Program Reviews

I have had a great experience so far in Wellington. Right off the bat I got to meet a lot of cool people in my program during orientation, which made the whole transition a lot easier. I've made some incredible friends here and have gotten to go on so many fun trips around New Zealand - I feel like I've seen a really good amount of this country! Of course, I have had my ups and downs (all of which your friends will be there to help you through) but I wouldn't trade my experience for anything in the world. I made the best decision in coming to Wellington and I'm already getting sad to leave my new second home. I'm living a dream right now :)

My time studying abroad with ISA in Costa Rica is still one of the highlights of my life, and it's been over five years since I was there. The ISA team was very helpful leading up to my departure, upon arrival, and throughout the three months of the program. I always felt cared for, and enjoyed interacting with the fun, on-site staff members. There were so many great people in my program, too! I've been lucky enough to stay in touch with my best friends from the program, and we've traveled all over the USA to visit each other.

Costa Rica is a fantastic country for people who want to practice Spanish, since Costa Ricans speak a very "clean," easy to understand version of the language. The only downside of studying in San Jose, rather than some of ISA's other options in Costa Rica, is that many locals speak English - and there are plenty of English-speaking students as well. It's not as immersive of an experience as a smaller town would be. Apart from that, Costa Rica is incredibly beautiful, full of outdoor activities, and easy to travel around. I'd recommend this experience to anyone!

I happened to break my ankle while studying abroad and the staff was wonderful and supportive in helping me with my situation. I had a great experience in Malaga and built lasting friendships. This experience led me to travel after college graduation and then pursue a Masters in International Education Management. I would love to go back and relive all my experiences and visit with the family that hosted me!

A few months before I graduated I was struck with the paralyzing anxiety that life as I knew it was over and I would soon be entering into a decades long career that offered no flexibility, little vacation time, and zero opportunities for me to travel ever again. Ok, so I was being a little dramatic, but regardless, in that moment I resolved to delay my career for a few short months and instead, I flew to Costa Rica the day after commencement and spent two months studying Spanish, living with a local family and traveling throughout Central America. I chose the ISA Intensive Spanish program because it was incredibly affordable and placed an emphasis on language and culture immersion, something that I value when it comes to meaningful travel experiences. The ISA Staff were very attentive and supportive of my needs but not overbearing or intrusive. Costa Rica is a great country for solo-travelers and people who want to learn Spanish. I found the culture to be very welcoming to outsiders, easy to navigate and friendly. As a female traveler, I felt safe, I felt welcome, I felt comfortable in going outside of my zone to learn new things and engage with new people.

Florianopolis, Brazil was a beautiful place to study abroad. I lived on an island in a little fishing village near the water, and I could walk to the nearest market. One day I met a fisherman who was singing "Sweet Caroline," which was rare because there weren't many people who spoke English there. The fisherman and I became good friends, and we would sit in front of his little fishing shop by the water telling stories. He would fish sometimes, and tell the most extravagant stories I had ever heard. I learned so much from this man, and would have never met him if I hadn't traveled to Brazil. That is one of the best things about studying abroad; you get to meet amazing people and learn from them things that you would never learn in your own country.

I participated at Konkuk University and it was amazing! First of all, the korean people make you feel welcome (which I think is one of the most important reasons to travel to a place). They are really kind and helped me a lot even though I didn't understand Korean much. Second, Konkuk University is one of the hub places for young people to hang out, because of the food, shops and things to do. Third, the food was amazing. I didn't know I liked spicy food that much but Korean food is just awesome. Fourth, the classes I attended really helped me understand the Korean culture much better. However, it was hard for me to get a decent mobile plan. I chose Pocket Wifi Korea and had a great time with the pocket wifi system. I'm not sure what other data plans people use but I feel this is a great choice!

I am sure this only happens to a small amount of student travelers but everyone should know what happens if you get injured while on a study away program with ISA.

I was unfortunately only in the Czech Republic for 4 days when I broke my leg. It was broken to the point that I needed emergency surgery. I was brought to a Czech Hospital where no one spoke English and I was not provided an interpreter. On the day I was released from the hospital (Friday) I was put into an UBER with an ISA Staff memeber and he dropped me at my apartment and was left alone for most of the weekend. The staff member did check in on 1 time through email on Saturday and, after a phone call was made by my mom to the administration, a staff member checked up on me on Sunday for approx 30 min and then every day after that for approx the same amount of time until my mother arrived in country to take me home. (ISA Prague staff was friendly and did bring me books and fruit) I did not have a working Czech phone number so in the event of an emergency I would have just sat there until someone could get to me.
Next, You are required to purchase insurance before you go but your insurance will NOT pay for the initial hospital bill (cost $1500). AXA was the company we were required to purchase from and THEY decided that my injuries ( a plate and 8 screws and I was told not to walk on it for 3 months) were not severe enough to bring me back to the states. (Note: my commute from to the university was a 5 min walk to the tram, a 30 min tram ride and another 5 min walk to the university) It took my mother writhing a letter to my University President to get me home. My home school is my savior. MSU used their own insurance to fly my mom over to assist me to get home. Due to my injuries the cost to fly me home would have been somewhere around $10K.

Also, You should be warned that there is a STRICK no refund policy. If you are injured you WILL NOT get a full refund for your trip. I was there for 2 weeks (4 days in Prague, 4 days in the hospital and 1 week against my will) and we are liable for approx 40% of program costs.

Finally, ISA continues to tell me that I chose to leave the program. I was not in a cast and the commute was not only difficult but dangerous. Their answer to my situation was to offer me a condensed class schedule but that did nothing for how I was going to get back and forth to the university. They still do not seem to understand that.

The true character of a person/company is measured in bad times not good and in my opinion this company failed and they are backed by an insurance company that cares more about money than caring for the student it covers.

Disclaimer: **** this review site requires that you put in a score for all areas I rated academics a ten because it would not be fair to rate something low that I did not take part in and there is no N/A button.**

Studying at Otago University and experiencing New Zealand through my ISA program has been the most incredible experience I have had to this date! I made life long friends, got to partake in amazing excursions, and had a support group unlike any other! I would suggest this program time and time again to anyone considering studying abroad in New Zealand! Go enjoy the kind kiwi culture, the beautiful scenery, and the millions of other things New Zealand has to offer!

I decided to spend my summer (winter) in Wellington, New Zealand interning in the Clinical Trials Unit at the Regional Hospital.

I came into this internship with an open mind, because that's basically what all of the reviews I read clearly stated one should do when traveling to a totally different country on the other side of the world. I chose New Zealand because it isn't the typical study abroad spot where I'm from.
I've attached a few photos to this review, mainly of the sky or landscape because I’m continuously amazed each day. Literally, one day you wake up and it’s bright/sunny and feels like summer - then the next it can be dark and gloomy as if the sun never existed. My favourite times of day are when the sun comes up and when it decides to go down especially when it’s not raining.

One of the photos attached is a picture of what looks like an orange/blue lake with smoke rising from it. This is located in a place called Wai-O-Tapu or sacred waters, which is part of a Scenic Reserve that has been administered by the Department of Conservation. I didn’t expect to find such rich Maori culture/history or such diversity when I was planning this trip. I can say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Aside from the obviously beautiful landscape and sky, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with some amazing and wonderfully friendly kiwis during my 8 weeks.

As part of the internships BCP, I’ve been in Auckland and Rotorua prior to starting my internship in Wellington and I can say by far, Wellington is a home away from home. In my opinion Auckland reminded me of New York where it’s busy, hectic, crowded, and big. Rotorua was just pleasantly small, but smelled like sulfur everywhere. Last, but certainly not least – Wellington by far is my absolute favorite. It has the small town feel, yet the big city vibe, the downtown life, the crowded traffic, the obvious animosity between strangers, and of course the good-more so than bad weather habits.

I definitely plan on coming back to Wellington, whether it be for a holiday or to work. If ever presented with the opportunity to intern abroad – take it. It won’t be a poor decision. I’ve studied abroad and I’ve also interned abroad. The key difference is having the confidence to be able to venture out without the “supervision” that comes with studying abroad. As an intern, you learn the “ins and outs” of the local life of the country you’re visiting without presenting yourself as a tourist. And of course, you can also do all of the touristy things as a local.

I had such an amazing experience in this city, this school, and this program. I had never been out of the country until I traveled abroad, and IFSA made it so easy to figure out where I was supposed to be. They set us up in our apartments, had a multiple day orientation, and gave us a ton of good advice. The people in the program always ensured my safety and my health, and helped me get on the right track from the start. I became really close with our program adviser, and she was always there for us when we need anything. The school aspect of this program was the most challenging; NUIG enrolls their international students with regular students, and this was great, but difficult. Irish style of education is different than American in terms of testing instead of work, but this challenge is one of the reasons I'm so proud I went there. I was able to navigate a new education system, and receive a transcript from another institution that was complete and real! I really believe I earned the transcript I got, in comparison to people who just take joke classes that don't matter. That is why IFSA was amazing, it is an academic focused study abroad program that cares about you and your grades while abroad. I loved everything about Galway and the NUIG and I wish I could go back right now! Overall, the best experience of my life!