CIEE College Study Abroad in Berlin, Germany

My experience was very unique regarding by study abroad expectations. I had loads of fun exploring the intercultural connections, and getting to learn more about society and culture in Germany. The academic experience was good as well in terms of material being discussed. Some classes I heard are not as good depending on the teacher. Other than that, Berlin has great food, drinks, and exploring scene. Summer and Fall is quite nice for weather but during the winter be prepared to experience the cold.

CIEE gave me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in Berlin's culture while also having the comfort of helpful staff and professors and other American students. I was very intimidated and worried I would have trouble meeting people and finding my way around, but this was the opposite of my experience. I was instantly able to meet other students through classes and excursions, and the Berlin residents themselves were fun to meet and talk to. Additionally, my professors incorporated the real world experiences we had into the course content to make it feel more tailored to us, especially in my class on European political systems. I would recommend this program in Berlin to anyone because there was truly something for everybody. The night life was exciting, the language was interesting, and the city had a rich history.

While studying abroad I learned more in a single semester than I ever could have in four years at my state university. Not only did I learn about the incredibly deep history of country I stayed in, I also was able to develop independence that would not have been achieved if I'd stayed in the states. I made so many friends and memories. I have great stories to tell about all of the adventures I went on. The housing was right in the city and across the street from the public transport station. Berlin I a fairly cheap city so I never spent an exorbitant amount while shopping. Berlin houses so many different cultures and is very English friendly so you will never be in a situation where no one speaks English. The staff and professors were always helpful and super knowledgable about whatever questions you may have. Eric Ginola especially helped out and was everyones favorite. Overall the experience is definitely worth it and I recommend this to everyone!

Berlin was one of my favorite experiences of my life. I studied abroad in the spring, from January to May. I was able to do so much and have so many unique experiences in a short amount of time. The staff was great, they were super helpful on everything from classes to resources and restaurant recommendations. CIEE plans many excursions throughout the year, my personal favorites were the day trip to Dresden and the WWI bunker tours.

The dorm itself is in a great location, right in front of a train stop. There are also a bunch of great restaurants within walking distance. The program was a decent size, so I was able to get to know everyone on the program which was great. The nightlife is really fun in Berlin, and it all was very accessible by train or bus.

Classes are pretty small and attentive. The typical structure is Monday-Thursday, so we had a lot of flexibility in our travels. I took part in an internship while I was abroad for a sustainable start-up. I got to work in an internship that was in my field of study and got great experience working in a foreign culture. Overall, I loved every aspect about this program and I can't recommend it enough.

Studying abroad with CIEE in Berlin was an incredible experience. I lived in G.27, the dormitory building, yet it was a lot nicer than a traditional dorm. The spaces were large and comfortable, including the kitchens and lobby. All of the CIEE staff members were extremely kind and helpful, which is necessary in situations that occur while studying abroad. One particular situation I encountered was getting COVID at the beginning of my term. The CIEE staff helped me feel safe by checking in with me often and setting up ways for me to easily order food or anything else I needed. Berlin itself was such a special city to experience, filled with creative people and places and a huge variety of parks, clubs, and restaurants. I feel as if I learned so much from experiencing the culture of the city in comparison to American cities. Being an architecture major also gave me the opportunity to take classes focused on the architecture of Berlin, which was a unique and inspiring experience, especially due to the reconstruction of Berlin following the wars. I truly believe there is no better city to learn about urban and sustainable design from. CIEE also gave us many opportunities to visit and learn about other German cities, such as Dresden and Hamburg. These excursions paired with learning German, whether it was the more simple survival German class or the in depth German courses, helped me get a grasp on German culture as a whole. If you're considering studying abroad, I would highly recommend this program!

My time at CIEE Berlin was incredible. From the moment I stepped foot past the blue gates, I was met by a CIEE staff member offering to help me with my bags. This welcoming energy, whether it was with the CIEE staff or other students, persisted throughout the four months I was there. I loved living in the dorms and being able to see my friends any time of day to have cooking parties, explore our neighborhood and the city of Berlin, or just hang out in our rooms! Berlin is such a unique and fun city, and CIEE offered a lot of options, such as museum tours, opera or drag shows, stadium tours, and more to help us explore. All of my time abroad in Berlin was amazing, and I'm so thankful to my friends and the CIEE staff for helping to make it so great. I hope other people will find their home with CIEE!

My time at CIEE Berlin was incredible. From the moment I stepped foot past the blue gates, I was met my a CIEE staff member offering to help me with my bags. This welcoming energy, whether it was with the CIEE staff or other students, persisted throughout the four months I was there. I loved living in the dorms and being able to see my friends any time of day to have cooking parties, explore our neighborhood and the city of Berlin, or just hang out in our rooms! Berlin is such a unique and fun city, and CIEE offered a lot of options, such as museum tours, opera or drag shows, stadium tours, and more to help us explore. All of my time abroad in Berlin was amazing, and I'm so thankful to my friends and the CIEE staff for helping to make it so great. I hope other people will find their home with CIEE!

I came to CIEE Open Campus Berlin for 6 weeks with an open mind knowing that I am not a city lover or history buff. The life changing transition that occurred to me in Berlin has brought me to change my future plans to now life in Germany. CIEE housed students in the center of Kreuzberg, which is a perfect location for foodies. Living right in the center allowed us students to be immersed in the culture easily. Walking to the grocery store everyday, joining a gym, trying new coffee shops and night life were just a few things I was able to do and feel like I was really living in Germany and not a tourist. CIEE enabled me to take on a STEM internship, which was an amazing opportunity to be able to experience abroad and learn more about professionalism abroad. I also took a German History course, so being able to learn and then literally just step outside of the dorm and be exposed to rich history was a eye opening experience. I came to Berlin not knowing any German. CIEE literally changed my entire experience by simply providing a Survival German course. I was then able to successfully get around the city comfortably and respect the German language. Due to the way CIEE classes were set up, students are able to travel on the weekends to other European countries, which was a great escape when the city life came to be too much and allowed me to experience many other environments and cultures!