem because mostly everyone speaks english) but by the end of the trip I was able to ask basic questions and read a whole menu/order at cafes just by being surrounded by it. IES is great at giving you all the information you need to get around and familiarize yourself and you also make friends extremely fast!
Freiburg is in a great location for traveling around Europe, it is the sunniest spot in Germany and there is so so much to do outside (go swimming, hikes, bike rides, concerts in nearby towns, biergartens), the public transportation is amazing and affordable, and you are always surrounded by the Black Forest and expansive fields/orchards to have a picnic in. Freiburg is a perfect size to be able to get to know in a semester and by the end it really felt like a second home to me because there is a strong community feeling there. There's local student spots that hold a lot of events and do a great job including international students. It is so easy and fun to meet people from all over the world! Live music is plenty downtown. Really cool opportunities to get involved in local volunteering, sustainability, or artistic initiatives. Classes were super informative and applicable to real-world sustainability work, not to mention interesting. All the IES instructors were really knowledgable, kind, and approachable.
Fun things to do are cooking big dinners in someones flat, going to a german Bathhouse, or taking weekend trips to other european cities, but the best thing about this specific program which I think a lot of people who go abroad to other places do not experience is the incredible beauty that we got to see. From the Swiss Alps to the Vosges Mountains in France to the surrounding Black Forest towns, you are seeing beautiful landscapes continuously throughout this program and hiking a lot. I learned so much about sustainability and practicing a green lifestyle which I could have only adopted by being in a green-focused environment. Freiburg is a really special place.

I cannot say enough good things about my experience studying abroad in Sydney, Australia last semester. From the amazing people I met to the incredible places I explored and unbelievable experiences I had, my time down under was everything I hoped it would be and so much more, and my decision to study abroad was one of the best I have ever made. Before embarking last July, I had never even stepped foot in the southern hemisphere, so Australia was a giant leap beyond any adventure I had ever lived before. I knew little about the culture, the geography, or really anything about the country for that matter beyond what I had heard about kangaroos, koalas, and surfing paradises. So when I hopped off the plane in Sydney, I was ready for anything. Meeting my program mates at the airport, driving through the center of Sydney on the way to University of Sydney's campus, and an amazing harbor cruise later, within just a few short hours I felt like I had already gotten to know Sydney, and it already felt like home. The first few weeks were spent exploring everything Sydney has to offer, and it didn't disappoint. From lazy beach days at Bondi and Manly to thrift shopping in Chinatown and experiencing Sydney's incredible nightlife, it didn't take long for me to fall in love with a city I had only dreamt of a month earlier. IES organized hikes for us in the Blue Mountains and Royal National Park, allowing us to get a glimpse of the stunning scenery and landscapes set just miles outside of the contrasting concrete jungle of Sydney's downtown. Once we had settled in to our new home and gotten in to a rhythm with our classes, it was time to venture beyond and explore what the rest of Australia had to offer! Our first big weekend trip of the semester was to Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday Islands in Queensland, a true tropical paradise that makes for a relaxing weekend of pristine beaches and unwinding. Not to mention we got to hold a Koala, something you can't do in most parts of Australia! This first trip started a run of weekends on the go, from the amazing landscapes and hiking in Tasmania to learning (somewhat) how to surf in Woolongong and ending up in Fiji for mid-semester break. Fiji was the kind of place I had always heard about and I thought it would be super cool to go there, but the thought never even crossed my mind that I would actually go there. So to be jumping off the rooftop of Cloud 9 into the crystal clear Pacific Ocean only 2 months after arriving down under was one of the most surreal experiences I have been lucky enough to ever have. After returning back from Fiji, it was really nice to be able to have a few weeks back in Sydney. I found that no matter where we traveled, I always looked forward to being back in Sydney and being able to make the most of my time there. Walking around Circular Quay, taking the ferry to Watson's Bay, stopping through the Botanical gardens: there really is anything available to you that you could want. Next up was a trip to Melbourne for the weekend, an equally unreal city, and a viewing of the Melbourne soccer derby between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory. We unknowingly purchased tickets for the Melbourne City away section, but ended up making the right decision as City came out with a hard fought victory (no pun intended). With the weeks flying by, and our trip to Melbourne complete, before we knew it classes were over and Study Vacation rolled around, which we used, instead of gearing up with finals, to road trip around New Zealand's South Island for the week. And believe me when I tell you there is no more beautiful place in the world than New Zealand. We had planned out the destinations we wanted to hit, but just the driving there was in some ways more amazing. Rolling hills set against towering mountains in the distance turned into serene glacial lakes and dense forests. Hiking to the top of tall peaks in Wanaka and checking out the nightlife in Queenstown, we saw as much as we could in our short time there, and before long it was back to Sydney for exams. Studying hard for the next few days, I didn't really have time to reflect much on my semester, but once I walked out of my last exam, it hit me that my time abroad was coming to an end. I had seen so much, yet it felt like it had gone by in the blink of an eye. In my last few days, as I started saying goodbye to the people I had grown so close to over the past few months, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of sadness that I would have to leave my favorite place. But as I prepared to depart back to the US, I left a piece of myself on campus, in the sands of Bondi, and everywhere that I was lucky enough to call home for those few months. As sad as I was to leave, and as much as I miss Australia every single day, I know someday I'll be back, and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to Study Abroad. I would encourage absolutely anyone to make the same choice I did, as there really is no other experience like it. It was the adventure of my lifetime, and it could be for you, too.

This is experience was an incredible way to try something new. I really pushed myself to explore things I had never done before. With the support there to catch me when I would fall and stumble, I was given the unique opportunity to do what I wanted without the fear of being on my own if I needed help. I made life-long friends, travelled to places I had never even heard of and tried to make the most of 4 short months in a new environment. I especially liked feeling more and more like a local as the days and weeks went on. Arriving as a total tourist in Amsterdam, I began to learn more about the parts of the city that one does when you have the time to explore. I particularly loved how easy it was to get around in Amsterdam and the rest of Europe. Cycling is a must when living in Amsterdam. You really get to appreciate the gorgeous scenery so much more on a bike. There are cheap flights to all the capitals of Europe that you can visit. The main struggle is trying to appreciate studying in Amsterdam and at the same time, make the most of travelling Europe. As long as you try to push yourself to try new things and get out of your comfort zone, you are guaranteed to have an amazing time abroad.