IES Abroad Reviews

My four months in Spain were filled with great experiences that are so hard to summarize in just a paragraph. The moment I arrived to the airport everything was so quiet (it was 6am), I was scared, but yet excited to see what was behind the airport doors. Once I picked up all my luggage and walked out, I was greeted by the program directors who explained what I had to do next. The first week of the program consisted of an intense orientation, where I was able to get to know everyone else in the program, meet professors, tour Madrid and visits their awesome museums. I lived with a Senora, her son, and my best friend from my home school. I have to say, I believe living with a Senora made me feel more like a spaniard. During lunchtime I was able to conversant with my Senora and learn more about Madrid and their culture. For classes I recommend taking the theater course IES offers. I never thought I would enjoy it, but it was my favorite class throughout the semester. IES does not have classes on Friday which gives you time travel to different countries! Traveling is super cheap in Europe and I recommend taking advantage of it! However, be sure to keep a balance between exploring Europe and exploring Madrid. Enjoy every second you have in Madrid and remember to take a lot of pictures!

After this past semester abroad, I can say with confidence that studying abroad is something I recommend everyone does. I was able to improve my Spanish, learn about a new culture, and get to know new people from Spain as well as from other universities in the United States.

One of my favorite things about my program was the ability to live with a host family. This was something I was extremely nervous about going into my program, but ended up being one of my best experiences in Spain. Living with a Spanish family helped me grow confident in my Spanish-speaking abilities and really taught me a lot about the Spanish people.

Through the IES program I was able to learn about the history and magic of Madrid. The program offered many opportunities to be active in the community, visit the most famous sites and interact with the Spanish people. Some of my favorite memories from my trip were the IES lead trips to Granada, as well as the tour of the Prado Museum, where I got to view many of the famous Spanish paintings I had learned about previously.

I loved my time abroad and learned that in order to get the most out of my time in Spain I needed to take advantage of all the cool and interesting opportunities my program offered.

I'm writing this at the end of my year abroad, not wanting to have to leave my life in Germany. This year has been one of the best of my life, and it couldn't have been without the help of IES Abroad. I immediately felt at home and comfortable in my new environment. Every step of the way the wonderful staff of IES Berlin did their best to make everyone's adjustment smooth, make sure the students got to know each other and bond, and answered any and all questions we may have had.

And by every step of the way, I mean really every step! I had contact with them before I left and continue to stay in touch with the Berlin staff: I fell so in love with the city I am now planning everything I can to return with their guidance and help. They truly have a passion for the students and their life in the city, as well as the entire study abroad experience in itself. I can't thank them enough for everything they've done for us!

My time in Tokyo was only enhanced by the support and experiences provided by IES. A (very negative) person that I used to know would always dismiss study abroad programs or touristy guides, saying that you can always go out and do these things yourself for free. His point was disproved by the way that IES has blown me away with their field trips, assistance, and integration into the host city that simply wouldn't have been available if I'd "gone out and done it by myself." The cost of IES is completely worth every penny, because there's no way to go to Tokyo and have the incredible experience that I and many others have had without their planning and readiness to assist. The academics were good, the integration into Kanda University (the school where you take the required Japanese courses) was incredible (re: the e-pal program; highly recommended), and the extracurriculars like field trips and guest lectures were above par. I can't recommend IES enough.

Studying abroad in Paris with the IES Abroad French Studies Program was an experience of a lifetime. I was matched with the most incredible host mother, and roommate from the same program, and we all got along so well; you could tell that IES had taken the time to match people well based on what they had asked for in their housing applications, and that made all the difference in my stay and feeling comfortable throughout my 4 months there. I took 4 classes at the IES center: History of Paris, Modern Art, Creative Writing, and Grammar, and developed a huge appreciation and love for history and art (two subjects I've never been too interested in) thanks to the talented and engaging IES professors, all of whom were native French people. I took two other classes at a local art school, and found myself going to 3 hour classes twice a week, surrounded by a much older crowd of talented parisian artists, whom I shared cheese/bread/wine breaks with halfway through class each time. The culture there, which I found was highly focused on working hard at work, thoroughly relaxing and enjoying time away from work, savoring food at mealtimes, and always appreciating the art and culture and history imbedded throughout the city, was a culture I had never witnessed before, and one which I fell completely in love with. IES Abroad gave us the toolkit to experience it all, through encouraging us to go to cultural events, providing us with the kindest guidance from their staff, the most inspiring professors, and through of course having its location in the very heart of Paris, where we were able to go to any and all of the most beautiful spots within 20-30 minutes after class; I wish I could go back already!

The IES staff in Cape Town have created an absolutely fantastic program. The activities and trips they organized - an overnight stay in a local township, a day trip to Robben Island and an outing to a local rugby match, just to name a few! - deepened my understanding of South Africa's history and current struggles, and gave me a chance to immerse myself further into their culture. On top of that the staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and always willing to help. Whether I was missing home or having trouble registering for my classes, they were there to help and served as my support system. My time in Cape Town wouldn't have been the same without them and I couldn't ask for a better experience!

Studying Abroad was not the easiest decision I've ever made, but by far it has been the best. During my experience I had an amazing time traveling throughout Australia and learning about the culture. While traveling I gained a greater appreciation for nature, the Australian culture and the culture of the Indigenous people of Australia. I lived in residential dorm where I lived very close to many local Australians who helped me experience the country very well. From going to house races, to watching and playing in rugby games to surfing on the beach, I was able to fully immerse myself in the Australian culture and enjoy my time. I recommend anyone who has any slight interest to study abroad to just apply and go for it. This experience will change the way you view studying at University and will give you the chance one more time to be a freshman really live at University like you never had.

When I first decided to study away, I had no idea where I wanted to go (besides somewhere in Europe) or with which program. In a meeting with my advisor, I said that I was thinking about Italy. Since I was studying Spanish, she laughed and instead suggested IES Barcelona Business and Liberal Arts. She said it would be perfect; I could take my business, my general education, and my Spanish classes PLUS live in Europe. And you know what? She was right.

Spending a semester in Barcelona was more than I could have ever imagined it and there are three reasons why.

1) My host family was phenomenal. My mom was a teacher, my dad a doctor, and they had three boys ranging from 12-16. They welcomed me, and my two roommates, into their family with arms wide open. We had dinners together every single night, where they challenged us to work on our Spanish (even though they knew quite a bit of English), played video games with the younger brother, and even had a family ping-pong tournament. When I was debating whether to live in an apartment or a homestay, I was worried that I would feel trapped in a family dynamic and that it would be weird to leave to go on trips or to go hang out with friends, but that wasn’t the case. They had hosted before so they knew how life would be with study abroad students, and in fact, they encouraged us to go to cultural events and to get out of the house as much as possible. I do not think I could have asked for a better living situation if I tried, and I will definitely stay in contact with them. They’re my Spain family!

2) The history and art of Barcelona are impressive. If you had asked me about art before going to Spain, I would have said, “ehh it’s ok”. Ask me now, and I will tell you all that I know about European art, especially the work by Gaudí. I would never have called myself an art enthusiast before going abroad, but now, I love art! My turning point was learning about and seeing the Block of Discord (which consists of three houses designed by Gaudí, Puig i Cadafalch, and Domenech i Montaner) and La Sagrada Familia.

3) The friends I made are lifelong. We all shared one of the key personality traits that I need in a friend: adventurous. Each and every person I met, had plans to do and see things and to enjoy their time however that meant to them. But in all, we shared a magical experience that no one else will quite understand. We stayed up all night to see the sunrise from the Bunkers, ate patatas bravas every day for a snack, flew cheap flights at 6am, found local festivals to attend, bought more souvenirs then we could really bring home, etc. The only sad part is that since we went with a study abroad program (versus one at our home school), we are all scattered across America, which makes seeing each other a bit of a challenge.

Thinking back, the only part I would change, would be coordinating my travel plans with the friends I made. Many weekends, one set of friends would travel while the others were in Barcelona and then it would flip. It made it hard to just live in Barcelona with a normal lifestyle. That being said, studying away isn't really a normal experience and you learn that you have to put your wants/desires first to make your dreams come true.

Overall, I was very impressed with my study abroad experience and now as my next semester is approaching, my only question is: can I go back?!

As a Clarinet Performance major, studying music in Vienna was a no-brainer. With such a rich history of the arts, specifically classical music, Vienna is a great place for musicians to come and hone their craft. Not only was the atmosphere of Austria great, but the IES Vienna Program also excelled at making my study abroad experience a rewarding and comfortable one.
The living situation, in my case the music apartment building, was very comfortable and close to the center of the city, which made it easy to get to the IES center in the first district. Each apartment has three bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining area, and a split bathroom, with a shared laundry room on the ground floor. The apartments have their own set of practice rooms, which makes practicing very convenient for musicians. If they are full, there are also additional practice rooms at the center.
The staff was all very helpful, with the teachers holding courses that were full of valuable information that were taught very well. Private teachers a chosen on a student-by-student basis, in order to ensure the best fit for the skill level and musical interests of each students. Price is also a priority for these teachers; most of the time your won't be paying over 70 euro a lesson. 100 euros is usually the top end of the pricing. I never heard any complaints about private teachers that didn't fit, but if your teacher isn't the right fit for you, students are always able to switch teachers mid-semester.
The music workshop and coachings promote a very motivating and uplifting atmosphere that pushes students to hone their craft in a collaborative and professional matter. With what usually turns out to be a strange instrumentation in the performance workshop, you get to perform pieces that you don't normally get to perform. That was probably my favorite part of the IES music program; getting to perform really interesting music with extremely talented students. I got to perform everything from Romantic music to vocalises to a trio for baritone, clarinet, and piano, and I loved every second of it. With so many talented students, I was always encouraged to perfect my music for not only myself but for the sake of collaboration.
There also just tons of things to do in the city! One of my favorites was going to the TU ball, dressed in formal attire in the famous Hofburg Palace. It was an incredible experience, and I loved seeing the dance culture of Vienna at play. There are always cheap musical performances to see, new coffee shops to visit, and new churches to visit!
With plenty of opportunities for travel, an excellent staff, and a motivational music workshop, I cannot recommend the IES Vienna music program enough. It helped me appreciate the music of Vienna, and really fall in love with all music more. This program is one for people who are passionate about being great musicians and immersing themselves in an historic and wonderfully artistic culture.

Overall, my four months in Granada were amazing, and now that I'm back in the US I really miss the city. Granada is a city that's full of complex history, amazing architecture, life in the streets, and its easily navigable by walking. IES abroad staff was good at orienting us to the new abroad life and was eager to make sure we engaged with our host families, university professors, and any other extracurriculars. The program "field trips," especially the one to Morocco, were definitely highlights of my time abroad. Also, the flamenco class and water color class were definitely favorites in the program. IES staff really makes an effort to connect with students and create an awesome, chill, inviting environment. Students came from lots of different schools and majors and we all just came together to enjoy Granada for four months. Basically Granada IES, 10/10 would recommend.