Program Reviews

I absolutely adored my time in Limerick. The university is a wonderful, fun, gorgeous place. The accommodation is clean and very comfortable and integrates you with Irish students - which is such a huge positive! IFSA-Butler provides great support before, during, and even after the program. I actually went back to Ireland a few years later and needed to leave my luggage in Dublin for a day and they let me use their office! The trips they took us on were fun and educational and a great opportunity to meet others.

Studying abroad with a provider like ISA is great for students who need that little extra boost of support to get abroad. Their staff is lovely and kind and want to make you feel like you're at home and comfortable.

COURSES: Take classes that are fun and exciting that you wouldn't be able to get at your home campus. I studied Cultural Psychology, Gardens of Love, Italian Language, and Wine Appreciation. Yes, all of them transferred back to my home campus at BHSU with a little creativity!

EXPLORE: Purchasing a bicycle was the best way for me to experience as much of Florence as I could. I was able to seek out the roads less traveled on the outskirts of the city center. This is also an important hobby to me back home, so it was an important way for me to feel like I could enjoy my hobbies, get outside of the city center, and work off all that food I was eating.

HOMESTAYS: Although you will make life-long friends with the other American students, try to avoid spending all your time with other study abroad students in your program. It is important to step outside your comfort zone and meet local friends. They will be the ones to help you grow in your language abilities, experience true cultural activities, and enjoy some of the best local eats. Homestays are the perfect way to set yourself up for success. Some of my best memories were at my home with my Italian family.

SAFETY: Florence is a superb city for safety and wellness as a first-time independent traveler. Just be sure to watch your alcohol intake and be responsible. Many of the new students want to enjoy drinking legally for the first time, and it was a little scary to see some of the situations intoxicated students put themselves in. It's always important to be alert and cognizant. Also, remember that as visitors, we are ambassadors of our home countries. Represent yourself and your country well.

FOOD: The food scene is absolutely incredible. I ate and learned to cook some of the best food of my life in Florence. Regional ingredients based on history and geography of the people is such an important aspect to understanding culture. Parmesan, pesto, chianti, fresh olive oil, prosciutto, truffles, balsamic... are you kidding me?!?!

My semester in Athens, Greece was the best time of my life. It is a beautiful country that has everything you could imagine, from the snow covered mountains, to the sandy beaches, to the bustling city, and ancient ruins around every corner. My favorite thing to learn about in history class was always the Greek gods and goddesses, so visiting their ancient temples was like an out of world experience for me. My ISA advisors were some of the kindest people I know and made a real effort to expose the students to their culture. The food was incredible and I could probably eat gyros for the rest of my life. My classes was a great mix of American and Greek students, where we could often debate about our ways of life. The thing I will value the most is the lifelong friendships that I have made. I still talk to my friends often and meeting them gives me a new excuse to travel more often to see them.

Studying abroad ignited my hunger and passion for traveling, and it is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life! While studying in Seville, Spain for a semester with ISA I made new friends that I connected with, traveled with, and am still in contact with. Studying abroad for a semester allowed me to travel around Europe and to Africa for a total of 9 countries! The classes that I took at the University of Seville, a historic and enchanting building, were fun and challenging. I had the opportunity to practice my Spanish in my classes, with my host mom, with ISA staff, at the store, at restaurants, and with local friends I made. My host mom was amazing and a fantastic cook! My roommate was very friendly, and we each had our own room. I always felt safe, comfortable, and welcome in my house though at times the temperature was a bit different than I would have preferred (air/heating is not used as frequently to save energy). I was very happy with my choice to study in Seville because it was big enough to have lots of options for restaurants, activities, and modes of transportation, but I did not feel that it was unsafe or I was overwhelmed by the size at all. It was also very sunny in Seville, something I couldn't get enough of! I was also very satisfied with my choice to study abroad with ISA! They were very helpful and offered insightful information throughout all stages of the program. The staff on site were incredibly personable and made the excursions a lot of fun! I would definitely consider traveling with them again!

I would not change anything about my abroad experience. ISA was such an all inclusive program in which I felt fully immersed and had plenty of freedom while also having continuous support and guidance. I learned so much through the included excursions and cultural experiences offered frequently and when deciding to travel and explore on my own, was given plenty of recommendations and advice upon asking. Not to mention, Madrid is the most beautiful, incredible city ever full of so much diversity.

Sevilla is my new home away from home. When I started looking at study abroad programs I had no idea where to start. I have studied Spanish at school so I thought Spain might be cool. I looked at different cities and didn't think I would fit in bigger places like Madrid or Barcelona. I saw a picture of Seville and knew I had to go there. Every step you take into Sevilla has something new and beautiful to look at. I was completely exposed to a new culture and loved it. Because I was being exposed to so many new experiences, I was forced to become a more flexible. When I went to class none of my professors spoke English so I was immediately forced into Spanish. This was just what I needed to fully emerge myself into the language. I now feel more confident and have a more positive outlook on new experiences. Being in Sevilla changed my life and I can't wait to go back.

I was so excited to be going and spending a summer in a new country, improving my Spanish and adding some new skills to my resume. However, the internship I was placed in had almost no relation to any of my future career goals or my academic track. I was assured that my offer would be perfect for me when I expressed skepticism but trusted ISA and accepted the position nonetheless. This was a mistake as I picked up zero new skills from my internship and was bored most of the time because I completed tasks too quickly. Many of my friends were also disappointed in their internship assignment whether it was a bad placement, weird hours, or that it was an hour train out of the city. The housing they provide is subpar, not terrible it was livable but they could do a much better job when screening their host families. My host family made fun of my roommate almost every day because she struggled with Spanish.

Valencia was an incredible city and the friends I made were incredible and I cherish the adventures we shared. But the summer was not worth even half of what I paid for it. I don’t even list it on my resume unless I have extra room to fill in extra activities. I was extremely disappointed in the lack of support and activities from ISA as well. I recommend you spend a summer in Valencia but do NOT go through ISA if you do.

Growing up, my family and I never got the chance to travel other than the occasional trip to Kansas City for a softball tournament and Wisconsin Dells when I was 12. Being from South Dakota, a very rural state lacking in excitement and diversity, I wanted to explore the world while improving my Spanish language skills. ISA granted me the perfect opportunity to do so. The size of Salamanca was perfect. Not nearly as chaotic and overwhelming as Madrid, but far from being as dry as my college town. For starters, the staff at ISA are excellent at communicating and responding to every concern and question you may have about your trip abroad. Their website presents hundreds of programs in over 69 different countries so you will definitely be able to find one that works for you! My trip abroad included excursions to Portugal, Sevilla, Segovia, Madrid, and Toledo, along with an optional trip to Morocco, which I endured of course. I rode camels and ATVs through the Sahara desert, took a tram up the Swiss Alps, and ate one too many tapas, all while growing my Spanish speaking abilities! I also made lifelong friends who I still stay in contact with to this day! Thank you ISA :)

If you are trying to decide which studying abroad program to use definitely use ISA. They plan many cultural and transitional excursions and activities while you are in Paris, which I found beneficial! If you are trying to decide which city to study in go to Paris, I think you will be surprised with this city. Paris is not a big “busy” city like New York. Everybody is much more relaxed and moves at a slower place which makes it much less intimidating. All of the little neighborhoods within the city are very charming and quaint. Additionally, it’s a very good city to leave from to travel to other places because Charles de Gaulle Airport is so big. Overall I would definitely recommend using ISA Paris! You will be amazed with how welcoming they are and how amazing France is!

My title is what the crowd chanted throughout the soccer game. I had such an amazing time in Sevilla. I walked past La Plaza de Espana and Maria Park daily. I could walk everywhere I needed/wanted to go in Sevilla within an hour. I loved walking down every street and hearing about the tales of the city. The staff were so caring and considerate. If I needed anything, they were there to help me. I can not imagine living anywhere else. I was able to visit multiple countries and cities (Portugal, Morocco, Italy, England, and Ireland). I learned so much from the classes and my Spanish improved amazingly beause of my classes and my host family. The food in Sevilla is outstanding. My favorite memory will be going to a soccer game, everyone felt so united .