Program Reviews

IFSA staff at Lima, Peru was super friendly and helped me with all of my questions regarding academics, health, good places to visit/eat, safety, how to use the public transportation, and etc. I loved how intentional each programming was, focusing on different aspects of the local culture, such as sustainability, history of Peru, and different social issues, such as racism, gender inequality, education, and etc. All the friends that I've met during this semester were great, and we still keep in touch even today.

My experience was unique as I had the opportunity to immerse myself in the local community through playing pick up soccer and joining the USAL women's soccer team. This enabled me to learn about the culture and the people through playing. It was also a great opportunity to improve my Spanish. The ability to take classes at multiple universities offered me a very diverse academic experience as well which I am very grateful for. I also had the opportunity to live with a host family where I had homemade Argentine meals every night and learned about their culture through speaking Spanish. I had the opportunity to travel throughout Argentina as well and explore the vineyards in Mendoza and the mountains in Patagonia.

IFSA provided the support I needed in transitioning abroad. It was my first time out of the US, and IFSA was able to help me establish routine, comfort, and independence. I had so much fun abroad, and this was largely due to IFSA's excursions, recommendations, and safety measurements that helped me feel brave enough to adventure in small groups or even on my own. if I could go back abroad with IFSA I would in a heartbeat.
If you're looking for an incredible opportunity to make abroad your own unique experience, IFSA is the program for you. They will offer any level of support and their staff are kind, encouraging, and a whole lot of fun!

As a Spanish language learner and someone who had only been to Puerto Rico and Costa Rica for beach vacations with family, my five months in Chile was astounding. I loved upping my Spanish and I felt like I could have spent another semester on this study abroad program. I enjoyed the classes I took at Universidad Catolica in Santiago, but I loved the people, the hiking and the city-exploring even more. My host family was welcoming and always helping me find my way through the new environment and experiences. The gorgeous views were really the images that stuck with me. On sunny clear days, walking to the metro, I could see the Andes in the distance. I went on hikes almost weekly with other international students. It was always worth it to make time to hike and there were a variety of trails right outside the city. We would go to cafes and bars find green spaces to study or just hang out in the city. The public transportation was really useful.

IFSA helped me to connect with an after-school program, and volunteering there was one of the most impactful experiences I have ever had. Working with Chilean students of all ages was fun and rewarding, and I knew I was making a difference in the kids' lives.

The trips I got to take outside Santiago were also amazing. I recommend Valparaiso, the Atacama Desert, and La Campana.

I had an amazing time at the University of Oxford and would highly recommend the program to anyone looking for an academically rigorous and exciting abroad experience. I grew a lot as a writer because of the close attention my tutors gave to my papers, and the one-on-one tutorials pushed me to come in each week with ideas and research that I was proud of and ready to discuss. With the many amazing libraries at Oxford, I had access to a wide variety of resources for researching topics. I studied at Mansfield College, and I almost instantly felt fully immersed in the college community because everyone was so friendly, accepting, and welcoming. Oxford was definitely challenging in a number of ways, but the academic system and the independence of living on my own in a new city helped me to grow as a student and learn a lot about myself as a person. Before going abroad, I had never left the United States, so I really appreciated that my IFSA advisor abroad, Andrew, picked me up from Heathrow and took me to my hotel. Throughout the year, Andrew would take the train from London to visit the IFSA students studying in Oxford. I took six English tutorials while at Oxford and went back to my home university, Kenyon College, with more credits than I would have had if I hadn’t studied abroad! For the English major at Kenyon, we are required to take classes in various time periods, and I was able to complete all of these requirements with my tutorials. I also had the opportunity to take fun and niche subjects that had not been offered at my college back in the states, such as Fairytale, Fantasy, & Myth and Classical Reception in the Modern American Novel. The experience was amazing beyond academics, too, and I am so grateful for the friendships I formed with other students at Mansfield College. I would give anything to go back and relive IFSA’s Oxford program over and over again!

It was a dream to take classes at Oxford for a year. The city is beautiful, the classes were challenging, the people were inspiring. I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in studying abroad in England. IFSA gave me so much support, both before I left and while I was abroad. They really care about their students' success. I found their support to be most helpful during the visa application phase; the paperwork can get pretty overwhelming, but the IFSA team was there to answer all of my questions and guide me through the process. I also really appreciated all of the activities the in-country team hosted for all of their students. Those were a lot of fun, and I met some of my closest friends abroad through IFSA.

I would recommend studying abroad in India for anyone who thinks their future academic work relates to it. It's a very different society, and definitely challenging in a lot of ways. While the program should have been supportive and understanding, they were actually the source of all my problems. I would describe the staff as unforgiving, unsupportive, and unaccommodating. You don't get any sick days. If you're sick, you have to suck it up and go to class, which starts at 8 and goes until 6 pm. You are treated like a child. The academics are a joke. No one cares. You have packed days where they try to prevent you from seeing India. You are trapped in a horrible classroom, squirreled away from all the other students and people your age. A few of the teachers are incredibly kind. The Hindi teacher they have is abusive and cruel. The resident staff is the opposite of understanding, especially if you're brown. If you can pass as India, expect a double standard at every turn. God. What a waste of time, energy, and money. I wish I had just lived in India off of grant money!!

While I was abroad I participated in an internship course at University of Sydney. My internship was in an ecology research lab on campus that worked with wallabies,
ringtail possums, and bush rats. It was a very relaxed setting and I really enjoyed helping different PhD or Honors students with their projects and field work excursions. I worked around 10 hours a week and I am really glad I was able to participate in this unique global work experience. The internship opportunity was what drew me to IFSA and I am really glad I chose to study abroad with them. There are many different internship placements for students and some of friends studying business were able to intern at various companies in Sydney. No matter what you are studying, there is an internship or research position available for you.

I absolutely loved my semester abroad at Stranmillis University College in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Even though it was a year ago I still talk about it every day and talk to the people from my program every day. I loved the city of Belfast, it had lots to do including shopping, food, markets, pubs, a museum all only about a 30 minute walk from the campus. I always felt very safe and the city has great, simple transportation including taxis and buses. I am an Elementary Education major so loved the opportunity to be a student at a primarily education major college and learn about education from a different perspective. IFSA and Stranmillis staff were so kind, welcoming and helpful. IFSA staff was always available for any type of query and they organized cultural immersion excursions for us. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to go abroad with IFSA to Belfast. I learned and grew so much as a person as a result of this experience.

Studying in Edinburgh with IFSA was the best decision I've ever made. I absolutely loved living in this beautiful city - every single street looks like it came straight out of a storybook. I woke up every morning simply happy that I chose to study in such a unique and amazing place.

Not only was Edinburgh incredible, but I also loved living in Scotland as a whole. Some of my favorite memories was listening to live Celtic music in pubs and learning how to Ceilidh dance with amazing friends that I had met!

One of the best parts of studying abroad with IFSA was how well organized it was and the trips included in the program. IFSA gave us the perfect amount of assistance. There was never a moment when I was unsure what was going on, and even if there was, I knew the IFSA staff was there to answer any questions I had. As for the trips, we went on three weekend adventures - to the Argyll Forest where we kayaked and rock scrambled, on a homestay weekend where we stayed with a Scottish host family, and lastly, to the Isle of Skye where we hiked to the Old Man of Storr.

I really hope to go back to Edinburgh one day - truly became my home away from home! I would choose this program all over again in a heartbeat!