Program Reviews

During my time in Edinburgh, I thought I would just get to socialize with Scottish locals, but I was surrounded by so much more. The University of Edinburgh is a much more global school than I realized, and I found friends in people from New Zealand, Singapore, Germany, Spain, and many more countries. My favorite part was getting to speak to these people and learn more about their countries and culture, and even their views on various social topics. It was even more exciting since Scotland was new for many of them as well, so we were all in the same boat of visiting and living in an entirely new country. I was even able to travel with some of them, and we were all equally thrilled to explore the country together. Traveling both in and out of Edinburgh was such a riveting experience - learning about other people and other societies is ten times as much fun when you're immersed in it, and 20x more fun with new friends. You'll be surrounded by history, fun photo spots, and something new to try everywhere you go.

I spent my junior fall studying at the University of Otago in Dunedin through IFSA and loved every minute of it! I decided to go abroad at the last minute and knew no one else who was going to study in NZ, so I was a little nervous when I arrived in New Zealand to say the least. However, IFSA was so great in helping to handle housing and pickup from the airport, providing an orientation and monthly group excursions, and having support staff on campus and close by. Orientation was a really nice way to meet other abroad students before arriving to campus and helped me make some of my closest friends from abroad. In general, New Zealand is an incredible place that has such a rich environmental and cultural history where you can learn a lot both inside and outside the classroom. There are so many opportunities to go explore the country, whether it be through clubs, IFSA trips, or just a roadtrip with friends. Studying abroad in New Zealand was one of the best decisions of my life, so if you are debating whether or not to study abroad, please take a chance and DO IT!

This program was unique because it had a perfect balance. I felt as thought I were given all the tools to succeed, yet I also was able to learn and make mistakes and gain actual confidence and not a fabricated version of it. I had all the resources to go boldly and explore everywhere I've always wanted to go, but still know that I had a program that would have my back. They were also really focused on goals, community involvement, and professional development. It was also easy to travel anywhere in the world from Edinburgh. Edinburgh, as far as the UK is concerned, is also far less expensive. This city is walkable, and the country of Scotland as a whole has so much to explore from Glasgow, to Saint Andrews, to Loch Lomond, to the Isle of Skye to Loch Ness. IFSA will also take you there as a part of the program, which is incredible seeing as how you would have to rent a car in order to get to some of these more nature oriented places in the highlands. Those trips with my program were some of the most amazing experiences. I recommend this program to everyone.

IFSA's program, Reimagining Europe, was awesome! Not only is Prague an extremely safe and livable city, it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. I lived in a single room in a 6-person apartment in the Vinorhady neighborhood. The area was close to public transport, making going downtown really easy. This semester, the program consisted of 6 students, making for a really tight-knit group. The course workload was very conducive to my schedule of exploring both in and out of the Czech Republic. If I was ever in need of academic help, Prague College offered many resources. Outside of academics, I had a great resource in my Resident Director, Jana. As a Czech citizen, she was very helpful in making sure the group understood the social and cultural aspects of living in Prague as an American. I am waiting for the day I can return to Prague, all thanks to IFSA!

I spent the Fall semester studying in Belfast, at Stranmillis University College. I am an Elementary/Special Education major, and being able to study at a college that is dedicated specifically to teacher training was an incredible experience. I learned so many skills that I was able to use while student teaching overseas and bring back home to the States. Belfast is an incredibly safe city that is very easy to navigate, especially if you download the translink app to figure out bus routes, and the friendly taxi drivers make trips super enjoyable. The IFSA staff was also incredibly helpful, and gave great advice about things to do and places to visit. Northern Ireland is such a beautiful country, and the rain just makes everything so green! Take the advice of IFSA staff and explore outdoors!

As a sociology student, I am constantly amazed by society and the varying cultures within a community. I was able to attend classes within the university district which also presented me with the ability to meet other international students. I was able to serve a non-profit organization as a grant writer which was one of the best parts of my time in China. My internship allowed me to meet so many people from all over China and our one-week field trip to Yünnan furthered my understanding of diversity in the country. There were several cultural activities including calligraphy and martial arts classes. My time abroad couldn't have been better rounded. I was learning about social structures in China, meeting people from different walks of life, and engaging with different cuisines, music, and cultural practices which gave me a holistic understanding of Shanghai/China. The program would not have been the same without all the support of the IFSA staff and our language teachers!

My study abroad experience has fueled my desire to continue learning Mandarin and aspirations of serving communities in need, both domestically and abroad while reemphasizing the value of intercultural agility.

I am a junior physics major and thought it would be very hard to get credits while abroad, however the IFSA staff in the US and the onsite staff made it a very easy transition! I was able to obtain 2 major credits, a minor credit and a general education history credit. The classes were challenging and I was able to take classes that aren't offered at my small liberal arts college normally. I also loved my time at the University of Sydney because I stayed at an on campus residence college where I lived with Australians everyday and got to know them very well from day to day and made some of my best friends there. The campus itself was beautiful and the city was an endless adventure with something new to do every weekend. I loved this program and experience and highly recommend it to anyone interested in Australia!

The time I spent in Shanghai is an experience I will never forget for all the best reasons. The support staff was amazing and without them in those first few weeks we would have all been totally lost. They supported us when we needed it , but also didn't coddle us allowing us to explore and adjust on our own. They were absolutely amazing and I can't speak highly enough of them! The neighborhood that we lived in was wonderful and allowed s to experience Shanghai as well as practice our Chinese daily. All of the excursions really allowed me to grow closer to the other people on the program and experience so many new things. This trip introduced to some of the most amazing people and I grew so much. I would highly recommend this program if your looking for an amazing experience.

My experience in the Argentine Universities program was unique because, being a crazy language enthusiast, I wasn't satisfied with just studying Spanish. Although the program doesn't include other language classes as part of the possible course pool and the on-site staff wasn't super familiar or knowledgeable about alternative institutions or programs that students could participate in, I was able to find and enroll in a class at a local language-learning center in order stay on track with my Italian studies and was even able to find an opportunity to continue practicing Chinese while abroad. Even though I didn't get any direct assistance in the process of finding these opportunities, I had so much support not only from my IFSA advisor, but also from the director of academic program and the overall resident director who were always will to sit and talk and laugh with me about all the totally random language things that my little heart desired.
The best people -- even if they didn't have all the answers.

Also, I can't even begin to describe my love for all things food.
Bad for my health, but (metaphorically) good for my heart.

The most memorable part of my experiences at Otago was joining a laser tag team! As the only American, I was constantly surrounded by kiwi culture while doing an activity that was both fun and not too far out of my comfort zone. I think the university's clubs are a perfect way to meet people with similar interests and they really defined my experience.
I also have to recommend traveling as much as possible, across as much of NZ as you can. It really has everything for a tourist, be they nature junkies, history buffs, movie buffs, or someone just looking for the best coffee shop. The people are super friendly and always willing to point you in the right direction if you're lost, so sometimes it's very rewarding to put away Google Maps and go on an adventure!