Program Reviews

I spent my junior year abroad with ISA. While in Seville, I took the 2-Week intensive course at the ISA study center, and two semesters at the Universidad de Sevilla. The intensive course at ISA was rigorous but worth it. The professor was incredible, and the content was beyond valuable. Additionally, arriving two weeks early gave me extra time to acclimate to the city of Seville and make new friends. When starting at the University of Seville, I was surprised to find that the professors were flexible with our language abilities, understanding of our personal time, and attentive to us as students. All of my courses from the University of Seville were valuable and transferred directly to my home university.

For housing, I spent the first semester in a host family, and the second semester in the ISA residencia. I am grateful to have lived with a host family first semester, as it paid huge dividends in my speaking abilities and was convenient for meals. However, living at the residencia was at times more comfortable and allowed for more connection with other students. I would recommend any abroad student to stay with a host family if they only have one semester!

I would recommend Seville over just about any other city in Spain, as it is an extremely safe, tight-knit community. The streets are steeped in culture, and the nightlife is unmatched. I miss it daily!

Overall, my experience with ISA was positive and highly recommended! ISA was definitely the most organized staff I worked with. Compared to my friends in other programs, ISA provided great personal support and planning.

As a graduate student of social work and pastoral ministry with interests in community development, I researched a number of internship placements in a number of international settings. I soon found ISA/TEAN's wide array of opportunities. After some initial applications, their admission staff connected me with their Service-Learning program which allowed me to specialize in nonprofit work. What particularly struck me about ISA's programs in general was the amount of logistical support they lent me leading up to, during, and after my internship program. ISA/TEAN has a friendly, caring staff across the globe ready to support students. Through organized conversations, Zoom meetings, and micro-credential courses, ISA/TEAN gave me ample opportunities to reflect on my experience abroad—allowing me to approach my experience intentionally and informatively.

Valencia was an amazing city to study abroad in. It truly is so easy to navigate, and you have the chance to immerse yourself in a culture immediately. There are always random festivals to go check out, and there are many international students. There are many opportunities where you can practice your Spanish with people at coffee shops or even meet people from different countries! A great city overall! Additionally, the airport is convenient to get to when going on those international trips! :)

I was so incredibly nervous to try something new, and studying in a foreign country is about as "new" as you can get. I worked so hard to be able to enjoy my time in Madrid, and it was the best decision I have ever made. I got to travel to a different country or city in Spain every weekend because of my class schedule. My classes weren't incredibly stressful and the professors were lovely. It was so interesting to be taught by a person from outside of the US and to learn outside perspectives as well. I had a lovely apartment in the center of Madrid. I had 10 roommates, some from America, some from Spain, and even from Puerto Rico, but they were all students and it was so much fun living with other young people from different places. The food was remarkable and I would honestly chop off my right arm in order to have some again right now. The support I got from ISA was unbelievable. I had to go to the hospital once for a general problem/sickness and ask for the address from ISA, but Carlos from the ISA Madrid office followed up with me for a few days following my visit and truly cared about how I was doing. It made my experience that much more wonderful and made me feel so much more safe than I already had. I have made lifelong friends and memories that I will never forget. ISA is the program you should go with if you are deciding between two different programs, they'll take care of you.

Studying abroad with ISA was the best thing I ever did for myself! I had so much fun and got to meet so many amazing people, all while furthering my education. My classes were interesting and developmental, but still allowed me plenty of time to explore the city and travel to many other countries. The ISA staff was so helpful whenever I needed answers to questions or simply just support in stressful times. I miss my program directors already! Doing this program helped me to grow so much as a person through so many new experiences. Cultural immersion is an invaluable form of education that can’t quite be replicated in a classroom. I wish I could study abroad over and over again!

Studying abroad even for only 3 weeks with ISA was such a good experience. I was able to see so many sights in Barcelona and meet some amazing people. The program offered a trip to Valencia and Peñíscola that was included in the price of the program which was an unexpected surprise. I ate the most delicious food and had the best time on my trip to Barcelona with ISA. I was even able to use my study abroad experience to kickstart my travels throughout Europe once my program was over. This program and my time in Barcelona changed my life, I can't wait to go back and visit again.

Before I studied abroad, I didn’t really understand why everyone who had before loved it so much. My 2 week program took place in Salamanca, Spain and I stayed with a home stay. I absolutely loved the city; it was safe, beautiful, clean, full of history, and overall incredible. The ISA staff on site was so incredibly helpful with everything, and my host abuela was so welcoming and loving. I had not a single complaint throughout the whole program. Now I really understand why students love studying abroad!

I studied abroad in Lille, France for one month. It was not without difficulties, but it was the best month of my life! I have dreamed of going to France since I was a little girl, and this exceeded my expectations. ISA was a program that helped me achieve this dream and guided me every step of the way. In Lille and the neighboring cities, I was able to see so much history and art, not only by myself, but also in one of my courses called World Class Museums. I had a French course which challenged me, but the teacher was very kind and understanding, and made the class fun to attend!

Studying abroad was an exhilarating and eye-opening experience. It brought on many trials, but I am proud of overcoming my hesitations and facing them head-on. I benefitted from international travel by learning to become more independent and self-reliant. I’ve commuted to college every year, so it was my first time living away from home. It challenged me to be more decisive and outgoing. Because of this, I made great relationships and became more self-assured. Even navigating public transportation helped me to be more vigilant and mindful.

Although I saw significant self-improvement, other aspects caused some difficulties. Before going to London, I had frequent contact with ISA to ensure I would have consistent therapy and someone to administer my allergy shots. I was confident and felt at ease knowing there would be support for my mental health and physical health. However, there were complications with my therapy and shots, which hindered me from receiving treatment until the end of the semester. Ultimately, I advise incoming study abroad students to ensure specific measures are in place before traveling to their designated country. Hence, they are guaranteed support for their mental and physical health.

Despite these setbacks, I am thankful for my experience studying abroad and the chance to live in London. The city is full of activities and opportunities, so I encourage students to fully immerse themselves in the culture and meet people from different backgrounds. It broadens your perspective and truly changes your life!

Words don't do it justice. Life-changing. Truly. I feel like I am an entirely different person from who I was before studying abroad. It was perfect down to every last detail. To be honest I didn't even do any extensive research on Granada or the program prior to going, I just was sure that I wanted to study abroad somewhere. In fact, not a single other person from my university was going to Granada, so I knew zero people going into the program. Naturally, I tend to go quiet in social situations, so I knew this new environment could be a challenge. Instead of falling into my old ways, I made a daily effort to push myself to meet new people and be more gregarious. This was the root of my growth, and it was massively facilitated by the staff of ISA Granada. Not only were my hosts passionate and welcoming, but the ISA staff organized dozens of events to help involve us students. The three coordinators, Angel, Marisa, and Lorena, made it abundantly clear to us that not only were they there for our every need, but they really cared about us individually. They were curious to hear how we were enjoying our experience and keen to suggest ideas for us based on our interests. My school held a pre-study abroad conference in the winter before I left, and when one of the coordinators asked me where I was going and who I was studying abroad through, the response was incredible. I told her ISA Granada, and her face lit up with excitement for me. She was elated to tell me how amazing ISA was and how much I had to look forward to. She did not exaggerate in the slightest. I hope that this review can serve to others as she did to me, encouraging you to study abroad with ISA, and be excited to do so. You will be so happy you did.