IES Abroad Granada – Liberal Arts & Language

I studied abroad in Granada for the first semester of my junior year. Honestly, I wish that I had done a full-year program because I had an amazing time! Upon arriving at my residence hall, Real Colegio Mayor de Bartolome y Santiago, the staff were friendly and helpful. They gave me a hand moving my luggage up to the fourth floor, which was quite the workout since there are no elevators. The residence hall, while it is quite old, is beautiful with several interior patios. The one major downside during my stay was the inconsistent wifi; however, aside from that, the building was great! The cook accommodated my dietary restrictions and was super friendly even when I consistently asked for more fries! The residence hall was an easy five-minute walk away from the IES building, which was super convenient, especially on the days when I was a little late to start the day. Over the semester, I took five classes, one of which I tested into - Spanish, and the rest were up to me! I enjoyed the mix of in-class work and visits that were interspersed throughout. I took Contemporary Theater, Urban Cultures, Islamic Architecture, and Mediterranean Ecosystems, which was one of the few classes taught in English. The teachers were enthusiastic about their fields and readily provided support when needed. The staff at IES were also helpful, on the days when I was feeling under the weather and needed health support! Lastly, I enjoyed the trips which were incorporated into the program! We went to Ronda, Sevilla, Cordoba, Cabo de Gata, and Morocco for a week, in conjunction with my class visits, I got to see and experience so much! I highly recommend this program!

I had the absolute best time with IES Granada. All of the staff made a genuine effort to connect with the students and really made me feel seen and respected. Because it was a relatively small cohort, much emphasis put on embracing our little community.

When I first decided to go to IES Abroad Granada, I had no idea how it would go. I had never been to Europe before, and no other student from my program or person I knew from different colleges would be attending. It had always been a dream of mine to visit Europe, but I never expected to study abroad. When I first arrived, I immediately made friends that would last well beyond the conclusion of our program. While in Spain, I visited incredible places with my program: Sevilla, Córdoba, and Morocco; simultaneously, I traveled with the friends I made to Barcelona, Milan, and London. I learned about Islamic History and European Union Politics and expanded my knowledge of the Spanish language. I assimilated into the cultural norms of eating late, playing soccer, and going out with friends from the program and locals. I loved every minute of my experience and cannot stress enough how great it was to spend a semester in Granada, Spain.

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Granada might fly under the radar of most programs in bigger cities, but this is the perfect place to do a study abroad. In Granada, we had the perfectly sized city with over 50,000 UGR students in a city of just 300,000 people. It made it very easy to interact with students from the University. Professors are great as well with many incredible classes. Finally, the trips we went on were amazing, and traveling from Granada is just a 2 hour bus ride from Málaga or 4.5 hours from Madrid. The staff is also incredible and 100% behind you from start to finish.

I absolutely loved my time abroad in Granada. Easily one of the coolest if not the coolest and most influential periods of my life. First off, I absolutely loved IES and I thought the academics were great. While it was definitely a little less rigorous than a semester of school in the U.S. I was definitely still challenged, especially with the total immersion of all students into the spanish language and the thick Andalusian accent of everyone from teachers to my homestay mother. As for traveling, the IES trips were all around fantastic and I loved them as much if not more than some of my own independent or small group trips. With every weekend being a 3 day weekend I was able to travel all I wanted with friends in the program or friends I met outside the program but I also didn't feel compelled to travel all the time as I loved just staying in the city and going out for tapas with all the new people I had met. As for location, the city of Granada is absolutely amazing as well, from being able to go out for tapas wherever and whenever and not being concerned about spending a fortune since prices are so cheap to the walkability of the city and the incredible Alhambra that towers above you at all times. It really is the best college town/city you could ask for. A third of the population is just university students from all over Spain and the rest of the world making it so fun to just go out and meet new people and improve your Spanish. I have so much more to say about this amazing experience that I can't fit here but if you're deciding between here and anywhere else for study abroad whether that be with or without having taken a lot of Spanish I could give you a million reasons why you should choose Granada instead.

I loved my time in Granada with IES Abroad! The IES programme staff were so welcoming and supportive in all aspects. I feel like they really understood the challenges that can come with study abroad and were well-equipped to address them and help us deal with them. At one point I contracted COVID-19 and struggled a little with my mental health; IES immediately organised for me to visit a mental health specialist and continually checked up on me to ensure I was okay. I felt safe and happy with them at all times! I also really loved living with a host family; it was a wonderful experience, and I'm actually going back to visit them for a week this fall break! I definitely made connections for life all over the world, and I'm so grateful for that.

My trip to Granada through IES Abroad was the time of my life. Although it was cut short, I am so blessed to have had the experiences I did. The staff did wonderful working students through the cultural immersion and showing us the true story of Granada. Almost all of my classes took days on the town, visiting different locations and discussing their significance. The trip also tied the material into the visits we took, going to Sevilla to study the Cathedral and Christianity in Spain, Morocco to study the Arabic culture and its influence on Granada, and Córdoba to study the mosque. Everyone wants you to have an incredible time - and will work to make sure you do!

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Going abroad with IES Granada was a wonderful experience. The orientation given at the beginning of the semester was comprehensive and prepared me for the transition to a new culture. Throughout the semester we were also provided with many activities which allowed me to be better immersed in the culture Granada. Lastly, the option to take classes at the local university allowed me to improve my Spanish while also making good friends with lots of natives.

I appreciate the independence that I gained for myself while I was abroad and continue to show after my experience. Granada gave me safe streets to walk by myself any day of the week and delicious pastry shops to stroll by on every corner. It was exactly the place I needed to get to know better and feel at home by the end of my four months. I am already excited to return one day and re-walk my route to school every morning and pass the man that feeds the pigeons every Sunday afternoon because the city is just a reflection of the wonderful people that fill the city of Granada.

Everything about my experience in Granada was magical. From the compassionate center staff to the rigorous yet not overbearing course load, I couldn't have asked for a better program. From the moment I arrived and was greeted by my host mom (more about that later), Granada began to feel like home. Even though it is a European city, it doesn't feel like London or Paris. A walk through Granada feels like a walk back in time to the Moorish days. The history and architecture are breathtaking and there always seemed to be more to discover around every corner. In the fall all of my classes were in Spanish, but I did have the opportunity to take two of the English classes as well. They were all very interesting and geared towards the experience in Granada. No class at my home university would have been as fulfilling because a key component would have been different - the location. If you go to Granada with IES, I wholeheartedly recommend living with a host family. There is no better way to truly immerse yourself in the culture and language. Not to mention, no one cooks as well as a Spanish señora (sorry mom!).

Living in the Colegio Mayor Santa Fe provided me with a once in a lifetime look into Spanish culture and day to day life. At first I was intimidated by the prospect of living with 70+ 18-22 year old Spanish girls who don't speak English or know much about American culture. I was shocked and happy to find them accepting, generous, curious, and funny girls who loved having us there. Living in the middle of my two best friends that I met through the program was another plus! Imagine walking down a grand staircase that has probably been around for more than 100 years to a grand dining room, at least 15 girls all seated in the same area as we receive paella, pasta, or cocido to name a few meals. They ask about your day and fill you into what is new in their lives. On Saturdays we eat outside in the courtyard if the weather was, the cooks chatting with everyone and cracking jokes. One of my favorite memories was playing on the basketball team which added girls from a different colegio to the team giving me a chance to meet new girls and see what life is like at another colegio. On the final game before christmas break against one of the hardest girls teams we would play, our supporters came in droves. We had girls cheering us on and tutoras, or are RAs, supporting us too for the biggest win of the season! Overall, living in the Colegio helped me exceed my study abroad cultural and linguistic expectations as it allowed me to interact with girls my own age learning new words, popular songs, and traditions.

IES Granada gave me the most incredible abroad experience. I felt like I became a part of the community of Granada and I am truly grateful to the amazing staff. Here I want to highlight just a few of the wonderful things about IES Granada. First, the staff at IES Granada plan amazing trips for the students. We took authentic trips around Spain and Morocco. We were never stuck at tourist traps and there was an amazing balance of planned actives as well as free time to explore. Second, the host families are so wonderful and caring. The staff puts a lot of time into ensuring that everyone is happy in their home stays, I know I was. Third, every week there were activities that got us involved with people in the community, anything from karaoke to community service, to a trip to the beach, there were always actives for us to do! Finally, I want to mention the wide variety of interesting classes that they offer. Every class I took in Granada was somehow connected to the history of the city. It was a beautiful thing to be able to learn about different aspects of the city and it's history, not just live there. This program created an environment in which I was excited to learn, improve my Spanish, and made me a more confident student. On top of that, the city is absolutely beautiful and I never ran out of things to do and see!

IES Granada was an incredible experience, and I would recommend it to anyone with a Spanish language background looking for a meaningful, exciting, and unforgettable study abroad semester! IES Abroad and IES Granada staff were super helpful, from the beginning by making sure we got our visas ready to our 2-day orientation program in Málaga. Throughout the semester, they made sure that we were settling in okay, meeting locals, and then preparing for our return home. I ended up having a foot injury that lasted throughout the semester, but the staff was super kind about checking in on me, and also arranging doctors visits with a translator and taxi up to the hospital. They also made sure we were aware of all the local events happening in Granada through the weekly agenda, and planned field trips within Southern Spain and to Morocco to help us learn more about the historic gems of Al-Andalus. The Morocco trip, optional but most students choose to go, was carefully planned to be more than just a tourist visit, as we stayed with host families for 2 nights and met with 2 NGOs and a lot of local students. The best part about my experience was getting to know locals. I found two groups of local students, one through an "intercambio" program that IES set up to give us each a language partner, and the other through the university church group. Both groups welcomed me in, and I was able to improve my Spanish a lot and and learn more about Spain through these friendships. I´m already trying to figure out when to return because of these strong connections that I made! On the academic side, IES has a lot of great classes to offer its students at its own program site, with professors from the University of Granada. I was able to take all of my classes in Spanish, but in a smaller classroom than at the university. We were able to explore much of the city and its history through classes like Islamic Art and Architecture. My living situation was great! I had a lovely set of host parents who really welcomed us into the family. My roommate and I were even able to travel with our host mom to her hometown, one that National Geographic named one of the top 10 views. Her cooking was excellent, and although not everyone had such a positive experience, I think overall the people I knew in both homestays and residential living were happy with their choices. Overall, I was really impressed with the way this program was run, and would recommend an IES experience to future students! (note: I am an Ambassador for IES Abroad, but only because I had such a profound experience that I want to encourage others to study abroad, and hopefully in Granada!)

Studying in Granada was nothing short of a dream. The people. The food. The city. The mountains. Every last part of it. IES made this experience all that it was. By choosing this program, I was given the opportunity to connect with Spanish students, live with an incredible host family, and see so many beautiful parts of southern Spain. The program provided us with countless opportunities to further immerse ourselves or become more involved in the community weekly. I was able to practice and perfect my Spanish skills, travel southern Spain, Europe, and even to Africa, and familiarize myself with a completely different culture while in Granada. Studying abroad forced me to break out of my comfort zone, become more independent and self-aware, and grow as a global citizen. I am forever grateful for this opportunity. As cliché as it may sound, it was life-changing. I am not the same person I was before because of my semester abroad, and I will always view that as my best decision.

I studied abroad in Granada in the fall semester of 2018. I had chosen the program somewhat on a whim early the previous semester because it offered classes in my major of religious studies but still provided the opportunity for Spanish immersion. Even though I dove into my decision knowing very little about Granada or even the program, it was the best decision I could have made. I entered into the program feeling very anxious but excited about my adventure ahead. Still, I was doubting my language abilities and worried about building a community in Granada. Those doubts were quickly diminished when I experience the warmth and love of the IES Granada staff that grew to become a huge support system for me. I also quickly was feeling confident in my language abilities through the growing relationship with my host mom through our daily lunches together, talking politics or about the latest celebrity drama we would see in the news. Studying in Granada provided me with new and exciting learning opportunities. One of my favorite classes that I took was Islamic Art and Architecture, through which we visited nearly every corner of the city exploring its architecture. Through this class I had the privilege of visiting the Alhambra multiple times, and we even got to visit parts of the Alhambra that are not open to the public. Each class at IES provided unique learning opportunities, but I was most thankful for the opportunity to improve my language abilities through most of my classes being taught in Spanish. When studying abroad on a budget, Granada is a fantastic place. There are so many restaurants to explore throughout the city. Plus, whenever you order a drink, whether it be Tinto de Verano, Fanta Limón or something else, they’ll bring you a tapa along with it! One of my personal favorites for food was Shawarma, a delicious pita stuffed with grilled kebab chicken and loads of veggies and yummy sauces - all for only 3 euro! The city is incredibly walkable, but also very affordable in terms of public transportation. There are busses to the university, bus station, airport, and other parts of the city. A few weekends my friends took the busses out to the Sierra Nevadas and hiked. It was beautiful and so awesome to have fantastic hiking trails so close. Another weekend in December when snow was finally on the mountains, we had the opportunity to ski! The program also provided fantastic excursions including trips to Cabo de Gata, Ronda, Córdoba, Sevilla and Morocco. Each trip provided new immersion into cultures and opportunities to learn about art and history. The Morocco trip was truly a highlight of my experience. I stayed with a host family in Rabat, experienced the Hamman (the traditional Arab baths), had lunch with a family in a village of the Rif Mountains, and so much more. Throughout my time in Granada, I met people within my program that I now know will be lifelong friends. I met Spanish friends through orientadores of the IES program as well as through the intercambio pairing. Should you choose, IES pairs you with a Spanish peer so that you have someone to meet up with, practice your Spanish, and learn more about what it is like to be a young person in Spain. My intercambio grew to be one of my great friends, and I am thankful to have met her. Overall, my experience in Granada was fantastic and I will always look at it as a second home. It helped me grow as an individual but also as a world citizen. I am incredibly grateful for my opportunity to study there and I highly recommend studying in Granada with IES to anyone hoping to study abroad.

I came into my semester in Granada very apprehensive. I tend to be someone who likes routine and familiarity and these 4 months were anything but that. However, looking back, going abroad to Granada with IES Abroad was 100% the best decision I could have made. Although it may sound cheesy and/or unrealistic to some, I can honestly say that since going abroad I have sees so much growth in myself. At the end of the semester, I was so surprised by how hard I found it to say goodbye to the new life I had created. Today I find myself missing so much about my "2nd home". I miss the relaxed "no pasa nada" lifestyle in Granada that was such a refreshing change from my always busy U.S. life. I miss being able to walk anywhere and everywhere. I immensely miss my incredible host mom who not only always made sure my housemate and I were well fed, but also always supported and comfortable. I miss the IES staff and professors who taught me so many new things I would never have been able to learn at my home school, organized amazing activities for us in Granada (ex. cooking classes, wine tastings, open mic nights), planned trips for us ranging in location from nearby Cordoba to Morocco, and most importantly, were always there if we needed anything at all. I miss being able to meet up with my friends for tapas and tinto de verano and maybe gelato from Los Italianos afterwards. I miss studying in the IES center and getting to look up and see the Alhambra above me. Most of all, I miss the person I was able to be in Granada: similar, but also different to the person I am back in the U.S. Both the city of Granada and the IES Abroad program gave me so much, both personally and academically, and I will be forever thankful that I chose to push myself to go far outside of my comfort zone and study in Granada. Although it may have only been 4 months, I know that I will hold this experience close and continue to learn and grow from it for a long time.

I studied abroad with IES Granada in the spring semester of 2018 and it was one of the best choices I could’ve made. Though it’s hard to capture the essence of my study abroad experience with words, here are a few things that could help you imagine what the city and program is like: In terms of academics, the classes that are offered all integrate Granada’s rich history and character into the coursework. I took classes like Watercolor Workshop and Art History that allow you to go out and explore the city with your class every single week. I loved how interactive these classes were. If you have other interests, but don’t see any classes that the program offers that cater to them, you also have the option to take classes at the University of Granada. The city is also very accessible in terms of public transportation. There are taxis, busses, and even bikes that can take you to important spots like the downtown area, the university, the airport, and the bus station. This will especially come in handy if you decide to travel on weekends. There are beautiful nearby pueblos that you could (and should!) easily visit in a day—Nerja, Marbella, Cónchar, Málaga, El Chorro-Caminito del Rey, to name a few. The program also takes students on excursions to Sierra Nevada, Sevilla, Ronda, Córdoba, and Morocco. All of these trips were great experiences to get to know the region of Andalucía. The Morocco trip was unforgettable. There, we stayed with Moroccan homestays in the city of Rabat, which is just a small part of what makes that excursion so unique. It’s because of the connections that the staff at IES Granada has that allowed the program to have such wonderful opportunities. The staff, advisors, and orientadores all made me feel really welcome and were very helpful in connecting me with resources or activities that I was interested in. If you want to volunteer, join a club sports team, get an internship or just explore the city in general, everyone who works at the center in Granada can help…just ask! I became good friends with the orientadores just by hanging out with them whenever they organized something, and I really appreciated having people my age to show me around. I also walked to the IES center every week for classes and was amazed by the historical sites I saw every day on my short walk. The cathedral and the Alhambra are two of the biggest historical sites that I was fortunate enough to learn about in my classes, and then visit during my time in Granada. Along with this are beautiful areas to hike, run, walk, and even ski (in the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains)! Granada is also a really cheap city to live in, compared to other cities in Spain. So take advantage because a little bit of money can really go a long way. You especially cannot beat the tapas deals offered here! The program also offers great financial aid opportunities, which really helped me enjoy and experience my study abroad dreams. I highly recommend studying abroad with IES Granada, it is an opportunity that has made a deep impression on my life. It is where I learned a lot about Spanish culture, the Spanish language, and most importantly about myself.

I really enjoyed my time in Granada for a few different reasons. I visited and lived in one of the coolest parts of Spain for a semester; getting to know the people, places, and history surrounding Andalucía. I learned how to speak better Spanish, I met very amazing Spanish people, ate tapas, and visited many different sites. In terms of academics, I took five courses and all but one was taught in Spanish. In some of the classes I learned about the history of Sephardic Jews, Flamenco, and how universities like UGR utilize technology for different social causes. One of my favorite aspects of this program was the different excursions that we were able to participate in. We had about five excursions during the semester that were free to IES students. During these trips we went on hikes, tours of different Cathedrals, museums, and old sites. I also loved being able to get to know the city of Granada itself. I walked nearly everywhere; to the Albycin, the Alhambra, and cafes. There were so many different places to visit- and most in walking distance. But it also wasn't hard to get to visit other cities from Granada- you could take a day trip to another major city using an ALSA bus, which was cheap and convenient. The community in Granada was pretty laid back and fun, I made some really great friends with Spanish university students, other IES students, and also my host mom! I think one of my favorite memories was being able to participate in the open mics that IES put on. I was able to practice, have jam sessions, and conversations with IES and local university students. From this experience, I got to know the people in Granada and felt more connected to the community there. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Spain and I consider it as just the beginning of my adventures in Spain!

I had the most amazing time at IES Abroad Granada. I hadn't been planning to study abroad with this program, or in this city, but I am SO thankful I did! Granada is the perfect city in Spain to immerse yourself in the traditional Spanish culture, and the IES program there is run in an incredible manner. The staff at IES cares about you having an immersive, self-reflective, amazing journey, and they help you along the way. Included in your tuition are four incredible trips to other Andalucian cities with all of the other IES students and faculty, as well as an optional excursion (although I highly HIGHLY recommend going) to Morocco. I stayed with a phenomenal host family and got to know other Spanish students through orientation leaders and friends I made through different activities throughout the week. I unable to fully explain the amazing experience I had at IES Abroad Granada, and recommend this study abroad option to all who are interested!!

My study abroad experience in Granada, Spain was all I could have asked for and more. It was full of ups and downs as studying abroad demands that you take a big leap out of your comfort zone. I definitely was thrilled to be doing this, but it was definitely a bit overwhelming at times. One of the reasons I found IES Abroad Granada to be such a great program was because of their devotion to understanding students' individual experiences, meet them where they are at, and support them in the best way for the individual. The staff of this program in Granada blew me away with their kindness and how intentional they were about getting to know the students. The warm and empathetic attitudes of the staff made me feel very supported and at ease. I also saw these attitudes reflected in so many of the students I was surrounded by and this promoted great community development. Additionally, the IES Abroad Granada program includes many trips and participating in these adventures broadened my perspectives and also helped me to develop and strengthen relationships with those around me. During my four months in Granada, I lived in a homestay and this was a major highlight of my experience. Not only did it greatly help me improve my Spanish skills, but it also made me feel like I truly had a second home. It was also a very positive experience getting to know my host family and others from Granada as I was building relationships in a different language. An aspect of this program that I found very beneficial is that each student is paired with a student who attends the University of Granada and are encouraged to get together and help each other improve their language skills. Overall, the IES Abroad Granada program provided me with amazing opportunities to learn and grow in a context previously unfamiliar to me. It also led me to build very meaningful lasting relationships and to live experiences I will continue to learn from even though I am back home. I also cannot leave out the fact that the city of Granada is a place of jaw-dropping beauty and amazing history, and it is such a joy to get to know a place like this so well.