Program Reviews

This program will deepen you as a human, sharpen you as a scholar, and broaden your perspective on social justice, coloniality, and environmental politics. Faba, the academic director who has led this program for 20 years, is one of the wisest, kindest mentors I have ever had. He is deeply embedded in many communities in Ecuador. Sofia, the program coordinator, is incredibly warm, wonderful to talk and laugh with, and extremely capable. Together, they will make you feel welcome from the moment you arrive.

I loved my experience with my host families, all of our excursions--to the Galapagos, the Amazon, Intag--were impeccably planned and so much fun, with beautiful lodging and delicious food. Our group bonded well and had a blast on all of our trips and while exploring Quito and other locations independently. We were given a lot of autonomy over our choices and treated like adults, while having just the right amount of structure and guidance to make our free time safe and enjoyable.

The guest scholars and community activists that lecture in the class are well known throughout Ecuador and you will learn so much through conversations in class. The academics were less traditionally rigorous than at my home university but I learned so much through the experiential components and class material. The chance to develop my social science research skills while living alone and completing an independent project (ISP) was invaluable for my honors thesis and future research.

The chance to go from lush Amazon in Pastaza to the snow-capped peak of Volcan Cotopaxi in 24 hours captures the beauty of studying in Ecuador. The friends I made at local universities and my host families I am still in touch with capture another facet of what makes Ecuador so special. Choose this program; you won't regret it.

My study abroad experience was filled with cultural immersion and experiential learning. I learned how to live independently and interact effectively with people of different cultural backgrounds. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to complete and conduct an independent research project during the last month of my study abroad program. I wish I had known how challenging this process would be; however, it was an amazing opportunity and I learned a lot from this demanding and fulfilling experience.

This is the best study abroad program! For my semester there were only seven students in the program. This made excursions easy and we all supported and worked well with one another. My host family was a highlight of the program and I feel like I really got to know the culture through the family experiences. We went on many excursions through the program where we met many Czech natives and had thought-provoking discussions that ultimately helped shape our independent projects at the end. The art electives were open ended which I enjoyed because I felt like I could explore the Czech culture and art scene in my own creative ways. If you want to be immersed in a culture and learn about the art scene and social action initiatives involved in a beautiful city, this program is for you.

This program offers an absurd amount of opportunity to learn about so many new things in vastly different ecosystems with a challenging structure and expectations that pushed me to a new standard of academics that I hadn't expected. The people in charge of the program are fantastic, and incredibly helpful, and it was rare to meet an unhelpful Panamanian. The Independent Study portion is unmatched in allowing and forcing you to grow beyond your bounds. Without this experience, I think my education would have been gravely incomplete.

A lot of you people searching for abroad programs have more than likely considered going to Europe for what is likely also an amazing experience. I was also ready to pull the trigger on some program where I would be taking classes at a university in another country where I would be surrounded by a ton of other abroad students doing the same program as me. To be fair I never did go to Europe, so I can't suggest too many things about the abroad programs there.

What I can say is that my experience in Panama made me so grateful that I made the decision to go against the grain and do something that most people won't get the chance to do.

Between hiking through tropical cloud forests, snorkeling in a pristine Caribbean archipelago, climbing a volcano, and wading through a river to catch frogs, this program really has everything for the adventuring soul. If you have any kind of passion for the environment and nature, this program will overload every dopamine receptor in your entire body. Completing this program reaffirmed my passion for the environment, traveling to unique places, and having amazing experiences with amazing people, and hopefully it will make you feel the same.

I had a wonderful time! Valpo and Viña are beautiful cities with a lot to do. There are museums, nightclubs, artisan bars, national parks, and even the National Congress.

The SIT team is responsive, patient, and compassionate. I needed medical attention two separate times and each time, each team member checked on me multiple times and helped me navigate the local medical system. I'm also a celiac and finding gluten-free food was hard - but when we traveled, the team always had food I could eat and I could tell that lots of attention and detail had been given to our accommodations and itinerary.

This is an excellent program for folks who are looking to practice Spanish in a safe environment, explore and develop their academic skills in a different language, and conduct research. My host families are wonderful and I'm still in contact with them. Take advantage of whatever you can!!

Studying abroad in Argentina with SIT was one of the best choices I've ever made! If you're someone looking for a study abroad experience take a couple classes for fun, have constant free time to country-hop, and only spend time with American friends - then this might not be for you. My experience with SIT was truly so different from the traditional study abroad model, but so right for me. Through intensive culture, language, and history seminars you will be pushed to explore subjects in a profound way with the help of local activists, scholars, and professors. You will be challenged to step out of your comfort zone and engage with social movements and human rights in a totally new way. But through all of this you are not alone. You have your small cohort of students from the U.S. for support and the incredible coordinators team who only want the best for you. It's a busy period of time, but my advice is just to enjoy the ride. You will grow in ways you never expected and will leave feeling so accomplished and proud of what you were able to achieve in your time there. The homestay experience really allowed for me to have a home-base in the busy city where I felt supported and heard. It's a massive city, and there's so much to see and do. I was never bored. Getting to engage in an independent research project or internship at the end of the program felt like such a capstone to our time there and I know I gained so many vital skills at my internship particularly in developing a greater cultural competency for work in an international setting. All of this is also done completely in Spanish, so I can say confidently that anyone's language skills will improve so quickly in that immersive environment. There are also two incredible trips included in the program experience which were absolute highlights for me! I don't have enough words to truly encapsulate how thankful I am for my time in BA. If you are wanting an adventure that's going to push you out of your comfort skill, introduce you to new things, challenge you academically, and give you a new insight on the world - look no further!

SIT's Social and Political Transformation program in Durban was a truly unique experience that checked off all the boxes for studying abroad. Durban is a very diverse city with a significant Zulu, Indian, Mixed-Race, and Afrikaner population, and as such has an abundance of culture to offer. The program is truly invested in creating a field-based experience, and much of our classroom time was spent on field trips to different organizations, museums, and historical sites in Durban. In addition, we went on various excursions to places such as Mozambique, Johannesburg, Cape Town, rural KwaZulu-Natal, the Drakensberg Mountains, and the Eastern Cape province. These excursions included a variety of activities, including hikes, safaris, prison visits, and bartering at local markets. Classes were very engaging and consisted of lectures from our professors as well as guest speakers, and assignments were both straightforward and meaningful. The final 4 weeks of the semester consisted of an independent study, which could be conducted in the form of an internship or our own project. The independent study allowed us to deeply explore a social issue of our choosing, and allowed us to gain professional experience. My independent study consisted of an internship with a local radio station, where I served as an on-air news host and explored the state of the press in South Africa. My internship experience was truly invaluable and is a fantastic addition to my resume.

This study abroad program is truly life changing an extremely unique experience. It incorporates the perfect balance between academics and free time. The homestay factor enriches the experience beyond measure, allowing students to really gain an understanding of Jordanian culture and practice Arabic. The food is amazing and there are plenty of American, Filipino, Italian and other restaurants in Amman if you need a break from local food. Jordanians are extremely welcoming to foreigners. The administration and staff are amazing; by the end of the program they all felt like old friends of mine. I definitely want to go back to Jordan after my study abroad experience!

The SIT Jordan was very formative for me. I have never travelled abroad apart from the time I moved to the United States in 2011. The SIT staff are very welcoming and hospitable, and I appreciate the academic rigor especially with Arabic language learning and the opportunity for students to do independent research or internship! From January to May, we got to go all over Jordan from the north to the south as well as have a one-week excursion in Istanbul, Turkiye. Our group became tight-knit. And each of us stayed with a host family who I keep in touch with after the program. I appreciate all of these opportunities in SIT Jordan that made for a transformative education experience!