Program Reviews

NZ was a dream, and I still can't believe it happened. IFSA really made it the awesome experience that it was with the amazing excursions and incredibly nice, helpful staff. People from other programs were always jealous to hear about all the things we were doing and how responsive our student coordinator was, and I felt bad that they didn't have as great a support system as we did. It was such an awesome semester, and I hope to go back someday (and I know I can reach out to the IFSA NZ staff members when I do)!

IFSA Butler is a great program for those who want freedom while they are abroad, but still have some planned fun. The London staff are very friendly, and want to help you when you are in need of assistance or advice. However, this semester the communication between Cardiff and myself was disrupted by IFSA being the "middle-man". I hardly received any of the emails I was supposed to from Cardiff so I really didn't have a whole lot of information about what I was supposed to do once I got here. Their communication on my behalf to Cardiff at first was great, but right now I am having an issue with the lack of communication to Cardiff about my housing arrangement past Christmas even though my plans were set to stay beyond that all along.

Coming to the University of Westminster was a real pleasure. IFSA- Butler provided me with all the support and advice that I needed to be successful during my semester abroad. As a part of the program i got to go to Wales, as well as many day trips both inside and outside of London. They also sent us monthly newsletters with great tips on places to go in the UK and in Europe. It was a great experience.

IFSA-Butler was so helpful, it made my first experience abroad flawless! The staff is supportive, helpful, and compassionate. Plus, the freebies of an adventure weekend, day trips, and tea times were great. I really enjoyed UCL, it's a lot like a large, public institution in the states (Go CATS!). Words cannot describe how much I loved it!

London has everything you could ever want in a city and in life. Could I have gotten more out of it if I had more money? Of course, but it was still a great experience living in London poor. Great practice for living on my own after college - much more independence than at home.

I always knew I wanted to study abroad, but I really had no idea how incredible the experience actually is. During my time at the University of Edinburgh, I made lifelong friends, explored places in Scotland and Europe as a whole, learned a lot, and gained the ability to truly call someplace my second home. I did not want to leave, and my only regret is the fact that I went for just a semester and not the entire year. Edinburgh is, in my opinion, the perfect city. It's small enough that by the end of your time there, you can actually feel as if you know it inside and out. There's a mix of culture and history and nature, tons of amazing restaurants, museums, bars, and other venues. The people are ridiculously friendly and though whenever I told someone I was going to Scotland they commented about the weather, I really came to like it. IFSA-Butler was an amazing resource, with welcoming and accessible program directors. I particularly loved the various weekend excursions they offer (if you have the chance to go to the Isle of Skye, do it) as well as the homestay weekend, which allowed me to see part of the Lake District. Overall studying abroad was, as the review headline suggests, absolutely the best decision I've ever made.

I did the Intensive Chinese Language summer programme in Shanghai, and my Chinese language ability advanced more in two months than it had in a year of studying Chinese at my college in the U.S. The programme is designed perfectly for students to learn a lot of Chinese in a short period of time: daily Chinese classes, fantastic teachers, a language pledge, a Chinese homestay family, living in China!!! From discussing Chinese culture with my teachers to telling my homestay family about South African politics (I'm from South Africa), all done in Chinese, not only my language ability but also my confidence to tackle complex conversations grew immensely. I would recommend this programme to anyone who wants to learn as much Chinese as possible in a few months, as well as learning a lot about Chinese culture and society and living in a different country.

I had the most amazing time in India on this program. Though everything was not perfect, it was a great experience to learn how to handle situations on my own and learn a lot about myself. It was definitely hard being in India since it is such a different environment from what I am used to. But it was also the beset decision I ever made. I loved my host family and the others that were in my program, they made my experience so great. I got to learn so much while I was there especially outside the classroom and got to meet such great people in Pune.
Though it was very difficult at times I have no regrets with my decisions.

The program organized a scavenger hunt around London when we first arrived. It was a great way to meet new people as well as exploring the city. My group found the most places and won tickets to see Les Miserables.

I love the beach, but every once in awhile, I enjoy an adventure deeper in nature. While my main goal of studying abroad was to learn Spanish, going to Costa Rica also gave me the aspect of exploration that I craved from a study abroad experience. Furthermore, IFSA allowed me to enroll in courses with Costa Ricans, fully expanding my opportunity to immerse. This aspect alone makes IFSA stand out from other programs, and I'm fully aware of how incredible it was to study abroad in such a unique situation. I received personal attention from the IFSA staff to ensure my experience was going smoothly. Any bumps along the road were handled in a timely and professional manner.

The field trips included in the program price were so fun. From chocolate tours and whitewater rafting to hiking through the rainforest to the beach, the times spent with the group both strengthened the bond of the group and our knowledge of the country.

Within the program, there are “Amigos Ticos”, Costa Rican students from the same University who help you get situated during orientation and show you the lifestyle of a true tico. Having these students made settling into the semester much easier.

Overall, I was very pleased with my time in Costa Rica. I feel as if IFSA Butler deserves a lot of credit for making it all possible.