IES Abroad Reviews

I spent the summer of 2016 studying in Berlin through IES -- and I had probably the best summer of my life. Even before you leave for Berlin, the program guides you through pre-registration for classes, what to pack, and generally how to best prepare yourself for time abroad. Upon arrival, the program began with a few days of orientation, which were incredibly helpful in introducing us to the public transport system, the IES center and staff, things to do around Berlin, safety procedures, etc. IES really cares about their students: they make sure each student has a working phone while abroad so everyone is in contact should anything critically important arise. This orientation set IES apart from a summer program I did the summer before, and my time in Berlin started off on the right foot.

Classes are rigorous but not demanding; there is plenty of time outside of class to explore the city. Part of the program fee includes monthly public transportation passes, which you get on your first day of orientation (no having to figure out the system and buy them yourself!). These were INVALUABLE. You just hop on and hop off whatever tram, U-bahn, or S-bahn your heart desires. But make sure to have them on you! Officers will randomly check cars, and if you don't have yours, you have to go to the BVG (public transit) headquarters and pay 60 euros. It is a major bummer -- trust me.

You definitely have to put in effort if you want to spend time with the locals, since many of the student assistants are Americans who are living in Germany. That being said, your social life is sure to be amazing: there are SO many things to do in Berlin! IES plans a handful of events throughout your summer, including a free trip/tour to the very lovely Potsdam and a free bus tour around Berlin. There is also an optional but not free tour -- this summer it was to the Baltic Sea. It was a bit pricey for me, but my friends who attended enjoyed it. I also went to concerts, visited museums, toured historical sites, among other things. Notable places to visit in Berlin are the famous Mauerpark Flea Market (complete with karaoke!) and Tempelhof Airport, an airport no longer in use that makes a great park! I had one of my best nights in Berlin at Tempelhof: some friends and I packed picnic things and watched the sunset. I remember sitting in the grass, the wind blowing through my hair, and just feeling so alive.

IES stands apart in my mind because it works so incredibly hard to ensure its students are prepared for their time abroad. From the get go, I felt like I knew what I was getting into, and because I did not have to worry about figuring everything out on my own, it was all the easier to begin exploring the city! Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity to reconsider who you are and what kind of global citizen you want to be, and IES is a wonderful program that will help you do just that. I really felt at home in Berlin and at IES. And because I felt so comfortable, I really was able to make the most of my opportunity there and get to know my peers, my professors, my host family, and the city.

Overall, this was an excellent study abroad, and I would definitely do it again. The best part is that you're in the heart of Tokyo, which is great, but a little costly on daily expenses. The housing rooms are a little dated and VERY small, so pack light. Overall it's a nice setup, and you're conveniently located a few minutes from the classrooms in the main building, as well as an on-site convenience store that you will learn to love. Public transportation is extremely convenient, you'll most likely be using it every day, but make sure to budget for it. The staff and teachers are excellent, and are happy to help with any issues you are having. Tokyo overall is one of the most amazing cities in the world, and you're so close to so many fun things to see and do. Don't let the language barrier intimidate you, and get out of your comfort zone to get to know as many people as you can; you'll be glad you did. In short, if you are looking for a summer Japan program, I highly recommend this one. Also, there are field trips and a homestay included in the study abroad, DO THEM, they were one of the best parts of the experience.

The IES Summer Intensive Acting program in Dublin was jam packed with a variety of cultural experiences and a strong academic program.

After my first class, which was directly through IES, we enrolled in the Gaiety School of Acting with students who had directly enrolled, not through IES, and I got a comparison and realized how good we had by going through IES. We got well planned, affordable, educational, and fun field trips (the one to Northern Ireland is a must! Learned so much about Ireland's history including the Troubles and St. Patrick, and visited the Bushmill Whiskey factory and Game of Throne's Winterfell) that were easy to sign up and conveniently added to our bill, not paid upfront. We got great housing in beautiful neighborhoods despite Dublin's housing crisis, while the GSA direct-enrolled students had to stay in an unfortunately low quality hostel, 6 to a room, for the entire 4 weeks. I will say, the distance of our housing from the IES center and the GSA was inconvenient, and we had some maintenance issues that took longer than I'd like to get fixed, but our RA was a great resource. We had Conor, who's actually a jobbing actor, so a great role model-- watch out for him in the Jameson factory tour video!

The classes themselves were very educational, and I really enjoyed experiencing and working with so much Irish theatre. While technique and methods weren't overly emphasized, the intense rehearsals and constant viewing of theater outside of class was a great experience. I was able to get credit for an acting class through my university!

I knew for years, even before college, that I wanted to study abroad for a semester in college. As just a freshman in college, at The College of Wooster, I decided to apply to IES Abroad's Rome program for the Spring semester of my Sophomore year. I knew Rome would be an amazing opportunity for me since I am a Classical Studies and Archaeology double major--but my experience abroad exceeded even my expectations. Through IES, I was able to live with an incredible host family who made me instantly feel at home and provided me with an unparalleled cultural immersion experience. I also was able to participate in an archaeology internship with the American Academy in Rome, which proved to be incredibly valuable to my career goals and educational experience. Additionally, through IES's classes, I learned an unbelievable amount about the city I was living in--its people, its political and cultural past, its archaeology, and more. I also was able to learn Italian at a faster pace than I could ever have done in the U.S. (something my host family also played a major role in as well). Overall, I had the most memorable experiences, learned many valuable life skills and lessons, met so many incredible people, and I would do it all over again in heartbeat. I'm mid-semester at my home institution and still I think of Rome and Italy often, but I know I'll return to the city I called home for months--it's just a matter of when and not if!

My absolute favorite aspect about Granada is that it is both an active city and a personal, manageable community. As a small-town girl, I wanted a place steeped in culture but not too overwhelming. Granada was perfect. Secondly, the cultural fusion of Granada is so unique and unparalleled. The Moroccan influence that mingles with Spanish architecture, art, and cuisine makes Granada a fascinating place. The most rewarding aspect of my studies abroad was joining a local choir. Here I met local Spaniards ranging in age 24 to 74! They welcomed me with open arms, helped me maintain my musical abilities, and drastically improve my Spanish! I now have a wonderful group of friends abroad, and a home whenever I can find my way back again. To anyone who is nervous about conquering a large city, I highly recommend considering Granada. I fell in love.

My IES abroad experience is one I will never forget. The IES Milan School has a great program for students who also want to take classes at Italian universities. I also took classes at Bocconi, the business school in Milan. This school was a challenge, but I loved being at university with students from Italy as well as other countries around the world. Though IES Milan I was able to take language classes as well as classes at Bocconi, which was something that was important to me as I studied abroad.
I also chose to stay with a family. IES Milan does an amazing job of housing you with families that are so welcoming. In my homestay I had 4 sisters who were a variety of different ages. They also pair you with students in an apartment that allows you to meet students that go to IES as well.
The city of Milan is one of my favorite cities in Italy. There truly is everything. It has amazing food, a great history, and of course lots of shopping. Another benefit of choosing Milan is that is it very easy to get almost anywhere. There are three airports as well has a multitude of high speed trains. I loved my study abroad experience in Milan and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to study abroad in Italy.

I went into studying abroad with very few expectations- I truly did not know what to expect! That being said, IES Abroad Dublin blew even my faint preconceived notions out of the water. The growth I was able to experience during the time I lived abroad is unmatched and I would not trade it for anything.
My living experience was a great combination of familiar and foreign. I lived in a beautiful flat in Dublin just outside of City Centre. The two girls I lived with were both from the States and we got along very well! Coming from the suburbs, it was fun to experience urban life in such a vibrant way. I had the opportunity to cook for myself often, as well, which was a nice way to save money. Anything the apartment needs, such as pots and pans, a bathroom mat, or a coat rack, IES pays for! In this living situation, I felt independent, but still cared for and looked after.
Every living arrangement has an RA who has weekly meetings with his or her residents. The meetings are pretty laid back-mostly chatting, and a few logistics of the apartment. The rest of IES staff is extremely helpful, as well. Each instructor truly invests into the students’ personal growth while in Ireland. From relevant readings in class, travel recommendations, various field trips, and hands-on learning experiences, the professors care deeply about making you feel comfortable.
Overall, my IES Dublin experience was one for the books and I truly could not have asked for a smoother study abroad opportunity. After living in Ireland for four months, I would not say I like it. No, with the help of IES I am able to call Ireland home.

During my program, I had the privilege of studying health policy both in London and Oxford and then traveling to Kingston, Jamaica for the last week of my program to listen to lectures at the University of West Indies School of Nursing. This is a relatively new program and the experience was pretty amazing throughout my time there. The staff and program directors invested time to making sure we were fully prepared and aware of everything we needed to do, i.e organizing train rides for our weekly trip to Oxford, telling us what items/clothing we would need for Jamaica, finding amazing service learning opportunities with local NGOs that fit somewhere in our professional interest. The staff was always very friendly and approachable. They often shared some of their favorite places, which was very helpful in a massive city like London that has so much to offer for everyone. The Jamaica portion in particular was extraordinary. When we weren't listening to lectures at UWISON, we were exploring the island and the staff took us to some amazing restaurants and beautiful sites. We swam in a natural salt water lagoon, took a boat ride to a small nearby island to swim and relax, visited the Blue Mountain coffee plantation, and sat by an infinity pool overlooking the island. It didn't feel real and it was so much fun doing it with the friends I made during the program. I was very impressed with what the staff put together for us and I would definitely recommend this program.

I can easily say that the 5 months I spent in Nagoya were the best of my life. I wish I could have stayed for the full 10 months, and I was incredibly sad to return to the states. The intensive courses were challenging but very rewarding; by the end of the program I had made noticeable leaps in my language abilities. While I enjoyed going out on my own cultural excursions, the trips arranged by IES were incredibly enjoyable. I was able to visit places that I never would have on my own, and got to interact with locals during origami and pottery workshops.

The biggest downside I faced was my living situation. I was set up in an international dorm, which was conveniently close to Nanzan's campus. I was lucky in this sense; everyone else in IES had a 30+ minute commute and had to pay for their subway passes. However, my dorm had incredibly strict rules, and was quite different from the American dorms I've lived in. The dorm had 24 hour surveillance, with a security guard on the premises at all times. Any guests, even from the same program, were explicitly forbidden. Due to these rules, I spent very little time in my dorm.

Flamenco, paella, temperate sun, and a striking sense of fashion; these are a few things that I had anticipated to see when I embarked on my flight from Kuwait City to Madrid. I was equipped with my previous (and ongoing) study abroad experience in the United States, and I was ready to set off on yet another journey in the beautiful country that gave birth to Goya and Velazquez (Spain; in case you haven’t guessed it yet). I was armed with a set of helpful instructions from IES Abroad, which aided me in detail from landing in Madrid Barajas Airport till I got to the hotel. That night, I met the students with whom I would spend the most amazing times, as well as the instructors who would make this experience as enriching and as fruitful as possible. We set off to get tapas (Spanish hors d’oeuvres) with drinks; the first visit of many to come. Later, I had met with the host family that IES had paired me with.
My family consists of Carmen and Àngel. with their daughter Maria. Carmen and Àngel are both retired teachers, while Maria works as a nurse in the local hospital. We lived in Embajadores, a borough of Madrid which is right off Centro (downtown). I spent my first two weeks just exploring Madrid as a part of orientation, with my family and with IES. From visits to the Prado museum to the long strolls through the Royal Gardens, it was truly dreamlike. Toward the end of those two weeks, I was introduced to the University in which I would resume taking my engineering degree requirements; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (The University of Carlos III of Madrid; or UC3M).
The engineering campus is situated in Leganes, a small city right outside of the City of Madrid, but still within the autonomous community (i.e. “governorate”) of Madrid. It took a daily 20- to 30-minute train ride from Centro to Leganes, but it really flew by every morning considering the beautiful scenic routes that the trains took. My classes had around 30-40 students on average, and the professors were really good. Everyone was bilingual, and the courses were offered in English and Spanish, on demand. Additionally, IES had appointed us with mandatory tutoring, which accounts for 25% of the grade of each course. This really helped adjust the students to the Spanish educational system, especially at the beginning. The Spanish system is a little different from the American one, but it’s not too wildly hard to adjust to. The grades are given on a 1-10 scale. There is hardly any homework, just a lot of lab work and engineering projects. Thus, the midterms hold quite a heavy weight, and so does the final (60%). However, the magical portion of the Spanish system is that you can virtually do nothing throughout the semester, and just take the final to account for your entire grade (a huge risk, but it’s an option for those who previously know the material, and have finished the practical aspects). In Spain, it is not so much about the value of the grade itself, but rather whether or not you passed or failed the class. So you can imagine that the rigor and amount of work expected in Spain tends to be more difficult, when a C is perceived to hold the same weight as an A; roughly speaking.
In addition to my three UC3M courses, I took an intermediate Spanish class at IES, whose campus was situated in Moncloa, in the heart of the City of Madrid. My Spanish instructor, Profesora Buesa, was more than just an instructor. She, as all IES staff, served as a general resource for all the questions and issues that were raised during our time abroad. IES staff were incredibly approachable and helpful, but they did more than just educate us. Every weekend, we had a cultural activity. These activities ranged from meeting up with Spanish peers, going to Flamenco shows (and classes), traveling to other places in Spain (there were so many trips that I lost count), to cooking classes. We truly experienced the beauty and diversity of Spanish culture, and we met some of the most amazing people with whom we made long-lasting friendships.
Overall, I would say that my time in Spain was definitely life-changing (and everyone who studied abroad will tell you same thing, and we’re not exaggerating). Spain is a place that I will be visiting repeatedly throughout my life. My hosts, friends I made, and instructors are people that I will keep in touch with. And to be quite honest, no one does it like IES. The guidance and the supervision are things I’ve lacked when I’ve studied in other countries (and I can say I’ve been to a few). A lot of it was redundant, but it was necessary. With regards to Spain: No es una “adios”, es una “hasta luego.” (It’s not a “goodbye”, it’s a “see you later.”)