IES Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad in Amsterdam was one of the best decisions I have ever made. IES Abroad provided all participants with an extensive orientation program that lasted a few days, and by the end, we all felt exceptionally prepared for anything that happened to us in the city. Our program staff were always willing to answer our questions and provide us with any recommendations for fun cultural activities taking place. Our housing was located remarkably close to the center of the city, and IES was able to help us get discounts on renting bikes for all of us to get around. Biking became a huge part of my life and was one of the most memorable parts of living in Amsterdam. At first biking seemed like it would be a very daunting activity in such a busy city, but the biking infrastructure is incredibly safe for even the most novice of bike riders. Almost everyone on our program grew super comfortable biking through the city, however, even if you didn't want to bike IES provided us with reloadable public transport cards to get around as well. Our program group grew very close and my roommate and I are still very good friends (I'm going to visit her soon!). Alongside taking classes at the IES center, we had the option to take classes at the University of Amsterdam, which was located only 10 minutes away from our housing. My UvA classes were wonderfully insightful, and helped me to explore some new academic areas of interest. IES also organized program-wide field trips and excursions that really helped get us out into the culture of the Netherlands. We went on biking trips to see the tulips and windmills, we went on a weekend trip to Rotterdam to see some cool modern architecture, and we also visited the Delft where we made our own Delft Blue tiles. Now that I'm back home, I miss Amsterdam every single day. I'm so glad that IES was able to give me this opportunity.

My experience with this program was amazing. This wasn't my first experience abroad, but it gave me such a great sense of self. My host family embraced me as if I was truly part of the family and the adventures with friends will never be forgotten. I would and do recommend a study abroad for anyone.
My only regret was not keeping in touch with friends from the program.
This experience gave me such a level of confidence and self sufficiency, it has continued to influence my decisions. When you are capable of thriving in another culture in a distant place; it changes how you view not just the world but more importantly your own abilities.
I would recommend staying flexible. Some of my favorite memories are from last minute trips with no plan. We just went. My favorite memory is of a friend and I taking out a map, closing our eyes and pointing to the next place we were going.

I had the opportunity to go on the IES Abroad Quito, Ecuador program. It was one of the best experiences of my life! Not only did we get to see the incredible city of Quito, and all it has to offer, we also got to explore the beautiful islands of the Galapagos! Plus, we got to spend a few nights deep in the Amazon rainforest! I learned so much about the wonderful Ecuadorian people and culture. Anyone studying abroad should definitely give this program consideration. You will not regret it!

IES Abroad Dublin - Summer Internship was a great way to get a first overseas experience. From the moment you touch down in the airport, IES staff were there to help me adjust to a new place and make it as smooth of a transition as possible. They meet all students at arrivals to help them make it to their new home. This simple touch was just one of many that made it very easy for a first time traveler to experience Ireland and make it an enjoyable experience.

I am surprised at how much I miss London. I didn't really think much of London when I first arrived at Heathrow, probably because I was never a huge Harry Potter fanatic. But after 3 whole months at Queen Mary, I can say that I grew to love London. This is mostly because of the friends I've made, countries I've visited, and adventures I've been on. Studying abroad at Queen Mary allowed me to be a part of a more integrative social hub, since I was living on campus with both locals and other international/exchange students. It was almost like I never left home since it's kinda like the living situations back in the states. But since Queen Mary is the only university that has a campus in London, it made my study abroad adventure a little more unique. It was a great way for me to make friends and the location was out of the way enough so that I wasn't constantly in the bustling city and that it was close enough for me to get to whenever I needed it. I have to say though, my most memorable moments are those that had me running for a bus, train, or coach, since I was always traveling. You could catch me in Edinburgh on Wednesday and Barcelona on Friday. Having the independence abroad really put me out of my comfort zone, but at the same time allowed me to grow and develop other valuable skills that made integrating myself in different countries easier. I definitely have better communication skills and time management skills (since I've had to plan out my trips to other countries on a regular basis).
Other than globe-trotting, I also had school. I took a biology, chemistry, psychology, and drama course, all of which were easily transferred back to my home institution. It was just challenging getting adjusted to the British standards in academia, but I quickly acclimated and found the perfect balance between school and travel. IES Abroad facilitated my studies Queen Mary and answered a lot of the questions I had! Since it was a direct enrollment program, IES did not do all the work, but helped me along every step of the way. When I could not get into one of the classes I needed to graduate, IES helped me email the global exchange office and facilitated the process. They were very supportive both abroad and back in the states. I would definitely love to study abroad again with IES Abroad!
My advice for those studying abroad there: pack light and actually listen to previous study abroad goers' advice! They really aren't kidding when you have to stay within weight limits on airplanes and you really won't want to throw away the souvenirs you bought at the airport!

I really enjoyed my program in Auckland. I lived in Parnell Student Village and loved it. The flat was great. I had my own room and shared a kitchen and living room with my four flatmates. The walk to campus through the domain was beautiful. There's lots to do in the city of Auckland and it's very safe. There's lots of programs at the university for exchange students and it's easy to meet people from all over the world, although it can be hard to meet Kiwis as they tend to keep to themselves. Classes were good but they were all lectures. There was group work or creative ways of learning. So lectures could get pretty boring.

When I travelled abroad with IES abroad, I was surprised by all the support I received once I got there. The heads of my program were so kind and helpful in every aspect, from helping me figure out my phone situation and just in general making sure we were all doing well as we travelled abroad. The events and trips that they planned were top notch. Some folks argued that it was too overplanned for their liking, but they managed to squeeze so much fun into the few days we had in Okinawa or the time we had in Asakusa that it was worth it! And even then, there was still plenty of time available for personal travel. The classes weren't too intense--the ones taught by IES were deliberately made intensive to meet the standards of a typical US classroom, whereas the classes taught at Kanda were pretty lenient. I enjoyed most of my professors all the same, short of the one who was teaching Japanese Architecture as if she were teaching it to architecture majors who had already spent years studying it and didn't necessarily grade fairly from student to student. Manga and Animation was my favorite course, simply because it actually did what many of my major courses lacked--taught some of the basics and histories, then let you utilize those aspects to analyze manga and anime of your own choosing! It was definitely a class where you got out of it what you put in, so I ended up really learning a lot in the end. The professor is also very passionate about it :)

Overall, I absolutely loved my time there, and I can't wait to stop by and say hello next time I make it back to Japan!

I stepped off the plane at Heathrow almost 5 years ago excited, terrified, and armed with about a million questions and concerns, and every step of the way, the IES staff were absolutely incredible. Living, studying, and interning in London has made such a lasting impact on me, and I return to the city every chance I get (and I’m certain everyone I know is sick of me talking about it). The experience even inspired me to get a working holiday visa to Ireland after graduation, during which time I popped back into the IES London office unannounced with my best friend (who I met during my semester abroad) and was floored when the staff still remembered who we were, including our names and our university. The IES staff really care about you having the best experience and seeing as much of the city as you can. Nothing can quite compare to reading a novel set in London and then literally walking in the characters’ footsteps with your class! IES also offers so many great trips outside of London that are included in the program, make sure you go on all of them! If you are uncertain about making the leap and going to London through IES, you should absolutely go for it (but only if you want lifelong friends, to grow academically, culturally, and personally, and have stories to tell that will make your coworkers cry laughing).

Studying abroad through IES Abroad Granada was the best decision I could've made. From the amazing program staff, to my beloved host mom, and the city Granada itself, I felt supported, challenged, and excited on a daily basis. I had the opportunity to take fun and engaging classes- a Spanish class, flamenco dancing, a literature course, a feminist film course, and a class on Islamic architecture (you get to have class in the Alhambra!!). The program offers support in helping students engage in the community. Through IES, I was able to take an extracurricular painting class at a local community art center. Every week, an email of all the amazing events and activities going on goes out- language meet ups, cool tapas bars to check out, museum exhibits... anything under the sun! IES takes students on incredible excursions- one of my favorites was our trip to Morocco, where we had the opportunity to stay in homestay families in Rabat and explore a bunch of different cities. I cannot say enough good things about the staff- Javier is absolutely the best person on the planet for this job, and I loved getting to know the folks at IES Granada. They strike an excellent balance of making students feel comfortable and supported while giving students independence and opportunity to shape their own experiences.

Granada itself is truly a magical city, with beautiful mountains, tons of nooks and crannies to explore, an abundance of tapas, and wonderful people. I loved sitting in a plaza with a café con leche after class, soaking up the Spanish sun and reading a book or talking with a friend. It's very walkable, very beautiful, and the ideal size for studying abroad- big enough where I felt like I had plenty to explore, but small enough to get to know well. There is also access to nature right outside of the city. I would hike often in the nearby rolling hills, or take a short bus ride to the beautiful Alpujarra, where you can explore the Sierra Nevada and take a breather from the city.

One of the biggest highlights for me was my host mom- she was undoubtedly my best friend while I was abroad, and I learned so much from living with her. She made me feel like family right off the bat, and hanging out with her skyrocketed my Spanish speaking abilities. We went shopping together, went for churros and chocolate, and spent many hours having long chats about life! Living with her was so special, and an experience I will hold in my heart forever.

I also had a really special experience with my intercambio, a local student from the University of Granada. She became one of my close friends, and we would meet for coffee or tapas every couple of weeks. I loved hanging out with the orientadores, local students who lead fun excursions for IES students and also help with orientation at the beginning of the semester. I did a bunch of cool activities with them- went to art exhibits, to cafés, on a hike in a nearby town. I established a strong relationship with one of them, and was invited to her house for lunch at the end of the semester! (a big deal in Spanish culture!)

IES Abroad Granda is an amazing program! I truly loved it and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an immersive experience full of challenge, fun, and adventure!

I got to study with a master violinist, perform a lot, see major ensembles like the Vienna Phil and Vienna State Opera for free or for very cheap, take classes that I could use for my major, and meet a lot of locals, one of them being a lifelong friend that I'll never forget. I also learned so much more German in just one semester than I thought I would, seeing as I didn't know any when I got to Vienna. I lived in an apartment that was about 20 minutes away from the city center, which I thought was really nice--close enough and far away from all the tourists. I also took advantage of a lot of the IES Abroad opportunities like Student Council and Student Forum, which I found rewarding. There really is nothing more that I would have wanted.