IES Abroad Reviews

IES provided me with the experience of a lifetime! My university did not offer an abroad program in Australia that worked with my major and required classes. However, IES gave me tons of options and most importantly for me, Sydney was one of them. The application process was a decent amount of work, but the IES coordinators were a huge help for me when it came to getting all the paperwork done. For this particular program I lived with eight other college students from around the States. We came in as strangers and left as friends. I formed some of my best relationships while abroad, and was so thankful to be sharing the learning, social and foreign experience with likeminded, adventurous individuals! We lived in the outskirts of the city in a townhouse/apartment duplex which was only a block away from a main street that had a store, doctors office, pharmacy and tons of restaurants. My favorite part of studying in Sydney was by far how often we got to travel. Almost every weekend we were on a plane going to somewhere new! The best trip was when we went to Ayers Rock which is actually a required part of the program. we spent two nights sleeping under the stars in the outback of Australia. Our tour guide Rhett cooked us up diner over a campfire and sang us to sleep with his guitar. The whole trip was absolutely amazing! We learned about the aboriginal culture from our tour guides and got to hike through Kings Canyon! We even got to ride camels which is an experience i will never forget. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to expand their horizons and get a taste of how much our world has to offer us.

IES abroad did an amazing job at ensuring my study abroad experience was holistically AWESOME. From class trips to Budapest, strolls down historic Viennese neighborhoods, hiking trips, and trips to the vineyards, among a few other things, IES went above and beyond. In addition, IES did an amazing job at providing housing close to the palace (YES, palace) where classes were taught at. The transition from the U.S. to Vienna was exciting yet not overwhelmingly stressful. Indeed, the transition was closer to a cultural shift, not a cultural shock. For example, most of the people in Vienna speak English. Long story short, no amount of text box space will ever be enough to express just how life changing studying abroad in a magical city like Vienna was.

Studying abroad in Dublin was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I made so many good friends and I learned a lot about Ireland and the people. I learned to be more outgoing and I became more independent. Before going on this trip, I had never been on my own before. It was hard at first, but after a while there was a sense of freedom. I was no longer waiting for others to join me on my adventures, because I was okay just doing it on my own. I was not restricted to someone else's schedule and I did not have to compromise about the destination of my next adventure. I also did some traveling with the friends that i made, because sometimes it's just nice to share these moments with other people. Now that I'm home, I miss the people and I also miss Ireland. I cannot wait to go back and visit the lovely staff at the center.

I studied abroad in Dublin, Ireland this past summer. My program was very well organized all the way through the application process, pre-depature information, housing assignments, class scheduling and all the numerous informational sessions and adjustment activities upon arrival. Being both my first time out of the country as well as my first time traveling alone, I was immediately welcomed in the airport after my long, anxiety-filled flight with a friendly hello and warm smiles, regardless of it being nearly 6 am in the morning. The staff was very friendly and eager to help us have the best abroad experience possible. They were always willing to offer advice whether it be which restaurant to have a delicious brunch or places to stay on weekend excursions. My housing accommodations were lovely, clean, and quite modern, placing me and my roommates right in the heart of the city. I will admit I was quite nervous about sharing an apartment with strangers while also being miles and miles away from home, but I could not have asked for a better outcome. Our personalities meshed so well immediately and I now have three amazing girls as well as many other peers on my program from around the US that I can genuinely call friends and basically family. We shared so much together and will always have shared memories from our time there. Classes were very interesting and helped immerse us by providing a background on the culture. Our professors were so kind and had a genuine interest in not only teaching us about their culture but also getting to know a lot about us students as well. My program also included optional field trips to beautiful places in the country for a very reasonable price which I would highly recommend. Overall, I wouldn't change a thing about my summer abroad with IES. All of this in addition to the gorgeous green setting of Ireland was a surreal experience. The memories, friendships, and experiences I gained will last a life time.

IES helped make summer 2016 unforgettable. After being accepted into the program they did everything they could to make us feel ready for our time in the UK. When I decided to study abroad one of the first things I was worried about was traveling internationally for the first time. The staff at IES provided multiple resources that made me feel very prepared. I felt comfortable flying to a new country, getting my passport stamped with immigration, and making my way to the residence hall. This great customer service continued after we arrived in London and throughout our program. Once we arrived in London, they provided a comprehensive training that included topics like health and safety in London, transportation, traveling on the weekends, and their academic policies.

Choosing to study abroad with IES was a great decision because they went above and beyond to teach you how to immerse yourself into London’s culture, and that was one of my main goals of studying abroad. Within hours of arriving in London they showed us the best places to eat, grocery shop, and how to use the transportation system in our neighborhood. They encouraged us to ride the tube, read the Evening Standard, and visit pubs and neighborhoods outside of tourist attractions. Oftentimes I visited the staff members after class and asked for restaurant suggestions or interesting activities to try on the weekend.

The academic program itself provided some of the most interesting classes I’ve taken in my college career. I had to opportunity to take a class on London Architecture and another on British censorship. Both of my instructors were very knowledgeable in their fields and the workload was perfect because it left time to explore London. I had one class per day Monday-Thursday and I would often plan activities before or after class. This schedule also allowed everyone on my program ample time to travel elsewhere.

I traveled to Paris and throughout the UK with students from my program. I also went on trips that IES planned and subsidized. These trips went to Stonehenge, Bath, Salisbury, and Brighton; I thought they were well done and enjoyed the guides that IES hired. My favorite trip was the one that toured Bath/Salisbury/Stonehenge over a weekend. This is mostly because my group was assigned a guide named Jeany. Jeany took us on a walking tour in each of these places, and she was hysterical and very well spoken. She had me so interested in the history and stories of these places I ended up doing research on my own time.

IES is a wonderful organization that aims to teach students about new cultures and living abroad, and you can see their passion in the excellent programs they provide. Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed this program. The IES staff were very helpful and encouraging. The classes were small and personal. I took two classes while there and had class 4 days a week for about 4 hours a day. I lived with a host family in the third arrondissement. They were really nice and helpful. I had dinner with them 3 times a week, where we got to discuss everything and anything. I enjoyed the program field trips to Reims and Giverny. It was great to be able to go outside of Paris and see other parts of France. Overall, this was a wonderful experience!

I studied in Paris with IES for their advanced summer program. I had visited Paris twice before and I think that made me feel less pressure to see all the tourist sites. I choose to be very independent in my time there; I was constantly visiting museums and neighborhoods on my own because I really wanted to learn about the city. The American students that I was with mostly wanted to party and speak English to each other, but I was able to meet locals, speak French constantly, and explore the city fully. I think my favorite site that I visited was Sacré Coeur because of all the wonderful pictures you can take from the tower of the church. In addition, the graffiti was hilarious. Someone had written "pray for my bac" and I thought this was very funny. The bac is an exam the all French students take after they graduate high school. It is our equivalent of the ACT/SAT, but more specific to career goals and administered by the French government.

I love the experience in Tokyo this Summer and I enjoyed it with IES program so much. They are really considerate from every aspect, including pre-departure meetings and assistants and staffs that are willing to help you at any time during your staying in Tokyo. I loved how they would pair you up with a host family that suits your and their interests. I wrote that I practiced Aikido for a year and would like to experience Japanese martial arts. And they paired me with a Karate family. My host father, older brother and little brother all practice Karate for over 10 years. And I got the chance to observe how they take Karate tests in Japan. It was totally a precious experience for me. I really saw that they prepared well for every event. I really love how they tried their best to make sure students having the best experience in Japan. Here I highly recommend IES program Tokyo with all of you.

Enjoy the perfect mix of education and fun in this magical city in one of the culturally richest countries in the world. To start you get to live in comfortable apartments in a gated community so on top of the luxury of the living arrangement you also get security. In my case we had roommates who inevitably became my best friends on the trip.
Being so close to University of Cape Town you also get to be around college students from the area and surrounding regions of South Africa. With this close proximity it was easy to befriend and learn from locals about the real issues facing the people of South Africa.
Half of the educational side of the abroad program is class and the other half is volunteer hours in the public healthcare system. Classes are focused on learning about the history and public healthcare system of South Africa and how South Africans are trying to change the system for the better of all people. Learning from people who currently are involved in reforming healthcare in South Africa made the course more engaging and meaningful to me and all my classmates. The volunteer work took place in a primary health clinic in Cape Town and allowed for hands-on experience with patients and engagement with fellow medical staff from doctors to nurses.
Going in the summer for American students however means being in South Africa for their winter, but have no fear, the highs are around the 70s and lows around the 50s with occasional rain. Good news is the beautiful days outnumbered the rainy days and with each beautiful day comes a breathtaking sunset which can viewed from any number of beaches and mountain tops.
Bottom line if you have any interest in healthcare like pre-med, pre-pharm, pre-PA, and nursing students or in public health you will not only get hands on experience in the field with your volunteer hours but also gain great insight into the issues facing the public healthcare system in South Africa and the rest of the world.

Before I boarded the plane for my flight to Madrid, I really had no idea what to expect. I had multiple conversations with close friends and my parents leading up to my departure, all who told me to go into the experience with an open mind. Open mind? Sure, I could do that. The plane landed in Madrid, and from that point on, my time in Madrid had begun.

… And how wonderful that time was! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I lived in a warm and welcoming homestay, enrolled in two classes that were taught by great professors, and got to truly experience Spanish culture. Over the course of the program, I noticed in awe how my Spanish speaking and comprehension skills were improving week by week. On a few of the weekends, I was able to travel to various areas of Spain with friends I had made on the program. We attended a Real Madrid game, saw a bullfight, went on a winery tour, got to explore new cities and see incredible landmarks, among many other things. I also learned how to cook Spanish food and dance flamenco, thanks to classes set up by IES staff. All of my classes, extracurricular activities, and travel excursions made my trip truly meaningful, well-rounded, and rewarding. That is why studying abroad is such an enriching learning experience, because not only are you learning so many new things in the classes you attend, but you also are continually learning by exploring, traveling, and appreciating the aspects of your host country.

At the end of those six weeks, when I left to go back home to the States, I was no longer just leaving Madrid; I was leaving a city that had become my city and had become my home. I look back on those six weeks with such happiness and nostalgia; I made new friendships, saw new places, and made new memories that I will cherish for a long time to come. It truly was the best summer of my life!