IES Abroad Reviews

The academic program at IES Barcelona was awful. To this day I am still fighting a grade appeal. One of my professors didn’t respond to any emails throughout the entire semester and didn’t put in any grades until three weeks after the program had ended. She provided absolutely no feedback throughout the entire semester and provided no feedback or comments whatsoever on any of the assignments. I was upset and complained to IES multiple times during the year and after the program ended. They denied my grade appeal decision with absolutely no valid basis. Apparently IES thinks it’s acceptable to have unresponsive professors who don’t respond to emails, cancel classes frequently, provide no feedback whatsoever and put in grades three weeks after the program ended. Horrible academic program and horrible IES academic advisors. I have never witnessed such an inadequate professor and even more inadequate academic advisors in my life. I am never recommending IES to anyone and instead I am encouraging all younger students in my clubs/organizations on campus to not apply to IES.

IES Abroad Madrid was by far the best experience I've ever had. I have not a single complaint. I met people that I'm confident I'll be close with for the rest of my life, learned more in a handful of months about other countries that I haven't throughout all my years of education at home, visited sights I never knew existed, and just had an overall unbelievable time. I have no regrets and strongly encourage everyone who is able to take the leap on the opportunity this is. It will change you and your perspectives on life in the most rewarding ways possible

This program was so much more amazing than I could have ever imagined! I didn’t have much of any information about Nantes but I knew I wanted to go here for a language immersion experience. Everything from the host families to the professors to the IES staff were amazing and so helpful at every step of my semester. I made some of my closest friends on this program and created an incredibly close relationship with my host family. I genuinely enjoyed being around everyone in my program and consider all of them my good friends. Just being able to immerse myself into a different culture truly allowed me to see and experience different ways of life. The French that I learned here is nothing compared to any class I’ve ever taken. It is so fun to see how actual French speakers talk on a daily basis, including all of the fun French slang. In all, I would not trade this experience for anything!

Studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain, through the IES Abroad program was an experience that went beyond just academics! It was a transformative experience that enriched both my personal and academic growth. Immersed in the vibrant culture of Salamanca, Spain, I found myself delving deeper into my major in Psychology, exploring it through a unique cultural lens that I hadn't encountered before. The academic aspect of the program was nothing short of exceptional. The classes provided insightful perspectives on psychology and encouraged me to understand it within the context of Spanish culture. This approach added a layer of depth to my learning that I hadn't anticipated, broadening my understanding of psychology in ways I hadn't imagined. Moreover, the Spanish language course and workshops offered by the program were excellent. Despite having taken Spanish courses previously, I found this experience to be far more enriching and informative. The immersive nature of the program not only improved my language skills but also deepened my appreciation for the Spanish language and culture. Beyond academics, the living arrangements were comfortable, providing a supportive environment. Additionally, having access to excellent healthcare options was reassuring, ensuring that any medical concerns were promptly addressed. One of the highlights of my experience was the consistent support and organization provided by the program staff. Their dedication ensured that every aspect of the experience, from academics to cultural immersion, ran smoothly, allowing me to focus wholeheartedly on making the most of my time in Salamanca. The cultural immersion activities, ranging from cooking classes to excursions and music workshops, perfectly complemented the academic curriculum. These experiences deepened my understanding of Spanish culture and allowed me to forge meaningful connections with fellow students and locals alike. In hindsight, my semester in Salamanca was truly the time of my life. It was a holistic experience that broadened my academic horizons and enriched my cultural understanding and personal development in ways that will stay with me forever.

I loved my study abroad experience with IES. The faculty and staff at the program center were incredibly supporting and friendly, and I had a great experience with my homestay as well. I took classes at IES and at the local university, and received personalized attention and support from professors in both programs. Having access to the mountains and ocean within a short bus ride was incredible, and I loved wandering around the city, exploring different bars, museums, and clubs, and even taking a dance class.

My experience abroad was a lot of fun. I met a lot of people, learned about Korean culture, and was able to take academic courses not offered at my home institution. Seoul is a very student friendly city so I would study at study cafes and explore others. One of my favorite things about Seoul was the food in which I could find meals that were cheap but were also delicious. In Seoul there were many activities occurring there were constant pop up shops, markets, and K-pop events. I was able to go to a pop up shop for the K-Pop group NCT 127 and it was a lot of fun.

In Nantes, I experienced incredible academics, community, and travel. I stayed with a French family who took me in like I was one of their own. They invited me to events with them, supported me when I took part in a theatrical performance in French (ahh!), and generally were so kind and interested in my life. School-wise, I took classes at the local university where I met college students my age from France. I truly felt like part of the student community. I also took an acrylic painting class at the Académie des Beaux Arts where I met a variety of people of a variety of ages, making my community larger. And finally, I took classes with other IES Abroad students taught by IES staff. Finally, the staff at IES Abroad Nantes is truly remarkable. They care so very much about their students, and are so invested in our health, safety, and happiness. This staff included 4 social and academic “tutrices” our age. They helped us improve our French language skills and also get involved in our Nantes community. They made us a family at IES.

Before I provide my review, I would like to highlight that I speak Japanese well, which made my life in Japan easier than for others. My study abroad with the IES Nagoya program was enjoyable. Since it involved direct enrollment at the Japanese school (Nanzan University), I really needed help filling out tons of applications. However, IES guided me through filling out all of the applications, and there weren't even many things to do at my level. Even though I could speak Japanese, I was definitely worried about adjusting myself to the new places. However, IES provided field trips to its students, which was actually an awesome experience for me. I took thousands of pictures on those field trips and even experienced many authentic Japanese places that I couldn't visit just in Nagoya. Adding more here, Nagoya is just the perfect place if you are first visiting Japan. Nagoya is a city with good authentic Japanese food, historical sites, and even a well-managed downtown area where you can enjoy East Asian culture with your local friends. In terms of learning, Nanzan offers great language classes where you can actually improve your Japanese skills. They also have a program where you can meet other Japanese students and exchange your own culture with them. Since you cannot meet local Japanese students in class, that program was really helpful for me to make some Japanese friends with whom I could practice the Japanese that I learned in class. I chose the homestay program while I was studying abroad, and I would say that was the highlight of my stay in Japan. You can engage with your host family who are willing to exchange their culture and help you practice your Japanese while you are at home. That helped me to understand Japanese society and people more deeply. I learned lots of etiquette that I need to know to live in Japan.

I decided to study abroad to gain exposure to a different country. Despite never having been to Europe before, I decided to take the leap and travel independently to London. At first, it was intimidating, but the IES program was extremely helpful in providing crash courses and webinars that covered all the dos and don'ts of traveling abroad. I enjoyed meeting the people and found it easy to acclimate to the British culture. I was able to travel to different countries during my time abroad and the program emphasized the importance of safety, in and outside of the country. If given the opportunity, I would definitely study abroad again!

As part of the IES Abroad Milan Business program, I was immersed in the Italian culture while receiving an impressive education. I became friends with the locals and had one of my favorite professors throughout my whole college experience at IES. I traveled every weekend while still experiencing everything the beautiful city of Milan has to offer. It truly was the best time of my life. The administration is responsive and accommodating allowing for a supportive experience during a semester-long adventure.