Program Reviews

The opportunity to study abroad in Milan brought about the most joyous 3 months of my life. From the delicious food to the beautiful fashion, Milan's unique charm was unmatched. What makes Milan so interesting to me is that you can get the large, metropolitan feel of a modern city, while also still being able to find and appreciate all the old-world, antique qualities that define Italy/Italian culture. I cannot thank the IES staff enough for making the immersion process seamless and enjoyable. The genuine relationships I built with native Milanese people, through both IES and my internship, will last a lifetime. My beloved friends at IES pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me to look for adventure in each day. Because of this, I will always consider Milan my second home.

My year abroad in Berlin has been one of the best experiences of my life. Studying abroad provided me with a chance to truly experience the German culture and language firsthand while also getting to learn a different side of myself. This experience has shaped me into a person who is willing to be adventurous, chase understanding, and explore new sides of myself and my surroundings. But not only have I gotten to know myself, but I have become a part of the language and culture around me. Being able to take classes both through IES and Humboldt University, I have been able to learn about the German educational culture while furthering my German language skills immensely. But while these aspects of my education have given me a greater understanding and appreciation of studying in Germany, they almost do not compare to the amount I have learned outside of the classroom. Living in Berlin has taught me more about Germany - in the past and the future - than I could have ever hoped to learn from afar. I have been able to live and be part of the history of Germany. My home-stay taught me about the German culture and past from the point of view of someone who lives it everyday. It is truly amazing to be able to discuss things like the Berlin Wall with someone who lived in Berlin from the time of the Wall's creation until the time of its destruction. There is nothing better than learning from those who saw it happen. These are the moments that made my experience abroad something that I will remember forever. Things like that can only happen on a study abroad like this, and this is just one small example of the amazing things I have been able to experience through this study abroad experience. Studying abroad was the best decision I have ever made. No matter what I do in the future, I know that this experience has helped shaped me into an independent, open, and ever-learning individual. I could not be more satisfied with my IES Abroad Berlin experience, and I highly recommend the opportunity to anyone and everyone.

Studying abroad in Rome, Italy was hands-down one of the best decisions that I have made. Rome is a city rich in history and there will never be a shortage of things to do. I had amazing roommates and my apartment was located in the perfect location. While walking to and from class everyday, I walked by the 2,000 year old Pantheon where I could stop and sip on a cappuccino or enjoy a scoop of gelato. The classes were engaging and allowed us to use the whole city as a classroom instead of learning about it through a projection on a screen. There is never a shortage of things to do, you can try a new spot for aperitivo with friends, take one of the cooking classes offered through the program, or catch an AS Roma game in the Olympic Stadium. Rome is the perfect location for anyone who loves history, food, coffee, art, and wants to learn Italian. I enjoyed not having classes on Friday, this gave me the opportunity to travel more throughout Italy as well as other countries.

My Milan study abroad experience was the most rewarding and incredible experience of my life. The friends I made there have changed my life so positively, and I will always be so thankful for the opportunity to have met them! IES staff was so helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. I believe Milan was the perfect city to study in, since it is a city that makes you feel right at home. Although the city mainly speaks Italian, even my friends who did not speak Italian at all found that they could get around. Also, the IES Italian classes are very in-depth, which helped raise my own level of Italian. I highly recommend Milan to anybody looking for an experience in a young, exciting city that’s located in the center of all the action!

Studying in Rome was a great decision. It gave me the chance to break away from my college routine and experience learning, working, and living in an entirely new and enjoyable way. I took IES courses to further my studies in political science by studying both classic political philosophers like Macchiavelli and the current events of modern Italian politics. IES also connected me with a great internship working working for an english-language journal as an editorial assistant in charge of communications and social media. The internship gave me excellent work experience and professional insight into the current dynamics of European politics. And even while studying and working, I still had ample time to explore the city of Rome during the week and to travel to different parts of Europe during the weekend. I was able to immerse myself in Italian culture and become more deeply connected to my Italian heritage and identity. IES helped to facilitate this by giving me the opportunity to have a local Italian student as my roommate during the semester. I am very grateful for all that I learned and experienced during my time abroad.

I know that I definitely made the right choice by choosing Salamanca. This was the perfect city to learn Spanish in. Even though there were only four of us in the program, as this was the first time the program was being held, I feel like I still gained a lot from the experience. The small class sizes provided me with the opportunity to truly learn Spanish and to actively participate in class. I was also given the chance to learn about psychology and sociology from a different perspective. I had three classes with IES and two classes at the university (Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca-UPSA). However, I only had one class in Spanish and I lived in the residence halls. As a result, I did my best to participate in activities that would help me speak Spanish more often. I went to some Intercambio nights and I also had multiple intercambios. I also tried my best to meet up with the orientation leaders, volunteers and grad assistant whenever I had the chance. By doing all this, I got to know the language and culture better.

Being able to walk around everywhere in the city was also a highlight for me as my college is in LA. The staff at the center were also very helpful and the activities that they provided were very fun. This university city was truly the best place to meet students from different cities and the best place to really learn Spanish and more about the culture. I made so many amazing memories and I hope to return to Salamanca one day.

In IES I studied under some of the best professors I've ever had, lived with several amazing international students outside of my program, and really enjoyed Freiburg. Academically, the professors were all unique and were given the flexibility needed to teach our classes based on what best suited us. The courses were done in modules (instead of 5 classes all taken at the same time throughout the semester, we had five 3-week blocks where each class began only when the other completely ended) which I believe allowed for better focus and encouraged us to dive deeper into subjects. The courses also weren't limited to the classroom, and included dozens of excursions both throughout the city and outside of it- the Swiss Alps hiking trip was particularly amazing. I do believe one or two classes needed better organization and communication between professors, especially those where we had multiple professors (which in theory was great as they each had a different expertise), and that the administration could have been more response and proactive in solving these issues. However this was the only issue I found with administration. They were otherwise extremely helpful, great with communcation, and always open to answering questions. Freiburg is great for studen- big enough to always find something new to do, but small enough that it's easy to navigate and get to classes. It has plenty of hiking trails reachable with public transit or even just walking from housing; the smaller "suburbs" outside each have their own feel and cool things to do, and are also easy to reach. The train station in the center of the city can connect you to tons of other German and International cities, and a small airport nearby can get you on a quick flight. The IES Environmental Program schedule doesn't leave a lot of room for long trips, but there are definitely some 4-day weekends you can use to go somewhere further. It also "forced" us to really look into Freiburg during our free time which I was very thankful for by the end of the trip. You'll have many chances to meet german, or international, students- whether through your housing or the required german courses.

Living in the Colegio Mayor Santa Fe provided me with a once in a lifetime look into spanish culture and day to day life. At first I was intimidated by the prospect of living with 70+ 18-22 year old spanish girls who don't speak English or know much about American culture. I was shocked and happy to find them accepting, generous, curious, and funny girls who loved having us there. Living in the middle of my two best friends that I met through the program was another plus! Besides being able to interact with local students, I was really able to interact with the history of the city. Imagine walking down a grand staircase that has probably been around for more than 100 years to a dining room with two long tables. At least 15 girls are all seated in the same area as we receive paella, pasta, or cocido to name a few meals. They ask about your day and fill you into what is new in their lives. On Saturdays we eat outside in the courtyard if the weather was nice while the cooks would chat with everyone and crack jokes. One of my favorite memories was playing on the basketball team which added girls from a different colegio to the team giving me a chance to meet new girls and see what life is like at another colegio. On the final game before christmas break we played against one of the hardest teams we played that season. Our supporters came in droves. We had girls cheering us on and tutoras, or RAs, supporting and being there for us for the biggest win of the season! Overall, living in the Colegio helped me exceed my study abroad cultural and linguistic expectations as it allowed me to interact with girls my own age and learn new words, popular songs, and traditions. I will never forget their kindness and generosity to me, and the memories that I will share with them.

My experience with IES Abroad Milan: Business Studies was absolutely incredible. Thanks to IES, the 4 months i spent in Italy were absolutely life changing. It was an experience that I will never forget and has shaped who I am today. The academic aspect of IES was great, as I enjoyed all of my classes and really liked all of my professors. It was unlike any american academic experience because of all the interesting field trips I got to go on in my classes. As for my housing situation, I was lucky enough to be placed in an apartment in one of the nicest areas of Milan. I became friends with my CA, who also happened to be my roommate, and because of her I truly felt like I was able to immerse myself into Italian culture. IES offered many weekend trips as well as activities to do in Milan such as pizza making, which allowed for students to participate in activities that they may not have partaken in otherwise. Overall, my experience with IES and the time I spent in Milan has changed me for the better and will absolutely have an influence on me for the rest of my life. Grazie IES, Grazie Milano!

The time I spent in Paris this fall has been one of the most enriching, rewarding, and influential experiences in my life. This is an excellent program for those who are looking to significantly improve their French language skills. By the end of the semester I felt so much more confident in my abilities to read, write, and speak the language. I chose to stay with a host family and I am so happy I did- they made me feel welcomed and comfortable in an unfamiliar environment and introduced me to aspects of French culture that I wouldn’t have been able to experience otherwise. One of my favorite things about Paris is that there is always something to do and the city is so rich in history and culture. I was able to travel outside of Paris a number of weekends and explore different cities around Europe, each introducing me to something new and broadening my perspectives. Studying abroad has brought me a greater awareness of what opportunities the world has to offer. I have nothing but good things to say about this program. Merci, IES Abroad!