Studying abroad in London was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I chose this program because I wanted a program with a health focus. I want to be a physician assistant, and this program had numerous qualities that I thought would be helpful towards that endeavor. It's important to note that this program is focused on public health. I found this to be interesting because, as a biology major, I had never really been exposed to different healthcare systems and other public health topics. The classes I took were Social Welfare Policy, Comparative Healthcare Systems, Health and Disease (the Oxford class, which is basically an epidemiology course), and Architecture as an elective. The two IES Health Practice and Policy classes (Social Welfare and Comparative Healthcare) were good, and should be even better in the future since they are working on better coordinating the course curriculums to provide a more cohesive program structure. The Health and Disease course was also okay, but the long commute every Friday was a bit of a bear. I absolutely loved Architecture as my elective course, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see as much of London as possible.

As part of the Social Welfare Policy class, I had an internship/service placement at a breast cancer charity in London. While I was hoping for a placement that allowed me a little more clinical contact, I was still abel to interact with patients in the office which was nice.

Overall, living in London is absolutely incredible. I'm from the Midwest and had never lived in a cosmopolitan city like London before. Not only is London one of the most iconic cities in the world, but there are also amazing cultural opportunities that can't be found anywhere else. I discovered a love for theatre and art that I didn't know I had before. Everything from seeing Van Gogh's self portrait at the Somerset House to winning discount ticket to The Book of Mormon created an amazing experience I will never forget. The residence hall, Nido, is located just a few blocks from King's Cross station, which means it is super each to get around to any part of the city. The Nido dorms are pretty standard dorms, but you get a private bathroom to share with your roommate, and there is a kitchen on each floors that can be used to make your own food. IES also offers a ton of events to see more of London, like a walking tour of London including a ride on the London Eye, a boat trip to Greenwich, an authentic football match, and a tour of Harry Potter Studios. You can pick what you're interested in and participate for free or an extremely reduced rate. There are also field trips around England and the surrounding areas; for example, I went on trips to Stonehenge, Bath, Salisbury, and Cambridge thanks to IES and their subsidized field trips.

At the end of the program, we went on a ten-day field study in Kingston, Jamaica. This was the part of the program with the most clinical components, which I really enjoyed. Observing in the clinics was really interesting, and we saw everything from standard vitals (blood pressure, weight, urinalysis, etc) to post-natal exams (6 week old babies getting their checkups) and wound dressings. We also had some interesting lectures at the University of the West Indies School of Nursing, where we learned about the history of nursing in Jamaica as well as the role of natural and holistic healing to the healthcare culture. Please keep in mind that Kingston is a lot different than London. There was a significant amount of street harassment, etc, that would occur whenever we went into the city. I was kind of unprepared for that, and it was very uncomfortable when in contained areas like the clinic where it was hard to get away from harassing people. However, we always traveled in groups and so there were never any real safety concerns.

Overall, I learned so much over the course of this semester, and I recommend this program to people who have an interest in healthcare--especially those interested in a public health perspective.

After having the opportunity of a lifetime to study for a semester in London, I have nothing but appreciation and happiness when I think about my time there. Through IES Abroad, I was able to have 3 months of pure bliss in London. IES helped us not only accommodate to our new world, but helped us every step along the way. I have eternal gratitude for IES for facilitating a safe and life changing experience. I would recommend IES Abroad without hesitation for anyone wishing to study abroad.

As overwhelmingly massive the city of London could be, I had never found myself so connected to the people in the city. From your very arrival, the IES London staff is hyper accommodating to get you settled in as quickly as possible. From there, the city was mine to explore for four months. I would constantly explore different districts and be fascinated by the astonishing street art in Shoreditch or the array of delicious food in Camden Lock. I would pleasantly interact with different people every single day and even recognize locals as they explore their own city. It’s a little easier to make friends in London it seemed. Maybe its because I could ask the staff exactly what suited my interests and they’d lead me in the right places, or maybe it’s because it seems everyone looks into your eyes in London, something I found hard to come by on my way home through Miami International airport. The city is full of charm, excitement, art, and beauty giving the sense that everyone is welcome. The public transportation alone makes you feel like you can travel the world instantly. Besides the sheer enjoyment of everyday life in London and all of the wonders it has to give to its residences, the IES program and time abroad is an incredibly fulfilling learning experience. The teachers hired by this program are brilliant professors and really make you reflect on your own thoughts and desires to ultimately help you grow. Sometimes it’s hard to grow when everyone around doesn’t seem familiar or perhaps, doesn’t know you. But the independence that you develop and is required to capture the most out of London comes quick and with many friends along the way. The people I’ve met, the places I’ve seen, the spontaneity of my life at the time helped shape one of the most positive experiences of my life. For the hundreds of friends I met along the way, I know it did for them to.

My experience in London through the IES Abroad Study London program harbored personal independence and growth that I can apply to all aspects of my life. IES Abroad provides a gentle guide for students while allowing them to be independent discoverers of the world around them and receptive learners of the cultures in which they immerse themselves. Within weeks of the program, I had become well-acquainted with and an avid navigator of London. During my time in London, I discovered strength in adaptation and a heightened confidence in my abilities. I became fully self-reliant and learned how to budget and cook for myself. The coursework in which I partook was valuable and engaging, and the internship component of the program rose above and beyond my expectations. Through my experience with my internship, I was able to work with a variety of talented and accomplished individuals form the UK and Europe. The environment of the workplace was highly interactive and communicative, which provided me the opportunity to sharpen my professional communication skills. I learned about the inner-workings of a large-scale organization and made contacts with whom I plan to maintain life-long connection. Additionally, I cultivated valuable friendships with other students in my program who share similar life ambitions and who will remain an important part of my personal growth journey. The impact that my study abroad experience had on me was a product of my actions, the location, and the IES Abroad program. The IES Abroad program provides support and opportunities that facilitate an enriching growth of perception and understanding of the world that positively impacts the way in which one chooses to lead all areas of his/her life.

When I decided to study abroad, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. London, England was the only choice for me. I wanted to learn everything that I possibly could from the extraordinary people in this wonderful city. My ten-year goal at the time was to actually live in London, England and establish a life for myself there. I wanted to use my study abroad experience as a sort of "tester" for eventually living there.
I chose IES Abroad because it offered a flexible program that could work with both my majors. I am currently pursuing a double-degree in theatre and business marketing at my home university and wanted a program in which I was able to study both of these subjects. IES Abroad London - Theatre Studies program allowed me to focus on my theatre classes and be with fellow theatre majors while also taking additional business classes.
IES Abroad also makes it SUPER easy to travel while doing a semester abroad, but it is not required to travel independently. I participated in almost all of IES Abroad's travel programs and was not disappointed. I visited all of the places that I wanted and learned even more about the country itself.
After a semester abroad, I really wanted to come home to the States, but the IES Abroad program staff and professors made this one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

I had a fantastic semester in London with IES. The academics were on par with any standard university term, and the staff were incredibly helpful throughout the process. We were given ample opportunities to explore not just London but the UK overall, and IES made every effort to assist us while we traveled farther into Europe. Housing was through a third party, but overall we felt very comfortable and looked after. I would definitely recommend IES to anyone looking to spend a semester studying in London.

Deciding the spend the semester in London was one of the best choices I could have made. IES Abroad is a wonderful company to work with. The staff, both in the US and London are incredibly helpful and are willing to answer any questions you might have and make sure that you are adjusting to the city well.
The theatre classes gave us great first hand experiences with the theatre industry within London. Seeing performances were an important part of our learning. In our classes we discussed the importance of theatre within our society, what worked and didn't work about the shows we saw, and we were able to experiences other elements of theatre within the community, such as Shakespeare with a homeless outreach center, talking to professionals in their fields, and voice over work. The professors were incredibly helpful and we were encouraged to think about the subjects and the world in different ways.
This program is great if you want to learn and fulfill credits at your home school, but also explore and travel. There is ample time to travel to other countries and cities, and the staff and professors encourage that. And if you are wanting to spend more time in London, there is more than enough to keep you busy and having fun. This program is great for those who want to have fun, learn, and travel. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I was someone who always wanted to travel abroad. The first time I went to Europe, I knew I needed to go back not just for a week vacation, but that I wanted to live there for at least a semester. I knew it was going to be a tough transition, but I also knew the experience would help make me a more interesting, worldly, and confident person.

Once I made the final decision to spend my fall semester abroad, I next had to figure out where to go. London was someplace that I had visited before and instantly fell in love. At first I thought I wanted to go to a new place for this experience, but as I thought about it, I realized that going to London would allow me the chance to experience the city not as a tourist, but as a resident—as a Brit, even if it was just for a little while.

Settling in to my new life in London was a bit harder than I thought it would be. Me and the other IES students lived in a student residential complex called Nido Kings Cross. Because space is so tight in London, the rooms provided to us were small with little space to store clothes and baggage. The bathroom was even smaller. I would joke with my roommate that you could shower, brush your teeth, and go to the bathroom all at the same time without getting the floor wet. Despite the space issue, I grew to love Nido. The building was super safe and the kitchen area was nice in order to cook instead of spending money on eating out. The location was the best advantage of Nido. We lived just a few blocks from Kings Cross/ St. Pancras station, the travel hub of London.

Other adjustments were a little more difficult, such as being homesick and having to stay up late in order to call my parents as they came home from work in the States. Getting over my homesickness was probably my biggest challenge about going abroad, however London is so exciting that it is easy to forget about issues like that, making them less important.

One of the most memorable experiences in from the program was travelling with the group for our Midterm trip and getting to see so much of Scotland. We spent four days travelling the country seeing Inverness, where we fed reindeer, Oban, and Edinburg, which was one of the most beautiful cities I had ever been to. That whole trip is something I will never forget.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone thinking about studying abroad. The professors and staff are incredible, the classes all revolved around learning about London and the U.K., and best of all you get to spend three and a half months in this incredible, cultural, and fun city. If I could go back, I would in a heartbeat.