IES Abroad Milan – Business Studies

I absolutely loved living in Milan, Italy and studying abroad through IES. The Business Studies program provided many courses that were similar to courses at my home University and many classes unique to Milan. For example, I took a business class about managing fashion companies which is extremely unique to Milan and also transferable to my school.

Milan was an amazing city for me because it had a lot to do but was small enough for me to easily navigate on my own within a few days of being there. The public transportation was great!

The program administration was amazing and extraordinarily helpful when I needed to go to the doctor and complete insurance reimbursements.

I chose to live in an apartment and WOW- my apartment was beautiful. I don't think I'll have another apartment like that for a while.

I would definitely recommend Milan to someone who loves to travel to big and small cities around Europe and especially within Italy. The Milan airports were extremely accessible and reliable and usually pretty inexpensive compared to other airports. I traveled somewhere new almost every weekend and Milan was a great home base to do that from!

Leading up to my flight to Milan, I was nervous about traveling alone and leaving my friends and family. The moment I landed in Milan, I knew I made the right choice and the four months I spent in Italy were the best four months of my life. I enjoyed all of my Business Studies classes and the professors were determined to helping students succeed in the classroom. I did not expect to like my Italian 101 class, but it ended up being my favorite class! My professor was the absolute best and made it so easy to quickly learn Italian and about Italian culture to help get around the city. I lived in an apartment provided by IES and it was in a great location close to the IES and the popular areas in the city. Living with my roommates as well as an Italian CA made it much easier to adjust to a new city. I loved learning about Milan's history and culture, eating the AMAZING food, and the fun nightlife. The Milan airports, trains, and bus systems are easy to use and make it very easy to travel to other parts of Europe. I also went on some fun trips offered by the program. My four months abroad went by very fast and I was extremely sad to leave. I could not imagine studying abroad anywhere else and would highly recommend Milan to anyone who wants a study abroad experience that is going to exceed their expectations! Grazie Milano!

I love my business classes abroad! I learned so much about finance and business in Europe. Although my favorite class would have to be my Italian 101 class. It was nice being able to practice a language I was learning every-time I ran errands! All the professors are very kind and supportive.

The food was phenomenal. I ate endless amounts of prosciutto, pasta, and pizza. I was staying with a host family and they cooked dinner for me every night. Food is fairly inexpensive, I would not spend much money grocery shopping or out at restaurants.

The nightlife is super fun. There are always bars close-by and dance clubs are open very late. It's the best place to meet people and make new friends. It gives you a chance to enjoy the city at night.

Although it sounds cliche, studying abroad really does change you for the better. Traveling to Italy alone on a plane seemed nerve racking at first, leaving my family and friends behind, but as soon as I stepped outside if the airport, I knew I had found my home. The city was beautiful, the food was unreal and the people were friendly and inviting. I was placed in a perfectly located apartment, with the most amazing roommates who I grew so close to over the course of the semester. Throughout my time in Milan I was able to study Italian, History of the Mafia and Fashion and Brand Management as well intern twice a week at a tech startup. Not only was I able to take classes so relevant to my host city, I had the opportunity to work there as well. Overall this experience taught me so much about myself. I have become much more independent, spontaneous and open as a result of this journey. This was truly the best four months of my life and I thank IES and Milano for making this experience so unforgettable.

Through IES, I was able to get so much out of my abroad experience! The Center's incredibly dedicated staff helped me to partake in an internship with a local business for class credit, as well as take an outside course at l'Università Bocconi. This allowed me to really immerse myself in the Italian community, in addition to the courses I took at IES which brought us out on field studies around the area. Outside of school, I was placed in an apartment located directly in front of il Duomo, putting me at the very heart of the city with every mode of public transportation and shopping indulgence at my disposal! I would highly recommend this program, not only for all the city of Milan has to offer, but mainly for all the ways IES allows you to take advantage of it.

My Milan study abroad experience was the most rewarding and incredible experience of my life. The friends I made there have changed my life so positively, and I will always be so thankful for the opportunity to have met them! IES staff was so helpful and supportive throughout the entire process. I believe Milan was the perfect city to study in, since it is a city that makes you feel right at home. Although the city mainly speaks Italian, even my friends who did not speak Italian at all found that they could get around. Also, the IES Italian classes are very in-depth, which helped raise my own level of Italian. I highly recommend Milan to anybody looking for an experience in a young, exciting city that’s located in the center of all the action!

My experience with IES Abroad Milan: Business Studies was absolutely incredible. Thanks to IES, the 4 months i spent in Italy were absolutely life changing. It was an experience that I will never forget and has shaped who I am today. The academic aspect of IES was great, as I enjoyed all of my classes and really liked all of my professors. It was unlike any american academic experience because of all the interesting field trips I got to go on in my classes. As for my housing situation, I was lucky enough to be placed in an apartment in one of the nicest areas of Milan. I became friends with my CA, who also happened to be my roommate, and because of her I truly felt like I was able to immerse myself into Italian culture. IES offered many weekend trips as well as activities to do in Milan such as pizza making, which allowed for students to participate in activities that they may not have partaken in otherwise. Overall, my experience with IES and the time I spent in Milan has changed me for the better and will absolutely have an influence on me for the rest of my life. Grazie IES, Grazie Milano!

The IES Abroad program in Milan provided me with a semester of memories and connections that will last a lifetime. The staff at the center really tries to get to know each student, which meant a lot in a place that was so unfamiliar at first. My courses were interesting and taught by first-class professionals. My favorite class was my Italian intensive class, which went above and beyond a typical language class to teach information that was extremely helpful in every day life in Milan. I participated in an internship through IES alongside my coursework, which was an invaluable professional experience at this point in my career. My housing assignment, provided by IES, was beautiful and in a convenient location that provided inspiration and encouraged exploration. Having a live-in Community Assistant was extremely helpful for navigating certain tasks and situations as well. IES also offered many great cultural excursions. They even provided us with weekly emails and monthly pamphlets about the best things going on in the city during that time. I cannot thank IES enough for the semester I spent in Milan!

IES Abroad Milano was an incredibly fulfilling experience. Unlike other more touristy areas in Italy (Rome and Florence) where it is common to speak English, you will actually have to learn a little Italian to get by--I found this challenging and exciting to learn another language--the Italian courses through IES are superb. I recommend this program to anyone who is looking to learn a foreign language (after all, languages are a great way to make your resume stand out!). Additionally, IES provides wonderful housing accommodations--dorms, apartments, or a family stay. I chose to live in an apartment which was in the trendy neighborhood of Brera--all apartments will be in the center of Milan. If you choose to live in an apartment you will most likely have a direct roommate and other apartment mates unless you request a single room for additional cost. There will be an Italian CA who will live with you and they are all young and nice and a great resource for immersing yourself into the culture. In terms of Milan as a city, there is a lot of art and culture--the Duomo, apertivo, and the Last Supper are musts. The metro systems are very reliable and affordable (22 euros a month). Milan is also the financial and fashion capitals of Italy, so it is a great place to study business or fashion. All professors at the program are also affiliated with other Italian universities. The rest of the staff is also helpful for travel recommendations, making doctors appointments, and anything else you may need. Plus, the program typically has three to four trips per study abroad session. During my time, we went to Venice, Verona, Padova, and Parma. I cannot wait to visit Milan again!

IES Milan Business Studies was such a great program! I took interesting classes with phenomenal professors, lived in one of the nicest neighborhoods and apartments in Milan, and had the time of my life. Milan was the perfect city to study abroad in. It has great night life, fashion, history, and is overall a very livable place. IES does a great job of helping students gain the most from their study abroad experience. The staff was always available to help me with whatever I needed and I became great friends with the Italian student (known as the CA) who I lived with. I would pick this program again if I had the chance. You won't regret it!

IES was an amazing program that offered so many opportunities I never would've experienced anywhere else. IES provides each apartment with a live-in Italian student to help make everyone's immersion into the culture of the country easier and more enjoyable. I learned so much from this one student and it really enhanced my experience in Italy. IES also offers two guided trips to places I never would've gone had IES not offered these trips. Both trips were incredible and showed students what Italy is like outside of the tourist attractions. Overall, the staff were very friendly and helpful and the classes were very insightful. I took 4 classes all on different parts of Italian history and it definitely made me more knowledgable and understanding of the country I was living in.

My year-long experience in Milan was life-changing to say the least. I am so grateful to have picked this program because I was able to explore my passions of photography and fashion which allowed me to continue to develop my fashion blog (www.anewerkatintown.com), become immersed in the Italian language, and have the opportunity to take classes at a world ranked school, Bocconi University. I also loved the cultural immersion aspect that the program provided by scheduling trips to museums, exhibits, and restaurants. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in studying business in Italy, and having a diverse and unique experience!

I loved living in Milan and taking classes through IES. The staff at IES in Milan cares so deeply about their students and the cultural experiences we have during our time spent in Italy. They organize amazing trips to different parts of Italy and send out weekly suggested activities for those staying in Milan every weekend. The teachers want to see you succeed and they respect that students are also traveling on weekends. I lived with a host family and loved it. They were caring and sweet and respected my space.

My IES abroad experience is one I will never forget. The IES Milan School has a great program for students who also want to take classes at Italian universities. I also took classes at Bocconi, the business school in Milan. This school was a challenge, but I loved being at university with students from Italy as well as other countries around the world. Though IES Milan I was able to take language classes as well as classes at Bocconi, which was something that was important to me as I studied abroad.
I also chose to stay with a family. IES Milan does an amazing job of housing you with families that are so welcoming. In my homestay I had 4 sisters who were a variety of different ages. They also pair you with students in an apartment that allows you to meet students that go to IES as well.
The city of Milan is one of my favorite cities in Italy. There truly is everything. It has amazing food, a great history, and of course lots of shopping. Another benefit of choosing Milan is that is it very easy to get almost anywhere. There are three airports as well has a multitude of high speed trains. I loved my study abroad experience in Milan and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to study abroad in Italy.

I had the best time abroad. Naturally, I had some reservations and fears about going on a program where I didn't know anyone prior to the program. That, on top of the fact that this would be my first time in Europe made me pretty nervous to see what the next five months would have in store for me. Shortly after arriving in Milan, I realized I had nothing at all to be worried about. IES abroad made transportation from the airport to my new apartment very smooth, with an IES representative waiting for me at the airport, ready to help. The IES assistance number was extremely helpful if I needed help or had any last minute questions. The orientation we went through helped us meet others in our program, kept us busy enough to not think about jet lag, and introduced us into the Italian lifestyle.

I lived with 5 people (4 Americans and one Italian student who served as our "Community Assistant" or CA). I realized all 5 of us were as different as could be and it made for the best experience possible. We were all diverse in our own ways which made us learn and grow from each other and allowed for an environment in which all of us felt completely comfortable and ourselves. IES abroad did a great job with choosing housing for us based on our living preferences that we described in the housing survey. Everyone on our program became pretty good friends, and I can truthfully say my study abroad friends are now my lifelong friends.

Classes through IES were fun and allowed for stimulating conversation and learning in the classroom. I was able to take fun and interesting classes, like communication and psychology, which I wouldn't have had room for in my schedule back at my school in America. I took very exciting field trips to news stations, saw a live news recording, and went to an Italian prison. I became extremely close with my three professors, who genuinely cared about their students. The course I took at Bocconi, an Italian University, proved to be extremely difficult, but my hard work paid off. Having no classes on Fridays made it super easy to travel on weekends.

If I had to do it all again, I wouldn't change a thing. I had the best time, saw places in Europe I've wanted to see my whole life, and met lifelong friends.