IES Abroad Reviews

When I went to study abroad through IES, I got the opportunity to travel around Vienna and get immersed into the culture with other students in the program. In addition, the area around the program was filled with opportunities and cultural gems, such as diverse foods and monumental buildings. The courses themselves were innovative and made me think about how the field of child development could be seen in children in Viennese schools. Overall, great experience!

Most study abroad students choose to do a semester study abroad, but as a double major I knew that I would not be able to graduate on time and complete a study abroad- I opted for the Salamanca summer program, and I am so glad I did. I was able to pack a semester full of memories into one unforgettable summer! Through IES Abroad and the awesome staff in the Salamanca office I felt prepared and informed to make Salamanca my own, and explore the city and all that Spain had to offer. Salamanca is the perfect sized city for students who want an authentic cultural experience in an urban setting, while still having a "college town" feel. Similarly, the city of Salamanca is very friendly to foreign students and encourages them to try their spanish. They are patient and understanding, and want to help you learn! Outside of learning the language there are lots of things to do- such as museums, shows, parks, restaurants- and 2 main train station stops if you want to leave for the weekend and explore Spain and more of Europe!

The IES abroad center was a great home location, and organized social events and activities for us to enjoy and get to know each other better. Thanks to our full schedule of activities I felt more comfortable branching out and exploring Salamanca. My newfound friends and I even explored other parts of Spain too! Overall, Salamanca is the perfect balance between a bustling city and university town. At my current university I feel more open to trying new things and going out of my comfort zone, and I can't thank IES and the staff at Salamanca enough for fostering that sense of confidence in me!

I had an amazing summer through this program! The best part was definitely staying with a host family- mine was so welcoming, and supportive and I still keep in touch with them! This is an immersive program, so you are constantly pushed to speak in French. It was overwhelming and uncomfortable at times, but completely worthwhile. I was surprised by how easy it was to form connections with people, especially my host family, even when I sometimes had trouble communicating verbally.

Arles itself is a great place to spend the summer. It's a quiet little town, but there is a lot going on! There was plenty to do, and it was much less intimidating than a large city would have been. There are also a lot of ways to visit nearby towns, both with the program, and individually. I would definitely recommend this program if you are looking for an immersive experience!

I enrolled in the IES Abroad Barcelona - Advanced Spanish Studies program. It sounds incredibly cliche, but I fell in love with Barcelona as well as with traveling. The program made the transition into living abroad easy. For first-time Europe travelers such as myself, it was reassuring to have solid support. The academics were challenging but did not interfere with exploring and immersing yourself in a new culture. I had an excellent housing arrangement and still keep in touch with my host family months after leaving. I am not much of a party-goer, but I heard that the social scene and night life in Barcelona is unforgettable. Even while using public transportation late at night, I still felt safe and knew which areas to avoid.

If someone were to ask me, "Anna, what is the coolest thing you have ever done?" the answer would be easy: "Study abroad!" This summer, I had the awesome experience of studying abroad in London with the IES UK Today program. I took two classes with amazing professors who took us on field trips for basically every class, and were quick to give suggestions as to the best things to do and see in the city. The IES staff was attentive and detail-oriented, from the dispersal and explanation of the pre-departure information, throughout the study abroad experience, and to the day we all left to go home. IES also facilitated amazing field trips to Brighton, Kenilworth Castle and Stratford-Upon-Avon, and Stonehenge and Bath. In addition to giving us opportunities to explore the UK, the IES staff really encouraged us to explore London, UK, and Europe independently. I took this advice to heart, and when I wasn't in class, I could be found in a museum, walking through a royal palace, strolling along the South Bank, or taking in a musical or play in the West End. I also took several trips outside of London, including Paris, Brussels, Dover, Wimbledon, Windsor, and Oxford. Without the support of IES staff encouraging me to make the most of my study abroad experience, and providing me with all the support I needed, I do not think my experience would have been nearly as unforgettable!

Prior to arriving in Cape Town, South Africa, I knew that I was going to be studying in a very developed city, but I was still not quite sure what to expect in terms of the people and their culture. I remember feeling very anxious at first, but in a matter of about three to four days in what was initially an unfamiliar city, I began to feel more at home.
Right when I landed, I felt very welcomed by the IES Abroad staff because they immediately made me feel safe. The accommodations of the Program are extremely nice at the Mojo Hotel. My favorite part of the Hotel is its food market because it is very convenient to get lunch there in between class and service-learning. In terms of the setup of activities Program, I feel like it was very well planned out because the IES staff did a great job in providing us with a great number of options for certain activities, such as scenic drives, animal encounters, hiking, and more. In other words, they did not try to force us all to partake in the same activities and actually wanted us to partake in activities we were most interested in. In terms of service-learning and the cultural aspect of the Program, everything I learned definitely exceeded all my expectations. For example, I did not expect to see so much diversity in the hospitals, and I did not expect to hear so many different stories and learn about the wide variety of backgrounds patients come from. At one of the hospitals, I was lucky enough to see surgery, specifically the removal of an entire colon, which is so exciting as an undergraduate student. In terms of the course work of the South African Health Care class, I think the terms and theories we discussed in class were actually useful because they applied to our encounters with different patients during service-learning. I also did not think the assignments were too overwhelming, in fact I actually enjoyed writing the reflective piece at the end of the course because I got to reflect on how much I actually learned during the six weeks of the Program.
All in all, I feel like IES Abroad allowed me to really push myself to try new things during all the different activities, service-learning, and during my free-time. To all future students interested in this Program, my biggest piece of advice is to get out there and try new things during your free-time, like eating at exotic restaurants, going to comedy shows, completing the Three-Peak-Challenge, going to a traditional braii, and so much more. The city of Cape Town has so much to offer and I am so thankful for IES for giving me the opportunity to travel to the beautiful country of South Africa and take so much back with me back home.

IES Siena was amazing - the program coordinators were great, available often and always very helpful. I lived in an apartment with one US roommate and one IES Resident Assistant (we were the only apartment with a live-in RA). The RA was amazing and gave great advice - from the best restaurants in the city to fun day trips away from Siena. The program itself is the perfect combination between classes/schoolwork and culture. You’re in class for a couple hours each day, but have no class on Fridays, so you have time to explore Siena and visit different cities in Italy. The program really seemed to understand that while you were obviously in Italy to take classes, part of being there was also to learn a new language and culture, so they gave you plenty of time outside of class to do so. The profs were also wonderful. They were all Italians who were fluent in English, and genuinely enjoyed teaching us not only about classwork, but also about their culture. The profs were a great resource for language/culture questions, and even helped us to find odd things within the city - such as bug bite ointment for mosquito bites, and vanilla and brown sugar to bake cookies. Something to keep in mind is that the number of students in the actual program was fairly small - there were only about 12 of us during summer term. Regarding the city of Siena, the city is relatively small compared to Rome or Florence, but the plus side is that it is incredibly safe and the people are some of the most friendly and open I have met during my travels. Siena also has a very unique history and culture, which is amazing to learn about and get to be a part of. As a whole, I can’t say enough good things about IES Siena, and I highly recommend it to anyone thinking of studying abroad there!

When I left for my summer in Cape Town, I was unsure of what to expect. The program through IES exceeded all of my expectations. The program consisted of service learning and a class taught by a local professor on public health. I learned an incredible amount through service learning as we were able to shadow doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, etc. I really gained an appreciation for all of the different fields of healthcare and learned a lot about the healthcare system of South Africa. Apart from academics, IES arranged many field trips which allowed us to explore the country. They left nothing out, and it was awesome because I would not have known what to do on my own. In terms of safety, IES made sure we all stayed safe and arranged housing in a safe neighborhood. All in all, I had a fantastic summer in South Africa, and I can't wait to return one day!

Looking back on my time in Vienna never fails to bring a smile to my face. Before this program, I had never thought about visiting Austria, I didn’t speak German, and had no idea what to expect. Once I arrived, I was shocked by how much I loved the culture, people, food, and atmosphere. You can spend hours uninterrupted in a coffee shop, or stroll through the stunning streets of the first district. The public transportation is one of the best designed in the world and makes it easy to explore the entire sprawling city, and also has access train stations and airports which makes traveling on weekends seem effortless. Over only 6 weeks, my friends and I were able to also visit Salzburg, Hallstatt, Munich, Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest. The city of Vienna is incredibly rich with history and I truly felt like I’d discovered something magical when I lived there. Taking courses in Psychology in the field’s own birthplace was absolutely surreal. I learned so much about Austrian culture, about the history of Vienna, and most significantly about myself as an independent student and traveler. I will forever be grateful for this incredible experience, and I am being truly honest when I say my friends from the program and I frequently message one another desperately wishing we could go back.

My journey in Cape Town, South Africa was an adventure I will never forget. I began my journey with no expectations, predispositions, or an idea of what I had signed myself up for. I learned more than I could ever have imagined about this beautiful country, the intricacy of their health care system, and, most importantly, myself. Through IES Abroad I was given the opportunity to conduct a research project of my choice relating to health care in South Africa and given the background and resources to do so. I loved that I could follow my own passions throughout the class work and focus on the aspects of healthcare that were most interesting to me, personally. The shadowing, done in hospitals throughout South Africa, was by far the most beneficial experience. It allowed me to observe and interact with the healthcare system first hand and gave me the opportunity to encounter some amazing individuals. IES Abroad planned a wide variety of optional activities for me, which was greatly appreciated due to the busy schedule I had throughout my six weeks there. I felt like I experienced the true culture of South Africa throughout these activities and they helped to push me outside of my comfort zone. Most importantly, IES Abroad introduced me to the most amazing friends that I will hold close to me for the rest of my life. Thank you IES Abroad and thank you South Africa for an experience I will never forget.