IES Abroad Reviews

The IES experience was truly beyond what I expected from studying abroad. While we were given great cultural classes in addition to our regular classes, they assured that students were truly immersed in exploration, creating international friendships, and having a working understanding of the language and social aspects. The trips included many cultural experiences that even normal Japanese people do not get to do (i.e. very nice tea houses!).
Even when I was going on side trips with friends, Nagoya's location is perfectly located so that you can easily get to visit tourist favorites, such as Tokyo and Osaka, with ease. It also is a big city with many attractions within itself, but you get the feeling of it being legitimately Japan. Especially among my friends who were really searching for actually learning the culture and improving their language skills, Nagoya's Nanzan University the best program fit.
If you're still deciding which program to choose, you won't regret choosing IES Nagoya!

I firmly believe that Christchurch is one of the best possible places to study abroad, and I CANNOT wait to go back. IES makes it so easy to apply - everyone is excited to have you working with them. They continue to be incredibly supportive throughout your semester in Christchurch - our program director Eunice is absolutely incredible, going the extra mile wherever she can. The program also offers field trips that show you a new aspect of the culture - and there's even an optional field trip to the Cook Islands over the midsemester break! Christchurch is an incredible city, with so much to do. It's constantly changing as it rebuilds from the 2011 earthquakes - every time you go to the city center, something will be different! Christchurch is also very well located if you're interested in exploring the South Island - there's so much to do and see in this country, and weekend trips are incredibly easy to do!

One of the best decisions I have ever made was to study abroad in Vienna, Austria during my fall semester. Vienna is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and I constantly found myself discovering new things to do and places to see each day I was there. IES was so helpful and knowledgeable about the city, and I knew I was in good hands. Can't wait for other students to experience this amazing city!

IES Abroad in Nantes was literally everything I was looking for in a study abroad program: a homestay with a host family, all my classes (which were all super interesting) in french, a perfectly sized program (my semester was 40 students), a super fun city to make myself at home in, and opportunities to hang out with local french students at the university and at conversation club every week. The IES team in Nantes was really good at organizing events, from ice skating to karaoke nights, for all the students in the program to take part in. There were also several included field trips like to les Chateaux de la Loire and Tours, which all students could go on as part of their program tuition. I was also really excited about traveling - while I was in Europe, I wanted to see everything I could. Nantes was relatively easy to travel from, as it has its own airport and is a quick 3 hour train ride from Paris. I was able to do all the traveling I wanted on the weekends and took full advantage of our week long fall break by traveling to 5 countries in 9 days. When I was back in Nantes, I loved living in my homestay with my host mom. She was there for me when I needed advice or someone to talk to (in French, bien sur!), but also let me be totally independent and go out when I wanted to. I met so many people on my program who came from all over the US, most of which I am still in contact with today. The IES Center in Nantes was definitely good at encouraging us to speak french as much as possible, especially when we were in school, and I found my level of french increase exponentially during my time in Nantes. Overall, if you're looking for an opportunity to study abroad in France, live in a homestay, take your classes in french, and live in a clean, safe, and interesting city, go with IES Nantes! I would recommend this program to anyone and everyone I could, and would do it all over again myself in a heartbeat.

My favorite day in Ireland was a little windy, a little sunny and day that will stay with me forever. It was a day during my program's creative writing retreat, which was at the Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa in County Cork. The Lodge was a seaside oasis just steps from soft, pale sands and calm, sparkling waters. And mornings there began with an Irish breakfast of eggs, sausage, black and white pudding, potatoes, and a cup of tea, before it was time for class.

We had our creative writing classes in a conference-like room that was perpetually filled with natural light and a salty sea breeze that slipped through the open windows. We wrote freely, creating stories and memories alike as we spent time pondering the idea of "renewal."

This retreat, which was planned by my creative writing instructor, was a weekend of creativity, intellectual and literary discussion and exploring. The environment was like a photographer or painter's dream -- I was mesmerized by the harmonious scenery of soft acrylic blues and greens that appeared more like a fairytale setting than a visitable place in Ireland.

It was this moment in time that caused me to become overwhelmingly grateful for choosing IES as my study abroad program. And since that day, after taking photos, writing stories, meeting other people staying at the lodge, and sitting on the beach talking to my classmates, who I could happily call friends at that point, I came to realize how important travel is to me and just how much I enjoy meeting new people.

The IES staff in Dublin truly cared about creating a safe, comfortable environment for us students to bond and assimilate into our host community. They planned frequent events for us at the IES Center, with the first taking place during week one. They welcomed us with tea, little sandwiches, pastries, and an opportunity for us to introduce ourselves. And the IES staff also took us on well-planned excursions around Ireland that left me feeling connected and a little whimsical -- I still vividly remember the time I made my own soda bread and milked a cow.

It was a beautiful and unforgettable adventure that I guarantee you would love too. And IES Abroad won't let you down.

Thanks for reading, and good luck on your future journey abroad.

A fellow traveler and dreamer,
Christena

Barcelona was a wonderful time. I only wish that I would have taken more advantage of everything the city has to offer. The IES Barcelona center was in the heart of the city, which meant that every view was beautiful and every day was sight seeing. The staff for the Advanced Spanish Studies Program are amazing, the person in charge inn particular is kind-hearted and loving, she definitely took the time to know everyone. Almost every day I miss waking up in my host-mom's home then walking to school, taking in the beauty of the city. I particularly miss my host mom--and her cooking. I made friendships that will last my entire life, I saw things I will never forget. I recommend visiting in the fall semester for a smaller group--in the Advanced Spanish Program there were three of us--and in spring if you prefer a large group. I was worried about the coursework being only in Spanish but every professor took the time to make sure you understood and we had many thorough in class discussions. Studying abroad is guaranteed to change your outlook on life and IES is prepared to help you process those changes.

I gained close international and American friends, German language and cultural skills, more confidence, urban planning and forest ecology knowledge, and fond memories for a lifetime. I lived in a suite-style apartment with five Germans and one other American on my program -- communal living, hiking and becoming very close with both Germans and Americans made my time unique. I bought a bike at the beginning of the semester to get from point A to point B as the Freiburgers do (along with walking and taking the light-rail tram). Freiburg's urban planning is an amazing green exemplar for the world. While learning about sustainability, we were also able to practice it every day. Freiburg is nestled into the Black Forest, where we would hike often in our free time, many places based on suggestions from our IES staff. Our program's staff in Freiburg were truly wonderful -- extremely helpful and caring. They crafted our time there so we were not too overwhelmed in the beginning, gradually introducing more information and opportunities as we were there to explore the city, the surrounding areas, and meet Germans and learn the language and culture. My experience in Freiburg was a surreal chapter in my life that will inform new experiences of mine and provide a wider perspective on the world.

Nothing can replace the experience you have and the life you live while studying abroad. IES does a fabulous job of: connecting argentine culture to every single one of your classes, offering trips to see Argentina from a variety of lenses, sending you events going on every week and weekend in the city, making sure you're safe and comfortable, and for me, providing the most wonderful host family.
I lived with one woman, and her lovely, old perro. She was such a sweet and caring, yet chill and funny woman, and something I can't thank her enough for is opening her arms to make me a part of her family. I would go over her kids' houses for dinner and lunch and her grandkids quickly became my hermanitos. The way I was able to dive in and be so up close and personal to the Argentine life, and find my own personal way to connect to their values, was irreplaceable. My second family, as well as my friends I became close with (other U.S. students through IES and students from Spain, Italy, Germany, and France through an international students trip) we're the hardest part about leaving this beautiful country. I also made friends in Argentina just from going out into the amazing night life, as well as from joining a fútbol league with the coolest girls. Every Saturday they would drive me an hour away with them to go play, and after to enjoy the sun, grab a mouthwatering sandwich from la parilla, and jam to the live DJ.
My exposure to the language made my confidence in speaking Spanish skyrocket and made everywhere I went a mind-boggling adventure. It was my first time away from home for that long of a time-period, and of course I missed my crazy family and hilarious friends, but the explosion of your mind opening and expanding more than you could ever imagine, makes it all worth it. P.S. the vino tinto, choripan, and dulce de leche make it all worth it too ;)

Howdy!

I greatly enjoyed my time abroad Fall 2016 as part of the IES Dublin Writer’s Program.

Staff really do take what you say into account. I randomly mentioned liking to swim to Myriam and come the next morning, I’d received an email from Jackie with a list of pools in the city. That level of dedication, genuine care, toward students’ needs is deeply rooted. Everyone in the Centre always took time to ask how my weekend was and check in on how I was doing as I made my way up the stairs to class. Even professors whose classes I wasn’t taking gave off that feeling of a warm welcome.

There was a lot of intersecting subject matter in my classes, which were of the Writer’s Program and Irish Studies variety. I enjoyed interacting with other American students from varying parts of the States. Everyone brought their own expertise and interests to discussions inside and outside the Centre. I’m grateful for having been in the care of my professors. I have a more focused vision of my career path and what I see myself doing in upcoming years. I can say, without a doubt, this is a direct result of my time spent with IES last semester.

If you’re thinking about taking that step and going somewhere unknown, vaguely familiar, or basically your backyard, please do. The world is here. It’s been here quite a while, and all talk of “well y’know the sun’s gonna explode eventually” aside, I think it’ll be here for a good time longer. So, go forth and live your dreams; go back and do what you’d wanted to. There is time. You just gotta take time to make time for your future, whatever that looks like. Your future, your journey, is unique to you.

This program is an extremely unique opportunity for two reasons. The first is that it is so focused on a single topic: the European Union's history and structure. The second is that the cross-continent field trips such as to the European Parliament in Strasbourg or to the rest of the EU government in Brussels are built into your classes. For an Economics and Political Science double major, this was a great opportunity that I am confident will reflect well on me in my professional life. IES is very well organized and will really take good care of you. I never felt like I was "stuck" or mixed up in a situation that couldn't be solved, which is a reasonable worry for someone going on study abroad. Being based in Germany, some people might have worries if they don't speak German. I will say as someone who speaks German that I had an advantage, but the overwhelming majority of people in my program had zero German experience and did just fine. All in all, this is a great program that you won't find a duplicate for and is very well-run.