My daughter was a student at EF Malaga. She was to stay in Spain with a host for 6 weeks and study the language. We, her parents, paid the tuition and housing, $4000, and she paid for her airfare and spending money, $3200.
She arrived on a Sunday morning and was picked up at the airport by EF transport. She was then taken to her host stay where she was dropped off at a 7th floor apartment, spoke briefly to her host, who then left, leaving my daughter alone. She had no food, water, and no idea of where to go or what to do next. She called us and thus began the first of daily phone calls to EF to discuss our student’s situation. Had we been told she would be dropped off, no host there, and no supplies, we could have prepared her for the situation. But we were never told she would be dropped off at a 7th floor apartment with no assistance, food, or water. She called me in tears and I called the EF emergency number. I had no help from the emergency number other than “this is homesickness and will pass.” I relayed to the EF Malaga team member she had no water or provision of any kind.
My daughter was placed in a host facility with 3 other minors - 16 or younger. NO EF team member offered any help or resolution to the lack of provisions and host presence. The apartment was not air conditioned and so my daughter asked for a fan. After 3 days of fan use, the host texted her to say the fan was running too much and would burn out the motor and was too expensive to run while sleeping. The new rule would be 2 hours on and 2 hours off. I called EF again to complain about the host situation and was told residence and dorms were full and there was not another host available. In addition, there was a dog in the home which was repeatedly left alone for the entire day. One text from the host was to tell them the dog was at home, locked in the tv room, throwing up, and the host would be gone for the day!
I called EF to request a change in host situation on Monday. The host home was not hospitable. Rules were posted in every room and the sleeping room for my daughter and a roommate was the size of a closet. She had no dresser, wardrobe, or other place to unpack and would live out of her suitcase for the next 6 weeks. There was a 10 minute bathroom limit which was enforced for the students but not the host. They were told you break it, you pay for it daily. There were texts from the host complaining about the bathroom conditions, and other details which were against the “rules” but these expectations were not verbalized or posted anywhere. The food was mediocre on a good day and most days it was served cold. On the second Friday, the host texted my daughter and her roommates and said she would not be cooking that day as food was being left on the plates and this was wasteful and costing too much money and she would not cook. I called EF again to let them know of the situation and was told this was acceptable and the Malaga campus would reach out to the host and the students. The host also refused to cook vegetarian meals for the vegan roommates. Additionally, we were told, and per our documents, the host would provide 2 meals a day. NEVER during her stay was she ever offered anything but dinner- she was never offered nor served 2 meals a day- ever. No resolution or follow up was made by the EF staff.
Every time I called EF, which was almost daily for 2 weeks, I was told my daughter needed to speak to the Malaga team on campus. She did speak with them and was repeatedly told, “you are homesick, yes. This will get better.” Which was dismissive and rude. Yes, homesickness will ease but the horrible host situation would not and never did improve.
I called EF almost daily and in most instances was told EF staff would follow up with an email or phone call. I was never once given any follow up for any call or inquiry I made. No attempt was ever made to change hosts for my daughter nor was anyone willing to follow up with me. Some days I had to call 2 or more times to try and get a resolution for issues.
Our concerns were dismissed and no EF staff member attempted to contact or help my student. I would never recommend the program to anyone - no matter the age. I feel like the host situation was deceiving. It was more of a youth hostel than a home and my student was continually harassed for being there and carrying on with her daily activities. My student, a 16 year old, was dropped off at a 7th floor apartment with no guidance, provision, or welcome. Her host left the evening my daughter arrived and did not return until after 10 with a man.
My daughter left the program early, the host conditions, rudeness, and dismissive behavior were intolerable. When I notified EF International of the early leave they expressed concern and wished they had known sooner so they might have reached out to help. They did know of the situation, had received daily calls from me, and my daughter had approached the EF Malaga team numerous times. They knew and chose not to intervene and help. In attempting to schedule a new transport time for departure we were told it might be an extra transport fee. I let EF know this was ridiculous as we were leaving with 3 weeks, and thousands of dollars, remaining and EF now is going to charge me for the INCLUDED transport fee. We were told she would know at least 3 days in advance of transport arrangements - once again, lies. We were told with less than 24hours before departure of the pick up details on leave day. EF International told me over the phone that someone would reach out to my student and let her know - all false. I had to call 2x and my daughter had to visit the EF Malaga office 3x before we were told her transport times. I did receive a follow up email letting me know my daughter’s departure was scheduled. THis is the only follow up I received from EF. IN addition, my daughter has now been home for 3+ weeks and no EF team member has ever followed up with questions, concerns, or comments. I would NOT recommend EF study abroad to any individual.
Response from EF
Dear Jessica,
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback regarding your daughter’s experience at EF Malaga. We are sorry to hear that her stay did not align with your expectations and that it led to such significant challenges for both her and your family.
We understand that the transition to living abroad can be difficult, and we strive to prepare our students and families for this journey. That said, it appears there was a misalignment between the experience your daughter had and the expectations you held for her program, particularly regarding her host stay, living conditions, and the level of support provided by our team.
We regret if there were any gaps in communication or preparation that contributed to your concerns. It is important to us that students feel supported and secure throughout their stay, and we are committed to examining where our processes may have fallen short in meeting your family’s needs. We acknowledge that experiences can vary, but ensuring a consistent and supportive environment is essential for all participants.
We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss your feedback further so we can better understand your concerns and use this information to improve future programs. Your insights are valuable as we work to align our offerings with the needs and expectations of students and their families. You can reach out to us at ils@ef.com to setup a time to speak in more details.
Thank you again for sharing your experience.
Best regards,
Will from EF Languages Abroad