Program Reviews

Bocas del Toro, this program, and my cohort will always have a special place in my heart. This program is everything I could've wanted for my first study abroad program. Learned cool things but also just got to enjoy the country. I think the academic part of this program was well-balanced - it made you think but it wasn't super challenging to the point you felt like you were actually in school (lol). I liked that my cohort wasn't huge. No cliques or distinct "groups", everyone mingled with each other!!

The School for Field Studies gave me the opportunity to spend 4 months living and learning in the Peruvian Amazon, an experience I would never have gotten to have otherwise, and left me feeling connected both to local community members and to the 15 students I shared my semester with. What sets SFS apart is their immersive environmental/earth sciences approach, so you aren't just sitting in a classroom in a city but are spending your days hiking through the Amazon, identifying trees and analyzing soil samples, and spending weeks at a time at wildlife refuges or on boats identifying river dolphins on the Amazon river. Not only was this a unique and completely immersive way to study abroad, but it gave me more confidence to travel on my own afterwards! Most importantly, SFS really cares about fostering a positive environment with the surrounding communities and the impact that their program has on locals and students alike. They make sure that students are taking language and culture classes and interacting with life outside the classroom as much as possible. Can't recommend this experience enough!

My time in Peru was an absolutely transformative experience. I met so many amazing people, both fellow students, professors, and locals from nearby communities. Living in the amazon was truly special, being surrounded by the natural beauty and peacefulness every day was a huge boon. Though potential applicants should be aware that the remoteness plays a significant factor. The people you will interact with on a daily basis will be the ones you live with on-site. Electricity and internet connection can be pretty sporadic. The meals you eat on a daily basis all come from the on-site chef, they accommodate diets and allergies but you don't get to decide what to eat. Don't worry! Jorge was an amazing cook and I devoured every single one of his meals. You will get the opportunity to visit many different sites around Peru both in the amazon and up in the mountains. The cultural and environmental exposure was second to none, and I have been craving to go back ever since I left. Classes took up a good portion of the week, but the workload isn't anything crazy, I actually had my best semester of grades here. Study abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I chose this program because I may never get another opportunity to do something like this again, and I am absolutely thrilled with my decision.

Saw some of the most amazing landscapes and animals I will probably ever see, and learned a great deal about them. Tsavo West/Chyulu Hills National Parks in Kenya and Kilimanjaro (we just did a day hike) in Tanzania were my favorites.

Although the classes were exceptional and I learned quite a lot within the advertised topics, I think the part that will stick with me the longest is experiencing, observing, and reflecting on humanity and society at many different points. Overall, I learned a lot, learned that there is so much more out there, but also that there is so much to live and see wherever you are.

I loved this program! I did the summer one in 2019, it was so so fun. It was a great way to experience Panama on both the Pacific Coast and in the Bocas del Toro region. Because it is focusing on sustainable tourism we got to visit a cloud forest, coffee plantation, cacao plantation, and green resorts, go surfing and spend many days snorkeling in the archipelago.
The program wasn't that academically challenging in terms of rigorous course work, but the life skills and the adventures had make it well worth while!

Absolutely amazing experience, especially for anyone who has studied wildlife, ecology, and management from afar but never been able to experience it up close. Great field work, great support staff, and great community. The highlight was definitely doing safaris and going to Serengeti National Park, but all of it - social activities, weekend travel/excursions, local town - was beautiful and so rich in culture. Everyone at Moyo Hill Camp was welcoming, kind, and dedicated. I'd recommend to anyone!

This program was life changing for me. I chose this program because it aligned well with my animal behavior (biology and psychology double major) degree and my interest in learning about cultures and places vastly different from the US. I was not disappointed by what I experienced with this program. The professors were excellent, the research project I worked on got published and is now on my resume, and the housing is a renovated resort hotel with a pool and various other perks. All of the staff including translators, cooks, cleaning crew, and gardeners are so friendly and love to help you learn Khmer. I have taken a lot of what I learned from this program back with me and applied it to my everyday life.

Living in the Amazon basin and doing hands on research is something truly unique. I had a marvelous time. This is a good program for adventurers, or wanna-be adventurers who could use some scaffolding. The academics were not too difficult, but I did learn a lot. There were many rules for safety purposes, which did not bother me too much: wear long pants for the snakes and spiders and bugs; travel with a buddy; don't eat street food for parasites (I did flout this one, it was worth it!); keep your cash in zipped pockets. The food was the best I have ever had.
Mold, mildew, parasites, and loss of power are all part of life in the Amazon. It is not resort living. Wifi access was very limited.
The campus was exceptionally remote - there are a few households and one tiny town within walking distance, but that is about it. During non-class times, expect to interact mostly with other American students. Socializing with locals happens during free weekends in the local cities or on your break in Cuzco.

SFS Panama is a study abroad program unlike any other - it is so interdisciplinary, which invites students from a wide range of majors to apply and find what interests them in the program. I went into this program thinking that I would be majoring in Biology with a focus in Marine Science, but the interviews with local people, listening to guest lecturers, and reading so many articles about the social factors amidst ecosystem degradation, I understand my true passion lies in Psychology. I'm not convinced my passion for Psychology would have reemerged unless I went on this program with SFS and for that I am truly grateful.

I have wanted to go to Central America for a long time, so I jumped on this opportunity to go and learn about the leader of environmentalism. It was everything I wanted and more. I got there and spent three months in on a gorgeous campus learning hands-on about ecology and environmentalism. All the professors know about what they are talking about and are incredibly passionate about it. Every field trip they took us only much added in the learning as I was able to see what they were talking about instead of looking at pictures. We get free time to explore on our own and see places the program was not able to take us to. Loved getting to see many different parts of Costa Rica and get to know the people that live here. I can not imagine a better semester abroad for me.