IES Abroad London – Theater Studies

My experience in the IES London Theatre Studies program was nothing short of life-changing. As a theatre student, I needed to make sure that wherever I studied abroad was preparing me for my future career. London was the place that I could live and work surrounded by the industry that I am studying and IES Abroad was the perfect way for me to do this. Academically, I got loads of hands-on practical experience by attending productions, going backstage and doing workshops with professional artists working in London. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in the entertainment industry or the performing arts in general. On top of academics, the IES community will always hold a special place in my heart. The administrations genuinely cares about the well-being of their students and I felt like I could personally connect with them. I wasn't just a number in the program, I was treated as a complete human being and was given a community that helped me thrive and live up to the best of my potential. After returning home, I am confident that London is somewhereI would love to move to long-term after graduation, and I wouldn't have realized that if it weren't for my semester studying abroad with IES.

Studying abroad allowed me to expand my horizons by broadening my mindset. Prior to my time in London, I was stuck in rut. This negativity infected my social life, family ties, academics and relationship with myself. However, my new environment gave me enough space to feel comfortable exploring myself: my likes, dislikes, desires, career aspirations and so forth. I rediscovered myself. This utterly changed my trajectory and now I feel refreshed and ready to take on the world.

IES provided me a stable foundation for the experience of a life time. Ultimately, there are things the program could improve upon, but in today's academic world IES fares well for itself. I would repeat my last semester in a heartbeat, if given the opportunity.