IES Abroad London

This abroad experience was unique for me because this was my first time traveling abroad. England could not have been a more welcoming experience and IES Abroad exceeded my expectations both connecting education with cultural exploration. For further students, I want it to be known how helpful and committed IES Abroad was at making sure you personally felt comfortable in every situation. They are there to help! IES Abroad staff is like a new little family away from your home. I would also give the advice to go on the organized trips with IES. It is a great way to see more of England with the trip already planned for you, so that it is not as stressful as it may seem to plan a trip solo while abroad. Overall, take advantage of all of the new and exciting aspects of this country.

Studying abroad with IES programs was truly the best decision I've made in my college career. From pre-departure information, to housing, to help with travel plans and more, IES was there every step of the way! I decided pretty last-minute to do the program, so I felt rushed and overwhelmed, but IES made things clear and simple for students. Once at the program, the staff and instructors were great. There were several course options, and all included many trips to museums and walking tours around London to bring our learning to life! I was able to take so many trips outside of London to explore England with friends that I made; I learned so much about myself in those short two months. My only complaint is that I wish it had been longer! I cannot recommend IES programs enough!

One of the most rewarding and exciting things I am proud to have done while in college is Study Abroad. In summer of 2021, I studied in London through IES Abroad for 6 weeks! This program was filled with so many great memories and opportunities for me! During this time I took two amazing classes that gave me more insight into London, England and more largely the United Kingdom.
I was also able to meet other college students just like myself and create beautiful memories with people and now close friends I will forever remember! From tea dates, to the portobello market, to the London eye, to watching the sunset at primrose hill and biking through the city of London, there were so many exciting venues to see! When you study abroad the possibilities are endless, you get to call a different city in another country your home for 6 weeks! 
While living in London, I also appreciated how diverse the city was and how open it was to cultures from all over the world! This was the most exciting part for me! In London, every neighborhood or borough was a touristy and niche with plenty of cultural boutiques and restaurants. I was also about 15 minutes away from Camden Market, a local market with clothing, art, food, and other vendors! 
At first I was very nervous and worried about adjusting to another city, and country. But, throughout my experience The IES staff was very helpful! They helped us students understand transportation, gave us safety tips, recommendations and also created events and opportunities for us to go outside of the city of London and visit other cultural locations within England! 

This summer I spent two months with IES Abroad through the UK today program and it was amazing! everything from our location in London, to our amazing classes with field trips to many famous locations, to our Friday trips to Cambridge, Canterbury, Hasting, and more it was all amazing. The only part I didn't enjoy was leaving because I knew I would miss the friends I made and the teachers and administration that went abroad with us. You'll have plenty of time to have fun and explore little known locations that the program heads will inform you about. This was my second time travelling in London, but learned so much about hidden gems in London from talking with everyone that ran the trip!

I spent last summer in London with IES Abroad and I loved every single second of it! I was there for just under 2 months, and took 2 courses with IES, both for my majors. The teachers were so knowledgeable and kind, and I felt like I took a lot away from their classes. The IES staff was so helpful in planning trips, whether it was for our entire program to visit the Dover cliffs or giving us advice and contact information to help plan a trip to Warner Brother Studios. I was so nervous about going overseas alone for the first time, but everyone was so kind and helpful, I acclimated in no time. I miss my time abroad every day, and because of my experience with IES in London I am even pursuing international careers in other countries after graduation! I cannot recommend this program enough.

I absolutely loved my time in the IES Study London program. We had a large group of students from so many different universities in the United States so we were able to make friends from all over the country with all different majors, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, passions, etc. If that scares you, the class sizes were nice and small where you could establish real relationships with fellow students and your professors. I absolutely loved the classes I took and the professors were truly so good at using your time in London to your advantage!

On top of that amazing aspect, we were in the hub of London and I personally stayed right up the street from Kings Cross Station at Chapter Kings Cross which I would recommend 10 out of 10 times to anyone doing this program. You could choose to take a quick tube ride to the IES Center (where classes were) or it was also an easy walk through some cute areas of London. I personally chose the walking route because that was more reliable in terms of time, plus I got to see the most adorable little streets. Chapter was such a great choice because so many other students in the program lived there (there are two other living options) and I loved seeing familiar faces in the lobby, elevators, halls and kitchens.

I have made some amazing friends through this program and I only got two months and had to leave somewhat abruptly due to COVID-19 shutting down the world. I wouldn't trade this experience or program for the world and mean it in the most sincere way that you should do IES Study London. From the super helpful staff to the amazing classes and professors and everything thing in between, DO IT and DO IT NOW!

My experience in the IES London Theatre Studies program was nothing short of life-changing. As a theatre student, I needed to make sure that wherever I studied abroad was preparing me for my future career. London was the place that I could live and work surrounded by the industry that I am studying and IES Abroad was the perfect way for me to do this. Academically, I got loads of hands-on practical experience by attending productions, going backstage and doing workshops with professional artists working in London. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in the entertainment industry or the performing arts in general. On top of academics, the IES community will always hold a special place in my heart. The administrations genuinely cares about the well-being of their students and I felt like I could personally connect with them. I wasn't just a number in the program, I was treated as a complete human being and was given a community that helped me thrive and live up to the best of my potential. After returning home, I am confident that London is somewhereI would love to move to long-term after graduation, and I wouldn't have realized that if it weren't for my semester studying abroad with IES.

Step 1: Go. And don't look back.

I grew so much as a human and performer (which is what I was studying) in my time abroad. I had the entire world, culturally and artistically, at my fingertips. Each weekend I would sit with my friends, over a full potluck we cooked together at only 19 or 20 years old, and decide whether or not we wanted to go see 3 shows on the West End this weekend, or go to France and try escargot and fine wine. To put it simply, the availability to extend myself whichever way I wanted, grew me. The opportunities to be around some of the best theatre in the world, grew me. Making my own choices and handling my own responsibilities halfway across the world, grew me. I would recommend this program to anyone who has anxiety, or is bad at decision making. This will shake these things out of you, or at least help to, in the most rewarding way.