Program Reviews

I would highly recommend studying abroad with IFSA Butler in Wellington, New Zealand. The IFSA staff is incredibly supportive. Wellington is a fun, lively city surrounded by beautiful places to visit/hike/camp. I lived in international student housing with a girl from South Korea and a girl from Italy, right next door to some of my best friends from the IFSA program, which was great. Overall, I had a fantastic time abroad in New Zealand!

If you're questioning whether or not to study abroad, the answer is DO IT. From the moment I arrived in New Zealand, I was in love. The nature was absolutely incredible, from the unbelievably clear, blue water in the lakes and oceans to the jagged, glacier-ridden mountain peaks, to the endless, green rolling hills covered in sheep! University of Otago was the perfect location to explore South Island, as there were endless amazing hikes and landscapes within four hours drive away. I spent almost every weekend going on backpacking trips around the island, and over the mid-semester break, some friends and I took a 10 day roadtrip all over South Island. There was also a ton to do in Dunedin itself. Living in North Dunedin, there were amazing hikes within half an hour's walk away, and downtown, filled with bars and restaurants, was only a fifteen minute walk away. There were always parties going on nearby, but unless the party was in your flat, the flats themselves were pretty sheltered from the noise. My flat was a bit cramped and damp, but hey, I didn't go to New Zealand for the housing. My flatmates were cool and it worked out fine! Compared to the amount of schoolwork I'm used to doing at my school in the US, classes at University of Otago felt like a breeze... until finals period. Most of your grade is based on final projects or tests given at the end of the semester, which meant that I ended up cramming a semester's worth of information into my brain in the span of 2 weeks. This worked out GREAT for having time to get out and explore New Zealand, but it put more pressure on me to make sure that I knew and understood what I needed to. The IFSA-Butler team was always there if you had a question or needed support, and they provided many fun and interesting activities as part of the program, such as exploring a castle or taking an overnight boat trip! I met a ton of amazing people through my program, and we still keep in touch! I grew so much in so many different areas of my life, and gained valuable life skills that will help me in my future endeavors. Studying abroad even changed my life plans to include more time abroad, and I feel more confident in myself to be able to do what I want to do because of my experience in New Zealand. It was the best time of my life, and I miss it so much that I'm applying to study abroad with IFSA again next year! Studying abroad was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I hope you make the same decision too!

I learned so much from this experience abroad. I learned about myself as well as New Zealand and the States. I learned about the New Zealand night sky as well as quite a bit about the political system (perks of being there during the election season!) I learned about myself and my values since I needed to be aware of so much more than normal. I learned about New Zealand culture as well as other cultures such as those in European countries. More than just conventional New Zealand (or pākeha) culture, I also learned a lot about Māori culture, language, history, myths, and so much more! So yes, it was most definitely worthwhile!

I absolutely loved this experience! You have a ton of freedom, as well as any support you need should you ask for it. The campus and area are totally safe, but it is a party school as well as a fantastic area for skiiing/snowboarding/surfing - accidents can happen if you aren't careful. Regardless, the IFSA staff were there and always happy to help with anything I needed or even just talk. Highly recommended!

I was a part of the IFSA program at UNA from July 14 to November 14 of 2017. I honestly could not have asked for a better experience. The support offered by the program is phenomenal. There are three full time staff members dedicated solely to this exchange program at the University, and they honestly care about your well being and how you are handling both the cultural and academic pressures of being abroad. You get to know them very well as they are heavily involved in the program, the program director was pretty much a father figure to all of us! The classes at the University are challenging but very manageable in both requirements and time commitment. The host families used by the program are screened intensively, and if a student has a bad experience with one they are not used for the program again. My host family was absolutely lovely and really made me feel like a part of they family, including me in trips and family events such as Mother's Day! It has been almost a year now and we still keep in constant contact and I am planning a visit back to see them! I also had the opportunity to make many local friends who showed me around the city and its nightlife and whom I still keep in touch with! All of this is in addition to being able to explore all that Costa Rica had to offer, I was able to visit a new town or park almost every weekend! The program itself also runs a few trips to help show you the country! Not to mention, that through the total immersion offered by the program my Spanish got a 100 % better! I can legitimately call myself fluent now! Honestly, it was the semester of a lifetime and an experience I will definitely never forget.

Costa Rica is a really diverse place and I felt like it is a good place to go if you're a person of color because you blend in and the students at the National University are super friendly. I'm also latinx, and there was a lot of camraderie between me and the local students when we found common ground. The UNA is also known for having a lot of international exchange students so they have a great sense on how to make accomodations for you whether it be through IFSA or the greater university as a whole.

Spending a semester in Dunedin through IFSA was wonderful. They take care of the housing through UniFlats so you are placed with other study abroad students who aren't necessarily through IFSA, as well as a Kiwi host. The Kiwi host is a student who attends the University of Otago, and is incredibly helpful in navigating the social and academic scene. My flatmates were amazing, I was able to meet some incredible people, and go on outstanding adventures. Many issues that other friends had with their study abroad experiences were not issues for me at Otago in Dunedin. I loved having a program that supported me, and I loved the staff. When reached out to, I found them to be very helpful; otherwise they stayed out of the lives of the students.

The staff were the best program coordinators of any program I have ever completed in my entire life. They were friendly, helpful, and very personable. There were multiple excursion led by the IFSA program built into the cost of the program, and they were super well-planned and enjoyable. I had plenty of time to travel Europe and explore so many different places and cultures while also enjoying my host country and school. I could not have asked for a more perfect program in every way.

Studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It is a world class university with amazing lecturers and a challenging courseload. I met my lifelong friends on my program and I’m planning on visiting them across the country this summer. The on site support was amazing, especially since I was dealing with some unexpected health problems while abroad. I changed so much while abroad and my academic understanding improved immensely. One of my favorite memories was going to a parliament session and getting to hear the First Minister speak. As someone studying International Relations and Political Science, this was an amazing experience for me. I am so glad I joined a bunch of societies that gave me this opportunity because it made my experience even more amazing. Additionally, I was able to travel all over Europe with my close friends. Overall, I wouldn’t change my experience for the world and I’m planning on returning to the University of Edinburgh for graduate school.

University College Cork was an exciting place to be for those who study abroad for the social scene or to interact with people from a different culture. The housing situation widely varies; however, don't count out your housing situation at first glance, it may end up working out better than you expect! For example, I was housed in an older townhouse with seven other study abroad students, which I found overwhelming and challenging at first, yet this ended up being the perfect opportunity to learn how to be more outgoing.