IES Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad in Sydney, Australia was the best experience of my life so far. I went to Sydney to experience and learn from the people around me and I came out with lifelong friendships and a deeper understanding of the world. I’d never traveled before and I never thought in a million years I would be able to study abroad. IES Abroad was a great bridge for me. Allowing for friendly faces from the first day you touch down, to an office staff who answered any and all questions during, prior, and even after my study abroad period. Once I arrived in Sydney, IES Abroad planned events throughout the semester; from break excursions to meals and surf camp. The staff there value you as people and take the time to get to know you and take care of any issues that may arise; whether it was issued with housing or navigating timetables (schedules) and finding tutors. I attended the University of Sydney and lived in an apartment complex located less than a fifteen-minute walk from campus and conveniently located in the heart of Newtown next to great restaurants, movie theater, and plenty of stores. The apartment complex also offers a host of events throughout the year, which is a great way to get to know and make friends with people who are either also exchange students or locals. For me, the best part of the University of Sydney was the ability to take classes at the Conservatorium of Music. It’s located about forty minutes away by public transportation, however, the professors are amazing and it’s a unique opportunity to learn with very talented and passionate musicians. I would highly recommend anyone who is even thinking about studying abroad to look into IES Abroad and its ability to create an amazing experience.

I never really thought that Study Abroad would have the impact on me that it did. In fact, I was terribly nervous on the flight down to Argentina. I was worried that, since no one from my university was going, I wouldn't make any friends, and that my lower level of Spanish would be too inadequate to survive. When I got to my homestay and met my roommate, however, I realized that I'd always have at least one good friend during the semester and that I could make it through just fine.

Very quickly, as time went on and as IES Abroad took our whole program on tours and group-bonding activities, I became comfortable and stress-free. The IES staff was ready and available for any questions and concerns that I had, and make every activity engaging. As far as what we did on these tours, words and pictures can only go so far as to describe the beauty and diversity of the city.

The IES program classes started, soon followed by the single partner-university class that I took at Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA). My proficiency in Spanish quickly advanced and I could feel myself becoming a porteño more and more by the day. Some classes took time. It was important to section off a piece of my time at the homestay to sit down and read the required material for my classes. This wasn't a big problem at all, however, because going out at night all happened after 11pm (at the earliest). It took me a few weeks, but developing a consistent schedule for homework and free time was very helpful in making sure I did all that I wanted to. Of course, I wasn't perfect about my routine every day, but getting it all done is all that matters.

IES organized both free trips for us and optional paid ones. I tried to do as many as possible and they were all phenomenal. I can not think back on my time abroad without remembering fondling and longingly the tango show, the futbol game, La Boca, Salta and Jujuy, and all of the other group activities we went on.

Trips with friends were also highlights of my time there. With the close friends I made, we made trips to Colonia, Uruguay; Santiago, Chile; and Puerto Madyrn in Patagonia.

As well, with PALS, the student organization at UCA that hosts events and trips for international students, I went to Iguazu Falls. The intense spiritual and jaw-dropping natural wonders I saw there changed my life and really did make me shed a tear.

I think what I miss the most now are the small things I had in my routine there. Nearly every day after classes I would go to the same cafe and talk with the men working, Abel and Ramon, who quickly became my friends. I would talk with the woman I gave my laundry to and chat with the man I bought fruit from as well. When you go abroad, to Argentina or to wherever you find yourself, I highly suggest you take time to talk with the people you see every day. There's a lot you can learn from the locals that take pride in their work both in the slang they can teach you and in the lessons on life they have. Abel also showed me some great porteño music.

All too often now, I find myself thinking back on the friends I made, the museums I visited, the empanadas I ate, the vibrant and exciting nightlife, and all the little interactions around the city that I may have taken for granted. I have to go back to Buenos Aires, and all of Argentina, and all of South America, because it truly is a part of who I am now, as cliché as that may be.

Rabat, Morocco was not the first place I thought I'd be when studying abroad in Spring. But it was the place that brought forth everything I was looking for in a study abroad experience.

1) I wanted a cultural encompassment. I wanted to learn from a perspective outside of the Western scenario I’d grown up in all my life. How does a little difference highlight the gems of human life? How does it question our unquestioned habits?

In Morocco I learned that difference is the warmest reason for people to reach out and connect to each other. A little willingness to speak Darija, the local dialect, and every Moroccan I met wanted to have a conversation. My host family was my real family, with astounding hospitality I could never have expected. The religion I most often heard about in news allegations at home became a cultural foundation rich in history, art, science, and morality.

2) I wanted a vibrant experience. To see lots of color, pleasing architecture, and varied nature surroundings. To taste delicious food as the true foodie I am. To surround myself in beautiful difference as loud as my senses could experience.

In Rabat, I met the land of color. Where every wall, floor, and pillow can be a different pattern and official buildings were never bland. If you love food, you will LOVE Rabat. My host mom prepared every meal for her family and encouraged me to try new things. My walk home was a path of temptation from bakeries, sandwich shops, smoothie stands, fresh fruit carts. The U.S. dollar was worth about 9 Moroccan Dirhams, adding to how inexpensive it was to eat. I could enjoy a restaurant meal and dessert for less than 10 USD.

3) Coming from a wintery U.S. university, I wanted to be warm by the beach!

Welcome to Rabat, where a jacket will do from January to April, and May was finally warm enough spend a day at by the water. Being so close to the ocean was amazing! If you study here, be sure to take advantage of the view, the sunscapes, soccer on the beach, and more.

4) I wanted travel opportunities and the chance for all kinds of cities and nature.

Who knew Morocco is a gradient of desert, mountain, and forest terrains. Rabat’s location was excellent for reaching well known Moroccan cities for under $40 both ways. The ONCF train system made it very easy to travel. There was a train station only about a 15 minute walk from the IES center. Once in a city, I could stay in a hostel for $10 a night or split an Airbnb with friends.

5) Probably my BIGGEST reason for studying abroad was language-related. I wanted to continue learning French with native speakers.

Living in Morocco meant I could start learning standard Arabic, another language goal of mine. Here I could see what it was like to live in a society where most people speak about three languages. The language dynamics and feeling on multilingualism was amazing. Moroccans were so encouraging to non-native speakers who tried to communicate. Morocco is rewarding place to learn a new language if you’re nervous about practicing. For learning standard Arabic with no prior experience, this program was a gift. I had one of the best professors who was patient, determined, and informative of the language.

I communicated in French with my host family, took three classes in French (1 was at the local university), and sometimes used French to talk to barter or order food. Overall, I began to feel like Darija was the language of choice for the Moroccans I encountered. My host family spoke with each other in Darija, and not every Moroccan spoke French, which was often treated as a more academic or prestigious language. I was surrounded by both French and Arabic writing.

I wouldn’t say Morocco is the best place to learn French if you want to really engage with the people there. It was a good place to practice using the French I already knew with confidence. In this way, I know I improved in my pragmatic French skills. I would still like to live somewhere where I had no choice but to speak French with locals all the time.

~~~And that is why I give a grateful shout-out to the Everything that Morocco brought me.

The EU program is an amazing experience for those interested in politics, international relations, econ, and business. All the classes I took were engaging and the professors truly cared about the students. Traveling to so many EU member states really enhances the classroom learning experience because we are able to have meetings with government officials and other key players that have built their careers on European politics. It is also such a great cost for the amount of travel included in the program. However, it is important to note that while those trips are really great, they are academic in nature, so there is not a whole lot of free time to do touristy things. Additionally, Freiburg is a beautiful small city that is great to come back home to after the week-long trips. Due to the traveling, I did not get as immersed in the Freiburg culture as I would've liked, but I lived with local university students which was a good experience

I had an amazing time with IES Abroad! They did an amazing job with, especially with orientation and getting us settled. They made sure to prepare us for the cultural differences we would be experiencing, how to navigate around the city, find our niches and interests, and gave us tips on how to blend in in the city. I felt a lot more prepared and comfortable with my program than my fellow peers studying elsewhere. IES also provided a lot of options for academics - I did not have to take a semester away from my main courses and the professors were very qualified and great resources to use.

A big goal in life of mine was to visit Japan and I'm so proud I can say I accomplished that by the age 20. I've been interested in Japanese culture since I was five years old. One day in the summer of 2017 I was watching random videos on Youtube and I found IES Abroad Tokyo's youtube channel and that one video made me immediatly apply to the program. I did more research online and each time this program sounded more amazing after each article.

The flight to Japan was nerve-racking and I was honestly scared, but as soon as we landed at the airport and met the IES staff, other students, and E-Pals (our online Japanese student pen pal) I immediately felt at home. Everyone was so welcoming and easy to talk too. We studied at Kanda University of International Studies which its students primarily focus on different languages, but English is a requirement to enter. So it was extremely easy to make new friends and be an active member on campus by joining clubs. The Japanese course that was mandatory for us to take actually helped so much I was able to utilize the language in less than two weeks of starting classes. IES Abroad took us on various cultural excursions we flew to the island Okinawa for 4 days and got to participate in activities that a normal tourist would not be able to do. We even met up with students at Meio University for a couple of hours and we all bonded and added each other on social media. We visited Kamakura which is known for it's temples and shrines, and we got to go to various locations in Tokyo! I'll forever be thankful for this program, because I know If I didn't participate in this program I would've not been able to do any of this.

I studied abroad with IES Granada in the spring semester of 2018 and it was one of the best choices I could’ve made. Though it’s hard to capture the essence of my study abroad experience with words, here are a few things that could help you imagine what the city and program is like:

In terms of academics, the classes that are offered all integrate Granada’s rich history and character into the coursework. I took classes like Watercolor Workshop and Art History that allow you to go out and explore the city with your class every single week. I loved how interactive these classes were. If you have other interests, but don’t see any classes that the program offers that cater to them, you also have the option to take classes at the University of Granada.

The city is also very accessible in terms of public transportation. There are taxis, busses, and even bikes that can take you to important spots like the downtown area, the university, the airport, and the bus station. This will especially come in handy if you decide to travel on weekends. There are beautiful nearby pueblos that you could (and should!) easily visit in a day—Nerja, Marbella, Cónchar, Málaga, El Chorro-Caminito del Rey, to name a few. The program also takes students on excursions to Sierra Nevada, Sevilla, Ronda, Córdoba, and Morocco. All of these trips were great experiences to get to know the region of Andalucía. The Morocco trip was unforgettable. There, we stayed with Moroccan homestays in the city of Rabat, which is just a small part of what makes that excursion so unique.

It’s because of the connections that the staff at IES Granada has that allowed the program to have such wonderful opportunities. The staff, advisors, and orientadores all made me feel really welcome and were very helpful in connecting me with resources or activities that I was interested in. If you want to volunteer, join a club sports team, get an internship or just explore the city in general, everyone who works at the center in Granada can help…just ask! I became good friends with the orientadores just by hanging out with them whenever they organized something, and I really appreciated having people my age to show me around.

I also walked to the IES center every week for classes and was amazed by the historical sites I saw every day on my short walk. The cathedral and the Alhambra are two of the biggest historical sites that I was fortunate enough to learn about in my classes, and then visit during my time in Granada. Along with this are beautiful areas to hike, run, walk, and even ski (in the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains)!

Granada is also a really cheap city to live in, compared to other cities in Spain. So take advantage because a little bit of money can really go a long way. You especially cannot beat the tapas deals offered here! The program also offers great financial aid opportunities, which really helped me enjoy and experience my study abroad dreams. I highly recommend studying abroad with IES Granada, it is an opportunity that has made a deep impression on my life. It is where I learned a lot about Spanish culture, the Spanish language, and most importantly about myself.

This program is amazing because it allows you to visit four different countries, and really spend time living in two. Not only was it incredible to get to live in the bustling capitals of Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago, Chile, but also we got a chance to visit Uruguay for a day and travel all throughout Peru for a week. And that is just the travel that is included in the program - even more can be done on your own. What was so incredible to me was how one Latin American country is so culturally different from the next. I got to travel around so much and see so many beautiful places! Waterfalls, lakes, mountains, volcanos, you name it and you’ll probably find it in Argentina or Chile and it will take your breath away.

From getting lost on my first night in the city of Dublin to reluctantly packing my bags on my last night, studying abroad in Dublin was an unforgettable adventure. The field trips were amazing, as was exploring the city and surrounding areas. The city is quite walkable, and the public transit is pretty reliable for the places that are too far to walk to. Everything was wonderful, but the warmth and kindness of the staff and instructors and the quality of the learning and field trips really made studying with IES Abroad memorable. I cannot recommend this program enough!

Studying abroad was always a dream of mine, but I didn't know if it would actually become a reality. Fast forward to my junior year, and in the fall semester, I start to seriously plan on going abroad. I originally planned on studying in Granada, Spain, until I became aware of the opportunity to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa.

Before fully committing to Cape Town, I spoke to students who had studied abroad there during previous semesters, and ALL of them absolutely loved it and said it was the most amazing and beautiful experience of their lives. I decided Cape Town was where I wanted to go and started to get extremely excited.

The students who I had spoken to did not go through a study abroad program. Therefore I was very hesitant in doing so when my study abroad coordinator recommended that I did. She was right, going abroad with IES was the best decision that I made! Immediately from the moment of arriving at the airport, IES representatives were so welcoming and easy to locate, I remember that day like it was yesterday.

Of course, going to a new place for six months is nerve-wracking, but IES provided fantastic housing, support, and field trips just to name a few things. I miss my IES family in Cape Town and which I could go back immediately!