IES Abroad European Union: Politics, Law & Economics

IES Abroad has been able to offer its students the grand experience of studying abroad while also developing who you are as a person. The trips we were able to take as a group, the Wellness Walks offered by the IES Staff, as well as the immersive experiences gained throughout the program has made this time extremely memorable and lasting. One of the things I was especially happy about was the opportunity to find help. When studying abroad in an entirely different country in which you do not know the people or the language, it can feel very isolating at times. IES Abroad has made sure that this feeling, though normal, would not go without remedy. Through the insurance plan that is offered to each student, I was able to seek out mental help and attend regular sessions with a therapist in the local area. From this, I understand that IES Abroad looks out for its students in ways more than one. In a time where you are immersing yourself in completely new environments, you need this stable anchor.

As I boarded the plane for Munich, I was anxious to find out what awaited me. I had quite a few concerns about logistics, but upon arrival I realized all of my concerns were anticipated by the program administration. I lived in an apartment complex with five German students, who became some of my closest friends in Freiburg. The program gave us many opportunities to befriend fellow IES students and German students, alike. We spent the semester eating $1 gelato, traveling between EU countries, and exploring all Freiburg has to offer. I had a wonderful experience, one filled with both personal and academic accomplishments. I highly recommend studying in Freiburg!

I was searching for a study abroad experience that would allow me to study what I am interested in, travel to multiple places, and have experiences that I could not plan/afford as a college student. The IES European Union program offered me all of these opportunities. We traveled to seven countries during 22 days of the program, where we attended talks specialized to our academic interests. The program also organized city tours for us, and we stayed in hotels close to the middle of the cities. In Freiburg, I lived in a seven person suite, and the rest of my suite mates were German. This offered me opportunities to immerse myself in German culture, and also allowed me more exposure to the language. The additional IES EU field trips allowed me to visit countries and environments I would not have had access to otherwise. The two most popular field trips they offered my semester were a tour of castles in Germany, and a beautiful hike in Switzerland. They always arranged a tour and transportation, and so it was a stress-free and highly enjoyable experience each time. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and matched all the aspects I was looking for in a study abroad program!