Program Reviews

I come from a small school in Nebraska. I did not want to go to a place so big I would be overwhelmed, and therefore Reading was the perfect place for me. I loved how close we were to London but that we weren't so close to constantly face the hustle and bustle of the city.
However, trains to and from London were incredibly expensive which was a bit inconvenient.
Living in the traditional dorms was fun and where I met most of my friends from England. However, it was very loud during sleeping times but that was just part of the experience for me.
If you are studying abroad for the food, England is not the place to go. However, there were plenty of places that did have great food in Reading.
I really loved and appreciated ISA. They did a lot more for us than any other abroad students I talked to while there. I would definitely go with ISA again if I had the chance.

From the moment I landed in Granada I felt something special. Granada is a magical city full of culture and history. Listening to the music from Sacramonte to La Alhambra it is a must see city in Spain.

I couldn't have been luckier to experience a city more beautiful as Sevilla and a program as well structured as my partnership through ISA . I stayed with a host family which is essential to cultural integration. Living and talking to natives everyday encouraged me actively participate in the Spanish lifestyle. I think that Spain is a great place to live, and not just visit, because there is a lot of history to explore. One of the greatest parts about going global is the process of becoming a more critical thinker and developing creative approaches to solving problems. ISA provides a fantastic platform to explore such a historic city. The excursions included Madrid, Toledo, Malaga and Lisbon. It was also optional to travel to Morocco. These provided great opportunities to explore other cities with like-minded students.

I loved Bond University because of the small size and close exchange atmosphere. Many local students did not live on campus, so the dorms were filled with exchange students. This was nice because it was easy to meet students to travel with. While abroad, I was able to work at a cafe as well as study. This was hugely beneficial to me because I was able to interact and meet the locals while making enough money to fund most of my trips. I only worked twice a week and it covered most of my travel expenses. This gave me valuable experience working in another country and allowed me to form lasting relationships.

Being close to the beach was amazing. The neighborhoods nearby are very nice and fun to explore. I made an effort to get to the beach at least every other day if not every day. I would highly recommend this because the beaches on the Gold Coast are some of the best in the world! Get to know the area because there are a lot of hidden treasures.

I only had class Monday - Wednesday and classes only meet once a week. I traveled most weekends to various places in Australia. I would recommend getting to know the area in which you live because that is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture. Participate in as many campus activities as possible so as to meet local students as well as study abroad students.

One of my favorite things about this program was the included excursions to different parts of Italy, as well as the included tours of museums and historical sights. I always felt safe in my neighborhood, and the American University of Rome is such a great school to be a part of. There was a great sense of community with fellow students and it was awesome to get to experience a foreign country with so many fun people.

Studying abroad in Sevilla was the best thing I’ve done in college! I went with a group of people from my school to study international marketing. Right upon arriving in Spain ISA greeted us at the airport and took us to our new homes for the month. I was very intimidated at the first place we stopped to eat not knowing ANY Spanish but somehow I made it through all month learning a lot! Throughout our whole month in Spain, ISA was constantly there to help us navigate through the city, teach us about culture, and organize events like kayaking down the river at sunset or attending a bull fight. ISA knows how scary it is to be in another culture with new surroundings and they make it very easy to adjust and fall in love with the city. Sevilla is a large city but with a small town feel. It is so easy to get lost in the little streets but somehow we would always make it back to Plaza de Cuba! The coolest part about Spain was all of the tapas restaurants. My favorite thing to do was go and order a bunch of dishes I couldn’t even pronounce off the menu to try all the original Spanish dishes (including payaya which is a must!). A little piece of my heart will always be left in Sevilla and I can’t wait for the opportunity to go back again thanks to ISA!

School
The school in ISA was absolutely the best. I learned more in this semester then I had all of college previously. The teachers are a very diverse group who really care about their students. They don't boggle you down with homework and busy work but instead actually teach you. Global management with Jean Philiipe was my favorite class I have ever taken.

Program Administration in Spain
The ISA staff is amazing and will help you with anything you need. Whether its tutoring in your classes or helping you plan your next trip. They have a group of extremely dedicated members.

Housing
I can not say enough wonderful things about my homestay. It was in the heart of Barcelona and had the best views. My abuelo was the sweetest lady ever and probably the thing I miss the most about spain. The food she made was to die for.

Social Integration
ISA sets up weekly tours where they take you round to different regions in Spain. They also send out a weekly letter with their favorite restaurants, bars, and activities in Barcelona. There is also a intercombio option where you can learn to speak better spanish with a native spaniard.

HealthCare
I actually got sick in Morooco when I visited and the staff in Barcelona were very helpful. They went with me to the doctors and made the process a lot less daunting. This program provides health insurance for you so you do not have to worry about medical expenses. I had to get a couple of vaccinations before I went. Spain however doesn't have any major health concerns that are different then the U.S.

Overall this was an absolutely incredible experience and ISA was defiantly the best program to go with. You will not regret this decision.

I can only think positive things about my experience in Valparaíso. Volunteering at Centro Bellavista, the Special Education Center, and working with the psychologist was such a great experience for me and so much fun. In the US, I have heard the statement, "The only disability in life is a bad attitude." Working at this placement allowed me to see the truth of that statement. Working with the students and helping them in their everyday school life was such a joy for me. The children always put a smile on my face no matter what. I loved the Chilean culture (especially the food), and my host family was SO caring and friendly. They made me feel like one of their own children. I still keep in touch with my host brothers on a regular basis. I really wish I could have stayed longer than a month so that I could have traveled more, but I will definitely have to return to Chile in my future. Overall, this was an amazing and valuable experience. I was able to immerse myself in the culture, strengthen my Spanish-skills, and gain life-changing skills that allowed me to grow in so many ways. Although it was hard at first to communicate with the locals (taking into account their accent, local lingo, and how fast they talk), but at the end I was able to realize that this only made me a better Spanish speaker.

Wow, that is the first word that comes to mind. Ireland is a beautiful country with an even better culture. It's not as much as a place but the people that make a place wonderful, that is what University College of Dublin and Dublin Ireland did for me. Assimilating into the culture was very easy and the talking with Irish and International students made it even easier. While I was at UCD I lived in the dorms which made the experience even better being on campus while close enough to the city if you wanted to do something downtown. Classes were a different style that I was used to but I learned new study habits and utilized my resources more. If you wanted to go away for the weekend the airport was close enough to be there in 40 minutes and could travel to many other European countries at a cheap price, thanks Ryanair! Having an ISA student and faculty in the country made it easier if we had any issues or if we wanted to do something fun, they were just as excited to do experience it with us students! Overall, UCD and Ireland was one of the best experience I have ever had in my entire life.

Upon returning from my trip abroad I had one thought on my mind. Wow, I wish I could've studied abroad for a year. Studying in Barcelona, Spain through ISA was truly the best decision I've ever made in my life. The ISA staff was more than supportive and addressed any of your needs immediately. They were even as kind to drop off a coffee machine and mugs when we mentioned (in passing) that we missed having a coffee machine.

Barcelona is without a doubt the best city to travel to. It is modern enough that you do not feel overwhelmed with culture shock. Yet it is historic enough to engulf yourself in culture and art.

ISA made a very daunting and at first intimidating process, exciting and fun. I would highly recommend traveling with ISA.