IES Abroad Reviews

If you are planning on studying abroad for the first time, I highly recommend this program. They do an amazing job of walking you through predeparture information, paperwork, etc. They also provide you with tons of resources when it comes to getting to know the city and the culture. Barcelona was the perfect place to be - easy to travel to and from, but also very rich with activity and places to explore! I wish I could've spent more time abroad. Before going abroad, 4 months seemed like a really long time, but in hindsight, I should've planned to stay even longer.

IES offered so many ways to weave Viennese culture into the already-excellent academic experience. Field trips to the most amazing cities in Central Europe (Prague, Budapest), world-renowned professors from all over Europe, and a wide range of language courses were the most obvious examples. But IES did more than teach us about European culture and history. They taught us how to bite into Krapfen, delicious Viennese filled doughnuts. They taught us how be independent and curious, and encouraged us to fill our weekends with adventures around the continent. I saw 15 countries during my time at IES, and many of my favorite moments from the semester were spent with the incredible friends I made through my IES classes. I still correspond with three of my professors, as well as my internship supervisor. The adventures, friends, and memories I made through IES will be with me for my entire life!

This program was the best 4 months of my life. The staff at IES was incredibly helpful and hands on in every capacity. From academics, to travel and safety, they had amazing resources and advice that was genuinely helpful. The courses were relatively easy (language barrier was tough at times) but the professors are helpful and want you to do well. Madrid is an incredible city that is filled with beautiful parks, wonderful museums and amazing food. You will never be bored while you are here. I made some of my best friends through this program and was able to travel to and explore more than 20 different cities throughout Europe on my own and with IES.

I really enjoyed this program due to the classes that was offered, the travel opportunities, and the city of Freiburg itself. The classes are taught by qualified and interesting professors and I learned a lot about the inner workings and relationships of the European Union. The best part of the program is all the travel that is included. We went to Paris, Luxembourg, Brussels, Prague, Berlin, Strasbourg, and three further countries (I went to Madrid, Barcelona, and Rome) with the program, and got to speak with interesting politicians, academics, and NGO workers such as the Czech Foreign Minister and an MEP from Poland. Freiburg itself is a beautiful city with amazing people, located in the Black Forest and only a 30 minute train or bus ride to France and Switzerland. Overall, I learned a lot and got to see a lot of Europe.

I loved living in Milan and taking classes through IES. The staff at IES in Milan cares so deeply about their students and the cultural experiences we have during our time spent in Italy. They organize amazing trips to different parts of Italy and send out weekly suggested activities for those staying in Milan every weekend. The teachers want to see you succeed and they respect that students are also traveling on weekends. I lived with a host family and loved it. They were caring and sweet and respected my space.

I had an absolutely unforgettable experience with IES Vienna. It was the best decision I made in my college career and I can't wait to return to Europe. I was not only immersed in the culture through my living and educational experiences, but also through internships with local students and by hanging out in the coffee shops. I will never forget my experiences and the people I met while I was in Vienna.

As a vocal performance major I expected Vienna to just be classical and very strict in their ways of living. What I came to find was the Viennese culture is very welcoming to new ideas and ways of living. The transportation was the best you could find around the world. It was fairly cheap and efficient. When it came to shopping I was able to buy groceries for a week around 30$. IES Abroad helped me find places that were within my budget and also direct me to the vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants. Since Vienna is welcoming to new cultures I was able to find any type of cuisine. One day I would have Thai food and the next day go to my favorite Australian restaurant. The faculty was very welcoming to all of the students especially the year students. As a year student you get a very different type of experience studying abroad. It has its trials and tribulations but with the faculty they were able to help us adapt and live the year to the fullest. One of my favorite things I like to mention about studying abroad is my second semester housing I was able to choose which apartment I got to move into and somehow I ended up living on the same street as the president of Austria!

Studying abroad in London was one of the best decisions of my life. IES provided a great living location that made it easy and quick to get around London. All of the IES staff were welcoming from the moment we arrived and were always trying to make our experience abroad more enjoyable. IES provided multiple planned trips to other cities and towns around England that gave us more opportunities to travel and meet other students in our program. I enjoyed every one of my classes I took at our program's center. I was able to explore parts of London through my classes on a daily basis which helped make the classes and learning more enjoyable. My time abroad was one of the best experiences and I am happy to say that I am still connected with the the friends I made in London. I would highly recommend studying abroad because you get to experience new cultures and make unforgettable memories with new people.

Studying abroad in Sydney, Australia was undoubtedly the greatest 5 months of my life. I went to Sydney without knowing a single person in all of Australia and left with countless lifelong friends. The IES Abroad Program played a key role in my unreal experience in Australia. From the moment I arrived in Sydney, the IES staff were there for me for whatever I needed. Not only did they offer great advice on activities to do in and around the city and organize group trips to fun places, but they also went out of their way to make me feel happy and comfortable. It was obvious that they cared deeply about the students in the program and that was probably the reason that so many of us became very close to the staff. IES Abroad made the transition to school in a foreign country so easy that it immediately felt like home. I think about my experience in Sydney everyday and highly recommend it to anybody even slightly interested.

I knew from the moment I went to college I wanted to study abroad in Rome, Italy for the academic year. IES Abroad Rome allowed me to fulfill that dream and experience the best that Rome had to offer. Every professor in this program is extremely passionate about what they teach and the weekly field studies for classes really allowed me to learn about art and culture within its context; a unique experience I will always treasure. In addition, IES is very accommodating to the needs of the students. For example, I wanted to participate in an internship in a gallery, but I also wanted take a painting class at RUFA (a local art university in Rome), and IES was very helpful in making that happen. While the academics were not very vigorous, this allowed for time and energy to immerse myself in the culture and really take advantage of what Rome had to offer.