Program Reviews

IES Granada was an awesome experience, and I would recommend it to anyone with a Spanish language background willing to explore this beautiful city and culture!

IES Abroad and IES Granada staff were super helpful, from the beginning by making sure we got our visas ready to our 2-day orientation program in Málaga. Throughout the semester, they made sure that we were settling in okay, meeting locals, and then preparing for our return home. I ended up having a foot injury that lasted throughout the semester, but the staff was super kind about checking in on me, and also arranging doctors visits with a translator and taxi up to the hospital.

We always knew what was happening in Granada because of the weekly Agenda email that we received. Our orientation leader joked that she forwards it to all her friends because it is the most comprehensive list of events in the city. IES also planned field trips within Southern Spain and to Morocco to help us learn more about the region's history and stunning sites. The Morocco trip, optional but most students choose to go, was carefully planned to be more than just a tourist visit, as we stayed with host families for 2 nights and met with 2 NGOs and a lot of local students.

The best part about my experience was getting to know locals. I found two groups of local students, one through an "intercambio" program that IES set up to give us each a language partner, and the other through the university church group. Both groups welcomed me in, and I was able to improve my Spanish a lot and and learn more about Spain through these friendships. I´m already trying to figure out when to return because of these strong connections that I made!

On the academic side, IES has a lot of great classes to offer its students at its own program site, with professors from the University of Granada. I was able to take all of my classes in Spanish, but in a smaller classroom than at the university. We were able to explore much of the city and its history through classes like Islamic Art and Architecture, or take classes I wouldn't usually get to take, like watercolor.

My living situation was great! I had a lovely set of host parents who really welcomed us into the family. My roommate and I were even able to travel with our host mom to her hometown and meet her father and brother. Her cooking was excellent, and although not everyone had such a positive experience, I think overall most students in both homestays and residential living were happy with their choices.

Overall, the IES Granada semester was well-run and made sure we felt at home. They even cooked us a Thanksgiving dinner :)

(note: I am an Ambassador for IES Abroad, but only because I felt so much support from IES with my injury and semester, that I wanted to share my experience with others!)

Overall, my experience was better than I could have imagined. The classes were fun, engaging and I learned tons of material I would not have back at my home university. The IES teachers were well versed in their subjects and had interesting life experience. It really helped me get a better picture of career options and ways to get there. The program staff was extremely helpful and down to Earth. They were always willing to help but did not try to micromanage everything. They also do a great job of sending out weekly emails to tell you whats going on in the city and ways to get involved. In addition, they send links to tons of volunteer activities that are a way to meet locals and really helped me feel like I was doing something to give back during my free time. It was really nice and helped push the students to be independent! I stayed in a more residential area with tons of families and animals really close to campus which was so convenient. I enjoyed the area but my only wish was to be closer to the action. Like I said, overall, the experience was wonderful and I glad I picked IES.

Study abroad can simply be expressed as an experience to embark on. With the opportunity to study abroad, you test yourself within the academic, interpersonal and professional setting. Being in an environment outside of my comfort-zone exposed me to the individual power that I have as a person to enhance my once in a lifetime experience by focusing on what is best and ideal for me.

Please know when studying abroad: Allow yourself to vulnerable to whichever circumstance, especially abroad, while also being on your P’s and Q’s of the country. Regardless of the mistakes made, it will make for a realistic experience, as study abroad, nor life is perfect. Be okay with being by yourself, and travelling by yourself, as it strengthens your language and people skills.

This program is great for anyone who wants to improve their Japanese language skills and learn more about Japan. There are lots of chances for students to go out into Japan, as well as communicate with Japanese students. The program places students at Kanda University of International Studies, which is a language school. Many of the students at the school speak very good English, so even students who have no prior Japanese knowledge will be able to make great friends. The staff at IES Tokyo are really fun to spend time with and always there for whatever you need. I had a great time staying with my host family, and really enjoyed all of the friends I made while I was in Japan. It is important to keep in mind that this program is actually located in Chiba, which is about a 45 minute train ride from central Tokyo. I really loved this location because it shows you a different side of Japan, away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo proper.

How can I begin to describe my semester abroad? This was by far the best semester of my life. There's just something about moving to Italy for 4 months that changes everything you ever thought you knew. Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely terrifying to pack up your whole life into two suitcases and move across the world. From the beginning, I knew it would be worth it because of the wonderful people at IES Abroad. I was kept informed every step of the way. From the predeparture checklist, to help with the Visa, to personal emails from the staff, I was nothing but impressed with IES. Once I got to Italy, the IES Milan staff put together a week long orientation that helped to create the friendships that have lasted past my time in the program, inspire confidence in the program, and ensure that I made the correct decision. But, beside all of that, the bets part of IES Milan were the professors. I took 5 classes in Milan and I couldn't wait to go to each of them each week. I was pushed harder than I ever have and it absolutely paid off. Another great part of this program were the field trips. I participated in the trips to Parma and to Sienna. During these trips I got to know the staff and the students on a more personal level and I got to explore places I never would have thought to go. I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about IES Abroad Milan. I can honestly say my life has been changed for the better because of this program.

The IES BIA Program gave me the opportunity to learn more about the political, economic, social, and cultural institutions in France through their planned excursions, weekend recommendations, and ticket giveaways for the Opera, Ballet, rugby games, and cooking classes. My French not only significantly improved through these immersive experiences, but also because of my host family, which was perhaps the best part of my experience. My host mom was kind and supportive, always helping me improve my French and introducing me to the different facets of French culture and cuisine.

The classes were engaging and the small size allows you to interact with both the professors, which come from prestigious universities around France, as well as the students. Coming from a university with larger class sizes, this was something I appreciated. The classes also offered excursions; I went to the cinema with my French class to watch a movie and went to the World Trade Organization Headquarters in Geneva with my Market Trends and Economics class. I learned a lot about the policies that France and the European Union implement; a lot of the material presented in my classes as well as the presentations I completed impressed employers when doing internship interviews.

My study abroad experience only grew my identity as a global citizen and shaped my ability to communicate across different cultures, which in an increasingly connected world is important. My decision to immerse myself as much as possible refined my French and by the end of the five months, I was confident and it was easy to carry on discussions in French.

I highly recommend this program to others who are interested in learning about the facets of French culture and are studying business or international affairs because the knowledge you acquire is invaluable and will aid you in the future. I also recommend doing a homestay - it was probably one of the best decisions I made while abroad.

Studying abroad can be a challenge for music students because there are fewer options in terms of viable study abroad programs. Thankfully, I found IES Abroad Milan's music program online and was able to attend for this past semester. I received such an incredible musical education in my semester here. Not only was the academic perspective excellent (I learned so much in my History of Italian Opera course), but there were also ample performance opportunities in the form of both concerts and opera pastiche. The caliber of the instructors was extremely high. Additionally, the program provided us with complimentary tickets to La Scala when possible, which enriched our musical education enormously by allowing us to observe performances at the highest professional and musical levels. I have made so many lasting professional and personal connections through my time at IES Abroad, and I cannot recommend this program highly enough!

I was enrolled in the Language and Area Studies in Berlin and all my classes gave me different perspectives of the city. Students in this program will take 5-6 classes (all conducted in German) including one German intensive class. This made me nervous but all the professors understand that we are learning the class as well as the language itself. All my classes have excursions to different places in the city such as the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, Berlin's State Parliament (Abgeordnetenhaus) and many more. The center itself is supportive in helping students and they put together different events for the students. IES also hosts weekend trips to other cities like Dresden and Hamburg, so we learn more about the different cities in Germany.

In this program, students are most likely to live with a host-family and I love my host! They are a family of four and really care about my experience and always there to help me. Coming from a school of 1,500 students in a small city makes me a little bit worried about being in a big city like Berlin, but I love every moment of my experience there!

IES provided me with a stable foundation to make my own experience with my study abroad program. Even through some issues, IES remained steadfast in its goal to provide each student with the means necessary to craft their own adventure economically and safely. I would do it again in a heartbeat. IES provided me with a stable foundation to make my own experience with my study abroad program. Even through some issues, IES remained steadfast in its goal to provide each student with the means necessary to craft their own adventure economically and safely. I would do it again in a heartbeat. IES provided me with a stable foundation to make my own experience with my study abroad program. Even through some issues, IES remained steadfast in its goal to provide each student with the means necessary to craft their own adventure economically and safely. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

When I was first leaving for abroad, I was very nervous about having to start over with many aspects I had already concurred in my home university. Making new friends, becoming comfortable in a new location, and adjusting to a new culture were all things I had done two year prior at my College, and I was dreading having to do it again. Yet, when I got to Milan, throughout the four months I grew more personally than I have ever done before. The program was so welcoming, accommodating, and friendly that making friends and adjusting was quite effortless. Italian culture is very friendly and talkative, so meeting Italians and becoming comfortable within a new culture also did not take that long. Yet, most importantly perhaps, I learned how to be comfortable with myself in such an uncomfortable situation. You will inevitably find yourself having to eat alone, navigate alone, shop alone, and other activities that are customary to do in groups in the US, and you will grow more personally because of these experiences. I think that is one of the most important aspects of study abroad, and other than IES's incredible support and academics, the opportunity to grow within a foreign and uncomfortable environment is priceless.