Study Abroad Programs

I had never lived on a boat before which I’m guessing most people can relate to. If you are open to new things and keep a good attitude this will be a great experience for you. There will be struggles but that’s the point and you will have a blast getting over them.

I got to live in a homestay with a Spanish family, explore the city, travel, make new friends and had a lot of freedom doing so. The classes were good and I receive a lot of support during my time here.

Studying abroad at UAB in Barcelona has truly been one of the highlights of my college experience! From the moment I arrived, I fell in love with the city, its culture, and the opportunity to experience a completely different way of life. The program offers a great balance between academics and exploring everything Barcelona has to offer. I especially loved taking courses that gave me a more international perspective while learning about Catalan culture and traditions. Being able to travel throughout Europe on weekends, meet people from different backgrounds, and immerse myself in a new environment has helped me grow so much personally and academically. Barcelona is the perfect city for studying abroad, with incredible food, beautiful architecture, amazing weather, and something new to discover every day. I am so grateful for this experience and would recommend UAB to anyone considering studying abroad. It has been a semester I will never forget!

I come from a research background and so I appreciate facts and knowledge that’s well researched and has some robustness to it. The course text on this course was excellent in that regard, blending research based studies with experienced teacher comments and advice. It makes for good reading with high ethos. Everything is well presented

I absolutely loved this School. It’s been a perfect blend of solid lessons, fun after‑class activities, and a vibrant community. The classroom sessions are engaging and well‑structured, and the extracurricular events give us plenty of chances to practice what we’ve learned while meeting classmates from all over the world. I like everything here.

Wuxi Schönberg Education Technology Co.,Ltd responded to this reviewNovember 12, 2026

Thank you so much for your wonderful review，Eric! We’re delighted to hear that you had a great experience.😊Thank you for recommending us. We look forward to continuing this learning journey with you!

I can’t recommend this school enough. From start to finish, the staff and teachers made my time in Wuxi unforgettable and helped me make incredible progress with my Mandarin. Beyond the language, this school gave me an incredible community. I made wonderful friends, learned about Chinese culture, and fell in love with China.

Wuxi Schönberg Education Technology Co.,Ltd responded to this reviewNovember 12, 2026

Thank you so much for your recommendation, caitlin! 💯  We’re so happy to hear that you make more friends here by learning Chinese, also make more incredile progress. Please keep up your great work.

SeaMester changed my life. It challenged me physically, mentally, and socially, but in the best ways. The 4am wake-ups were brutal at times, but some of my best memories are from being on deck at night, laughing under the stars with friends who became family. It's been over five years since my time on Argo, and I still miss the simplicity of life at sea. The crew was fantastic. It's not a life of luxury, but you'll gain so much from it. If you want the adventure of a lifetime, this is it!!

We did a giant loop of the Caribbean in 88 days, beginning in Antigua and sailing down through the lesser antilles to the coast of South America, then on to Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico, Cuba, and several other islands learning navigation, vessel operations, as well as credentialed college material.

My Sea|mester voyage(s) were unforgettable trips for more than a few reasons. Not only did it provide an environment where all students could live in their classroom and form unbreakable bonds, but it also allowed young adults to truly experience this planet we call home. I was able to sail the Carribbean while earning college credits, and get Padi scuba certifications- all taking place in the first few months of 2020. Even though we sailed right into the Covid-19 global pandemic (no pun intended), it really proved what an incredibly well thought-out program Sea|mester promises. Safety is always the top priority for any adventure, and this study abroad program delivers. The professional staff are excellent at teaching their subject matter, and the experiential learning never ends. This program is incredibly well suited for individuals that want to go out of their comfort zone, meet other students that also are seeking adventure, and who understand that you only live once. One of my main reasons for finding and selecting this program was because I was able to study abroad and experience different countries, cultures, and lessons- all while our floating home traveled with us. I even went back on a second trip with Sea|mester in the summer of 2021, and it was just as enjoyable as the first time around. These trips are for those who are excited to experience the world, and not afraid to put in the effort and teamwork to travel from place to place. You really do feel a sense of accomplishment when you can look back and see how much you learn about the subject material, and about yourself.

Before I had gone on this voyage I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. I got my advanced and rescue diver certification and fell IN LOVE with the ocean and marine science. Since then I have gotten my dive master, logged over 1,000 dives, and dove for work in different countries. This program introduced me to a whole new world. I went in 2021 and still I go and visit my classmates from this voyage. It was the single best decisions I ever made.

If you had told me in January 2023 that I would spend my summer on a 112-foot schooner, crossing the Atlantic with zero sailing experience, I would have laughed, and then asked what a foulie was. My voyage was different from the typical Semester at Sea experience. Argo was small, with just 12 students and 6 staff, so there was nowhere to hide and no one to hide from. By the end, we were no longer a group of students and staff. We were a family. Some of my favorite moments happened after dark. My watch team and I would lie flat on the deck inside what we called the “sparkle dome”: bioluminescence glittering in the water below and a galaxy of stars above, so that it felt as though we were floating in the middle of a sphere of light. With no cell service for days, there was nothing to look at but the ocean and nothing to listen to but each other. Those nights, I felt both the smallest and the luckiest I have ever been. The ocean also gave me my favorite surprises. Crewmates would bang on my hatch window so that I would come up and see the dolphins, even when it wasn’t my watch. They knew how much I loved the marine life, and they cared enough to wake me for it. I can’t think of a better way to be loved. Then there was the adrenaline. Our passage to the Azores brought near gale force winds and 3 to 4 meter swell in the pitch black. We crawled across the deck at 4 am, dodging flying fish and waves crashing over the stern, then spent the rest of the day being tossed around our bunks. It was uncomfortable and chaotic, and it produced some of the best laughter of my life. On calmer days, I was backflipping off the bow, climbing the mast to free a halyard shackle, and leading my first sail raise. The girl who struggled on her first sailing test and felt like the only one without experience learned to motivate her watch team through the 3 am boat checks that no one ever wants to do. Our crew was divided into watch teams, groups that rotated through shifts steering, navigating, and keeping Argo safe around the clock. Over time, those teams became tight-knit units with their own traditions. That identity came to a head during the watch team challenge course, a friendly competition in which the teams raced against one another through a series of physical and teamwork-based tasks, including a run up a grassy, slippery hill. Watch Team Two won, and we celebrated it with the seriousness of an Olympic victory, complete with an aggressively chanted team name. In port, we hiked and explored new countries together, and each place felt bigger because I was seeing it through the eyes of people who had become my closest friends. Our captain, Calum, joined our holiday traditions, told stories we will carry with us forever, and taught us silly songs. He showed us how to be a family and, more importantly, how to be part of one. When the voyage ended, I walked the length of a dock in Gibraltar alone, leaving Argo and everyone aboard behind. It was one of the hardest goodbyes of my life. But it wasn’t really a goodbye. Our entire crew is still in a group chat that texts daily. Argo taught me how to sail, but the people taught me what a crew truly is, and I know they will be close to me for the rest of my life.

I did 4 weeks of spanish classes and extended and extra two because of the quality and depth of my classes. I had multiple teachers who were all exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful. I would absolutely recommend these classes to anyone willing and wanting to learn spanish!

I loved the lessons! And learned how to actually use the Language. I had great teachers and made new friends. Now It also want to go to other places. I feel confident now to talk in Spanish even though I still make mistakes a lot.

During my time with Xplore, I had an amazing experience! I learned a lot from Gary and all the team - from the different teaching styles to cooking Thai cuisines. More than that, I met amazing people that have become great friends from all over the world. This was an experiences I wouldn’t change for the world! I’m so glad I went!

During my time with Xplore, I had an amazing experience! I learned a lot from Gary and all the team - from the different teaching styles to cooking Thai cuisines. More than that, I met amazing people that have become great friends from all over the world. This was an experiences I wouldn’t change for the world! I’m so glad I went!

Studying abroad in Argentina was the best thing I have ever done. I met some of my best friends while abroad and I was able to travel to places that were bucket list locations. I lived in a house with 4 other girls and I got along with every single one of them. There was something so special about being so close with the people you live with and just enjoying their company. I traveled with my roommates and got to know them on a deeper level. The program was so helpful when getting us to our homestay and helping us locate the school and find our way back. They were super helpful at all times and always on call if we needed absolutely anything at all. With the culture, we were able to learn not just Argentinian culture but culture from around the world due to the amount of people who came from all over. I was also able to travel to Rio de Janeiro with some of my favorite people and it was the best trip I had ever been on in my life. Overall, Argentina was the best experience I have ever had in my life and I absolutely recommend studying abroad to anyone who is considering it.

The course was brilliant for me because it pushed me out of my comfort zone a lot- living/traveling alone, meeting new people, learning new things etc. I met some wonderful new friends and had some great experiences. I found the course extremely helpful, despite already being a teacher, I learned a lot about how to teach in a completely new way. I'm loving teaching here; my school is fantastic and the kids are great!

I’ve had such a great time living and studying with LTL in Kunming. What stood out most to me was how adaptable the teachers are. I wanted to focus on practical, day-to-day conversation rather than just textbook grammar, and they tailored the lessons without hesitation. We even went out to local shops together to practice in real life, which did wonders for my confidence and my ability to actually chat with locals. The school is currently in a temporary space, so it doesn't look like a traditional campus, but honestly, it’s not a big deal at all and didn't take away from the experience. A huge shout-out to Savannah, she has been amazing. She was always super responsive with class questions, gave me great local tips, and even helped plan my itinerary for Lijiang and Shangri-La. She really went out of her way for me, and I genuinely hope we get to meet someday! Also, special thanks to Celeste and her fiancé, Erich, and Alex. They made Kunming feel like home. Between showing me around and just hanging out together, having them around made my days so much brighter and gave me the kind of real-life practice you just can't get in a classroom. Highly recommend LTL KunMing

LTL Language School responded to this reviewNovember 12, 2026

Love to hear that, Yoseph! We really enjoyed having you learn Chinese in Kunming with us and seeing your progress was such a pleasure! Keep studying hard and come back some day :) LTL Team

Upon going with a random group of people to a different country I had little to no expectations. However my experience far exceeded anything. Spending time in Tokyo was one of the most eye-opening and personally expanding experiences I’ve had. I was based around Daikanyama, Iidabashi, and Shinjuku, and I could feel how much care goes into everything, from tiny cafés to the way the trains run. Being that far from home pushed me to be independent. I figured out the transit system and Japanese-only appliance labels on my own, and I got more confident every week. One of the biggest lessons was in cultural communication. Japanese communication is often more indirect and context-driven than what I’m used to in California. A lot of meaning lives in tone, timing, and what isn’t said. I learned to pay attention to body language, to bow and say thank you the right way, and to be patient and polite even when we didn’t share a language. Even a few phrases like “sumimasen” and “arigatou gozaimasu” opened doors, and people were so generous when they saw I was trying. When words failed, translation apps, pointing, and a lot of smiling got us through. It taught me that real communication is about respect and effort, not just vocabulary. I came home a more attentive listener and a more adaptable communicator. As someone who’s always loved art history, I was also blown away by how much art and design are woven into daily life in Tokyo. You don’t have to go to a museum to find it. Daikanyama and Shinjuku are full of minimalist storefronts, clean concrete lines, and quiet architecture that makes you slow down and notice the space around you. Then you walk into Asakusa and the traditional side hits you. Senso-ji and the old wooden streets around it show centuries of craftsmanship, and the contrast with the glass-and-neon energy of Shibuya a few train stops away is wild. Seeing old and new sit side by side, and feeling how each one shapes the mood of a neighborhood, changed the way I think about design and creativity. I spent my free days wandering, finding galleries, boutiques, and little corners I’d never have found on a typical tourist route. Some of my best memories came from getting a little lost and stumbling onto something beautiful. If you’re thinking about going abroad, do it. You’ll learn more about yourself than you expect, and you’ll come home with a bigger sense of what’s possible. I left Japan in July already planning my return.

There are a couple factors which makes me give Xplore Asia a great review including, but not limited to, the community, the instructors, the actual learning program, and the ongoing support post graduation. To say something brief about each: Community: Especially when living abroad, it is extremely helpful to have a built in community immediately on arrival. You could potentially split this up into two categories, being the Xplore Asia staff, and the Xplore Asia graduates. Both have very good cultures. The Instructors: The instructors did a good job of setting the expectations of what was to come, and had very positive attitudes. The Learning Program: This was a very reasonable course which taught you to core principles of teaching and how to adapt to the thailand culture Ongoing Support: In my opinion, this is the biggest asset Xplore Asia offers. There have been many times now, when I have reached out for support and have been met with prompt and detailed responses from a variety of staff.