EF
Dan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Absolutely Fabulous

So, when I first arrived, I was staying in a hostel room with roommates. There weren't really any inherent problems with it; room sharing just isn't my thing. For that reason, I stayed with a family member who lives in Berlin. All of that being said, the school itself is absolutely great. Very clean and modernly designed. The teachers are absolutely great at what they do. The staff are all very helpful and were always available when I needed something. I would definitely recommend this as long as you have a private room or really don't mind a lack of privacy.

What would you improve about this program?
I don't see much way of this program being improved, honestly. It was a fabulous learning experience for me. :)
Serena
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

EF Tokyo experience

EF was a great experience during the three weeks I spent in Tokyo. I stayed in the residence and only had to take one train to get to the school. The staff was very welcoming and willing to set up activities, although I didn't participate in the majority of them. I was very lucky to find great friends during my stay who I still keep in contact with. However everyone was friendly so there's no problem making friends, which was one of my primary concerns when arriving my first day. The classes are engaging and in small numbers which I enjoyed. I was in the highest class in EF at the time but I wished there could've been a higher level class. The teachers are absolutely amazing and I keep in contact with my general teacher from the time. I absolutely loved the experience and I plan to come back to Japan next year.

What would you improve about this program?
have higher level classes, the highest was B-1-2 when the highest was C-3-3 so more challenging classes would be nice, however most students are beginners so it is understandable.
Keng
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Six Weeks in EF Tokyo

EF Tokyo was my first experience traveling and studying abroad. In being so, it has made a very strong initial impact to my life and new experiences.
Tokyo is a beautiful location and I was able to experience the beauty and breath-taking atmosphere of such a city through living and studying there. To make things even better, the location of the school is high up in the Shibuya Cross Tower which gives an amazing view of the city.
During my stay, I resided in a place called Mizonokuchi. It was one of the most friendly and inviting locations I have ever stayed in and being quite a reserved and quiet person, I easily adapted as there was rarely if ever any disturbances from the residence or native people who also resided here.
The Teachers and staff of EF Tokyo are some of the most respectful and kind people I've ever worked with in a school environment. They are eager and always available to help me in any situation I find myself in, no matter if it was school related or not. It feels that they genuinely care for your success and will take their time off to resolve your issues should any arise.

Japan is a great country of many respectful and kind people and EF Tokyo does it great justice by representing it as so throughout my experience. I would definitely recommend people come here if they want to experience a great study abroad program.

What would you improve about this program?
Classes can get difficult for many people who have just arrived, as they are placed in a class that may already be deep into their studies. It's not a big issue as it can easily be resolved by talking to the staff but can be a stress factor for people who may have anxiety of being in a different country as I was.
Jake
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Perfect Month in Tokyo

I may have gotten extremely lucky, but I met some of the most kind and enjoyable people of my life during my time with EF. Anyone would be a little nervous going alone to Tokyo, however my first few days went just fine. It is common behavior to stick with the group that arrives on the same day as you. This group has the potential to create a family of students that one can rely on. A great way to kickstart relationship building. The events and classes helped my make friends that I could explore Japan with. I will never forget all of the friends I made. The classes were fun and not too demanding. It all depends on the amount of work you are willing to put into them. This course not only helped me learn a bit of a new language, but it increased my confidence when talking to people even after I had gotten back home. I have always wanted to have a taste of Japan and I love the language so this trip was perfect for me and even exceeded my expectations. I originally signed up for 3 weeks with EF but extended to 5 to learn more Japanese. I am so glad I made this decision. And because of this I was able to experience the homestay and the dorm life. Both have their own special attributes that does not make one better than the other. The homestay gave me a sense of Independence and a friend that I could always rely on. But I loved the residence because I was able to become closer with my classmates. The whole trip was amazing and I am glad I went with EF instead of simply studying some obscure subject abroad. I would have never been able to explore the country and make friends like I did with EF.

What would you improve about this program?
One of my friends took a week to explore Japan with a round trip train ticket that stopped in famous cities. Having this built into the course would be a great way to practice the language.
Tiffany
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Amazing Experience

During my high school years, I studied Japanese and fell in love with it, but I never found the chance to go to Japan. After graduation, I decided to travel to Japan and I wanted to study Japanese during the duration of my stay. I chose EF because my sister participated in another program by them, so I knew they were a trustworthy program. I was indeed satisfied with my experience.
I attended EF for three weeks and each day was just as fun as the day before. People from all over the world come to EF Tokyo to learn so I was just able to learn Japanese but also a little bit of other languages like German and French. During my three weeks at EF I feel like I made considerable progress in furthering my knowledge of Japanese. The classes were very hands-on and whenever I made a mistake I was never shamed or made fun of. Because of this I was able to learn at my own pace and progress much faster than I would in my classes at school. The teachers at EF are also very supportive and are eagerly willing to help. Thanks to them and the rest of the EF staff (especially those who planned excellent and fun activities for us) I was able to have the best first time in Japan. I wouldn't trade these three weeks for anything in the world and I truly wish I could have stayed longer.

What would you improve about this program?
I wish that higher level class could have been provided.
Reiner
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

EF Paris - A hidden diamond

I was very fortunate to win a prize to the EF facility in Paris, France, this year. In the last year of my current school in Allston, Boston my ability to communicate in french was limited. Though thanks to the Educatuion First language course, I was able to improve my language skills, understand and explore the parisian culture. On the day of my arrival in the local airport; CDG, I was postively suprised when a taxi picked me up and brought me to an extremely helpful and kind host family. Until this day I exalt their dedication to providing a great experience, through them I was also able to add alot of words to my vocab which as a normal french student would have been obscure. The program is very multicultural, I was able to meet new people from all over the world and understand all sorts of different cultures. The staff is extremely nice and there is an overall authentic atmosphere in the (four story) building. It is located in the center of Paris close to Galerie Lafayette, a well known shopping center. From there you can explore the city as you are close to all the sights and interesting activites. Overall I would recommend EF Paris to anyone wants to improve their language skills, meet new people and experience all that Paris has to offer.

What would you improve about this program?
My experience was great, but as someone using the MyEF site for the first time, I was taken by suprise as the test timer started without warning. Either than that EF Paris is a formidable establishment.
Sophie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

EF Madrid

I spent a month in Madrid in order to improve my Spanish, but I learned so much more than that! All of the students at EF Madrid were so welcoming, passionate, and intelligent. I made so many close friends; I was not expecting my social experience to be so fulfilling and exciting!
I absolutely fell in love with the city-- Madrid is so beautiful, safe, historical, and accepting. I cannot wait to return in the future!
This experience was unforgettable, and I am so glad that I decided to go to EF Madrid!

What would you improve about this program?
I think that the lunch breaks should be a little bit longer-- 40 minutes was sometimes a stretch (LOL)! I also think that it should be made easier for students to advance levels. I was unaware that the tests were only given on Thursdays, so I had only gotten the chance to be in a higher level (the level that I believed was more appropriate for me) for one week out of the four that I was in Madrid.
Heloise
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Wonderful Month with EF Madrid

I spent 4 weeks in Madrid to learn Spanish and honestly, it's been the most wonderful experience in my life. I loved everything about the school : the staff and the teachers were kind and creative, the activities organized by EF were interesting and I always had fun in my classes. The housing was great as well ; my Spanish mom really cared about the students who lived with her.
I also loved the atmosphere of the school : I met dozens of fellow students from around the world and they were all open-minded, nice and eager to learn.
My Spanish improved so much in just a month!!
Muchas gracias a la grande familia de EF Madrid :)

What would you improve about this program?
I would have preferred smaller groups, and shorter classes (one hour and twenty minutes without any break can be a lot, even though classes were always interesting!)
Steven
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Eric Chen

Overall, the program was a fantastic erperience, not so much bc of any effort on behalf of the school, but because of the internaiotnal friends I made during three months I was with EF Paris. That being said, the school staff and classes were all relativzely satisfactory: The acitivities staff, especially Hicham and Louis in particular, were super helpful (with phone data plans, medical insurance forms bc i sprained my ankle during my 6th week, activites, and just overall questions I had with anything) and super friendly. The language barrier was also never an issue.
In terms of classes, i think the French learning you get out of the program really depends on which techers you get. From what Ive heard from other students, the majority of the teachers are fantastic! I had 3 teachers during my time here bc I moved up a level once and my second teacher left for vacation halfway through. While the second teacher was an absolute bore during class, my class had the bonne chance to get an amazing substitue for the last 3 weeks I was here. I would definitely claim that she is the best teacher at EF Paris, so that definitely made up for the previous boring 4 weeks.
After two months in Paris, Im happy I came! Plus, my host mom was absolutely amazing!

What would you improve about this program?
It would have been nice to have a medium to meet other students who were not in your level. Almost all of my closest friends were from my class, or zere roommates of my classmates. The acitivites are there, but it seemed like not many people participated.
Also, more privacy when filling this survey haha. I did it literally in front of the staff, which made it a bit awkward since i was tralking about them.
YEN-TA
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A really great experience

I had a really good time in Munich, in this short time i have really learned German well and made lots of friends from abroad ! Different culture and different language at the same time during this time. You can see lots of things here and explore lots of places, and especially the beer here is really cheap. The people from Munich are really friendly, you can talk with them on the train or other place, they will be really happy to talk to you and help you.

What would you improve about this program?
Nothing to improve , its aready good enough for me