Program Reviews

Before this trip, I never studied abroad before and when someone came talk to us in class about an opportunity to study abroad, earn college credit, and do it in a matter of a little bit over two weeks, I got extremely excited. This trip overall was an experience of a lifetime that I will cherish forever. I went on the Winter One trip in 2017-2018 winter break. I went to London, Paris, Geneva, Heidelberg, and Amsterdam. I spent about 16 days in all of these places combined. In a normal study abroad program, it's an entire semester in one place but this program allows you to study in 5 different countries in such a short period and earn that credit for college. I learned a lot on this trip about how businesses operate and how the people in each of these cities live and work.

This was my third trip with International Business Seminars. I was hooked on this program after beginning in Europe and followed with a trip to China. Each and every program has provided me with new experiences and insights. Each trip provides a wide array of learning including: technical business knowledge, cultural experiences, and great networking opportunities. During the course of my time in Thailand and Vietnam I learned a lot from professionals in various companies about how they work in their environment. Much of the information relates to the similarities or differences in cultures and how it effects the way business is conducted. Outside of the company visits there in plenty of time to explore the cities and surrounding areas. There are many amazing things to experience including the local cuisine and customs. Throughout the whole program, you become close with a variety of people who are all experiencing the same thing first hand with you. This makes for great friendships that will last a lifetime. Throughout the entire program, IBS does a great job of facilitating the hotels, transportation, tours of the areas, and everything else that you may need. This is a without a doubt a great experience for everyone and the reason that I have been on the program three times.

The educational experience was phenomenal. One of the most informative trips I have ever taken. The faculty we had with us were exceptionally nice. They all helped us out and taught us our ways around the culture of the places we were at. The housing arrangements we had were nice. They had amazing breakfasts at all the hotels and quite comfortable living arrangements. The food all through out these countries were amazing. It’s like a whole new world of food. I was well informed by the faculty and school to help me adapt to the culture very well. Made things much more enjoyable and convenient.

My experience abroad was completely worthwhile. Hearing how successful people do business is interesting in any country; but even more so when you hear about how they dealt with difficulties and how they overcome them in a culturally different environment. They have to deal with language and cultural barriers in addition to working under different government regulations and are still successful. It was also interesting too to see how different and alike business can be outside of the United States. In addition to learning about business; the experience also helped my communication and networking skills grow. I had the opportunity to meet and become friends with an amazing group of people through this program. People that are attracted to this kind of program / adventure are the types of people you want to be friends with. Everyone on this trip will be super successful in whatever they do. We also had plenty of free time to enjoy the culture outside of the business world.

This was an unforgettable trip of a lifetime! We traveled to 6 countries in 23 days. Seeing the different international businesses and how they operate and overcome challenges was very interesting. I didn't know much about the companies we visited before the trip, but now I am very knowledgeable about these companies. Other study abroad programs only are based in one country, which do not allow you to see as many places like this seminar. I also chose to attend this seminar because of the business credit I received instead of a general course. On my experience abroad I learned to adapt to different cultures and the ways different countries do things. I also learned the similarities and differences that businesses abroad and businesses here in the US have. Being in a different environment and experiencing a variety of cultures is definitely something I think everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. , I miss all the friends I made while being abroad. At the end of the trip I felt almost as close to these friends as my family while spending three weeks together. I still keep in touch with the friends I made from this trip today because we all experienced this trip together and made memories I will remember forever.

For someone to go to China, they would need to purchase a plane ticket and a hotel reservation. They would have to do a search for tourist hotspots, and maybe even talk to someone who has recently been to China for tips on great places to see. While this would surely be an amazing experience, it would be pale in comparison to what IBS offers students.

IBS took care of the flights, hotel stays, and ensured we were at a hotel with great safety ratings, internet for those important messages back home to Mom, and free breakfast every morning. Any travel company can do this for you, but what they cannot do is put you in contact with high-level managers from global companies (Earnst & Young, Coca-Cola, and Lenovo to name a few) and allow you to tour these companies and see what a variety of "typical" businesses in China are like. One gentleman we spoke to even extended internship offers in his company to American students who were willing to stay in China the following year and teach English to young Chinese students.

They not only gave the students the opportunity to see and ask questions to nine Chinese businesses, but offered daily tour opportunities during free time at a discounted rate (so we could also have the "tourist experience" in addition to the business experience).

I highly recommend IBS Trips due to their organization, safety, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities!

I had a great time on the IBS Summer Europe trip. I thought that a three week program was perfect, and we had a good bit of free time to balance out our seminars. I think that IBS offers a unique experience that traditional study abroad programs do not. I felt that I gained some real-life knowledge from my experience, and being able to learn from the businesses first hand was a big plus. I met some of the greatest people, and I am so glad I did this program.

I choose IBS because I was very interested in their listed itinerary. The companies visited touched on every aspect of business, from entrepreneurship to marketing/advertising to co-operative associations. IBS offered what I was looking for in a good length of time.
I learned the value of presenting yourself professionally and networking. I also learned the importance of respecting the cultures of other countries and adapting. My experience was definitely worthwhile. Thanks IBS!!

The Summer China program was a great way to get your feet wet when it comes to Asian culture. Through this program we traveled to Beijing and Shanghai, as well as the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the cities, learning about a different culture, and meeting business leaders from around the world. Wandering through Shanghai was an experience I'll never forget. I can't wait to go back in the future!

Going abroad with International Business Seminars is one of the wisest decisions you could ever make! I attended the 2016 Summer Europe Trip, and it was one of the most adventurous and meaningful classes/trips I have ever experienced. We visited six different countries over the course of 23 days and attended ten+ company business meetings.
IBS allows students from all over the world the opportunity to meet with some world-recognized businesses such as Swarovski Crystal and the World Trade Organization. All the information learned during the trip will be beneficial to future classes and work experience. How many people can say they have sat in the WTO meeting room and talked first-hand with employees from Switzerland?
Everyone has the opportunity to be involved with the businesses, plus you get to see some of the most famous cities in the world. Have you ever wanted to hike the Alps, eat pretzels in Germany, walk the Louvre, hike up the Eiffel Tower, visit Big Ben, or explore the canals of Venice? Well, then the IBS Summer Europe 2017 trip is calling your name!