IES Abroad Reviews

Studying abroad in Buenos Aires through IES gave me the best possible experience I could have asked for. I got to do everything I was expecting to be able to do, like traveling, improving my Spanish, making international friends, exploring the nature of Argentina, and more. More importantly, however, I gained a lot of knowledge and experience in ways I didn't expect. I got to deeply understand the culture and history of a country I admittedly knew very little about before going there, and I now feel intimately connected to a completely different part of the world. The community of Buenos Aires was so intertwined with all of my experiences there that I left feeling like I had truly become a knowledgeable part of it. IES gave me so many of the opportunities I took to get connected to the city, and I am so thankful that they as a program understand that studying abroad is a multifaceted experience. In classes and outside of classes, IES provided the framework I needed to have my ideal study abroad experience.

IES abroad made sure that everything was taken care of so all I had to do was show up and have the time of my life! Living in the Galapagos is a whole other world; the community is incredibly tight-knit and so kind. Latino culture is extremely warm and living with my host families was an absolutely amazing experience. We bonded over cultural differences and it was an opportunity for me to be immersed in their culture while also being able to teach my families about my own culture. This program is extremely hands-on and research based! If you love being outside this program absolutely takes advantage of being in the Galapagos and each course has a ton of field trips and outdoor excursions so that you really get to know the Galapagos Islands and all they have to offer! If you are scuba certified and in the Marine Ecology track each of your classes has a scuba component too! This program absolutely changed my life and it will change yours too!

From childhood, I’ve known I love to travel. As I grew up I imagined studying abroad in high school, I talked about it, hoped for it, and never did end up putting anything together. As I entered college I renewed my hopes, and made plans for junior year. I was serious, I was excited, and I was going to France. Nantes, France, to be exact.

After all the planning, all the excitement, I was terrified when I got to Nantes. I arrived at the IES Abroad building, which I would later grow to love, and I met a whole crowd of other students, each one of us more or less quiet, just waiting for our host families to come pick us up. The first few days passed like you would expect, people saying their names over and over, trying to talk to as many other students as possible, and sharing all kinds of information about their lives at home in the US and about what their host families here in Nantes are like. IES took us on lots of weekend trips, especially at the start, and little by little we grew to be as comfortable as if we had spent years with each other. The little table in the kitchen and the big mass of tables in the library became regular spots to gather and talk, and I made friends in Nantes who I still talk to and remain close with despite the fact that we are now spread out all over the US and France.

My host family, more than anything, was one of the most impactful parts of my time in France. I was far more tearful and sad on the day I left France and my host family, than on the day I said goodbye to my real family, because them I would see again in only four short months. I was blessed with a host family who I grew to think of as my own family, as my mom, dad, three younger sisters, cat and dog. Each one of them welcomed me as if I was some long-lost member of the family, coming back from a lengthy trip. I fit into their life and routine quickly and with ease, and I could talk to each of them about whatever came into our heads. IES couldn't have done a better job placing students in their host families.

The classes I took, both with IES and at the University, were challenging, but rewarding more than anything. And challenging though they could be, there was always a tutor, a friend, or the teacher standing by to help however they could. Though I had my worries about whether or not I would be at ease with the language before arriving, every fear was quelled shortly after arriving. There was a learning curve, and adjustments had to be made along the way, but the fact that everyone in your sphere wants to help you, coupled with the fact that simply being immersed in the language will help you to learn quicker than you could have believed, makes everything seem all the easier.

I loved my semester in Nantes more than I even realized I could before arriving there, and I wouldn't change it for anything. I came home with lifelong friends, knowledge of a beautiful culture and country that I never imagined I would understand so well, memories that will say with me as long as I am still going, and skills in a language that I will be able to use for the rest of my life.

Granada has my heart! From the constant life on the street to sunsets from the top of old fortress walls and hills covered in olive trees and murals, playing pick up soccer before watching Granada FC home games with the extended homestay family or stumbling upon festivals and music on my walk home, I absolutely loved my time abroad with IES. A week without tapas or shwarma seemed unfathomable, a day without watching motos weave around on the street just silly. Granada is a beautiful blend of a city with architecture from many different times, religions and styles and a huge student population that keeps it young. It's walkable but not too small, a true city city but not without great hikes and the Sierra Nevada mountains close enough to touch. I'm so grateful for my warm and wonderfully wacky homestay parents and the Spanish pace of life and sense of time. IES program staff, professors, and orientadores are very supportive and provide unique immersive opportunities and excursions. Trips around Andalusia and Morocco helped us understand and explore social and political contexts. Classes were diverse and helped improve my Spanish (the accent and slang in southern Spain is notorious) while allowing for time to get to know and be a part of the city. I had the chance to take a course at the University of Granada through which I made my best Spanish and international friends, people who I will cherish forever. Every day in Granada can be, and was, its own little adventure.

IES Milan Business Studies was such a great program! I took interesting classes with phenomenal professors, lived in one of the nicest neighborhoods and apartments in Milan, and had the time of my life. Milan was the perfect city to study abroad in. It has great night life, fashion, history, and is overall a very livable place. IES does a great job of helping students gain the most from their study abroad experience. The staff was always available to help me with whatever I needed and I became great friends with the Italian student (known as the CA) who I lived with. I would pick this program again if I had the chance. You won't regret it!

Granada is truly a beautiful and unique city with a wonderful overall atmosphere. One of the first aspects of the city that I loved upon arrival was the ability to walk to almost any area of the city that I wanted to explore. Granada is truly the perfect size for studying abroad as it is not too big that it would cause one to feel lost; however, it is also not too small in that you will always be able to find and discover something new. One aspect of this program that I truly love is the cultural enrichment it provides. The courses that one is able to take directly correlate with the history and culture of the city. Therefore, one is able to learn and discuss their daily experiences and observations within the classroom. The ability to participate in an internship is another aspect of the IES Abroad Program that I loved! I had the opportunity to teach English at a local school during my time abroad and made amazing relationships with the children there! Furthermore, my Spanish and awareness of cultural differences was heightened through my working with these students and choosing to live with a family through a homestay. There was never a dull moment that I experienced while in Spain. Whether I was going on a field trip to explore a city within the Andalusia region, embarking on an excursion recommended by our orientation leaders, or finding a new cafe or tapas bar with some wonderful people who I know I will remain friends with throughout my lifetime, Granada gave me the chance to breathe, reflect, and most importantly listen and learn.

I studied abroad in Auckland from July to November (UoA's "semester 2") and had an amazing time. I took a rather relaxed couse load so I could focus more on the "abroad" part of study abroad- joining clubs, making new friends (local and international), and traveling around the country on weekends. Afterwards, I was able to spend a month backpacking around the South Island of New Zealand and another 10 days in Thailand and Cambodia- I would highly recommend all of this. Since the semester ended in November and my next semester didn't start until January in the US, I was able to go on this incredible adventure at the end of my trip.

I could sing my praises for the IES Abroad Vienna Music program for days (literally, because I am a vocal music major). This program went above and beyond to create a top-notch study abroad experience. The IES Abroad faculty at the Vienna center were helpful, supportive, and all-around excellent. The staff truly took care of us and always went the extra mile to personally see that each student had a fun and successful semester. As a music student, it was so amazing to be able to take music courses in Vienna that would actually transfer to my home university and that gave me the opportunity to perform there, as well. Our classes met in an old Palais in the heart of the city and we had access to a beautiful recital hall and plenty of practice rooms. The course selection in Vienna is wide, so I got the chance to take some courses outside of my field of study, too, which definitely enhanced my learning experience. IES Abroad also provided amazing field trips and social programs throughout the semester that exposed us to more of Vienna and Austria and helped make the city feel like a home-away-from-home. I can't wait to return for reunions and more time in the city of music.

No matter what academic background you may come from, whether it be Marine Science or Political Science, studying in Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands is a must! From the perspective of a biologist, I believe that the Galápagos Islands are the best place in the world to observe evidence of evolution by natural selection, a key part of numerous science disciplines and the basis of life in general. As a student in the Marine Ecology academic track, I participated in research conducted off the coast of mainland Ecuador, as well as in the waters of the Galápagos Marine Reserve and in the labs at the Galápagos Science Center on the island of San Cristóbal. After spending the first month of the program with my wonderful host mom in Cumbayá, San Cristóbal became my home for the next three months of my time abroad. The culture of the island is incredibly rich for its size; there were events sponsored by the national park service and by the local government almost every week. These provided excellent opportunities to experience true “island life” and become a part of the environment and culture in Ecuador. I immediately felt at home with my host families and experienced a perfect balance of having them there for me as a support system but having the independence to explore on my own as well. I spent countless hours traveling around the island and enjoying all it has to offer; a typical day began with a hearty breakfast prepared by my host mom, followed by a beautiful walk to the university, which is located right across the street from a popular beach. After spending the morning in class, my friends and I would venture to the downtown “malecón” area for a bite to eat and then spend the rest of the day working on assignments at the university, spending time at the beach, or snorkeling at a beautiful nearby cove filled with several species of fish, numerous sea turtles, sea lions, marine iguanas and countless other marine organisms. My friends and I befriended many locals, and between sharing meals with them in addition to those spent with my host family, my conversational Spanish improved immensely and I now feel very confident in using my language skill back home. It was incredibly hard for me to leave my new home as the semester came to a close, but I hope more than anything that I will be able to return in the future and help with scientific research and conservation measures.

My junior year fall semester was the best semester I have had at college thanks to IES Abroad. The ability to travel around Europe, try new things, and most importantly make lifelong friends in such a short period of time was incredible. I loved passing the Eiffel Tower on my way to class every day and getting recommendations on fun things to do from the IES staff. I truly could not have had a better abroad experience and I cannot wait to come back and visit soon.