IES Abroad Reviews

As a low-income student, the idea of studying abroad was kind of a pipe dream. In addition to my finances, I was going through a personal struggle at home that threatened any possibility of participating in study abroad. However, I had saved the amount of money required for the semester in Germany, and I had already missed registration for classes during the spring semester. I was afraid I would come to regret my experience and my choice to study abroad. I was afraid that I would be too distracted by everything going on at home to even enjoy exploring and learning from my host country. Most of all, I was afraid that I would have wasted time and money on this journey. I could not have been further from the truth.
I made two friends on my first night in Germany, and I met them at what would soon become one of my favorite restaurants in Freiburg. On the first program trip (Berlin and Prague) I found what would soon become my closest friends on the program. On my first day of instruction, I met some of my favorite professors. IES Abroad was able to give me an array of experiences that helped me discover many things about myself. One aspect about myself that I was shown was just how independent I am capable of being. I had always regarded myself as an independent person, but the independence and confidence that comes from studying and living abroad is one of a different nature. Whether it is through engaging in conversation with someone who does not share your language or traveling from Portugal to Germany using eight different modes of transportation, you will find a confidence and comfort in the uncomfortable and strange.
Even though it seemed like the absolute wrong time to go abroad and study, it turned out to be the perfect time for it. If I had to impart one impression or one piece of advice, it would be to simply do it. Take the risk and do it because you won't regret it. Rather, you will learn more about the world and yourself by participating in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Viel Glück!

One of my favorite parts of studying abroad in Ecuador was the diversity of environments we were lucky enough to experience. We explored the Amazon rainforest, hiked in the Andes mountains, navigated the huge city of Quito, visited tiny villages, chilled on the coast, and of the course, spent three months getting to know the Galápagos Islands in a way that tourists simple aren’t able to. I highly recommend this program for anyone interested in environmental science or policy – it doesn’t even have to be your major – and especially for those who love being outside! The host families that IES placed us in were awesome – my Spanish improved greatly, and I still keep in touch with my Galápagos family. The IES advisors and on-site staff were really wonderful: they helped immensely with my endless questions throughout both the application process and also the actual semester abroad. Also, connecting with new people is the best part of study abroad: I liked and admired one of my professors so much that I ended up staying for an extra six weeks to do research with him. Now, I can’t wait to go back!

Oh boy, I'm sure I have a few chart topping stories to bum you out, but my favorite unique experience is definitely a positive. I was alone for a short break and I decided to travel on the other side of the country. On a whim, on the side of a mountain (I was hiking in Jujuy) I began to film myself. For the next two days I filmed 45 seconds every few hours of me: meeting new people, taking a break in a cafe, wheezing on a mountain, or seeing something beautiful.
I was able to appreciate so many things about the trip that I didn't know I would, and I actually watched my videos the other day. Without sitting behind a lens the whole time, I was able to experience a world full of sights and it was amazing. I would encourage anyone to try this at any time in their life. You never know what you might catch on camera.

My semester abroad with the IES Galapagos Island program was easily one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Ecuador is a beautiful country with an amazing culture and great people, and the Galapagos Islands are truly a wonder of the natural world. The IES Abroad program allowed me to experience what Ecuador had to offer with a lot of freedom while also ensuring my safety and wellbeing. The two host families I lived with were very helpful and friendly, and my living arrangements were extremely nice and comfortable. The classes were engaging, fun and interesting, but also challenging enough that it still felt legitimate for a college level course. In addition all of the fun things to do such as hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving and surfing, IES also had different group activities that were fun and also kept me engaged with the community as well as the other students. Overall, I would recommend this program from anyone who is interested in biology, ecology, environmental science, or social science, who has a love for nature, and who would want to participate in a life changing experience.

I honestly had the time of my life while studying abroad through this IES program. My directors were friendly, helpful, and always encouraging. We got to learn and experience the new culture together, as well, considering I was a part of the second semester EVER to happen with IES in Nice. Through all of the twists and turns of culture shock, my directors were there--I definitely will never be able to thank them enough for that.

As for Nice itself, the city is absolutely incredible. I was never out of things to do, see, or explore, and I honestly cannot wait to go back someday. From the food to the sea to the mountains to the convenience of having an airport just a short bus ride away, Nice is the perfect location for travel bugs.

Please, don't let recent current events discourage you from coming and experiencing this amazing city. I never once felt unsafe while there, in fact, I felt safer than being at home in most cases!

If your goal is to be immersed in your host city's culture, Siena is perfect. In larger cities, the tourist aspect can overshadow the true culture but Siena is not a big tourist town until the spring and summer so I was able to see what the city is really like. I think that I learned more Italian in Siena than I would have in a more major city because the locals were more willing to treat me as a student rather than a tourist. It is definitely a great program if you want to find an authentic Italian city.

Wow, what I would give to return to Christchurch, New Zealand. While my study abroad experience posed certain challenges like adjusting to a new uni system and living with randomly assigned flatmates, the positives of the whole experience definitely outweighed the negatives. The city of Christchurch was exactly what I desired out of a host city: the city itself felt small and manageable enough that I could get to know its nooks and crannies, yet it was large enough to be the main transportation hub of the South Island which made air and bus travel easy to arrange. If you desire to really get to know your host city as well as travel frequently around your host country, Christchurch could be the perfect home base for your study abroad!
Speaking on the IES program in particular, I felt so cared for from the moment I stepped off the plane in Christchurch in February to when I boarded the plane for the States in June. Eunice is the absolute best – she genuinely cares about each of her students as individuals. From planning an orientation that immersed us both in the culture of Christchurch and took us on a field trip to ensuring there was always an allergen-free cake at our IES meetings to organizing our budget-friendly field trip to Rarotonga to meeting with all of us one-on-one at the beginning and end of the semester, Eunice was both our Kiwi mother and first Kiwi friend. In my last couple days in New Zealand I unfortunately had a run-in with a bus while crossing the street, landing me in the hospital for an evening. Eunice made time in her busy schedule to meet with me several times, ensuring I knew what steps to take with the insurance company if necessary as well as making sure Air New Zealand provided me with a comfortable passage back to the States at the end of the program. No matter what situation you find yourself in, Eunice will take care of you!
My critiques for the program are minimal, but are important to acknowledge. Firstly, you are not permitted to drive during your time abroad under IES policy. Before arriving in New Zealand I did not think this would be a big deal, but in trying to get to smaller destinations around the country this restriction complicated travel quite a bit. This brings me to my second critique: unless you elect to independently find housing and are approved to do so by IES, you will be housed in Ilam Apartments at the University of Canterbury. While there is nothing wrong with the complex, it is traditionally where all the international and study abroad students attending the university are housed. My flat consisted of four girls from the States and one from Malaysia. So, if you want to befriend local students, you will have to be bold and venture out from Ilam. Overall though, I would highly recommend studying abroad with IES to Christchurch!

Spending my spring semester at University of Sydney with IES was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Going through IES provided me with amazing housing, support, trips, and much more that I wouldn’t have had without IES (my friends from other programs were so jealous of what we had!). Our program directors were extremely kind, welcoming, and helpful with everything from getting comfortable in Sydney to planning trips to medical help. With the program we got to snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef, explore the rainforest, hike, eat amazing food, learn to surf, and so much more. Having the support and comfort of IES made the transition to Sydney so easy, and I really felt at home. The classes I took at Uni were some of my favorite classes I’ve ever taken, and I had so much fun. I feel so lucky to have experienced all that I did, and I’ll always look back fondly at my adventures abroad with IES.

I studied in Barcelona, Spain with IES Abroad during the Spring 2016 semester. I chose to intern and study abroad throughout my time in Barcelona, which is a decision I highly recommend. My internship was at a children's teaching hospital, which was an extremely rewarding experience, despite being pretty emotional. If you're interested in having an internship while abroad, you should plan on having much less of a social life than other students who are also studying in Barcelona. Barcelona is known for its nightlife (amongst many other things), and students in IES seemed to go out 3-5 times a week. I was lucky if I went out twice in a week, because internships take up about 8-10 hours of your time every week (on top of being a student) and at IES you DO actually need to study. The academics were a little more difficult than I anticipated, but the teachers and advisors were helpful and approachable whenever I had issues or questions. If exploring new cultures and getting out of your comfort zone excites you, you should definitely study with IES Abroad in Barcelona.

I was lucky enough to be placed with a fantastic host family, and have the opportunity to volunteer as a soccer coach with a very dedicated team of women. I was very fortunate - more fortunate than many of my friends, several of whom were on the coast of Ecuador during the earthquake of April, 2016 - in that I never had any major negative experiences. Additionally, I was one of the very few who did not get pick-pocketed, or catcalled (I was one of the few men in the program - about 20/25 were women). Their experiences made me think about race and gender (and natural disasters) in a way I really hadn’t before. For myself, I found Quito very easy to navigate, had an overall great experience interacting with Ecuadorians, and would 10/10 recommend the program!

I’m sure you’ve thought, “If only I weren’t so busy, I’d [insert activity]!” That activity might be a personal project, travel, or just taking some time to relax and read a good book. My study abroad in Quito, Ecuador, certainly kept me busy. But after a few weeks, I realized just how much stuff I had worked into my university life back in the US, from clubs, to classes, to my social ‘responsibilities’. In Ecuador, I got the rare opportunity to step out of my normal routine, to pick and choose the activities about which I felt passionate enough to keep, and discard those which, I realized, weighed me down. Through this process, I created time to pursue activities such as those from the first sentence, activities which we’ve all thought about, but not necessarily followed through on.

The quintessential components of my study abroad experience - traveling around a new country and speaking a new language; living with a new family; and taking classes introducing a new perspective - were all engaging and thought-provoking. Many of my fellow reviewers have commented that one or all of these were instrumental in re-shaping their world view. But one of the most understated aspects of study abroad is the student’s ability to fashion new habits and re-prioritize responsibilities to more-accurately reflect passion and commitment. Developing both a fresh outlook and fresh habits during time in Quito made me feel as though I truly did get the most out of my study abroad experience.