IFSA, Institute for Study Abroad

During my time with IFSA in the Tech Career Accelerator program I learned a lot about the tech industry in Prague and in the EU as well as Czech culture. The team organizing the IFSA in Prague was very welcoming and the excursions were very fun. Overall I loved my time in Prague and would do it again!

Highly recommend. The program is smaller (~100 students), class sizes are great, and you take classes in the attic of a mansion in a public park. The TCA challenge project is a surprisingly decent opportunity to learn and build a meaningful software product for a partner company. The attendance policy is reasonable, and classes are not hard. The program staff are amazing, super helpful, and do a great job planning 2-3 free activities a week. Prague is an amazing city as a home base; it's cheaper, very walkable, beautiful, and lively.

Prague is a really cool city: great public transport, cheap, lots to do. If you like to travel, you can see so much during your time here both through flights and buses. IFSA TCA is also a great way to boost your resume if you major in CS!

IFSA provided me the grounds in order to learn how to live independently in Wollongong, Australia. With caring and committed advisors, I felt as though I had a home away from home while being abroad on the other side of the world. This was such a rewarding experience and one I wouldn't trade for the world- I learned so many things about the world, myself, met new friends, took different courses, travelled on my own to different parts of Australia and none of that would be possible without the guidance of IFSA.

Hi, I studied abroad with IFSA in their Barcelona program. I had an amazing time. I was able to take classes through my program as well as through the prestigious ESCI business school. Through this program I was able to make many friends from around the world through my program. The living conditions were great, I had my own room in the Gothic Quarter that allowed me to really immerse myself in the culture. The program director Sandra was phenomenal, she always made sure we had everything we needed and provided a great immersive experience. We had several nice excursions with a weekend trip to Sevilla. Overall I had an amazing time. The only bad part was that my cohort was quite small, only 11 students. This could be a bad thing for some people, but I was able to make friends in my classes so it was not a downside for me. Thanks for reading :)

My time in Barcelona, Spain with IFSA was a life changing experience for me. I truly felt cared for, safe, and immersed in the culture while I was there. The apartment I was assigned with my roommates was stunning (we literally had a view of Sagrada Familia from our balcony!) Sandra, our program advisor, was there with advice for any situation and was first to help with every simple emergency. She even scheduled a doctor's appointment for me when I came down with strep throat! She is so attentive and kind and you can tell that she feels passionate about making sure the students in her program enjoy their experience. She scheduled multiple activities with us while we were there including a trip to Seville, a paella cooking class, and a crash course in flamenco dancing. I could go on forever about how much I cherish the time I spent in Barcelona with IFSA. I recommend them to everyone I know. Take the leap and do it!

My time at IFSA Barcelona may have been cut short by COVID, but it was certainly worth every second I got. IFSA had a small group of students from universities all around the US making it a very comfortable transition into this new experience. Half of the courses were taken with that small group, and the other half were at UAB - a very credited university in Barcelona with kids from several study abroad programs! It was a great way to meet new people also studying abroad in the city not through IFSA while still forming the close relationship with IFSA Barcelona staff and peers. Sanda, the program coordinator, was the absolute best. She was our go-to for all things study abroad whether it was academics, where to find the best seafood, which clubs to go to, and places to travel! She became our role model, mentor, and friend, and this is something that no other program will give you. We were also provided with an apartment with a balcony looking out to Sagrada Familia. It was a view that I never got sick of!! It took my breath away each morning that I had coffee out there. The city is FILLED with culture and is so easy to explore- you learn the metro lines very quickly!! I loved trying all the different food, exploring small cafes, hiking por las montañas nearby, and also spending Sunday afternoons on the beach!! It was seriously everything you could ask for all within one city. Not to mention the airport is so close so weekend trips were extremely doable! If you are considering going to Barcelona for study abroad, definitely take a look into IFSA for an unforgettable experience.

IFSA-Butler did an incredible job of helping students to both adjust to life abroad and find their place within a new city. I felt very supported from before I even got on the plane to Edinburgh, Scotland up to the end of my semester abroad. IFSA-Butler helped me choose the right classes for me and work through those classes when I needed it. One of my favorite parts about the opportunities IFSA opened up for me were the sponsored trips I attended to a homestay and the Highlands of Scotland. My homestay in Cumbria, England at Learning Field CIC allowed me to learn about another culture and understand how life on a farm is. The trip we took for a weekend into the Highlands was incredible! From learning about sheepdog training to tasting whiskey at the Glenlivet distillery to searching for Nessie to learning about the Battle of Culloden and visiting Glencoe, my weekend was filled with adventure and knowledge. I would even say my entire semester was filled with a growth in knowledge and a plethora of adventure! I couldn't be more grateful for my fulfilling semester in Edinburgh, Scotland.

My two older sisters went abroad through IFSA, one to Australia and one to Scotland. It was so intriguing to observe how much each of them grew and changed, and how prominent of a role IFSA played in their experience. When I was choosing where I wanted to study abroad, I knew that it was a priority for me to utilize IFSA as the provider because of how much they truly care about their students. Reflecting back on studying abroad with IFSA, I was very satisfied with how well they communicated with me and my family from the day I got into the program to the day I returned home. Safety was also a big factor for me, but IFSA was so timely in their messaging of when they were potentially protests or conflicting events occurring in the city that we should be cautious around. Also, whenever we wanted to take a weekend trip or leave the city, students had to fill out a brief form to tell their program director where they would be. I really liked this aspect because I felt really cared for and looked after as I was venturing to new and foreign cities. In Prague, there were multiple day trips planned by our director that helped us fully immerse ourselves into the culture and landscape of the city. We went on group walking tours, went to restaurants together and were taught how to order things off the menu, toured castles and churches, learned the general history, and were introduced to many local students. The activities planned enhanced my experience so much because I feel I truly got to understand and know Prague. I highly recommend studying abroad through IFSA because they help you make the most out of your few months abroad, and they will be there helping you learn and grow every step of the way. I feel I am a more empathetic, adventurous and open-minded individual because of how much IFSA challenged me and encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone.

I studied abroad in Christchurch, NZ through IFSA. It was an incredible experience! I learned how to whitewater kayak, temper chocolate, and about the Maori culture. IFSA was great because we had a local who could keep an eye on all of the study abroad students and act as our emergency contact. That person also took us on fun adventures like a chocolate shop, a cove with penguins and dolphins, and volunteering to help the environment. The people of New Zealand are extremely welcoming and hikes are easy to find.

Going to Brisbane, Australia and studying at the University of Queensland was one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life! I went abroad my junior year of college in the fall. I had to go earlier than most abroad programs (left in early July), so I was already so nervous. IFSA's staff was incredible. As soon as I got off the plane, my IFSA advisor helped me get a SIM card to contact my parents and tell them we landed. IFSA staff does a great job of being attentive and responding immediately to anything which may concern you. Whether it was directions to a bus stop or picking a place to go for the weekend, IFSA acted as a family would. They were my rock. They gave me advice. I was able to contact them about big and small issues. Also, IFSA planned several group trips, such as one to Morton Island, which was incredible! All you had to do was show up and be ready for an amazing weekend! Also, the University of Queensland's campus was breathtaking. It was the perfect place to get out after class and stroll on campus to a coffee spot or visit the library. I felt very comfortable navigating through campus. I love the sun shine and being outdoors, so studying on this campus involved days of reading outside on my favorite park bench. Brisbane stole my heart. The people, the memories, the friends. Everything I made there is irreplaceable. Going halfway around the world was worth every second. I visited beaches, met new people, and traveled around Australia while being a student as well. I got to surf and see kangaroos. I got to experience independence while never feeling alone. I highly suggest looking into IFSA's University of Queensland Study Abroad Program! I was worried about my studies while abroad, but travel and school was manageable. Also, the sunshine made me excited for each and every day!

I absolutely loved my time at Oxford with IFSA. I not only received and unparalleled education through Oxford's tutorial system but II also met amazing people who have now become my lifelong friends. I received endless, heartwarming support from IFSA from the moment I hopped on the plane to go to the U.K. to the moment it was time for me to return home. I am so grateful to IFSA for the opportunity to go abroad!

I absolutely adored my time in Edinburgh. I wanted a program where I could study abroad for the entire year and IFSA provided just that opportunity. They made it very clear from the beginning that the program advisors would be there for me as little or as much as I needed them. I knew I could reach out at anytime if I had any problem and they always gave me wonderful and insightful advice. They encouraged me to get involved in a variety of student activities and it was this that really made my year. I joined a competition a cappella group and made some of the best friends I have ever had. We ended up winner the Scottish A Cappella Championships, which was amazing. I also received expert advice on how best to save money in the city and how to take advantage of the different modes of transportation to save time and expenses. The orientation we went to had a lot of good advice that really helped to prepare me for living on my own in a foreign city. I now have many of my closest friendships based in Edinburgh and I am hoping for the opportunity to move back there sometime soon however that may be possible! I can't recommend IFSA University of Edinburgh highly enough.

My experience with IFSA at University College Cork was really special and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I was able to make new friends, adjust to a new country and gain independence, travel all around Ireland and to other countries, and learn so much. Something that was unique about IFSA that some of my friends in other abroad programs didn't get to experience was the IFSA trips around the country. I was able to go on two trips around Ireland - out West and up North to Belfast. I bonded with our IFSA advisors, as well as other people in my abroad program who went to other schools such as University College Dublin or Trinity. Not only were there these large trips, but my abroad group had multiple events throughout the semester such as group dinners or Irish dancing. There was between 10 and 15 other people in my abroad program at UCC with me, and because of the bonding that IFSA had planned for us, as well as living with them, we all truly became a family. I went abroad without any of my friends, so I didn't really know what to expect. What I got out of it was friends from all across the United States that I became so close with and love so much. We traveled Ireland together, and I became so close especially with my roommates that we traveled to all different countries together as well. IFSA did an incredible job of facilitating their program, and I made connections with people that I don't think I would have if I hadn't chosen IFSA.

I studied abroad with IFSA at UCL during the Fall 2019 semester. Not only did I make friends that I'll have for the rest of my life through IFSA's program, I also experienced academic growth sand development that was so formative that I decided I want to return to London for a masters degree. IFSA organized a trip to the Lake District, where I got to learn more about the vikig history in the UK and went on hikes and climbs. IFSA took care of everything. IFSA staff was also super receptive when I needed help registering for classes and when I had questions about access to medical care. The staff was so fun and kind and I felt supported the whole semester. I'm so grateful for my time at UCL and with IFSA, and my greatest piece of advice for perspective students is to apply!!

I studied abroad with IFSA-Butler in Fall 2019. It was an amazing program because it was pretty small, so we all became very close. I still talk to my roommate from Cuba almost every day. They also do incredible homestays. Everyone in my group loved their homestays and were so sad upon leaving. I also still talk to my Cuban host mom all the time. I remember talking to other US students who were put in apartments and honestly it’s just not the same as staying with a family. Also, the program coordinator for IFSA was awesome. Her office was really close-by and she was always there to help out. Actually, one night when we were out, my roommate’s phone got stolen and the coordinator was great and let her borrow a phone in the interim and went with her to the police station. I know this sounds ironic now that I just said that, but Cuba is sooo safe. There is catcalling, but really not a lot of street violence like in other big cities. I felt very safe walking around at night there. Some random tips I have are go sit on the Malecon at least once at sunset -- it's beautiful. Go on weekend trips and see as much of Cuba as you can! One of my biggest regrets is not traveling outside of Havana more. Really think about putting the Cuban SIM card you get into your own phone and not the phone IFSA provides, so you can buy data (paquetes). Also, I would highly recommend going to university parties! About once or twice a month, the FEU (federacion estudiantil universitaria) which is like the student government throws a party and it’s a great way to meet other college students. You have to buy a ticket, but it only costs 10 pesos cubanos which is like forty cents. Also, about academics, a lot of times classes are canceled or moved to a different classroom at the last second. You have to get used to being really flexible and patient. That’s why it’s especially important to be added to the WhatsApp group so you can keep up with any last-minute changes.

My time at the University of Auckland was the perfect blend of adventure and university life for me. The university itself had an such an array of classes that it wasn't difficult to find ones that both covered requirements for my school back home, but also offered something I couldn't get anywhere else. I was able to continue my English literature degree while also learning the native language of New Zealand, Te Reo Maōri. The classes themselves were not as strenuous as the ones I was use to at home, which allowed me to explore the city and country in my free time. On weekends, I went on trips with friends to nearby beaches (it was spring when I arrived, so the summer crowd hadn't taken over yet) or hiked up a volcanoe after a ferry ride across the bay. If I wanted to adventure in the city, there was always an exciting event to take part of. The most memorable activities in the heart of the city were the Asian Market and the Turama Festival of Lights, both unique to the city of Auckland. IFSA makes it their priority to introduce students to the native culture as well as the modern one. During orientation, my program stayed a night in a Maōri marae and became immediately immersed in the native culture, taking part in ancient traditions and learning of the legends that impacted generations of Maōri. My favorite memories were of exploring the country of New Zealand. IFSA encourages exploration and independence, but also makes certain that students know how to stay safe. There was always somebody on call in case trouble popped up. Although the city is spectacular, I don't recommend spending all of your time there. Right outside your door there are mountains and volcanos and thick forests and black beaches and huge rock formations waiting to be explored. It doesn't surprise me one bit that New Zealand became the inspiration for Middle Earth. Everywhere I went the country took my breath away. So if you go to New Zealand, find a group of friends and get outside. Take advantage of the adventures that await you.

My experience in Gold Coast was something irreplaceable, I would go back and do it a hundred times over. While deciding where I wanted to study, I always desired to see Australia. Unlike many people, I took an unusual root and signed up for the IFSA program without knowing one other person. I recommend IFSA to anyone who asks me about my experience. Even before taking off they give such detailed instructions for everything you need before you go abroad and assign you an advisor that can help with any questions you might have. I set up calls with mine so many times and I was always able to benefit from her advice. IFSA also makes sure to include excursions, our orientation took place in Sydney where I got to meet the rest of the 20 kids on my program. I still stay in touch with a majority of them we were a very tight-knit group. Our advisors there were always so eager to find us new night-life, restaurants, and sightseeing tips throughout the experience. My peers and I looked to those two women as our home away from home moms! There are monthly activities like boating, Morton Island weekend trip, Barefoot Bowls, Three Sisters, and more. Who wouldn't want to live in the heart of Gold Coast? The surfer century apartments are located a block from the beach and at the center of the hustle and bustle. I grew so much as a person starting fresh in a brand new place. No matter where you decide to study, just do it! There is no better time to put your life on pause for 6 months. It's a rare opportunity and a total blessing. In the Spring of my junior year, I did another program not through IFSA to Dublin, Ireland. I can say whole-heartedly IFSA is an amazingly organized program to trust to get you there in one piece and also be there when you need guidance. While living in the apartments, IFSA also partnered with a program at the school. Everyone who lived in my apartment all shared the same student mentor, who happened to be the student body president at Griffith! He gave us all the tips and tricks to navigate in a new place. He hosted events where we could meet other international students as well. Surfer's Paradise seemed gigantic at first but by the end seemed smaller and more like home, where I would see familiar faces on the tram, on Cavill Ave, at the grocery stores, and bars. I would take anything to go back and travel along the east coast of Australia and IFSA made it all possible. It was my hardest goodbye and my greatest love and to IFSA and Griffith University I am forever grateful.

I had an amazing time during my semester abroad in Christchurch which wouldn't have been possible without the awesome IFSA staff. Before leaving they handled all correspondence with the University of Canterbury, took care of my housing, and let me know what to pack and what to expect as I arrived. They met me at the airport and during my first few days in the country they gave a wonderful orientation to Kiwi culture. I got a little taste of adventure with outdoor activities, tried some classic Kiwi foods (like Marmite!), and learned about New Zealand's indigenous peoples when we stayed on a Marae. By the end of these few days I felt less like a tourist and was ready to just live in my new home. Throughout the semester the IFSA team held events that took us around parts of Christchurch I might not have seen without them. We also had weekly meeting which was a wonderful way to be reminded that I was not alone in the country and to get recommendations on what to see and do both around Christchurch and the whole South Island. Because of the confidence instilled in me by having friendly faces who helped support me abroad, I was able to really get outside of my comfort zone and try many new things and meet many new individuals! I cannot wait until I return to New Zealand. If it weren't for IFSA I wouldn't have planted such strong roots there!

I applied to this program at the last minute after making an impulsive decision to study abroad in Australia with my friend. I'm so thankful I went with my gut and chose to study abroad in Sydney through IFSA. Everyone I was in contact with there through the whole application process and arriving in Sydney was extremely helpful and cared about giving the students an amazing experience. While in Sydney, I always felt like there was support from IFSA staff available at any time, yet they allowed you to experience your study abroad in your own unique way. I can't emphasize enough how much I loved Sydney and how happy I was there- I'd move back in a heartbeat. I'm so grateful IFSA was able to facilitate such an incredible study abroad experience for me!

Not only did IFSA give me the opportunity to study in a small city (Wollongong, NSW), they fostered an environment where I could study, travel and socialize freely. IFSA had staff always on call when you needed them, but they were never down your throats or telling you what to do. This freedom allowed me to spread my wings and gain knowledgeable, practical life experience that I wouldn't trade for the world. Additionally, IFSA had many trips planned that were very well-executed and worthwhile.

Studying abroad through IFSA- University College London (UCL) was one of the best decisions I made. IFSA smoothed out all the logistics of studying abroad, and UCL provided me with an excellent education. I always wanted to study abroad in London because it’s one of the world’s most prominent financial hubs. This has ought to be one of the most seamless and best experiences that I’ve had thus far in my life!

I decided to go abroad with IFSA my junior year in the spring. I chose the beautiful and historic University of Edinburgh. From packing to getting my visa, I was supported by IFSA the whole way. I was assigned an advisor that helped me every step of the way. This is the first time anybody in my family had ever left the country and the whole thing was such a new experience so it was so nice to have that support system. Once there, IFSA had a great orientation that helped get me settled in the country before moving into my flat and starting the whole experience. There were so many fun excursions IFSA had planned for us, my favorite being my homestay in the English countryside. They offered everything from academic support to help find your place socially at IFSA. Unfortunately, Covid-19 hit in the middle of my semester. That being said, IFSA could not have handled it better. Leading up to the decision to send us home, we were receiving constant updates on how COVID would be affecting us. Getting sent home was not fun and I was so crushed, but it was for our health and safety as borders and universities shut down across the globe. IFSA helped me get home safely and did their best to ensure we got everything out of the experience we could. So while not ideal, IFSA handled such a scary situation so well which is indicative of the program as a whole. IFSA is such a supportive organization that will help you make sure you have the best experience possible in your host country.

I have always wanted to study abroad. I knew since I was in 5th grade that this was an all time dream for me. Little did I know that my study abroad experience would be greater than I could ever imagine! I created life long relationships, realized that I wanted to live abroad for a period of time after college, and had the opportunity to further my progression in becoming a global citizen. I am so grateful for the moments I had, and I know that I will cherish my time abroad forever. Edinburgh, Scotland, and the University of Edinburgh was exactly what I was looking for, and IFSA-Butler made my transition into a new city effortless, giving me the independence and confidence to make friends with people different to me and from different places. Thank you IFSA-Butler and to Scotland!!

What I appreciate most about IFSA is their dedication. I had a wonderful experience abroad in Dublin, Ireland and IFSA served as the platform which enabled me to have everlasting friendships and memories. From my first experiences like choosing my classes and other introductory conversations, it was evident that if I ever had a question or worry someone at IFSA would be there to help. Not only was this the case before arriving in Ireland, but also throughout the time I was there. Our program leader was amazing and truly made the experience for a lot of my friends and I. She was extremely hard working and was dedicated to her job, which was to ensure we were safe, well off, and enjoying our stay. She created an environment where we all felt safe to be ourselves and absorb in the new culture and fun things the city had to offer. I was introduced to brand new people and a brand new city, and while it was a little intimidating at first, I am grateful for every minute of it. I was able to experience what a big university in an urban setting felt like. The complete opposite of what my home school is. This is just one of the many cases where I was exposed to the other side of the spectrum. For three months I was able to live a different life and with that I learned so much about myself. It was a time for me to reflect and realize who I truly was in this new environment. I learned that I am stronger than I know, and capable of amazing things. In addition to this independence, I learned little things like how keep a schedule and stay organized, especially if you are in three different countries in a course of a week. This new environment created so many memories and friendships that I will cherish forever.

My main goal for my study abroad experience was to immerse myself in a new culture in whatever way I could. Attending Trinity College with IFSA gave me the best of both worlds because I was able to romp around a new city, while feeling safe and secure. Heather, our main IFSA contact in Dublin, was very responsive and happily answered questions on many topics spanning from location questions to pub recommendations. Dublin was a small enough city that I was able to get around by myself after the first week, but the excitement and beauty of the city never got old. The Irish locals were so kind and easy to talk to, making my transition to living in a new city easy. I expected large classes at Trinity College but my classes were actually smaller than my home classes.The teachers were very engaged with the students, and eager to help in whatever way they could. The registration process was stressful, but IFSA staff was there to help us along every step of the way. The living situation was absolutely incredible, as we each had a single in a suite with our own bathroom. The common areas in the living situation were conducive to meeting students on other programs, from both Ireland and other countries. The IFSA organized excursion to Belfast was also one of the highlights of my trip. We spent just enough time sight-seeing, and were given free time to explore the city on our own. The Black Taxi Tour was so informative and engaging and I remember calling my family the day after, excitedly telling them everything I had learned. Some of my favorite nights were visiting random pubs and talking to locals for hours on end. Unfortunately, I never learned to like Guinness but maybe next time I visit I'll give it another go. All in all, I could not imagine a better city to travel to or a better provider to travel with.

My experience abroad with IFSA at Pembroke College of the University of Cambridge was overall an academically enriching and thoroughly enjoyable experience that I will remember and hope to emulate in the future. Even before arriving in England, IFSA provided me with all of the necessary tools for the transition to England, including health insurance and visa information. IFSA’s oversight in the beginning stages of my study abroad experiences allowed me to relax and enter into my abroad experience with less stress. IFSA staff and orientation programs built upon this foundation and helped set me up for emotional and academic success while abroad. As the Cambridge experience is based through supervisions, which at most only have one other student in them, IFSA staff heavily emphasized the need to join clubs and student organizations within Pembroke and Cambridge to interact with British students. I joined the Pembroke College women’s football (soccer) team and had one of the most fulfilling experiences of my time abroad. The experience helped foster connections with other American students studying abroad as well as British or non-American students. On the academic side, the experience at Cambridge is nothing short of exceptional. From the Cambridge University library to the individualized supervision experience, there is no shortage of academic opportunities for students. While it was difficult to shift to the supervision system, IFSA and Pembroke staff were always available if I needed help or guidance. I took two supervisions while abroad, Politics of Southeast Asia and International Law. I wanted to take Politics of Southeast Asia as a similar course was not available at my home institution. The International Law course was thoroughly interesting and has influenced my plans after I complete my bachelor’s degree. Overall, my study abroad experience with IFSA at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge was an academically and personally enriching experience. My study abroad program was shortened due to the pandemic, which forced my second supervision to move online and for me to miss out on IFSA events I was looking forward to. However, I thought that IFSA and Pembroke were heavily supportive during the transition and continued to provide resources and assistance during the last two months of the program.

Even though my time in Ireland was cut short due to the pandemic, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The IFSA program struck the perfect balance between providing support and allowing me the freedom to create my own experience. The orientation program, optional weekend excursions, and most importantly the contact with a local coordinator who was willing to share his culture and answer questions as they came up made me feel comfortable as I adjusted to life abroad. However, unlike some other programs that tend to focus on (or even require) group excursions, I was free to spend my time as I liked. By planning spontaneous weekend adventures with friends based on my own interests, I was able to have genuine interactions with locals and learn more about Irish culture in ways that simply aren't possible through shallow, planned 'cultural immersion' activities. As for my experience at university, I really enjoyed the fact that I was enrolled in UCC and attended classes with mostly Irish students. It was challenging but enlightening to experience a very different academic system. I definitely feel that I grew academically through my time abroad by having to adjust to a different schedule, class structure, work load, and course expectations. I know many study abroad programs provide special courses for American students, but I think that really experiencing university life the way Irish students do was an important part of my abroad experience. Overall, my time in Ireland with IFSA has made me a more confident person. I now know that I am capable of engaging with people who have different cultural backgrounds, adapting to different cultural and academic (or, for that matter, professional) environments, and thriving outside of my comfort zone. I am so happy that I chose IFSA, as it truly allowed me to have a life changing experience!

I studied at the University of Glasgow and took 4 classes in economics: economics of industry, contracts and governance, international trade, and behavioral economics. This totaled to 15 credit hours. UofG also offered a few culture classes for the abroad students: In bagpiping class, you were able to learn and practice with a real bagpipe! My favorite thing about IFSA’s program was their pre-planned excursions. We had an excursion to the Highlands and a homestay in the countryside. During both, you get to experience the most beautiful parts of Scotland along with immersing yourself in the lives of Scottish citizens; it’s both informative and really exciting. Another thing I loved about IFSA was they provided us just the right amount of guidance. They held a week-long orientation in Edinburgh to get us acquainted to the new stores and culture. During this time I bonded with my IFSA teammates and we would keep in touch throughout the semester. During the academic semester, IFSA also periodically checked in on us and provided more activities such as a town mural tour and Friendsgiving meetups. IFSA was like home away from home to me and it was nice to able to fall back on them when I needed to. As an Asian-American, I did not feel different studying in Scotland compared to in the US. Glasgow is just as much of a cultural melting pot as the US is: I was able to find cuisines from all around the world, from Japanese to Indian to of course traditional Scottish foods. Fish and chips along with Haggis are a must-try. I was one of the few Asians however from my study abroad cohort, so I encourage others like me to take the chance and go abroad!

Overall, I had a great experience studying abroad at the University of Westminster with IFSA. IFSA provided a lot of resources and support throughout my study abroad experience, and I enjoyed a lot of the activities they had planned for us. Moving along, the University of Westminster program is great for someone who really wants to be immersed into the city and sort of dictate their own study abroad experience. The university consists of a few buildings about a mile away from each other (exception to one building which is quite far) that are immersed into the city. Because of this, most of the peers I met from classes I would only see once a week in that class. For that reason, I became very independent and began to explore the city a lot myself. As someone who came from a small school with a close-knit community, this took some time to adjust to. However, as soon as I adjusted, I learned to enjoy it a lot. I got to explore a lot in the city, and also made friends with some other study abroad students. As for the academics side, personally, I did not find the business courses (which took up most of my schedule) to be that rigorous or engaging. That being said, I took one course in the social sciences, and I really enjoyed it. I think if academics is not a main focus for you while studying abroad, the University of Westminster is a great university to allow you to balance exploring London and immersing yourself in the culture along with maintaining your academics.

I had trouble determining if IFSA at SOAS was the right program for me. All of these doubts, however, dissipated quickly once I began to receive the pre-departure materials and resources well before the start of the program. The depth and specificity that these materials provided gave me the security to know that even if I had somehow made a mistake in choosing an appropriate program, the dedication that IFSA demonstrated to providing support so early on gave me peace of mind. The unbelievable growth I underwent during my time abroad has already manifested itself countless times since my departure last December. One of the most profound changes I experienced was seeing how different the Black British experience was when compared to my own as a Black American. It was amazing to content with other members of the African Diaspora and connect in many ways, but also learn from our differences. My time abroad transformed my professional aspirations of being a teacher. In interacting with methods of learning and teaching so different from my own at SOAS, I was inspired to think bigger when it comes to practicing accessible and creative educating that does not sacrifice efficacy. The personal growth I experienced abroad truly opened the world up to me. Having never resided in a city, the thought of doing so made me incredibly nervous. Learning how to navigate such foreign environments will undoubtedly expand the experiences I am willing to engage with. I have more faith in my ability to prevail in challenging circumstances and transform the spaces I enter.

My first experience traveling outside of the United States was when I traveled to New Zealand for a semester study abroad. The IFSA-Butler program was exceptional and I could not have been happier with how my experience panned out. The IFSA-Butler staff was approachable and extremely helpful both before departure and while in New Zealand. A range of questions came up as I was preparing to study abroad, such as what classes should I take, where will I live, how will I communicate with friends and family back home, and what should I pack. It was really convenient to have IFSA support me through this process and answer all my questions. IFSA provided us with housing through the school where I got to live with another study abroad student from Italy and a student from New Zealand! Plus, housing was only a five minute walk from campus which was a huge perk. In regards to academics, the University of Auckland is a top notch university. All of my classes had 100+ students, but each class also had tutorial sessions each week where you were put in smaller groups (10-20 people) to discuss class topics in more of a discussion based setting. While abroad, IFSA provided me with resources on where to stay, must-do experiences, and knowledge on Maori culture. IFSA also had countless excursions planned for those on the program. Auckland truly was an amazing place to live and New Zealand provided endless opportunities for outdoor activities and jaw dropping landscape photography!

When I was searching for a study abroad program, there was never any doubt in my mind that I would pick a full language immersion program. I wanted to be able to connect with people and truly live in the culture, not just be an outside observer. I chose IFSA's Costa Rica program not just because Costa Rica is an absolutely beautiful country, but because I would be able to live with a host family and take classes with locals. I don't think I could have made a better choice. I won't lie, full immersion is challenging. Especially at the beginning, I struggled with speaking Spanish and often felt lost and confused. But my host family was patient with me, and so were my classmates. Slowly but surely the essays got easier, my speech got more fluid, and I began to make friends. I would not have been able to understand the Costa Rican culture in the way that I did without Spanish. Yes, I visited tourist sites, and tried the food, and even got lost on a volcano once. But because I knew Spanish I was able to take a folk dancing class, listen to the stories of my host parents, learn about the profound importance of sustainability in Costa Rican culture. IFSA provided great support throughout my experience and helped connect me to a lot of opportunities to get involved in my community. I formed close bonds with my fellow exchange students and we helped support each other and push each other out of our comfort zones. In just four months I had so many incredible experiences and looking back it was one of the best experiences of my life.

One of the most common phrases you will hear is “what’s the craic?” It is a common phrase throughout University’s to discuss the level of fun one is having (ie. average, good, great). How did I learn this? Upon arrival, our IFSA resident director immediately introduced us to some of the common Irish phrases and words. Not only did our IFSA resident director tell us what they were, but we also had to practice them in context. This simple gesture helped guide us into our cultural immersion in another country while giving us the confidence to engage with fellow Irish classmates. This is what IFSA is best at - ensuring their studying abroad students succeed academically, personally, and professionally. Before enrolling in courses, IFSA held an orientation through what to expect when enrolling in courses. This more in-depth explanation actually led IFSA students to become a resource for other international students who did not get an in-depth orientation as we did. Furthermore, they promoted personal growth by encouraging us to immerse ourselves in the culture. For example, they encouraged me to learn Gaelic and live with a host family for a weekend. This is an experience I never would have done without the encouragement of our resident director. Finally, they held a meeting at the end of our study abroad experience about how to talk about your study abroad experience in a professional setting. In discussing what skills I learned and the different ways I could frame my study abroad experience, I have the confidence to talk about my study abroad experience in an interview. If I could do another study abroad experience, I would definitely choose to go through IFSA again.

For many years, it was a dream of mine to spend a semester abroad in London. In my junior year of college, I was finally able to make that dream a reality, and I had the best time of my life. Looking through a list of approved programs offered by my school, Colgate University, I found a number of options for studying in London through the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA). Even from that initial moment of interest, IFSA was very helpful by offering clear, specific information on their programs. I ended up choosing the program at University College London (UCL), and was beyond eager for my semester to start. The advisors at IFSA were extremely eager to help in any way they could. I often reached out to email my program advisor with questions of different kinds - about credits transferring over, about switching from the department that I had initially applied and been accepted to in order to be in the Arts and Sciences department at UCL, questions about housing and visas - you name it, I asked it! My advisor was always so willing to answer my questions and left me feeling really supported. This support was extended along every step of the program, especially when we arrived in London. Immediately, the IFSA staff in London made me, and all students on the program, feel very welcomed. I really appreciated that they made themselves so accessible to us for anything we needed. I went to coffee chats to ask questions and discuss how my program was going so far, went to the IFSA headquarters in London multiple times to express my goals for the semester and how it was coming along, and connected with the staff on the programming that IFSA offered students. There were so many opportunities to connect with the staff and students alike on the program, and one of my favorite events was the trip to The Shard at the end of the semester, the tallest building in the UK, where we all gathered and reminisced on the program while enjoying the beautiful views. I made friends with my flatmates who were also doing the IFSA program at UCL, and we often went out together on day trips or explored the city together. Just as much as I enjoyed my experience with IFSA staff and the support I received, I also really appreciated my time at UCL, London's global university. The students and faculty at UCL were so diverse, which really allowed me to gain different perspectives within the classroom. As part of the Arts and Sciences department, I took classes called Sustainable Energy, and Race, Gender and Feminism. The other two classes I took were in different departments: Understanding Social Policy, and Democracy and Authoritarianism. These classes were really intriguing and I appreciated the multidisciplinary approaches to the classes, as well as the breadth of knowledge I was able to gain from taking these diverse courses. Though in a lot of ways UCL was very different from my home university, I came to really enjoy UCL and its large campus. I still felt very supported by staff - I had an advisor who was very helpful during the course registration period - and by the Professors and teaching assistants who held office hours and made themselves available for any questions I had. It was really beneficial for me to get to know the different students of various backgrounds, hear different perspectives, and broaden my world view, and this really helped transform me into a global citizen. There were always so many events and programming happening on campus, and so many different clubs, societies, and organizations to get involved in. Overall, my time spent studying abroad in London at UCL through IFSA's program is something I will cherish forever and look back on fondly. I was able to immerse myself in a foreign culture, explore new places I once only dreamed about visiting, and learn so many new things, both about the world and myself. I strongly believe that studying abroad has allowed me to grow into a more independent, well-versed, flexible, and open-minded student and person. I find that I am now more comfortable in new situations and places, I am able to adapt more easily to new settings, and I have an expanded world-view based on being in a foreign, highly diverse setting. I highly recommend taking the opportunity to study abroad in London, and especially through one of IFSA's programs. They will provide you with the support you need, help foster a sense of community, and help you really explore what the city, and country, has to offer through various planned trips and activities! All of these things will allow you to make the most out of your time abroad and really immerse yourself in that setting.

"Why Scotland?", you might ask? My reply, "Why NOT Scotland?!" Almost a year ago today, I left the States for what I now reflect back on as the best 4 months of my college experience. As someone who had never been abroad before last year, I was fairly nervous for this new adventure. Thankfully, I knew that my IFSA representative Michelle had set me up to be fully prepared as I made my way across time zones to the UK. Arriving into the Edinburgh airport I was filled with excitement as my two best friends and I joined hands and headed into a cab driving on the WRONG side of the road. I still don't know if the American in me will ever get over driving on the left. The next few days were filled with orientation by the IFSA program office in Edinburgh. Several lovely folks explained what we should expect over the next few months, and how we should prepare for the homestay which they had arranged for the coming weekends. After a whirlwind of a long weekend, we were finally dropped at our flats and ready to explore. Looking back, the one word I would use to describe Scotland is "wee". And I use this word in the best way possible. The country itself feels like a small town. Each person that you meet greets you with a smile like they've known you as an old friend, and would sit down to have whiskey and chips to talk for hours. The small shops fill the small streets, and even the coffees are small. The country wraps you up, and makes you feel warm inside, and I promise it's not just from all the whiskey and gin (though that is pretty good too). One of the most amazing parts of being in Edinburgh was that each part of the city had history. From the Palace of Holyroodhouse, to Edinburgh Castle, to Arthur's Seat and Calton Hill, every step that you take there is history that dates back centuries. I mean, imagine walking to starbucks and you have to take the road past the castle, incredible! Though there is plenty of older history, there is also very current history on the streets that you walk. Almost every day I walked past the cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" *cue fan-girl me* or down Victoria Street where she based Diagon Alley off of. Very frequently too would I walk by camera crews filming car chases for the film Fast and Furious 9. For such a small city, there are a thousand amazing things happening on the daily. The academics at the University of Edinburgh are unlike any American university that I've ever seen, but it just makes your experience abroad that much more of an adventure. The course schedule at the University is very flexible to allow the student time for class, studies and extra-curriculars. While abroad I was part of the Edinbellas, and all female acapella group at the University! I also took a full course load of classes, and had plenty of time to travel around Europe on the weekends. Much of the hard work involved in these courses at UoE comes in around finals time. There isn't too much homework throughout the semester so exams are about 60% or more of your final grade. This does provide you with more free time throughout the months of September - November, but be prepared for a December of hitting the books. Though the campus is spread out around the city, everything is very walkable, just make sure to bundle up because the winters can get mighty cold! A very unique part of the IFSA at University of Edinburgh program is the home stay, which happened for me around the end of September. I had the privilege of staying at a farm in North Cumbria, England. Here I got to see the wondrous UK countryside, which is absolutely breathtaking. Imagine the greenest green you've ever seen, and then make it greener. That is the English/Scottish countryside. Just miles and miles of rolling green hills, and the furriest little cows and sheep that one has ever seen. Since I spent most of my days in the city, having this weekend to wander the countryside melted my heart. I think this was truly the moment that I fell in love with my study abroad experience and knew that it would absolutely change my life forever. I do not think that there will ever be a day when I do not dream of being in Scotland. Especially during this pandemic, a scone and hot breakfast tea at the National Museum of Scotland on a rainy day has never seemed more appealing. I know that it is such a clique to say "Study Abroad Changed my Life" but I cannot think of anything more true about the experience that I had. I feel like a more independent adult, and a more cultured citizen after spending my time in the UK. Between the people that I met from around the globe, to the places that I was able to travel, my time abroad gave me perspective that I may not have gathered any other way. As nerve racking as it might be, there is nothing more incredible than an experience abroad. Words cannot do it justice. So, take my advice and plan a study abroad to see for yourself just how incredible of a journey it is.

I truly could not put into words how much I enjoyed my experience. My experience exceeded every single one of my expectations. IFSA was the perfect bridge for me between me and University College Dublin along with a connection in Ireland. As someone who was a little nervous to be in a foreign country for a whole semester without anyone I knew, the IFSA events, orientation, and staff on site always made me feel comfortable, and it helped me so much to know there were people there for me at all times. It was extremely nice to have someone explain how the education system differs in Ireland from what I was used to and also someone to guide me through each part of my experience in order to have the best experience possible. The IFSA staff were also incredibly helpful both before and after my time abroad. When preparing, all of my emails were answered within hours I sent them, and the advisors even got syllabi from UCD that I asked for. When returning, IFSA gave a lot of materials to cope with reverse culture shock and kept up with me as an outlet to share about my experience. All in all, I would recommend IFSA to anyone looking to study abroad and am forever grateful to them for contributing to an experience that I will treasure my whole life.

Three of the biggest aspects I wanted to achieve on my study abroad experience were: a stress-free time, immersion, and credits that would transfer to my home university. Studying aborad at UNSW, through IFSA-Butler, could not have been more perfect for all of these goals and more. Australia's laid back nature was perfect, and being right next to so much nature (beaches, mountains, etc.) made it almost impossible to be stressed. UNSW also has so many classes available that you are almost guaranteed to find courses to transfer back for credit. The only aspect of my goal that you might have to work towards is immersion. UNSW is a big international school so it is easy to not branch out and meet locals, but Sydney is so big and there are so many opportunists if you work for it!

I studied abroad in Cuba during the fall semester of 2019 at the University of Havana. It was such a unique experience that I would not have been able to get anywhere else, because IFSA has a structure that allows for immersion in the local culture. I was welcomed by an amazing host mom who helped me significantly improve my Spanish. she’s an amazing chef, and was so encouraging and motivational. Our on-the-site program director was so accessible; literally her office was 1 block away from where I lived with my host family. All of us students in the program had weekly meetings with the program director where we were able to update her on how we were settling in and concerns that we had. Overall, I appreciate IFSA’s commitment to ensuring that students are integrated in the local community through different learning and experiential undertakings, as well as local activities not necessarily catered to tourists. These aspects about the specific IFSA program that I was in pushed me to pursue the goals that I had set for myself before embarking on my study abroad journey!

Choosing IFSA and studying abroad at SOAS was, singlehandedly, the best decision I've ever made in my life. Some of the previous participants and the study abroad advisers at my college suggested IFSA would be the best fit for me. Studying in London incorporated a busy urban environment with a highly competent academic setting. In this stressful environment, IFSA was instrumental in providing support and ensuring that participants, most of us from small liberal arts colleges, survived in London. I've always felt constrained on a small campus so being in London allowed me to breathe and become involved in so many different and wonderful opportunities. London is a great place to discover yourself and your identity. SOAS was the most diverse and involved community I have ever been a part of. Students are very involved and dedicated to their causes, the SOAS bar is usually bustling with life and debates. At the same time, students face high academic expectations. So, that they can continue learning and improving whilst abroad. All in all, if you want to be challenged and transformed, choose IFSA and SOAS!

I enjoyed my abroad experience a lot! Though I felt like the immersion into the campus community was lacking in some ways and some of the professors did not communicate with the students well, I think the on site staff was incredibly helpful and supportive and all of the Chinese professors were amazing. My Mandarin skills increased so much, and I got learn about and see aspects of Chinese society that I would never have found out on my own.

I really liked attending JCU in Townsville because I got the chance to further my studies of marine biology, which is my major at my home university. Not only was it the only school that offered the exact same Invertebrate Biology class that my home university required, but they also had a ton of other options to choose from. I love animal physiology, so I also enrolled in Aquatic Animal Ecophysiology, which was so interesting. I also loved being able to go out and explore Australia (i.e. Magnetic Island, Paluma Rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, etc.) and make connections with the material I was learning in class.

When I landed in New Zealand, I was freaking out. I knew absolutely no one and I had slept for around 4 hours in the last day of travel. But, I was met with the people who would make my abroad experience so special. The staff of IFSA truly felt like a safety net for me. I was so excited to go out with the friend I made through IFSA and try new things, putting myself out there, and every time I did, I knew that Sian and Christina would be there for me if I needed help. I truly felt safe and supported in Dunedin because of the IFSA staff. They threw us students together as soon as we got to the Pre-Orientation program, making it easy for us to meet each other and settle in. They continued to reach out through the semester for coffee catch ups or ice cream outings. The trips they planned for us were extraordinary. I fully attribute my ability to enjoy my time in New Zealand to IFSA and could not recommend studying abroad with IFSA more. In terms of the Otago program specifically, it was exactly what I wanted. The beach was a 25 minute bus ride away, and amazing weekend hikes were close by as well. The town of Dunedin is a college town through and through, so there's never a dull moment. Live music can be found just about every night of the week, and you're never more than a 5 minute walk from a coffee shop. To me, studying abroad with IFSA at University of Otago is a no-brainer. What I got out of the experience (new passions, a better understating of myself, and life-long friends) will stay with me forever.

Scotland, a beautiful land full of adventure and kindness, community and acceptance. From the lowlands to the highlands, this beautiful country was stunning and full of life. I enjoyed my time in Edinburgh which seemed stuck in medieval times with castles, cobbled pathways, and gothic-esque architecture. The ability to live in a city in which the historical essence has been preserved was amazing. Though on the outside everything seemed ancient, Edinburgh is at the forefront of modern living. Public transport is easily accessible, Wi-Fi was not hard to find (there was even some on the buses!), and my university accommodations were excellent. Before starting University, IFSA held an orientation in which academics, city life, culture, and other helpful tidbits of knowledge were discussed. The orientation was partially helpful, and I learned enough to be safe in the city; however, I do wish there would have been more structured tours in tutorials for example how to take the various transport shuttles. The academics at the University are top-notch and if you except to slack academically think again. Lecturers, as well as tutors, expect active engagement with the material in addition to engagement with peers. Though the contact hours vary greatly from the United States and the number of classes which a student is required to take is lower does not mean it is easier in any way. A big problem that I had with the university at times is the way the information would be presented. In the United States, I attend a historically black college/ university (HBCU) and major in African American Studies. I took an African Studies class, a Spanish class, and a sociology class. The Spanish class was amazing, difficult, and challenged me to truly learn the language. The sociology class was introductory and covered a wide range of topics. The class was fine, but some examples used within the class specifically when it came to people of color seemed wrong and raised a few of my feathers. The African studies course was were a lot of my problems resided. The course is an African studies course which did not focus on Africa, but rather the "global south" in its entirety. The readings for the class were mostly from European writers or writers of color that did not have a background in African Studies (I do not recall any being African). This through me for a loop and made me question the integrity of the class at least under the department of African Studies. Even though the class did not meet my expectations; I still learned a lot from the class and it is worth the look for anyone interested in global initiatives. Now in regards to the IFSA-side of things, IFSA had two major excursions for the duration of our semester abroad. The first was a trip to the highlands. This was a fun and beautiful trip. We travelled the highlands for a weekend stopped at a sheep farm, a whiskey distillery, went to Fort George, the site of the battle of Culloden, saw Loch ness (sadly not the monster, Nessie!), and enjoyed a stay in Inverness. The scenery was beautiful and I had a great time. The other excursion was a weekend homestay. We were split into groups and sent all over Scotland and Northern England. My group went to a small village named Shap in Northern England. We got to go to a festival, and my home family was amazing and welcoming. As an African American, I was a little afraid of how I would be received but after 5 minutes that fear was tossed out the window. Overall, my experience in Scotland was a 9/10. The people were lovely, IFSA's two major excursions were fun and offered a little more insight into Scotland. The only improvements I would suggest is having a get together for the students in Edinburgh and Glasgow in Glasgow and another in Edinburgh so that we can make more connections, and having students pick the mini-excursions so that they are more likeable. IFSA does a great job as well with checking on the well-being of their students as we are spread throughout the city.

I could not have had a better experience than my time in Edinburgh during the Fall semester of 2019. Between attending a prestigious university in one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to and making many incredible friends, I was exactly where I needed to be. I underwent a lot of personal growth, and through this cross-cultural immersion I know I became more of a global citizen. During my time in Edinburgh, I was very grateful to have a support system like IFSA-Butler. Upon arrival, I felt welcomed and more comfortable knowing I would be far from alone my first few days adjusting. Having an IFSA orientation allowed me to meet some people in the same position as me and then be more open to befriending people unlike me following the orientation. By the time I moved into my flat, I felt refreshed and ready for the semester! I found that my best friends were both from IFSA and within my flat, from England and Spain! Additionally, there were more events hosted by IFSA throughout the semester that kept us supported and tied to each other. I had the opportunity to travel and explore Edinburgh, and I would highly recommend studying abroad as it can truly change your life. It changed mine for the better!

I could not be more grateful for my semester abroad with IFSA at the University of Auckland. I chose IFSA because the flexibility of the course selections allowed me to study both dance and philosophy (with courses going towards both my Dance and Moral Psychology majors!). In addition, with guidance from both the IFSA staff and the UoA staff, I had the invaluable opportunity to intern for Dance and Arts Therapy New Zealand, gaining hands-on experience in a field of interest for me. This internship was truly one of the highlights of my experience. I was also given the incredible opportunity to perform and choreograph with UoA's dance studies students. In addition, New Zealand is breathtakingly beautiful, and the IFSA-sponsored orientation and trips allowed us to explore while also immersing us in and allowing us to learn about their culture. Our on-site IFSA program advisor was also amazing, and truly cared about each student!

Studying abroad in Shanghai, allowed me to interact with a city that had traditional neighborhoods and modern ones all in one place. I'm a huge coffee lover, but being in Shanghai didn't deprive me of that. Given its modernity I was still able to enjoy my slice of home while living and studying abroad in a foreign country, enhancing my language ability, and traveling to new places.

If I was asked to list my feelings before studying abroad to Sydney, Australia with IFSA, nervous, anxious, and scared would never had appeared. I was excited and prepared to embark on my journey abroad! IFSA had really prepared me before departure with their numerous newsletters that helped me get a feel for what the culture was like and how to navigate daily living like public transportation and healthcare. Even though I was 9,195 miles/14,800 km from home, I felt like I had a family--more importantly, a support system--the entire time. Whenever I had money problems, the IFSA directors were so caring and understanding of my situation and they helped me get back on my feet. They cared about inclusion and diversity which, for an low-income Asian woman, meant the world to me. Because they didn't want anyone to miss out on the amazing experiences and adventures Australia had to offer, they helped me find affordable ways to experience everything whether music, food, culture, and nature. From free concerts to taking full advantage of club events, they gave tips and tricks that made my experience unforgettable. Country Life Weekend was an unforgettable weekend in Bathurst where we could hold baby lambs and get a break from the big city. They also gave free us tickets to see a play and the Australian Ballet in the Sydney Opera House, who can beat that! Armed with the support of IFSA and a great group of friends, those feelings of nervousness that many students have after leaving home to live in another country for a semester easily dissipated. Of course I got homesick at times but at the end of the day, I was going to go home so I thought, might as well make the most of my time now! I would highly recommend this program to anyone--and have been doing so as an IFSA Ambassador--because they studying abroad so enjoyable and exciting!

IFSA provided me a study abroad experience that I will never forget. Going abroad is a humongous decision and commitment. Many people could feel anxious, excited, nervous, and even a little scared. I certainly felt all of these before my trip. However, from the first day that I landed in Dublin, I knew that I had an amazing support system with IFSA. They had their own orientation with the purpose of getting us acclimated and ready to call Ireland home for the next few months. Many of my friends who studied in different places did not have this and found the transition quite hard in the first couple of weeks. Also, they sponsored two trips to surrounding areas of Ireland where we were able to experience and immerse ourselves in the distinct Irish culture. Studying abroad is an amazing, and I am super grateful for IFSA as they provided me the platform to meet new friends and get to know Ireland.

When I arrived in New Zealand I was pensive and worried being so far from the United States. Thankfully, I made a good group of friends within my IFSA program. We would do homework together, explore the city, and I even went on a couple of hikes on the other side of New Zealand! Adjusting to the workload in another country was difficult at first, but with the support from my friends it wasn’t all that bad. The mountains I climbed with my friends made the mountains of work I had more bearable.

I am a heritage student. As IFSA first Peruvian abroad in Peru, it was difficult for me to connect with my peers in IFSA. I would experience microagressions and just overall, I felt as if a majority of them did not want to connect with Peruvian culture/make the effort. Many did not check their privilege (being white Americans from a developed nation) and formed cliques. I did manage to find two great friends who were really there to experience the city and learn the language. We were all low-income and all pushed ourselves to get to know the city. I often questioned my identity. This is not a process I regret. Having dual nationality has permitted me to pursue experiences such as this one in order for personal growth. That in itself is something many people cannot afford. My mother was also in Peru visiting family at the time. She was medically uninsured and suffered a horrible accident during my second week into Peru. It was very upending and shocking. All of a sudden I had to deal with family, my mental health, school, my mothers health. All these burdens. Due to feeling so distant from most of my IFSA cohort, I only told the two I felt comfortable with. I felt incredibly alone. Although my IFSA director made efforts to make sure I had access to resources, I don't quite think he grasped how alone I felt among the peers who did not understand me. Its very hard to sit in class and wonder about how your mother is doing in the hospital, how your family is going to afford it, and if she'll have access to enough resources (she was in one of the poorest districts of lima) while your classmates complain about the cramped bus rides and how people stare at them for being white and speaking english (in a Spanish country...). Welcome to my life in the US where I've been ridiculed for my brown skin and accent.

I could not recommend studying abroad with IFSA enough. My friends and I all studied abroad through different providers and I no doubt had the most impactful experience out of any of them. While most providers allow you to take classes in English with only exchange students, this program allows you to directly enroll in classes at the local university. This means that they are taught completely in Spanish and that you are taking classes alongside Chilean students. You also have the opportunity to live with a host family which allows you to fully immerse yourself in the culture. The on-site staff is very supportive and helpful throughout the whole experience. If you want to experience something that is a step further than just being a tourist for 5 months I would absolutely recommend IFSA!

One of the program trips that IFSA planned for us was a trip to the souther part of Chile where we stayed with indigenous Mapuche families that we had been learning about in our classes. We were able to do an amazing hike in the mountains that has been the path of indigenous people crossing between Argentina and Chile for a long time. The peak of our hike was when we made it to the top and the top was the tip of a volcano!

From Day one, when my pre-advisor contacted me with the necessary steps I had to take to get ready for abroad, I knew there were a lot of little details I had to work out (i.e. cell phone plan, getting credit card without international fees, obtaining Australian money, what I should/shouldn't pack, etc.). My pre-advisor could not have been more helpful! She answered all my questions in a timely fashion, and she gave me great advice when I wanted her opinion. Once I got to Australia, I could not have been more blessed with the Student Service Coordinator (SSC) I had. She really cared how each of us were doing, both inside and outside of school. She wanted to make the transition to and from abroad as effortless as possible. She would hold coffee chats so we could hang out and talk with her. She was able to help me on some big decisions. And most importantly, she was always there for me (including leaving her family to sit with me in the ER until 1am just so I wouldn't be alone). Having such a caring SSC really made my abroad experience memorable!

IFSA Butler Study Abroad was the perfect program for me. Not only do they have many different countries available for studying abroad, but they offer different experiences at each. I chose to study abroad directly with a university, Trinity College Dublin. Not only did I fall in love with Dublin, but IFSA set me up perfectly to have the best study abroad experience. With their constant support and preparation available leading up to the months before departure, my pre-departure anxieties were definitely lessened. IFSA had multiple excursions planned for us that are included in the program fee. We travelled around Ireland during a couple of weekend trips to places that I wouldn't have been able to go otherwise. My favorite part of studying abroad with IFSA, though, was their constant support when I needed it. They weren't overbearing with required events and activities, but when I was feeling really homesick I had a friendly face to talk to whenever I needed to. When I experienced mental health issues, I was able to use the insurance arranged through IFSA to see a therapist free of charge. IFSA's commitment to its students is incredible, and it really feels like a small family when you're abroad. I believe IFSA was a driving force that made my study abroad experience so wonderful, and I wouldn't change it for the world!

IFSA made my time abroad so much richer and memorable. I loved the community the IFSA students and staff built, and the programming really helped me learn so much about New Zealand and immerse myself in the culture there. I felt so supported, and it truly was an incredible experience. The trips we took as an IFSA group were so incredible, and orientation was amazing! I miss New Zealand so much and I can't wait to return (and visit my on-site IFSA program advisor Ellen, who is amazing). I am so grateful to have had IFSA to support me!

Leaving was the worst thing about my entire year. I was able to increase my fluency, take major classes, and develop a life there. I tried surfing, rock climbing, acro yoga, and so much more. My host family and the Chilean community was so welcoming. In my second semester, the only time I spoke English was in phone calls to people back home because I had become so close to my host family, classmates, and friends that I was always speaking Spanish. I learned so much about myself, traveling, Chile, and other people, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

Studying abroad with IFSA was one of the best decisions. They made logistics, travel, excursions, academics, and social life feel manageable through attentive and flexible support. They also managed to allow for complete independence. Through quick communication and a commitment to safety, I always felt comfortable. Travel around the country and outside of it was incredibly manageable, Dublin had so much to offer and was not overwhelming at all (even for someone from rural Maine!) IFSA provides opportunities for scholarship, and helps to make abroad accessible for students of all backgrounds. They’re excursions are included, and are a great opportunity to socialize, travel, and gain some cultural context and immersion. I cannot recommend abroad with IFSA enough. If you’re an adventurous student, eager to explore the world and yourself, Go abroad with IFSA!

I loved my semester abroad. It was my first time traveling alone, and I began Fall 2019 knowing absolutely no one and having little confidence in my ability to communicate with Barcelonans. I ended up spending almost every weekend in the city, exploring different neighborhoods, and befriending plenty of people outside my program. My group turned out to be very small (11 students). However, with classes at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, I was able to get to know international students in other programs. It was difficult to meet Barcelonans, though UAB professors made this easier by sending out invitations to community events. I did enjoy IFSA's curriculum, as we were required to take a short Catalan language course. This was really helpful in attending local festivities; for example, La Mercè and the National Day of Catalonia. IFSA was supportive enough without being overbearing or limiting. Sandra is an incredibly understanding Resident Director, and I'm not sure I would have jumped some unexpected hurdles without her. Becoming independent and sure of myself was such a wonderful learning process, and I don't know if I would've experienced it during college if not for my semester abroad. It wasn't always easy, but I grew so much. I would recommend studying abroad to anyone.

IFSA Macquarie Program is amazing! The IFSA staff, both in the US and on-site in Sydney were phenomenal, the nicest people I have ever met who really care about helping you through the study abroad process and giving you the amazing study abroad experience they promise! The on-site staff are always up to meet with you over coffee or lunch, even outside of the regular campus drop in meetings they hold every week or two. IFSA's 3 day orientation is, without a doubt, one of the best parts of the program. They pick you up from the airport and will even help you get a sim card before leaving the terminal. They help you get settled into your room at the YHA and bring you on a walking tour around Circular Quay, the main harbour area. IFSA also took us about 2 hours west of Sydney to the Blue Mountains for a picnic and hike, invited someone to give an Aboriginal cultural presentation, and took us on a dinner cruise on the harbour the final night of orientation. The IFSA team also gives very informative presentations on all the aspects of the upcoming semester, and will answer any questions you have. Finally, they provide transport to Macquarie and help you check in to your room, and walk you to the Centre to start shopping for room necessities. This orientation is also a great opportunity to get to know the people in your program, as opposed to just getting thrown into your student lodging without introductions to the other IFSA students. The housing at the Macquarie University Village is very nice, everyone will have their own bedroom and bathroom with a kitchen shared between the 5 people in your townhouse. The village consists mostly of other international students, who are all looking to meet people and experience new things like you are! The one downside is the distance to the Macquarie Centre, it is on the opposite side of campus so any groceries, take out, or shopping will require you to take the 410 bus, or walk about 20 minutes across campus. You will quickly get used to the bus schedule so it is really not a big issue at all. There is even a small market directly across the street from the village that is sufficient enough to hold you over if you only need a couple of things. The academics at Macquarie were outstanding, I even found the classes to be more hands on and informative than the ones at my home university. Pay special attention to any PACE units that look interesting, it is a great program! IFSA also offers a couple excursions throughout the semester, for our semester we were able to watch a play at the Opera House, and spend a weekend in the rural countryside staying on ranches with various trusted farmers. These are included in the program cost so definitely take advantage of them! As the Macquarie University program was the only IFSA offering in Sydney approved by my home university, I didn't have any way to be closer to the city. Getting into the city does take almost 45 minutes from Macquarie, but will take even less time as Sydney is currently in the process of extending the metro line that stops on campus. Overall, IFSA provided me with all the resources and activities to have the best 4.5 months of my life! The Macquarie group is typically much smaller than any of the IFSA cohorts at the other universities in Sydney, which I enjoyed, since we became so close and tight-knit that we did almost everything together. IFSA Macquarie is an amazing choice for your semester in Sydney, you will take amazing classes, meet amazing new friends, and experience all the amazing things Sydney has to offer!

The relationships and friendships that I created in Cuba will always be for life. My host family truly felt like a home away from home and I will forever be grateful for that. When I came back home they were loving people that I was able decompress about my day and ask for advice whenever I needed it. Along with the people in my program we all had our differences but still hung out all together and enjoyed eachothers company. The people I met in Cuba truly was what made my experience so amazing and the memories that I created in these beautiful places in Cuba. I came out of my comfort zone to create friendships from the University and throughout Cuba. I am glad I did because if not I wouldn’t have made those forever memories with special people.

I studied at USyd during fall 2019 and I am SO glad I did. Even though I was extremely nervous at first about going to a new place by myself, all the advice and facilitation provided by IFSA made the process a lot more daunting. The individual advisor assigned to me was very accommodating, especially with deadlines, and provided detailed answers to all my questions. I got a lot more logistical support from IFSA during pre-departure than I did even from my home school. Once in Sydney, having the program as touchstone was really helpful and helped my anxiety about all of the unknowns a lot. I was able to make other American friends in the program which was great because I had a group of people to do all of the touristy exploration I wanted to do. In my opinion, Sydney itself is the perfect city. I lived just a few blocks away from a train station and could get anywhere very easily, including any of the beaches, which I went to nearly every weekend. I got so used to being recognized by the owner of the neighbourhood coffee shop on days I went in to get my morning flat white. While studying at the University of Sydney, I was able to take courses introduced me to more interdisciplinary modes of thinking that I am now applying to my senior essay back home. Though the class sizes are much larger than I am used to, weekly tutorial sections helped develop discussion further and also gave me the opportunity to meet local students. The only downside was I did not push myself enough to join clubs or organizations with the university, which would have allowed me to make closer Australian friends. I'm graduating next year and have started to consider applying to jobs in Sydney, just to see what could happen.

I used to chuckle when people said: "Study abroad changed my life!" I don't think that the actual 'study abroad' changed my life, but the people I met and the ways that I grew both personally and academically changed who I am today. I am eternally grateful to the program advisors and friends I made while I was abroad. Going to live in a different country is scary and weird and exciting, and IFSA gave me all of the support that I needed to make it through the semester.

Studying abroad with the Institute for Study Abroad at the University College Dublin was one of the best experiences of my life so far! I had the opportunity to attend classes with Irish professors and students, I had the freedom to travel all over Europe on the weekends, and I had the opportunity to take advantage of the Irish culture and nightlife right in Dublin. What I will remember the most, however, are the friends I made through the program. Both the advisors and my fellow college students made Dublin feel like home. They made the experience so enjoyable that it was difficult to go home at the end of the semester. For any undergraduate looking for a study abroad program, I wholeheartedly recommend IFSA. You will not regret it!

IFSA was so instrumental in helping me enjoy my abroad experience. The program set up multiple events that helped me meet new people within the program and get comfortable in our new setting. They were also there every step of the way to help us get adjusted to being at a new university, being in a new city, etc. One thing I loved about IFSA as well was the housing. I absolutely loved my roommates; we all had similar goals for abroad, and they all ended up becoming my closest friends. Overall, I highly recommend IFSA if you are looking for a high quality education paired with a great experience socially.

My IFSA experience was life changing. I experienced the highest highs and lowest lows of my life so far, all of which changed me for the better. Our orientation was informative, adventurous, and extremely community-oriented. While it was very emotionally, socially, and physically exhausting, my memories of sea kayaking, trail blazing, bird watching, sunrise-watching, visiting a Maori sanctuary, and sharing meals are some of my most cherished, and allowed long lasting friendships to organically and enthusiastically begin to form. The IFSA excursion, particularly the Doubtful Sound sailing trip, were some of the most emotionally/mentally challenging yet rewarding experiences of my entire time abroad. A huge thank you to the IFSA staff!!! The University of Otago is beautiful, academically challenging, always bursting with activity, and despite its large size, I always felt cared for by professors/lecturers and engaged in small class sizes. I felt I could not have been in a more perfect, classic university environment than at University of Otago. The biggest drawback for me was access to health (particularly mental health) resources. Especially as an international student, accessing counselors, check ups, medicinal prescriptions, and specialists were extremely challenging (often having to wait weeks for appointments or pay massive copays for necessary prescriptions). As a study abroad student with mental health issues and a chronic illness, this was both frustrating and discouraging. I appreciated the outreach and support of my in-city IFSA advisors in the midst of that frustration. Dunedin is a lively little city with interesting restaurants, cafes, parties, museums, and architecture. The surrounding mountains and beaches make for an INCREDIBLE outdoors experience at the foot of your doorstep (though the entire South Island itself is brimming with unbelievable scenery and adventure). Public transportation is very limited, which makes outings and outdoor recreation very challenging. This is a major downside of studying in Dunedin (whereas Wellington may have offered more city experiences and walkable/public transit options), though tons of students (as well as campus clubs) are willing to help each other out with rides and carpooling. Overall, my experience

I spent a semester at University of Edinburgh through IFSA Scotland's program. The University of Edinburgh is a prestigious school, known for an incredible history of important philosophers, writers, historians, etc. Naturally, as a Political Science student, I was very interested in their program. I applied through IFSA, and they were incredibly accommodating and stayed in constant touch to answer any questions I had about life in Scotland, applying to the program, paper work, housing, etc. Throughout the entire application process, the IFSA staff were incredibly helpful, I never felt afraid to contact them with a question, no matter how small. Once I arrived in Scotland, I was greeted at the airport by the IFSA Scotland team, who held an extensive 3-4 day orientation, in which they answered a variety of questions and gave important advice about living in Edinburgh and attending university. The team guided us through every adjustment, from getting a UK SIM card to picking classes and finalizing course schedules. They also provided important historical and cultural background, which I found helped me immerse myself in Scottish culture. Throughout the semester, IFSA also organized different programming and events, which expanded our knowledge and appreciation for the local culture. The IFSA staff also periodically checked in with us to make sure that we were adjusting to the different academic and culture challenges of studying abroad. IFSA did a great job with helping students adjust overall.The University of Edinburgh is a great school for students who are seeking to study abroad because it both maintains a strong Scottish legacy and culture, while also being incredibly welcoming to international students and accommodating. The University is a hub for international students from all over, all with unique cultures that come together to make the university feel incredibly unique, and unlike anywhere I have ever been. It is truly a wonderful, welcoming environment, and I am so happy that I studied abroad there.

Chile, in my opinion, is the most beautiful country in the world. If you love nature, or if you are a big-city person-- this location could not be more incredible. The IFSA program makes all of the logistics of living and studying in a foreign country so easy, and the program staff on site are incredibly caring and helpful. The on-site director personally texts and calls in response to any problem you may have, no matter what time of the day or night. One amazing thing about this program is that it allows you to pick classes in multiple universities, and that helps you even more to see what a diversity of thought and opinion there are in the country. I went to the two best universities in Chile, the private Ponticicia Universidad Catolica, and the public, more liberal Universidad de Chile. It was so interesting and fun making friends at the two universities, and seeing two different perspectives on life. This program is also great for those who love to have more independence-- you take most of your classes with Chilean students in subjects that you get to choose yourself, and you have a ton of free time to explore and become involved in the things that interest you the most. But that does not mean that you are on your own-- there are many incredible scheduled activities and trips with the group, and the on-site staff are always available for any questions about your host family or social life, your academics, travel, health and safety, language learning, culture shock, homesickness, or almost anything else that you may need. Overall, my time in Santiago, Chile was one of the most influential moments of my life, and it has made me dream of returning some day, or maybe even living there for a short time in the future. For anyone wanting to travel to Chile, I definitely recommend IFSA in Santiago.

University of Sydney is an amazing university with extremely high quality academics and the perfect location (in the heart of the city but not too far from the beach and beautiful national and state parks), and IFSA gave me the tools to make the most of my experience. Their assistance with direct enrollment allowed me to take amazing classes that I don't have at my home university (one learning about Australian wildlife by going to the zoo and getting behind-the-scene tours of their conservation programs), their research/internship program put me on an amazing ornithology research project, their pre-planned programs gave my opportunities to learn more about Australian culture, and their amazing staff made me feel safe, supported, and gave me the resources and insight to plan my own exciting trips and experiences in and around Sydney. I cannot recommend this program more. Everyone at IFSA is so nice and so supportive, but gives you as much independence as you want while abroad so that you can really customize your experience and make it yours. I had an experience unique from everyone else on my program, but it was absolutely perfect for me.

This experience was one of the most incredible of my life. The staff in-country were amazing. They were super supportive, but let me explore on my own. The academics were awesome as well. I absolutely would go back in a heartbeat.

My time abroad with IFSA was challenging, but profoundly rewarding, both academically and personally. My IFSA classes in the specialized academic program I chose were tailored beautifully to the program’s theme of human rights, taught wonderfully by local professionals/scholars, and they encouraged very high-level critical thinking. My classes abroad were some of the best I’ve taken in all four years of college. My abroad experience was just as challenging and rewarding personally as it was academically; I learned how to be alone, how to adapt to others’ customs and communication styles, and how to balance being independent with finding community while abroad for a relatively short amount of time. One of the most profound lessons my experience abroad taught me is that saying goodbye to a place can be just as painful as saying goodbye to a person—IFSA helped me develop a personal connection with the city I lived in, which made my time there so incredible, even though it also made leaving extremely difficult.

In my first few days in the UK, our group of IFSA Oxford students were housed in London and completed an IFSA orientation. This gave us a chance to decompress and prepare for the transition to another university – we discussed issues of identity, wellness, academics, and social life. It also meant that we got to know a few other Visiting Students prior to arriving on campus. After orientation, we traveled to Oxford and I started my time as a de facto undergraduate student – I was allowed to join sports teams, participate in student clubs and societies, and attend university-wide events. Most importantly, I lived in residential dormitories and took classes (selected from a slightly truncated list) alongside other Oxford undergraduates. Because of this full immersion and the small size of my residential college, Worcester college, I was able to form close relationships with other undergraduate students and independently plan out my days. Even though other students had already established routines and social circles, they were extremely welcoming to the Visiting Students. The gift and curse of Oxford is that there are always multiple interesting events happening at the same time! Though we could choose to do things entirely on our own, throughout the term IFSA offered opportunities for discussion and support – in my view, this was one of the greatest advantages of applying through a third-party. The IFSA Resident Director for Oxford visited every week and gave us times where we could swing by for a pastry and quick chat. This was a fun and helpful time to reflect on what was going on each week!

In this program you attend a local university, stay with a local family, and have tons of opportunities to volunteer or explore something you’re interested in. This is a great way to really be a part of your host community and connect with people there. I often played card games with my host family, we grew very close, and I continue to talk to them even after I’ve come back home. Mérida is a place that will always be a part of me and a place I feel I will always be welcome. The excursions are also interactive with visits to museums, archaeological sites, and local communities which means there are so many different ways to learn and explore. Sometimes there were challenges in adjusting to a new culture and the different academic expectations but the IFSA team in Merida is really supportive and has lots of resources to help you. Merida is also close to the beach and a few hours drive from popular sites like Playa del Carmen. One of my favorite memories is a trip some friends and I took to Cozumel as a recommendation from the on-site team! Honestly, if I could go on thus study abroad program again, I would.

I studied in Argentina through IFSA between the end of July and the beginning of December in 2019. The program was well-managed, with a strong array of orientation activities to get us acquainted with Buenos Aires and our peers in the program. The ability to take classes through a variety of institutions was a great opportunity, although it was a bit daunting trying to figure out which classes were offered where amidst rather disorganized directories that the universities offered. My host mom was nothing short of perfect, and she helped make my experience abroad exceptional. IFSA organized interesting academic courses of their own, and the excursions they organized were also fun. All of those running the program were very easily approachable for any assistance we needed, and my advisor helped me a lot in getting academically situated.

My semester in Chile was indelibly marked by the large student and societal protest movement that erupted in mid-November and rocked the country from tip to tip. Vast economic inequality and inopportunity drove millions of people of all ages, religions, and statuses into the streets to chant, demonstrate, dance, and make their voices heard. Fortunately, this movement and the isolated violence that accompanied it never hurt or harmed anyone in our program directly. Unfortunately, it did throw a wrench in our plans and classes for the remainder of the semester were cancelled. However, thanks to the infallible and constant leadership of IFSA and our on-site coordinator Isabel Yevenes, my experience was not tarnished in the least. With the help of my amazing and wise host mom, I was able to learn about the historical context of the protests, attend some of them, and safely understand the movement that was so powerfully gripping an entire nation. While things eventually calmed down to a degree, we were not able to return to classes. This was no matter, however, as my experience in Chile was enriching in so many other ways. From my Spanish language immersion to the friends I made to the amazing program excursion to the Atacama desert to the solo travels I was able to have, my semester with IFSA in Chile was truly the best five months of my life. Thank you IFSA for making that possible. I am forever grateful.

Despite the circumstances that lead to the optional departure of our program in Santiago, Chile during Fall 2019, I believe that IFSA did a phenomenal job making sure all of the members of our program were safe and stable. Throughout the program, I felt that IFSA had my back, whenever I was feeling overwhelmed or confused about something, I knew I could go to the office and our advisor, Isa, would calm my fears. She worked endlessly for all of us, especially when we were stranded in the north of Chile on our all program trip to San Pedro de Atacama. When there was social/political unrest, my family was extremely impressed with IFSA because IFSA would send daily updates to our parents to calm their anxieties about the well-being of their children. When we were advised not to leave our houses, IFSA arranged for an all program trip to the suburbs of the city so we could all see each other and swim in a pool. It was a much-needed break and helped the students get a better understanding of the current climate because Isa facilitated conversations. After my interesting experience studying abroad in Chile, I absolutely trust IFSA and think that they are a program that has the interests of their students in mind. If I had the chance to study abroad again, I would choose IFSA and I recommend IFSA as an option to all students I encounter who also want to study abroad. 10/10!

The cultural immersion in this program was like no other. I lived with a host mom, Rebecca, and she helped me grow during my semester in Merida. She taught me the bus systems and helped me grow more comfortable speaking Spanish. She helped me learn how to get to the beach by myself. The IFSA programs are structured to have full immersion with a host family and to attend the local universities, but it is really the people who make all the difference. The Merida program has lovely people who are there to support students.

I absolutely loved my semester abroad in Buenos Aires- I can't imagine a better place to study abroad. The city is incredibly affordable and has something for everyone- beautiful parks, gorgeous architecture, shopping, trendy restaurants, nature and SO MUCH culture. One of my favorite things to do was visit cultural centers throughout the city to listen to live music or comedy and meet locals. Getting around the city was super easy too, with several subway lines and over 100 buses. IFSA's program was incredible. My favorite part was how many academic options there were and how helpful the staff was. I did the Spanish Translation and Linguistics Learning Community since Linguistics is my major, so four of my courses were taught in the IFSA office by professors from the University of Buenos Aires (the best university in Latin America). I loved the small class environment and learned so much about linguistics that has really helped me in my classes back at school. My learning community also involved an internship/field work experience where I worked with local freelance translators. This was immensely helpful in my classes and for learning Spanish in general. IFSA provided us with amazing academic advising and academic tutoring if we needed it. The staff was also very attentive in seeing how we were getting along with our host families and were in touch with our home universities often. In addition to taking classes with IFSA, we were required to take at least one class at a local university which was a great way to become more immersed in Argentine culture. I also chose to do some volunteering while abroad, as IFSA was connected to a few organizations and helped us get involved. I volunteered at a local elementary school teaching English, which helped me see if I liked working with kids and helped me feel like I was actually contributing positively to my host country. All in all, I had a fantastic time abroad. From nightly dinners with my host family to exploring the city and being challenged in my classes, internship and volunteering, every day in Argentina was a blast and I truly grew both professionally and personally.

The time I was able to spend in Dunedin through IFSA’s University of Otago program is something that I will hold dear for the rest of my life. IFSA facilitated the experiences that defined my time in New Zealand and provided me with the resources and support needed to make the most of my semester abroad. From the moment I was accepted, IFSA helped lay out exactly what I still needed to get done, from housing forms to visas to what to pack. IFSA’s orientation was incredible and helped me get over jet lag, showed me some of New Zealand’s beautiful landscape, and introduced me to many of the friends I would spend the next 5 months with. During my time abroad, IFSA provided structure, friendly faces, goal tracking, incredible trips, and countless resources. The IFSA staff in Dunedin with me were lovely humans who stayed relevant and were always ready to help with academics, housing, any medical issues, and whatever else life threw at me or my fellow IFSA kids. The trips IFSA took us on, specifically the overnight boat cruise in Doubtful Sound, were simply amazing. I would have never been able to organize such a trip myself and looking back on my time abroad this boat cruise was one of my favorite memories (which is really saying something as New Zealand gave me a lot of favorites!). In summary, choosing IFSA made my abroad experience the wonderful time it was and I cannot encourage other nature-loving, kiwi enthusiasts enough to go to New Zealand through IFSA!

I went with IFSA and spent Fall 2019 at the University of Leeds in Northern England. I also got to be apart of their work-to-study program writing student blogs. IFSA will think of it all before you do. As a type-A planner, the minute I hit the ground in London (for orientation) someone was waiting at the airport, they have pre-planned excursions (included with the price), they are always just a phone call away but most times you won't even need to call because they prepared you so well. The best, most unexpected thing that they did for me was they took the train with us and dropped us off at our accommodations. They would also call every few weeks to check in on us. I studied abroad as a senior in college and was so used to doing things on my own but having them there felt like I didn't have to. I honestly can't recommend them enough.

I went abroad with a very specific set of goals in mind. First and foremost, I wanted to improve my language skills. I wanted to immerse myself in the local culture and develop close relationships with locals. Finally, I wanted to gain professional experience in a Chinese business setting. IFSA International Business in China provided me with the resources needed to achieve these goals, all I needed to do was take advantage of them. Firstly, the language instructors at IFSA were outstanding. I had taken over 10 years of Chinese before the program began; my instructor from IFSA was one of the best Chinese teachers I have ever had. IFSA also placed me with a local family to complete a homestay. They found me a caring family and a safe home for the duration of the program. Through the homestay, I was able to practice my Chinese on a daily basis and get to know locals of Shanghai. The program director at IFSA also worked very hard to find me an internship that matched my professional interests. I worked multiple days a week and grew close to my coworkers, allowing me professional skills in a Chinese business context and contacts in an industry that I may pursue later in life. It was extremely impressive for the director to place over twenty students in internships related to their own personal and professional interests. These examples demonstrate the opportunities that come with an IFSA program. The IFSA staff furnishes your abroad experience with all the opportunities needed to reach your goals, all you have to do is take advantage of them.

I had a blast living in London for the semester. IFSA was extremely helpful with the pre-departure aspect of my time abroad, and mainly helped get us set up in London with our housing and academic plans. For me, this was the perfect level of help since I like to be relatively independent and was happy to be more on my own once I had moved into my dorm. They help tackle the scariest parts of preparing for and arriving to a new country, and then provide occasional trips or get-togethers throughout the semester, as well as being there for any concerns during the program. It can be really difficult to make friends in such a big city, so I'm glad I got to meet so many cool people during IFSA orientation.

Studying abroad in Galway was one of the best decisions I've ever made. For one, the city of Galway is absolutely incredible! There's so much history, and culture, and color, and I really felt like I was part of the community there. While abroad, few things would make me feel happier than taking a walk down to the Latin Quarter, grabbing a coffee at a cafe, and listening to the buskers performing on the street. My classes were really great as well. Naturally, school is school no matter where you go, but I was really lucky to get into some awesome classes on Irish culture, history, literature, and language. A few of my classes even included field trips up and down the west coast of Ireland. IFSA was a great support for me while I was abroad, thanks in large part to my on-site advisor, Rachel. She was like our big sister! And she clearly loved the city as well -- we'd often see her walking around downtown too and it was so nice to see a friendly face in an unfamiliar city. In short, this is the best program ever and you should totally study abroad with IFSA NUI Galway!!

Studying at the Burren College of Art was one of the best decisions I could have made for my personal growth and future as an artist and social worker. The school is situated on the coast of Ireland in a tiny village with an incredibly warm and welcoming local community. Everything about the school encourages creativity, resourcefulness and reflection. The tutorial system allows for individual guidance from professional artists and faculty, continuous research and discourse are required throughout the semester, the campus is small, close-knit and supportive and the environment surrounding the college is endlessly inspiring. There are no words that do justice to the raw beauty, power and wildness of the Burren landscape or the generosity of its people. I grew enormously as an artist, spent invaluable time reflecting and researching, expanded my practice, became a member of the Ballyvaughan Ukulele Orchestra (and thus the community) and rediscovered my connection to nature. I highly recommend this program, particularly for self-directed artists looking for the ideal environment for inspiration, quiet and creativity.

I could not speak more highly about my experience. From the day I got to New Zealand, I knew that it would be an adventure of a lifetime. Normally, I dread going to Orientations and doing lots of awkward ice breakers. However, this was not the case. During our Orientation, we took part in activities that I had so much fun doing, and I not only learned about the culture and beauty of New Zealand, but I was also able to meet some of my best friends from all over the nation. I had never been to New Zealand before my time abroad and was extremely nervous for everything it entailed. However, the process to get there, move into my apartment, and start school was extremely smooth. I never had a day or weekend go by where I felt like I was alone or had nothing to do. In between classes and exams, I had time to travel and explore all of New Zealand. My friend and I even went to the extent or renting a camper van and driving across the country. We also were able to travel to multiple other countries such as Australia and the Cook Islands. Such an incredible experience! At the University of Auckland, all of my teachers and classes were incredible. I learned so much and it was so cool to be able to learn a different way than I was used to in the past. Overall, I had the best time. I am honestly considering moving back after I complete my degree because I loved it so much.

I had the time of my life in China! As my friend back home put it, I just ‘became more me’, which I’d an amazing thing to do. I not only developed confidence in my language skills, but in life itself. If I can survive in a country with limited understanding of the language, I feel like I can do anything. I learned so much about China, which is something I’ve been wanting to since I got to college. I made great friends that made me a better person, and had the most wonderful teachers who had so much patience when I struggled. I miss China every day I’m not there; it really cemented that I love what I’m doing and that I want to continue with it.

I had an absolutely amazing time studying abroad at JCU in Townsville. The school is world renowned for its Marine Science and Environmental Science departments. It is an extremely great place to study abroad if you are a science major, with tons of hands-on experiences, research opportunities, and seasoned professors. My only caution is that humanities majors may have a harder time finding courses that are applicable to their degrees back home. I am an English major, but also on the pre-med track. I took almost all science classes at James Cook because the Australian University system/James Cook does humanities very differently than in the United States. Otherwise, my time with IFSA and at JCU was one of the bet experiences of my life. I truly did meet life-long friends and have once in a lifetime experiences. The campus is somewhat rural and the culture is very outdoorsy. There are a lot of outdoor adventures in North Queensland. I lived on campus in an apartment with two Australians and was very quickly immersed into their friend group and culture. There is a big sports culture on campus as well, though it is not super competitive, more for fun. For example, I tried playing rugby for the first time in Australia and played for my dormitory team. I loved this experience and was encouraged to do so by my roommates. The friendships are what will stick with me forever. The IFSA program makes your journey easier and far less stressful. I am so grateful to have gone through the IFSA program because they truly do support you before going abroad, while on site, and even after. The staff is extremely kind and welcoming and knowledgeable. I know my experience would not have been as enriching without the IFSA program.

My time abroad was truly a vacation from school. It was a time for me to explore Melbourne, meet new people, and engage with my studies in a relaxed manner. IFSA was great in being a source of support, in every sense of the word. Through my participation with IFSA, I was fortunate enough to have an instant group of friends to explore with and discover all the things that make Melbourne unique. In terms of academics, it was an easy transition from my home school to the University of Melbourne. It was great to enroll in classes that exposed me to Australian cultures and in elective classes that I would not have to opportunity to enroll in at my home university. Overall, it was a great time, and I would definitely recommend! You learn about yourself and the world, and it is a great learning experience for all.

I had an amazing time at the University of Oxford and would highly recommend the program to anyone looking for a challenging and exciting academic experience abroad. I loved the tutorials and found that I grew a ton as a writer because of the close attention my tutors gave to my papers. I loved the independence and freedom that the tutorial model gave me to dive into the subjects that I was studying and follow my interests through in-depth research; with the many amazing libraries at Oxford, I had what felt like nearly-limitless access to resources for researching topics. One of my favorite things about the program was just walking through the city and getting to know Oxford. I liked studying in the various coffee shops, and I visited all 38 of the university's colleges during my year there, which was a great way to see as much of the city as possible! I studied at Mansfield College, and I loved the people there - everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and it didn’t take me long to feel fully immersed in my college’s community. Oxford was definitely challenging in a number of ways, but this helped me to grow as a student and learn a lot about myself as a person. IFSA specifically was an amazing resource at every step on the journey. My IFSA advisor in the states, Aimee, was incredibly helpful as I was applying to Oxford and then preparing to go abroad. I had never left the United States before going abroad, so I really appreciated that our advisor abroad, Andrew, who was based in London, picked me up from Heathrow, took me to my hotel, and helped me to feel settled and comfortable instantly in a new country. Throughout the year, Andrew would come visit us in Oxford to catch up and talk about our goals, and he and the rest of the IFSA staff always made me feel so supported while abroad. They also took us on two trips to the Lake District which were really fun opportunities to get off-campus for a few days and meet some students from other Oxford colleges and other IFSA programs in the United Kingdom! I would give anything to go back and relive IFSA’s Oxford program over and over again!

I spent the Fall 2018 semester in Havana, Cuba and had a fun a transformative experience. I was expecting my semester to mostly improve my Spanish abilities, which it did, but I also gained new skills in general. Havana is a very safe city and because of that, I felt really comfortable being a solo female traveler and exploring the city on my own and with other young women, Cuban and American alike. My Spanish improved a lot, both because of my immersive university experience and because of the vibrant culture of chatting with nearly everyone you meet. I left my experience feeling rejuvenated and excited about returning to my University studies at home. Since returning, I've been focusing on Cuba more in my studies, which has been really great as I feel have a unique connection to this work. I would highly recommend this program for students who are looking for something special and different from the average study abroad experience.

I enjoyed every single moment of studying abroad! The application process was simplified by the amazing IFSA staff who provided guidance through every step of the way! There was never any feeling of uncertainty as the IFSA staff answered every single question! While I was in New Zealand, I enjoyed all of the activities which the IFSA team had planned throughout the semester! They always ensured we were being involved in the New Zealand community and offered check-ins throughout the semester to track our progress and how we are assimilating to the new/unfamiliar setting. While the academic setting was drastically different (which made the transition a bit more difficult), I still enjoyed all of the classes I took! I always had at least one student from my IFSA program in one of my classes which made it easier the academic experience even better! There were rarely ever any moments of sadness or anxiety, and it's all thanks to the amazing IFSA team!

I chose to study abroad with IFSA in Santiago because it perfectly balanced my desire to feel independent and fully immersed with my need to help navigating class registration, living accommodation, etc. IFSA was wonderful because it enabled me to pick from four different Chilean universities and take any classes I wanted, matched me with a host family that met my needs and interests, had an incredible support staff that offered free tutoring services for those who needed it, and even organized fun excursions around Santiago and to the Atacama. As a result, I had all the support I needed AND the freedom to explore Chile on my own and integrate fully into my host university. I made the friends of a lifetime and now hope to move back to Chile to live after graduation.

I spent my spring semester junior year studying abroad in London, England at King's College London with IFSA and it was one the best semester of my college career. From the beginning of the application process, IFSA provided me with a program advisor who assisted me in every way of the process. After I was accepted into the program I received the same support and applied to the scholarship program and the work to study program that IFSA provides. Both of these resources helped me finance my study abroad experience which was very helpful as a first-generation and student. IFSA also provided me with specific and informational material about what to expect and bring to London. When I first arrived at London IFSA's orientation program helped me acclimate to the city and I was able to purchase some personal products, an oyster card and exchange my money. At King's, there were many interesting options for classes. I took a few classes in my major and a class in climate geography which was very new. Classes were great and the professors were interactive and understanding. I will say that it is important to understand that the university structure in England is very independent so you have to be aware of deadlines and upcoming exams and papers (they are VERY strict with deadlines and extensions). Academically I struggled with my geography class because I was unaware of the background information and it was a very science-based class. However with my IFSA program advisor's advice and recommendation, I communicated my concerns to my Professors who gave me some extra materials, and I received help from the study skill resource on King's campus. While abroad, finding my community was not as difficult as I thought. IFSA allowed me to meet other IFSA students during orientation and through their scheduled events and programs (such as a trip to the Lake District), I found a lot of friends from these interactions. I also found one of my closest friends abroad during one of my classes. So, it was relatively easy to find friends and meet new people because there is plenty of opportunities to interact with students. Unlike other programs IFSA allowed me to be as independent as I wanted throughout my study abroad experience. I attended many of the programs they scheduled but I also attended King events such as "open mic nights and cultural events". While my study abroad experience was wonderful and I received many opportunities there were times of difficulty. One of my closest friends passed away and I got pickpocketed in Paris and lost my passport and credit cards. These events were tough and I couldn't have navigated the entire processes if not for the IFSA London staff. They were truly so kind, and even went out of their way to help me cancel my credit cards and order new ones, and they found me a professional to talk too after my friend passed away. As a student of color and faith, I was nervous about going to study abroad but I was so impressed by the resources that IFSA and Kings have. Everyone was supportive and understanding and I felt truly like a part of London's community.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Argentina and the wonderful life that IFSA staff introduced me to there. I don't think I've ever met a staff as passionate and overtly caring as the IFSA staff in Buenos Aires. Although there were initial issues with my homestay situation, the IFSA staff acted quickly and tactfully in transitioning me to another home with the loving family that I had needed. Although I felt like a bit of a wild card at times, the IFSA never hesitated to support me, even in doing things that they'd previously never done before -- like guiding me in my search of Italian and Chinese classes at a local community center. Just to brag a little bit about Argentina in general.. the diversity of beautiful landscapes is unimaginable, the ice cream is the best in the world (or at least rivals Italian gelato) and the meat is so good you'll have to become vegetarian after coming back, and the Argentines are the most energetic and visibly affectionate people I've ever known. I never could have imagined feeling to welcome and loved so far from home.

IFSA Butler was incredible throughout the entire study abroad process in helping me decide which study abroad program to pursue and how to apply for the program I wanted. IFSA also has a great on-site support system. Throughout my time abroad, the IFSA Oxford coordinator, Andrew Williams, provided me with invaluable support and guidance. While in Oxford, I was stunned by the abundance of scholarship at my fingertips. While the 1:1 tutor/student setting was initially intimidating, it forced me to learn how to articulate my thoughts and construct an argument. As a literature student, I pursued Oxford with the intent of specializing in my field. Through studying various literary periods and genres, I discovered my passion for Renaissance literature. I had the opportunity to engage in palaeography at the Bodleian Library in Oxford and also at the British Library in London, which has become an important aspect of my scholarly research. I returned to my university extremely prepared to begin writing my undergraduate honors thesis.

I had an incredible experience in Argentina because I was challenged in my academics and in life outside the classroom. I took a wide variety of interesting classes at different universities. My host family experience made me more confident in my Spanish speaking ability and enabled me to learn more about the culture I was living it through food and conversation. I also had the opportunity to play on a a university soccer team which further improved my Spanish speaking ability and encouraged me to build relationships with local Argentine players!

I was only supposed to go abroad for the fall (Michaelmas term), but by the first three weeks of being there, I asked to extend to the year program and thankfully was granted the extension. The academics were world-class - while the tutorial system is extremely challenging and stressful at times, American abroad students tend to put in more effort into tutorials than British students and professors tend to grade you fairly. Also, as your tutors are the top scholars in the world, studying their specialities with them is interesting and will make you enjoy the work you are doing. It's a lot of self-driven work as there is only about one hour of optional lectures a week, but as long as you make yourself have a schedule you will do well. Socially/personally, I also had a fantastic time - I integrated into the greater college community well as I joined a sports team and became best friends with my teammates. Making friends with Brits was a paramount part of my abroad experience, and I am very glad that I put myself out there as I received a different perspective on life and now have international friends. IFSA and my college community were both extremely supportive - every two weeks a representative from IFSA comes to Oxford and you can sign up to have a one-on-one chat with him to see how you are doing. This is not mandatory, but I loved going to this because it was a great time to reflect on my experiences and he offered great advice - I was able to do research this past summer because he encouraged me to reach out to my tutor as ask if she had any opportunities. This level of support was greatly appreciated, to see that someone at IFSA was concerned for you and would do anything to help you if you needed it. In all, this was a fantastic opportunity which set me up well for future education (I'm applying for Master's in what I studied at Oxford) and IFSA offered a robust support system.

IFSA in Lima, Peru was the perfect support system that I needed. I knew that I could always fall back on the friends that I had made through the IFSA program, but I never felt bounded by this circle of friends. I had the freedom to branch out and meet local Peruvians. Logistically, IFSA was great in preparing us to live in a new country. During orientation week, our resident director gave us a presentation on some of the essentials such as: public transportation, insurance system, health care, differences in academia, grading system, and etc. He was super easy to contact, and I could always ask him questions about any topic starting from visa situations to making new friends in Peru. Overall, I was able to grow so much through this semester by being in a new culture with a strong community.

I absolutely loved studying abroad with IFSA in Peru. My classes were engaging, I loved the city, and my host family was wonderful. I joined the swim team at my host university, through which I made a bunch of friends and improved my Spanish even further. Danny, the IFSA program director in Lima, was nothing but super helpful and really kind. The trips we took to Cusco and Ica were educational and fun, and I got the chance to travel a bunch with friends as well. I cannot more highly recommend this program!!

I studied abroad in Auckland, New Zealand during the 2019 Spring Semester. I chose IFSA because I liked the fact that they had a co-curricular aspect as part of their study abroad program. Students go on a multi-day pre-orientation program where they gain some exposure to their host country. During the pre-orientation program, I was made aware of what New Zealand and Maori culture were. This exposure helped prepare me for my studies at the University of Auckland. During my time abroad and up until departure, IFSA made sure that every student in their program and gained New Zealand cultural exposure. My friends who studied abroad in New Zealand outside of the IFSA program did not have the same experience that I had as an IFSA Student. These individuals did not have a coordinator or a resource to rely on during their time abroad. They were essentially on their own, thousands of miles away from home. I appreciated all of the connections that I had in New Zealand and relied on them throughout my time abroad. My friends who studied abroad in New Zealand outside of the IFSA program did not have cultural exposure to New Zealand like I did. IFSA recognises that study abroad is not complete without this sort of exposure. I appreciated this exposure as it allowed me to learn and grow in my host country. I do not regret my decision to study abroad with IFSA, and if I had the choice to study abroad again, I would choose IFSA. I believe that IFSA does a lot to help their students adjust to the study abroad experience before leaving the United States, during the time abroad, and after leaving the host country. This type of support that I have received from IFSA made my experience more enjoyable.

I absolutely loved my study abroad experience through IFSA. My home university isn't always the best with communication, but luckily IFSA is awesome with it! They always answered my every question (and let me tell you, I had tons!) and never took too long to respond. The actual location of the experience was amazing as well. Cardiff is a beautiful city that is so close to many amazing places in Wales and Great Britain. We were able to easily travel around to anywhere we wanted to go. Cardiff University was very helpful with study abroad students, and they had so many options for classes! I took my required classes, as well as classes I was just plain interested in (Witches, Magic and the Occult)! It will always be difficult to communicate with people back home due to the time difference, but IFSA has people in place that are near to you that are always available to help! Andrew was amazing and took us out to lunch and was always available for a chat. Everyone I met was awesome and I made some lifelong friends and memories that I will always cherish!

My study abroad experience was everything I had hoped for and more. Although, at times I was very homesick I could not have imagined my life without this opportunity. I was fortunate enough to have the financial support to study abroad as well as to travel throughout my time in Costa Rica. I was able to have day excursions to volcanoes and waterfalls, weekend excursions to neighboring provinces in Costa Rica and I was able to travel outside the country to Peru, Guatemala and Panama. I loved every minute of my experience. I also was able to take classes within my major that taught me a lot as well as gave me the chance to meet a lot of Costa Rican students. It was interesting for me as a Mexican- American woman to interact with other Latinos who thought I was Costa Rican and then when they found out I was not they kind of got confused my nationality and ethnicity. I learned a lot about myself while being abroad and definitely have gained a lot more independence. I would do this experience all over again without a doubt.

Throughout my IFSA experience, from being interested, applying, and studying abroad, all the way to coming back and becoming a global ambassador, I have always felt taken care of. The semester before I was in China, I was in Japan through another study abroad program from my school. IFSA was very accommodating and helped me figure out visa procedures. One thing about IFSA that stands out is that there is always someone there to make sure everything is going well and that you are getting the best experience that you can. IFSA thinks of YOU, not just of the general group of study abroad students, in everything they do.

I studied abroad in Costa Rica through IFSA. The director and assistant director, Rodney and Angélica, were super helpful in every step of the experience. They guided us through getting visas, organized cultural events and excursions, and were an amazing support system. They worked really hard to help us with any challenges that arose being abroad. Taking classes with other Costa Rican students was an overwhelming experience at first, but pushed me to develop my Spanish more and feel like a part of the community. In a similar way, living in a homestay gave me more direct insight into the country's culture, and ensured that I was using my Spanish every single day.

I chose to study in London during the spring of my junior year, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I lived in a flat in South East London (40 minutes from my uni) with six other students from my uni (King's College London), which allowed me to fully immerse myself in my new community. Within a few short weeks I'd gotten the hang of the London transportation system and was able to navigate the city with confidence. At uni, I took English literature courses that covered subjects ranging from the soldier poets of World War I to the urban landscape of modern London. During my free time, I visited museums, shopped at street markets, went to music gigs, and burned off steam at the neighborhood pubs with my friends. My study abroad program also gave me the opportunity to see small theatre performances, attend a private tour of Parliament, and take a trip to the Lake District. I lived in London during a crucial period in the U.K.'s history. The Brexit negotiations, climate activism, and urban development were just a few of the topics at the forefront of people's minds. I had ongoing conversations with my friends, university peers and professors, and neighbors that challenged the way I think about race and ethnicity, class, nationality, foreign policy, activism, and so much more. I left London with a richer understanding of the world I live in and of myself.

IFSA in Buenos Aires was a great program that really allowed me to engage with the city and the country. Class schedules were very flexible, and it was amazing being able to choose classes at 4 different universities. IFSA organised trips to Tigre and Uruguay, guaranteeing city breaks and excursions. The staff at the office were also great whenever you had any problems. Overall it was a great program!

I loved my time abroad with IFSA in Buenos Aires! The on-site staff were so friendly, understanding and supportive of each individual’s needs. It was clear that IFSA genuinely wants you to have a good time on both an academic and a personal level. Not only do they understand that studying abroad may be challenging but they are willing to work closely with each individual in order for everyone to have the best experience possible. At the same time, the strong sense of community that IFSA provides is balanced with a sense of independence that is inherently built into the program. With IFSA you can really tailor the experience to your personal needs and interests. There is a perfect mix of supportive structure as well as freedom to choose between a variety of classes and extracurriculars that can facilitate individual exploration of the city and personal growth.

I loved this program! I was uncertain about leaving my home university that I really love for a whole year, but I am so glad that I committed to the full year at Oxford. Since the university system is set up to be very focused on your particular subject, I feel that the year gave me the opportunity to explore in depth the topics within Biochemistry and Molecular biology that really interested me. In addition, the support I received from IFSA's on site program advisor was amazing; he pushed me to reach for a lot of things that will help my future academic and professional career such as pursuing a 5 month research project under an amazing professor in the university's chemistry department. He also organized many meet ups for the whole IFSA cohort at Oxford that year which helped me make connections at the other colleges in the university, and I am still very close friends with many of these fellow IFSA americans as well as the English friends I made at my college. Advice I would give to anyone going on this program: try and get involved in clubs and college sports early; they are casual and easy way to get integrated into your college's social scene as British students can be less outgoing than Americans are used to. Also take advantage of the many speakers and entertainment that is cheap or free for students; you can see global leaders in every field coming to Oxford to give talks.

Studying abroad in NZ through IFSA was one of the best decisions I have ever made. From the start, IFSA staff provided unending support whether it was answering my many pre-departure questions, handling housing and enrollment, or checking in with me while in NZ. IFSA's in-country orientation was a great way to meet other abroad students before arriving to campus and helped me meet people from abroad that I am still friends with today. New Zealand is an incredible place that has such a rich environmental and cultural history where you can learn a lot both inside and outside the classroom. IFSA helped to enhance our experience to all that NZ has to offer through their excursions to an ecosanctuary, a local restaurant, and an overnight cruise through the Doubtful Sound. During my time abroad, I discovered so many opportunities to go explore the country, whether it be through clubs, IFSA trips, or just a roadtrip with friends. IFSA enables you to take part in an abundance new experiences and new opportunities while in New Zealand - the only thing left for you to do is take advantage of them!

I honestly do not regret my decision to study at the University of Oxford the slightest. Having the chance to study at the number one school in the world, with phenomenal and extraordinary professors. I loved getting the ability to experience the infamous "tutorial" system at Oxford and getting to talk one on one with my teachers about political issues that I am fascinated by. I further loved the amazing social and extra-curricular opportunities offered by Oxford, such as Scottish Reeling and Polo. I got to experience some amazing opportunities and got to meet people I never imagined I would get to, and for that, I am infinitely grateful! I would highly recommend this program to anyone that is looking for a high-quality academic program that would allow them to grow academically, socially, and culturally. I also really loved the support that I got from IFSA-Butler in helping my resolve any issue that arose during my time abroad in England, and helping me to really maximize my experience abroad.

I wasn’t used to the academic system, and that’s definitely something I should have thought more about, because I ended up stressing out about it a lot. But being in Dublin, and even Ireland in general was the best experience I could have ever asked for. There was never a shortage of things to do, places to explore, and friendly people to meet, and I’m just counting the days until I can come back

I studied abroad in Mexico as part of IFSA's Spring 2019 Mérida Universities Program. Overall, it was an absolutely incredible and rewarding experience, but of course there were pros and cons! Pros: Coursework: There's a reason it's called STUDY abroad, and I personally LOVED the three classes I took at the local university. As someone who goes to a liberal arts college, I was quite concerned about the classes at a nationally renowned public university being too large, but they were honestly quite comparable in size to what I am used to. All of my professors were excellent, and all of my classmates were extremely kind, patient, and intelligent. I took all of my courses at the UADY's School of Anthropology, specifically in the departments of Latin American Literature, Communications, and Tourism. Location: Mérida itself may be calm for a city, but I still found plenty of things to do. One of my favorite activities was going to the movie theater with my friends as well as visiting local artisan craft shops. The nightlife was also always such a blast! The city's location in the peninsula of Yucatán makes it super easy to travel domestically by bus, not only to neighboring beach towns but also to more well-known tourist-y hotspots such as Cancún and Tulum as well. If you are interested in Mayan history and architecture, Mérida is also a 1.5 hour bus ride away from Chichén Itzá and 1 hour away from Uxmal. I think it's also important to mention that it is incredibly safe, and even as a woman I felt comfortable walking around alone at night. Finally, the Spanish accent in Yucatán was very neutral and easy to understand. Management: The team at IFSA was incredible at all stages of the study abroad process! They were always super willing to help me with any random questions or adjustment issues. I haven't heard of any other program with a support system as well-developed as the one at IFSA! I am still in touch with the On-Site Program Director because everyone truly cares about your well-being. Host Family: All my friends and I had great experiences with our host families. We lived in very comfortable houses, and you can't complain about eating Yucatecan food everyday. Cons: Academic Rigor: The program was not super strict about people speaking Spanish, so it was hard keeping other American students in the program accountable with language immersion. I dealt with this by spending adequate time with my friends that I met at the UADY, and speaking to my host mom. Like other people have mentioned, the way in which classes were structured was reminiscent of the teaching style in American high-schools, which might be off-putting to those who want to be very challenged academically. However, I personally still found value from learning in this way. Transportation: The bus system in Mérida was incredibly convenient, but also kind of complicated and overwhelming at the beginning because there were no signs on the bus telling you where you were. Definitely gather a group of friends when you take the bus to go to school for the first time if you are nervous about this. Weather: If you like the sun and the heat like I do, Mérida is the place for you. However, if you can't stand it, definitely prepare yourself adequately. Most homes, like mine, had no A.C. whatsoever, and during May, the weather got up to 40 degrees celsius daily. You will also be walking a lot. From January to April, the weather was usually in the mid-20s in celsius, with nights generally being much cooler than the days. All in all, I think this is a completely underrated study abroad program in Latin America, and I would highly recommend it to almost all Spanish-speakers who want to learn in a culturally-rich and beautiful location!

Overall it is great academically and i got enough time to travel! The advantages are clear. First, academically the school is intensive and fast in its pace. We have one comprehensive final exam in may. Their grading is tough and exam is challenging in that part of questions is designed to be unseen. Second, the management is great, we can get help 24and 7. The only drawback is probably the flight pick up interval is bit short. So a good flight arrangement is helpful when you first come. Finally, the program is affordable if you choose a residence hall that provides food. Most of personal expenses come from cooking. Traveling in London is convenient and i highly recommend you get an oyster card.

Overall, my study abroad experience is one that I would never give away. I would honestly do anything to go back to China with the same people that I was living with. I believe that the people I met on the program along with the experiences I made living in a new country are unforgettable. I was able to really appreciate and integrate myself into the Chinese culture. I felt that the people I met on the program, made all parts of this abroad experience worth living. I have no regrets going to China through this program as I received good mentorship from my professors and program directors as well as made great friendships on the way. Furthermore, IFSA provided me with the opportunity to learn a new language while at the same time taking elective courses for my major. On top of that, IFSA provided me with an internship which ultimately gave me experience to land my first internship over the summer of 2019. This program helped me a lot in discovering my career and academic paths.

Why did I choose my program? I wanted to study in Aotearoa New Zealand because of the epic geography and diverse landscapes. I chose Auckland specifically because I wanted to live with kiwis (term to describe people from Aotearoa New Zealand) and this specific program offers gives the option for students to complete an internship during the semester. Why I chose IFSA: IFSA made me feel supported, not suffocated. The program provided a lot of support from my student services coordinator and the community of students on my program. IFSA also worked out a lot of the logistical information for me, such as figuring out a health care plan. I was able to live my life how I wanted to while feeling safe knowing there are resources and people there to help me if I need it. Orientation: The IFSA orientation was amazing! We stayed in Shakespeare Regional Park for two nights and spent a third night on a Marae (the grounds that belong to an iwi (tribe), hapū (sub tribe), or whānau (family)). IFSA kept us busy with fun activities such as sea kayaking, snorkeling, New Zealand trivia, and touch rugby. Staying on a schedule for the first few days helped me beat the jet lag and get to know both people who would be studying in my city and in different cities (but still on IFSA program). I ended up traveling and visiting some of the people I met during orientation who were studying in a different city. The stay at the Marae was my favorite part of orientation. During our visit, we learned about the local iwi and how, as manuhiri (non-Maori guests), to respectively engage with Maori culture in a meaningful and positive way. This visit provided us with a lot of important background information which we continued to build upon throughout the semester. This experience also helped me notice and appreciate different Maori influences I saw throughout my time in New Zealand. Housing: My accommodation exceeded my expectations. I lived in a mixed-gendered apartment with two kiwi roommates who are regular students at the university. The apartment was part of student-housing and IFSA provided us with bedding. My apartment was very spacious, super clean and came with new (or recently updated) appliances. My accommodation was in a great location being a 2 minute walk from the train, 10 minute walk from the University, 15 minute walk from the grocery store, and a 20 minute walk from the bars. Classes: Classes varied a lot depending on the course. I took an introductory level statistics class which was in a massive lecture hall with 300 students. The largest lecture at my home university is about 80 students so it was a little overwhelming at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly. This class has an optional “tutorial” section in addition to the lecture. Tutorial is when the class meets in smaller groups to work on additional assignments. I also took an upper-level conservation ecology course that had 20 students in the class. Overall, the classes were easier there than at my home university. Studying abroad as a STEM major was super manageable for me. I was able to get the courses I needed to take approved with my academic advisor before I left, so the transfer of credits was really easy. I took two labs at the university and they were both super interesting. Taking labs was a really great way to get to meet more kiwi students. Student-Athlete abroad: I am diver on the varsity swim and dive team at my home university. The University of Auckland doesn’t have a swimming pool, and I didn’t want to spend money on a membership to a pool with diving boards. This limitation allowed me to focus on other aspects on my sport that still helped me as an athlete. I used the free membership at the university gym to improve my strength by lifting regularly. I also took free yoga classes to improve my flexibility. I would go with two of my friends I made on the program, so we could keep each other accountable and motivated. I wasn’t able to practice how I originally imagined, but was still able to stay in shape and prepared for next season. Excursions: All of the excursions were super fun and well planned. All of the excursions were covered by IFSA tuition and I didn’t need to spend my personal money on these trips. My favorite excursion was an overnight boat cruise around the Bay of Islands. On the drive there, we visited glow-worm caves and waterfalls. Once on the boat, we went fishing, night kayaking and swimming in bioluminescent waters (so cool!). The next morning, we went snorkeling and took sea urchin shots (you cut a fresh sea urchin in half and take it like a shot). We also went paddle boarding and got to explore one of the Islands. All the excursions were in high attendance. Other excursions included going to a local restaurant, visiting a local museum, surfing, planting trees, and eating dinner in the famous Auckland Sky Tower. I had a really great time on my program and would highly recommend IFSA New Zealand to anyone looking to study abroad. I ended up staying in Aotearoa New Zealand after my program ended and found a job working at a ski mountain. My whole experience was amazing and if I could do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing.

I studied abroad in Prague last Fall. At Prague College, I was able to attend their School of Computing and participate in enriching classes in subjects I actually cared about. When not in class, I had the opportunity to grow a tight-knit bond with the small group of American students who went abroad on the same program. We all lived in the same building, a 10-minute walk to Prague College and Old Town Square. We lived in spacious, single-bed lofts in apartments that were made for traveling students: I had the opportunity to meet European and American students I never would have met otherwise! I was able to balance academic work with cultural experience and had so much fun! I'd do anything to go back!

Choosing to study abroad in Shanghai through the IFSA program was one of the greatest experiences of my life! Prior to departure, the IFSA staff helped me with visa application, flight details, and lodging logistics. When we arrived, they helped us navigate all the unfamiliar things that have to do with living in a foreign country including phone plans, bank accounts, and navigating transportation. Their support throughout the process was incredible! The program was a great balance of academic learning and real-life exploring. The professors were cool and my internship was amazing! My favorite class was the Chinese class. I really felt that my Chinese ability got exponentially better by being immersed in the language every day. We went on many weekend trips and even one IFSA planned trip to Qinghai (in Western China). It was an incredible week with a professional tour guide who took us to monasteries, art galleries, beautiful views, and much more! I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to have a rewarding classroom experience mixed with cool opportunities to travel and experience the Chinese culture.

I had an incredible experience in Santiago, Chile in the spring 2019 semester! I loved the size of my IFSA group (21 students) and we all became close friends, which I hadn’t anticipated when I arrived! I also loved my host family experience; I lived with a 70-year-old widow and we still talk to each other even though I’ve left (we became quite close). IFSA’s on-site staff and leadership were very kind and helpful when it came to anything. Additionally, they were so friendly and had their doors open to students to come by and just chat! Chile itself is a beautiful and biodiverse country so it was amazing to be able to hop on the bus and travel during weekends to different parts of the country. Santiago is a booming city with excellent transportation, resources, restaurants, and museums; we never ran out of options for activities!

I had a wonderful time abroad in London studying at UCL. People warn you about the culture shock and stress during the first weeks, but IFSA was so supportive in helping me adjust that I did not have any emotional dip upon arriving. Their office in London is also gorgeous, and I would highly recommend attending any events they host there. I got to register for classes in my major (Chemistry), and in pretty much every way I was a normal UCL student. I lived in the same accommodations as non-study abroad students, went to the same classes, and had an official student ID. The bonus with IFSA was all of the additional support they offered before, during, and after I was abroad. They are also a great bridge between my home institution and the university I was attending abroad. I did not have to deal with any transcript or credit transfer issues. The IFSA trip we took to Keswick was also one of the best trips I took during my time abroad! It was gorgeous, the bed and breakfast was lovely, and they had lots of activity options for all interests. I had an amazing semester, and I would highly recommend IFSA's program at UCL.

Studying abroad at Oxford was the most fun and rewarding thing I have done as an undergraduate. I am so grateful that I had IFSA's help at every step of the way, from applying to my host university to transferring my classes to my home university. I highly recommend IFSA to anyone who is looking for a study abroad organization that provides a high level of support to their students and really cares about their experiences abroad. Without IFSA, I would have been lost during the application process and trying to get my visa. I always felt that if I needed anything, someone at IFSA could help me.

Studying abroad with IFSA at the University of Sydney has been one of the highlights of my college career. The program was amazing, I loved my classes, and I made really great friends while I studied abroad. One of the reasons that IFSA was so great was because it provided me with so many people to contact throughout the study abroad process, which made me feel supported at every step. In addition, this support didn't feel overbearing, so I was also able to get the sense of independence that I wanted, but have someone to reach out to when I had questions about things like making a doctors appointment in Australia.

I am so so thankful that I had the opportunity to study abroad with IFSA in Mérida. It was such an amazing semester that I will never forget. Not only did I learn a lot about the culture and language, but I also learned a lot about myself. It was a great way to push myself out of my comfort zone and experience and try new things. Going abroad taught me the importance of being a global citizen, and seeing the world from various perspectives. For example, while in Mérida, I took 3 classes at the local university (la Universidad Autónoma de la Yucatán) where I was able to think critically and study important political, cultural, etc. issues from different viewpoints. Also, since all my classes were in Spanish, my language skills improved drastically, and IFSA staff gave me the necessary support to succeed. For my program, we also took classes with IFSA staff, which helped me to develop strong relationships with the IFSA staff and the other students in my program. I created life long friendships during my time abroad, with both the local community and other students in my program This program provided many opportunities for community involvement and cultural immersion. Almost every weekend, my program visited the various cultural and historical sites in the area, and there are many different opportunities to volunteer with the local community. For example, during my time abroad, I completed an education internship in which I volunteered at a local middle school and helped to teach English to the students. This was a great opportunity to interact with and learn about my host community hands-on. Additionally, every student lives with a host family. I absolutely loved my experience living with my family, and I still stay in contact with them to this day. This was a great way to learn about the culture, heritage, food, and language. Living with a host family was the best way to truly immerse yourself in the culture. Going abroad has given me a new passion to learn about other cultures and languages, and has taught me to be open-minded and accepting of all people. I am forever grateful for this wonderful opportunity!

My time with IFSA in New Zealand was by far the best experience of my life. I grew so much as a person, met lifelong friends, and saw the most beautiful places. I can’t imagine who I’d be without this experience. The people of NZ were so kind and inclusive. IFSA was there for me every step of the way.

I had never given much thought to Argentina a year ago, nor was it the idea of living in Argentina what drew me in to this program. What caught my interest was the IFSA program that offered a group of classes that focused on human rights, immigration, and gender diversity along with the option to take classes from four other big name universities! I signed up for the knowledge I knew this program would give me, but as soon as I became settled I knew I had made the right choice. Everything about my experience went better than I could have imagined. First and most importantly of all, my host family made me feel like they were exactly that: family. I felt like I had known them for a long time because of how easily they welcomed me into their home and into their lives, and they kept this warm feeling going with each delicious meal they shared with me. The quality of one's home life can often make or break one's mental well-being and academic success, so I felt very blessed to have had such wonderful people in my corner, and to have made a home away from home. In terms of academics, I won't even lie, I had a rough start with my classes. It's very daunting to be completely submerged in a language that's not your native tongue, and the classes lasted twice as long than what I was used to. Don't even get me started on my learning to navigate public transit having lived in a suburb my whole life! In the end, it was these challenges that made me not only a better Spanish speaker but and a better student, and I began surprising everyone from taxi drivers who were impressed with my fluency to my parents upon seeing my impressive grades. I truly could not have picked a better program. Despite taking a full course load I was still able to maintain an internship, complete a research paper, and volunteer weekly with a group I dearly miss. I still keep in contact with the friends I made on this journey and I find myself daydreaming about going back to Buenos Aires as soon as the opportunity presents itself. I refuse to sound cliché and claim that the experience was "life changing," but trust me when I say that it was definitely life-altering in the greatest of ways.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I absolutely adored studying at UCC through IFSA. I loved it so much I am actually trying to move back to Cork or go to graduate school at UCC! Two other people in my program are also planning on going back to UCC for graduate school. I made the best decision by deciding to study through IFSA. The orientation was so welcoming, and I constantly felt like myself and my goals were supported and made important. I frequently met with my on-campus advisor, and when I had a medical emergency they helped me every step of the way. The excursions we went on were SICK and educational without being boring! We went to Killary in County Galway for an adventure weekend where I went on a nature walk, boated while my friends wakeboarded off the back, went skeet shooting, went on an archery lesson, learned about the history of the area, and so much more. The other weekend we went to Belfast and went on a tour of the Giants Causeway (absolutely beautiful) and a Black Taxi tour which was arguably the coolest experience I've ever done. We also had a lot of free time to explore, so I went to the Titanic Museum and St. George's Market. UCC has a great student atmosphere. There are a bunch of clubs to join and there was always something happening. The campus is gorgeous, and Cork is gorgeous too. The location is perfect and felt like the perfect medium between a city and a town. I lived in University Hall, and it was like living in a hotel. Best semester of my life!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about my experience with IFSA. Not only was I studying at the literal university of my dreams, IFSA ensured that I was fully supported from the moment when I arrived in Heathrow. The application and departure processes were clear and helpful, and the on-site resident director for my program visited at least once a week to buy food and give us much-needed life advice. IFSA also provided incredible opportunities for me to explore England, from taking a private tour of Parliament with a Lord to a weekend away in the famous Lake District.

Taking a semester abroad can be a scary thing, especially if you are younger than the "typical" study abroad applicant. As a sophomore planning to go abroad to Australia, a country around 10,000 miles away from home, you can imagine how many questions and concerns I had before I left. From the very beginning of my application until the time I landed back home after the program, I was always supported by the IFSA staff. My pre-departure advisor was always available to answer my hundreds of questions I had about studying abroad and as soon as I landed in my host country, my program advisor took her place to answer even more questions. This made my experience incredibly easy because I was able to focus on my studies and meeting locals rather than things like insurance, cellphone plans, and medications. Additionally, IFSA had planned a couple excursions that focused on specific areas around us including a tour of Sydney, the Great Ocean Road and a hike in a rain forest. These excursions allowed us to experience being a tourist in our city while also learning about the culture and building relationships with other peers on the trip. Overall, I had an excellent experience with IFSA in Melbourne and would highly recommend this program and IFSA in general to anyone planning to study abroad!

I went abroad in Peru which was a very different environment for me. I really enjoyed having the ability to live with a host family and experience classes with students in my program, but also Peruvian students. I took two Gender courses which were only offered at the master’s level. Though I was intimidated at first, I felt well supported by my on-site advisor, Danny. He was always there for all kinds of support. Also, I traveled a bit to the south of Peru with the program and on my own and I really enjoyed it. I got to learn about the history of Peru and some of the other ecosystems it has to offer. I wish there would have been additional support for various students of color going abroad, who have not traveled out of the country very much. Additionally, support for students who need more financial aid when going abroad.

IFSA was such a gift to- and really did define- my study abroad experience. From the constant presence of resources and information that lasted from my first thoughts about studying abroad to my re-acclimation to school in the U.S., to the easing into Australian culture and life at the orientation in Sydney, to the wonderful friends that filled my time in Australia with so much comfort and joy, I cannot imagine having studied abroad without IFSA. For example, as an introvert and someone who is slow to warm up to new places and new things, it was immensely comforting to ease into the novelty of studying abroad with IFSA's extensive support and staff. Learning about Australian Aboriginal communities that first day at the orientation in Sydney opened the door not only for many further conversations with other IFSA students, but also for personal academic exploration and work. Thus, I most appreciate the organization, orientation, and information that IFSA was able to provide, allowing for a smooth transition and quick adjustment to a new place, which enabled a much more full, engaging, and transforming experience.

I studied abroad with IFSA and found that the resources and services provided were far better than anything I could have imagined. The predeparture newsletters, the weeklong orientation, and the incredible staff really helped ease my way into a semester abroad! They helped with everything from public transportation, to phone service, and finally to healthcare! There was such a wide variety of classes to take (from 4 universities plus program classes)!! This really was the best experience I could have asked for.

At City, University of London, I was able to attend classes and live in Islington, the borough directly north of downtown, City of London. This experience - and location - was invaluable and greatly impacted my time while abroad. I got to meet students from all over the world while studying in one of the most international metropolises in the world. I was able to immerse myself in local cultures and explore London's nightlife and countless activities while not in class. I loved my time abroad, living in a flat and cooking for myself, with the freedom to both travel the globe and show my friends around my own neighborhood throughout the semester.

The program was extremely helpful whenever I had issues, the classes taught me so much in Chinese and about Chinese society and politics. Although the classes were too small for my taste, I recognize the program is not at fault for that. I wished there were more ways to become more culturally immersed with local students since all my classes were with Americans. Overall, I had a great experience. My program brought us on a trip to outside of Tibet and it was amazing!

I had the time of my life studying abroad in Gold Coast, Australia! IFSA did an incredible job of providing amazing housing, support, excursions, safety, contact information, and everything you can imagine! Staff was there to help me every step of the way until I was ready to explore Australia on my own, and once I did it was amazing. Using the tools IFSA gave me I had success in school, joined a tennis club, explored beaches and rainforest, and made amazing friends and memories.

My time in Edinburgh was incredible. IFSA was supportive, knowledgeable, and the trips they planned were fantastic. My life changed after I studied in Scotland and a lot of it is thanks to the IFSA staff who helped me through it all.

IFSA really connected me to Chile as a country and the city of Santiago. I had an incredible time during my semester abroad through IFSA Chile Universities Program- Santiago. I got to immerse myself in the Spanish language, connect with other students who are passionate about politics and engaging in their communities, and grow very close with kids at an after-school program through community service. I got to explore the Andes mountains and the Chilean coast. I learned about Chilean history and culture. IFSA supported me along the way. They placed me with a very welcoming Chilean family as my host family. They helped me decide what classes to take to fulfill my major requirements as well as my interests. They helped me connect with other international students as well as local Chilean organizations including the after-school program I got to volunteer through. They even helped me get health care coverage when I had an injury and when I had to see counseling.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time abroad with IFSA! From the academics to the opportunities to travel with other program members throughout the semester, everything was carried out carefully and with the students' best interests in mind. I'll carry the six months I spent in England with me for a lifetime! You can't go wrong in choosing London as a study abroad destination--with most of Western Europe at your fingertips and the beautiful English countryside even closer, you'll soon be as enamoured as I was. QMUL has a wide array of interesting clubs and lectures for students outside of class time which made for an active social life. Located in East London, there's a large urban and South Asian culture, which meant great food and day trips! It helped that, periodically, IFSA hosted trips to break us from what could've been an academic rut! At the end of the day, it's what you make of it but both QMUL and IFSA provide you the tools necessary for you to succeed and thrive.

I did two semesters abroad in Melbourne because I loved it so much. I'd definitely recommend living there! My experience studying at Melbourne University as an international student was largely positive, but with ups and downs here and there. I found that the grading at times was less harsh than I expected. I was nervous for exams because I didn't know what they'd be like, but I did much better than I expected. The lectures are all recorded and it's easy to watch them online, so you don't have to worry about missing lectures and you can study pretty methodically just by re-watching as much as you'd like. I definitely had plenty of free time because I could decide to skip a lecture if my friends wanted to go explore around the city or go out to eat, because I'd just come home and watch it online. I had two class-free days a week, too, so I only had to go to campus three days if that. Also, my IFSA program coordinator was extremely helpful with my class decisions before I even met her in person, and even more helpful once I got there. Your program coordinator will let you know how to adjust your course load to suit your requirements and how rigorous you want your classes to be while you're abroad. Living in Melbourne, I definitely had the city life experience. It's like living in any city, so you'll deal with the same things you would living in a city in the U.S. Melbourne is super unique and livable and you'll never run out of amazing new restaurants and sight-seeing. If you're proactive on Facebook, you can find tons of random public events that are super fun to do with friends. White Night is a classic Melbourne tradition where all the shops are open 24 hours for one day and the whole city goes crazy and gets covered in lights all night long! There's tons of night life too so you'll seriously never be bored, but plenty of coffee shops to get work done in. The tram takes you all around, all you need is your Myki card. The outer suburbs are so quirky and cool too and have seriously amazing street art. I lived off-campus so things were accessible, but if you're living on campus it's super easy to hop on the tram and go into the city center because there's a tram stop on campus. There isn't really a notion of school spirit in Australia, everyone really just shows up for class and then goes home. The majority of students live at home and commute every day, so I don't think there are really on-campus parties or anything like that. But if you're proactive and meet people you'll have plenty to do, there just isn't the typical university social scene you'd expect in the US. It's easy to get involved in campus life, and there are plenty of clubs and societies to join too which have their own events. Also, you get super close with your IFSA friends! The program does a great job of organizing meet-ups, study groups, and trips for the IFSA students, so you have an automatic support network. The Great Ocean Road trip is also breathtaking and a great time for bonding. I'd say the best parts were learning to live in a new place and gaining mental strength about putting myself out there to have fun. It really is what you make of it. Sometimes I felt frustrated or just really didn't want to deal with the pressure of being in an unfamiliar place, but that feeling passes. But other days you're ready to jet-set and go see the world! I traveled to amazing places like Cairns, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Noosa headlands, and the Sunshine Coast. You'll have days you just fall in love with the place you're in and other days where you just don't feel great. But through all of that, you'll get home a stronger, more experienced version of yourself and you'll have so much gratitude for life. IFSA absolutely helped me through the harder parts and helped make the great parts great.

From the pre-departure materials, to the transition events, my semester in Australia through IFSA was very well-organized and well-thought out. I never feared not having enough information and felt very comfortable with whatever I was doing.

If you're on the fence about studying abroad, my advice is to DO IT - you will not regret it! My time at University of Otago in New Zealand with IFSA-Butler was the best five months of my life and I'd do anything to live through it all again! From the moment we all got there, there was always something to do. While in Dunedin, you'll live in "uni-flats" - a small 4-6 person house. The houses themselves are nothing to write home about (but hey, I didn't go to NZ to sleep indoors all the time!), but my flat was located in a stellar area. Amazing hikes to beautiful beaches or breathtaking vistas were within walking distance or a short bus ride/ drive; city center, filled with lots of bars, clubs, and restaurants was a 15 minute walk from my flat; and the parties (many just 1 block away)... I had the most fun I've ever had at a party while I was in Dunedin - everyone was so eager to meet new people, and the themes were ridiculously fun! The small city is very much dominated by students, so the whole area is lively, welcoming, and fun. Nearly every weekend, I'd go on hiking/ backpacking trips around South Island. Some of my friends bought cars with their flatmates/ friends, something I'd do if I were to go back; however, I did manage just fine without a car for myself. Classes were far easier than classes I've taken at my university in the states, but I still felt like I learned just as much. I come from a small liberal arts college and had no big issues adapting to classes/ life at a large university (24,000 undergrad). My one complaint about NZ is their healthcare system - while they do offer free healthcare for "accidents" (which is a fantastic thing to have), their approach to simple colds or insomnia were absurd and useless for me - my advice is to bring your own medications/ any medications you think you might need (antihistamines, cough syrup) from home. IFSA-Butler was a FANTASTIC program to go with. Orientation was 4 days long and in an incredible location, so by the time all us IFSA kids got to UoO, we were already close with each other. I still am good friends with and keep in touch with my IFSA friends (I'm even traveling around with one of them this summer!). Throughout the semester, IFSA held plenty of catch up/ fun events, from dinners to day trips to an overnight boat trip on one of the fiords. IFSA staff was always there to help you if you needed it. Overall, I couldn't imagine a more perfect study abroad experience!

After spending a day in Edinburgh a few years ago, I knew I wanted to return when I studied abroad. When the time came, I had to decide whether to do that with a program or not. In the end, I chose to go with the IFSA program and thank goodness I did! Pre-arrival newsletters and then orientation itself made it very easy to adjust expectations for the coming semester and adapt to the new lifestyle and culture when I arrived. Orientation also allowed me to make friends before moving into my flat and beginning classes. Coming from a small college, navigating the bureaucracy of a large school (University of Edinburgh has as many visiting students as my school has total) was made extremely simple by having IFSA there to help. It received a lot of stress and enabled me to focus on studying and exploring this gorgeous country. While at University of Edinburgh, I took Introduction to Gaelic Language and Culture; International Development, Aid, and Humanitarianism; and Russian Sociolinguistics and Language Policy. The last one was a higher level course that I had to switch into, which was easy to do with IFSA's help. These courses were similar to classes in the States, but had a lighter workload and fewer hours in the classroom. Although the workload was lighter, it is important to not get complacent or you will have troubles during exam time. Exams are the same as in the States, but perhaps in a slightly different setting as there will multiple courses sitting their exams in the same room simultaneously. I travelled around Cairngorm National Park, Oban, and the Isle of Skye. I also went on the IFSA Highlands trip, which was a full weekend trip to Fort George, Culloden, Glencoe, and a distillery. This provided context for some of the history I had been learning in class. Overall, this was an amazing experience only enriched by going through it with IFSA.

The educational system in the UK particularly in Cambridge is truly worth experiencing! It puts special emphasis on developing an independent thinker and providing in-depth knowledge instead of a superficial understanding of a broad range of topics. The students who seek to grow academically, particularly those who plan to continue their studies in the graduate school, would certainly benefit from an environment in Cambridge where the one-to-one supervisions and greater academic independence prepare them for the future challenges as the graduate students. But the UK can not only be distinguished by its educational system, but also the urban culture and public transportation. The cities across the UK can truly teach a lot about the culture and people because there are walkable, always full of the crowd, and have a unique motion and dynamic brought by tourists at any time of the year. This is particularly true for Cambridge, which is famous for its old and beautiful colleges, even with the lakes and bridges spread all over the town and a wonderful architecture overall. Cambridge offers an overwhelming number of opportunities to attend concerts, theatre shows, random lectures where one can always meet new and interesting people. Importantly, most students are excited to explore the city in the evening which increases motivation and opportunities for having valuable encounters. I would also add that multiculturalism is an important part of the culture and urban life in Cambridge. Hearing French, Chinese, Spanish, Italian or Hindi becomes a normal occurring in everyday life. If one is interested in studying in an old but nonetheless dynamic European-style city where people mostly bike and enjoy beautiful sceneries, Cambridge would certainly be a wonderful fit!

I absolutely loved my experience studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh through IFSA. This was my first experience leaving the U.S., so I was very nervous and did not know what to expect for the next four months. However, I ended up transitioning fairly easily and having an overall wonderful experience. The IFSA staff gave a thorough yet efficient 3 day orientation before we moved into our student accommodation. Although I had a lot of independence for the rest of the time in Scotland, the IFSA staff regularly checked in on me and made me feel very supported. I also attended some IFSA planned events, including a weekend trip to the Scottish Highlands that was amazing! My experience at the University of Edinburgh was also very positive. I liked all my classes and enjoyed getting to feel like a normal full time student at the university. I lived in a nice flat near campus with 4 non American full time students. This experience along with my classes and the dance society I joined allowed me to be immersed in university life and in the city of Edinburgh itself. My favorite part about studying abroad was getting to live in Scotland and in Edinburgh. The country and specifically Edinburgh is such a magical place that I fell in love with. I did not know where I wanted to study abroad at first, but now after going to Edinburgh I can't imagine going anywhere else. The majestic buildings, the friendly people, and the beautiful scenery make Edinburgh a very special place.

Studying abroad in Buenos Aires with IFSA was my first time going abroad. It was a bit difficult in the beginning finding friends and becoming adjusted, but the Buenos Aires staff was always extremely supportive, regardless of what I needed. I really enjoyed the structure of my classes and my professors were accommodating to my needs. IFSA offered great activities that allowed us to immerse ourselves in the culture, including Tango tutorials and theatre visits. My favorite part was interacting with locals and practicing my Spanish and helping them with their English. I would recommend this program 100% and to get the best out of it, I suggest interacting with the local community every chance you get.

Studying abroad was an incredible experience for me, as I was traveling to Mexico in order to better understand my identity as a Mexican-American. I did not grow up speaking Spanish- I only learned it in school. For this and many other reasons, I have always struggled with connecting to who I am. The IFSA-Butler Mérida Universities program provided me a unique opportunity to challenge my ideas of myself and of who I hope to be. I learned not only about myself, but about the journey my family took to the United States and the challenges the women in my family have faced and continue to grapple with everyday. I was incredibly nervous to study in Mexico. Before I left, it felt like the four months I would spend in Mérida would never end and that I would never be able to fulfill the expectations I had set for myself. Admittedly, many of these expectations were impractical, but the IFSA staff was always there to help me when I needed it. My host mother was there to listen to me. My local classmates at the university were there to challenge my thought processes and also to accept me for who I am. I left Mexico in December unable to believe that four months had passed so incredibly quickly. The IFSA program in Mérida challenges students to confront their places in society and the spaces they occupy. Our identities and the impacts we have on others were always at the center of discussion and at the forefront of our minds. IFSA pushes its students to redifine themselves and to be okay with feeling uncomfortable. I am incredibly grateful to IFSA for challenging me to confront who I am and to finally feel comfortable calling myself Mexican-American.

My experience in Valparaiso with IFSA is something that is extremely hard to convey in text. I guess the first thing I have to say is that staying with my host family definitely was the highlight of my experience and I have to thank IFSA for organizing that. I learned valuable life skills and experienced so much cultural immersion. IFSA does an incredible job connecting international students with local chilean communities, in school and outside school. It's a crazy feeling that I don't know how to describe but I really felt like I was out there on my own and it was an absolutely amazing experience. I would have never learned as much as I did if it wasn't for my host family. They taught be about Chilean culture in a way that I could never learn in a class room. By simply living with them, eating with them, and talking with them, I felt fully immersed within two months. IFSA staff also had a major role in helping me get integrated into the chilean lifestyle. Mainly, finding the perfect host families. IFSA offered classes, food tastings, excursions, opportunities to see people speak and a lot more than you probably wont get anywhere else. For example, we got to travel to the South of Chile to live with real Mapuche families for a weekend. When would you ever have that opportunity in your life? One thing that I really loved about IFSA is that they treated you like an adult and expected you to do things on your own, but still provided all the support that you would need to get things done. After all, the only way to learn about a different culture is to live in it, and that's what IFSA allowed us to do. They didn't treat us like international tourists who just wanted to observe from an outside view. They know that we are students eager to learn, so they treated us like normal international students and helped us integrate as students, not as tourists. Students studying with IFSA really feel a sense of individuality, at home and at school, due to the amount of freedom that IFSA gives them. But at the same time, IFSA is always there for help, support, questions, or whatever it may be. Studying with IFSA gave me the perfect amount of freedom so I could learn on my own, yet also provided me with the perfect about of comfort, showing me that i am never actually alone with them.

Studying abroad in New Zealand was a fantastic experience. At Victoria University Wellington, I got to choose from a wide range of courses that would fulfil my course requirements for my school in the US. The classes challenged me but the workload was light enough that I had ample time to travel and experience my new city and community. I lived in an International Student Housing Flat with two other international students (one from Italy and one from South Korea) which was a great experience. Wellington is a fun city with lots of great food and art. I would highly recommend New Zealand to anyone who loves hiking and other outdoor activities.

Studying abroad at the University of Edinburgh was by far the best decision I've made in my time at university. Before going, I honestly had little interest in Scotland, and I didn't think there would be much for me to do while I was there. However, upon arriving, I was immediately greeted by amazing people, beautiful culture and history, and a whirlwind of exciting things to see and do. The best part for me was the people. Students from all across the globe came to study at UoE, ranging from Singapore, to New Zealand, to France. Getting to interact with these people gave me a glimpse of their social habits and cultures, and only spurred my interest in other countries and cultures more. Scotland as a country has so much to offer - great food and social life, beautiful scenery, fantastic photo spots (a photographer's dream really). Travelling within and outside of Scotland opens up a world of possibilities that are always waiting to be explored.

I had never left the US before I went to go study abroad and I was excited but worried about what it would be like being an American abroad. But I quickly realized that I couldn’t have been in a better place because I truly found Irishmen to be the nicest people and the IFSA Staff was as well. It’s a very independent experience with great people to welcome you to a new country.

I thoroughly enjoyed my London experience and I really appreciated the resources and excursions that IFSA provided to further enhance my abroad experience. The IFSA staff was always very responsive and willing to offer whatever support and guidance that they could. I never felt lost during my time abroad. Honestly, I can't wait to go back again!

Before studying abroad, I had never fully lived on my own, as at Franklin & Marshall College, I lived in an on-campus dorm, and had a meal plan; my campus was also rather small, around 2300 students, and located in the small city of Lancaster, PA. Moving to Dublin, I was definitely nervous about the transition to city-life, and being able to take care of myself on my own. With the help of the IFSA-Butler Dublin staff, I was able to create a budget to plan for my abroad experience, learn lots of travel tips and tricks, and also how to use technology to help me adjust to my new environment. Upon reflection, I really believe that my study abroad experience has turned me into a more independent, confident individual. Not only did I live in an apartment, and cook for myself on a daily basis, but I became confident enough in my navigation abilities to travel to some cities and countries on my own, even when I did not speak the language! Professionally, my experience with budgeting while away has led me to be chosen as the Vice President of Finance at my sorority. Both these personal and professional skills definitely have made me feel more prepared for post-graduate life, which I am approaching in just one short year!

The IFSA Program in Buenos Aires was ! Socially, I made several close friends from the US through the program, and I got to know plenty of people from Argentina and other countries through activities in Buenos Aires. Now I have a place to stay if I'm ever traveling in Colombia, Mexico, or Portugal, and I've already gotten to see one of my friends from IFSA who goes to a college nearby. Academically, IFSA offered the chance to choose from classes at 6 local universities, in addition to the courses with the program. It was hard at first to take classes in another language, but the professors knew what it was like for international students and offered personalized help. By the end of the semester, I could understand everything that was said in class, and I had grown more confident in my ability to speak Spanish in a professional setting. My homestay was another highlight—I loved getting to know my host mom, and it's been great to keep in touch even after leaving Buenos Aires. One of the best parts of the experience, and one of the most unexpected, has been coming back after study abroad. As much as I can't wait to go back to Buenos Aires some day, I'm so happy to have had the experience and bring the lessons I learned abroad back home. I'm more grateful for what I have at college, and I feel refreshed after a semester stepping out of my comfort zone and meeting new people.

IFSA gave me the freedom to decide how I wanted to spend my time while insuring that I had support and a community if I wanted this. They had plenty of events and activities but none of them were mandatory, so I was able to chose which ones I wanted to attend. The University of Otago is a wonderful university to study abroad at, and IFSA really helped me to take advantage of everything there.

This program was truly the best time of my life. I met the most amazing people, was able to learn from the professors I had and my host family, as well as the program directors. Every day was an adventure and I enjoyed how independent I became in such a short time. I am glad that this program required us to stay with host families because I think the host family experience only enriched my time in Chile. It made me feel closer to Chile to have a family that would engage me in conversations that I otherwise might miss from just regular classes. My program also had several trips planned for my entire program and these were what made the program so special. I loved being with everyone on the program and learning together and then being able to discuss and reflect upon our shared experiences.

I really enjoyed my experience abroad at UCL last spring. Recently I answered some questions for a prospective abroad student, which gives a good indication of my experiences abroad: What are your recommendations for taking advantage of all that is offered by a new academic institution? I would recommend attending as many events in your area as possible. The anthropology department had set up a system for all abroad students to meet up and get to know each other, along with events within the department with guest speakers, discussions, etc. I found this really helpful to get to know the new department outside of classes. What did a typical day of classes and studying look like? I was fortunate to be put in housing next to UCL, so I had a five minute walk to class, but I know many others would make a long commute across the city to get to class that could take some time in rush hour. Typically I had class in the late morning and early afternoon much like college, got lunch on campus, studied in the library or in other study spaces, then would walk back to my dorm. There's a greater emphasis on work outside of class, without help from the professors, so be prepared for some work to do each night. What opportunities did you have to explore the surrounding area? I took a class that semester "Understanding Cities and Their Spatial Cultures" where we took field trips around the local neighborhood to figure out what made London work, which was fun from an academic perspective. Since I didn't join any clubs or student organizations I had a lot of free time and spent a lot of it just walking around, looking for interesting museums and places to explore. The parks in London are still surprisingly quiet compared to the busier streets, I'd highly recommend checking them out if you need some stress-free time haha. Of course IFSA provides events throughout the semester to explore different parts of London if you'd like to join that as well. How was the process of integrating into the rest of the student body? I'm coming from Brandeis University which has a student body of <4000, to going to UCL which has a student body of >40,000. I never really felt integrated just cause it was such a massive difference in the amount of people attending the school. I tended to stick with the anthropology department because it was smaller and easier to navigate. How did you go about managing you workload and having a different academic calendar? The academic calendar is really different, which in my case wasn't helped by some uncontrollable circumstances. The typical spring semester is classes for 12 weeks from January through March, with a week off in February. This is followed by a four week break, and then a six week finals period from May to early June. You usually find out when your finals are in March. Most people would take the time during the four week break to travel and then stay back for finals. I was fortunate to have all my finals in the first week, so I had time to travel for the rest of the semester. Now I say typical schedule because that's not how it went for me haha. During my semester many professors throughout the UK university system went on strike against the slashing of pensions, which meant for the last five weeks of classes I didn't have 3 of my four classes. So even though I had more free time, I could never really know if the strike would end or not so I never went traveling during that time. It was a bit crazy and I'm sure that won't happen during your time their, but do be aware that you'll have plenty of free time if you so choose it. IFSA staff during that time were super helpful and ran events as well as tutoring if we so choose to attend.

As a Spanish major and Latin American Iberian and Latino Studies minor at Bryn Mawr College, my semester abroad in Lima, Perú allowed me to constantly utilize my Spanish skills on an everyday basis. Whether it was living in a home with a Peruvian family or out buying an ice cream from a street vendor on the city streets of Lima, I was always putting my language skills to the test and being challenged. Additionally, I was able to be in a setting where I really saw how both the Spanish language and Latin American culture intersect outside of the typical classroom environment. I enjoyed taking two classes at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú with Peruvian students which were focused on contemporary Spanish literature and Hispanic narrative, both of which I was able to count towards my Spanish major upon return to my college in the United States. In addition, I took two classes with my IFSA-Butler program (Peruvian Social Reality and an Advanced Writing and Grammar course) in which I learned specifically about Perú's rich cultural and historical themes. In the Advanced Writing and Grammar course I was able to read Peruvian literature written by some of the most well-known Peruvian writers, whom I had not previously been exposed to as my college in the states does not have a professor that specializes in Peruvian literature. I was also able to further strengthen my writing skills in the Spanish language through a myriad of essay assignments throughout the semester. Finally, my study abroad experience with IFSA-Butler allowed me to not only enhance my knowledge of another culture while also practicing my language skills on a daily basis but it also provided me the necessary self-growth to realize that in the future I will be able to accept any challenge that may come my way.

I was initially very nervous about studying abroad as a STEM major. I wasn't sure how my credits would transfer or how hands-on my experience abroad was going to be. I had no idea how much studying abroad would end up affecting my academic life, but I soon found out that I received so many benefits to stepping out of my comfort zone and just doing it. I study Marine Biology, so naturally Australia was the perfect location for me. The classes I ended up taking were all STEM, and three of them were related in some way to marine biology. I had brilliant professors who taught me so much while I was abroad. I also had no short supply of field work. Three of my classes involved spending time out in the field, whether to collect plankton samples or to identify animals in the Australian Outback. I had an amazing time learning abroad, and I picked up so many skills that I believe are critical to a STEM major. Despite the rigor of four STEM classes, though, I still had plenty of time to explore and travel where I wanted to. In addition to academics, I was able to experience so much revolving around marine biology while abroad. I got to volunteer with a graduate student to help catch and tag stingrays. I was able to go to the Great Barrier Reef and see firsthand the amazing life that it holds. It never ceased to amaze me how much Australia inspired me to pursue a career in marine biology, even though I had already dedicated my academic career to that. Somehow after my time abroad, I knew more than ever that I was doing the right thing with my life.

I am so glad I decided to study abroad in Mérida, Mexico with the IFSA Butler program! I was nervous to start my adventure there, being scared to study and live in a foreign country for 4 months on my own, but IFSA staff helped to ease my nerves through the program orientation and crafting a program full of support systems. I lived with a host family, and they were so sweet and kind. They helped me adjust to a new culture and living environment, and they quickly adopted me as their own. I truly felt that I was one of the family. Additionally, each month the IFSA program director held meetings, both in small groups and individually, to check in and make sure we were adjusting okay. Not only was she a good academic resource, but she was always willing and available to talk about any other issues and concerns we had throughout the semester. Throughout the program, we had excursions on the weekends where we visited Mayan ruins and other cultural sites. On weekends when we didn't have excursions, we had free time to travel and explore on our own. I made great friends and great memories during my time in Mérida! In terms of academics, we took 5 classes for the semester: 3 at the local university UADY (Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán) and 2 with IFSA. These classes helped to shape my understanding of the area and culture. While the academics were challenging, as all the classes are in Spanish and (depending on what classes you choose) about new subject matter, IFSA provides free tutors that are available for academic help. My experience with IFSA Butler in Mérida really pushed me out and my comfort zone, and for that I am so thankful. I met wonderful, amazing people and created long lasting friendships. I learned so much about a new culture and heritage. As cliché as this may be, my time in Mexico really changed my world view and taught me valuable skills. I will never forget my experience, and I hope to return to Mérida soon!

I could not have asked for a better semester abroad, and IFSA was the best facilitator. From the first week of orientation, I knew that IFSA would have me covered with a great support system throughout the semester. I really appreciated the periodic check-ins with the IFSA staff, and the weekend excursions they offered, particularly Lake District Weekend. The IFSA staff were also very helpful with scheduling classes, which was especially handy during the KCL Strike period.

NUIG is a very large university - and with a large university comes large opportunities. But luckily, I wasn't thrown into it. I took the group flight IFSA offered, so when I arrived I was greeted at the airport with other American students. We went through two days of IFSA orientation - learning about our apartments, the walk to the grocery store (and how you have to bring your own bags), the walk to campus, the city centre, etc. After two days of thinking I had the hang of cooking and meeting new people (all 15 of them) I got thrown into a huge orientation at NUIG, with hundreds of international students there for the semester. Wow was I glad I had already gone through some of the stuff so I could get to know what campus was like! With this I joined multiple clubs on campus, went to some sporting events, a live comedy show, and so much more. I felt immersed in the Irish culture and my Irish university, but I couldn't have done it without IFSA!

I had been planning to study abroad for several years when I finally attended the University of Glasgow in the fall of my Junior year. The experience was not what I had expected, as I found that traveling can be a very lonely experience, though prior to my departure that is what I had hoped to be; alone. However, once I arrived, I found that I could find friends at my most crucial junctions to help me through impossible situations like locating lost luggage, finding my way through the London Underground, and even packing up to go home. I also learned that I was capable of more than I had thought I was as my months abroad continued, and I discovered that most, if not all, of my fears proved unfounded or at least surmountable. I am grateful for the opportunities IFSA provided me to leave my comfort zone, think outside the box, and try new things.

My time abroad in New Zealand was life-changing! I had a blast meeting many new friends from all over the US and across the world. The friends that I made abroad were from New Zealand, Australia, the US, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Sweden, and so many other places around the world! We often cooked meals together, traveled together, and studied together. My time abroad was a bond never experienced before. IFSA was an amazing program to study abroad with. A lot of my other friends didn't have the opportunities that I had to engage with Maori and Kiwi culture while abroad. I was able to face some of my greatest fears with IFSA, like heights through a ropes course at Adrenalin Forest after volunteering to replant native NZ bush, water with white water rafting and plenty of kayaking adventures, and heights again through hikes and bush walks around New Zealand. I also got a chance to give back to the community through a unique course that I took abroad, Strengthening the Community (aka Christchurch 101). If you ever have the opportunity to take that course, I highly recommend it! I was able to be involved with the Christchurch community directly through volunteering at the local community garden and one of the primary schools nearby campus. Also, the class was taught by an alumnus of my home university, which was a crazy fact! Overall, my time abroad in New Zealand can never be topped by another other trips because of the wonderful community in IFSA and the generous hospitality of the Kiwis. I hope to move to Christchurch to further help with earthquake designing after receiving my degree. Also, I've been on the search for Pad Thai in America that is as good as the Pad Thai in New Zealand and I have been unsuccessful. So if you're a Thai food enthusiast, I definitely recommend going to New Zealand!

I loved studying in Chile. I had so much support from the IFSA program, and they were always on my side and eager to help. It was, however, a little hard escaping the American bubble. It took a while, but I managed to make local friends and hang out with peers, but it was a challenge at first, largely because that was one of the few things outside of IFSA control. Furthermore, my classes went on strike midway through my semester, so I didn't learn much in class, but it was an incredibly rewarding time outside of class. What I learned outside of class was better than what I learned inside. It was an incredibly valuable informal education that I will never forget. I loved abroad, and I will miss it fondly.

Studying abroad in London was amazing! I loved all the classes that I was taking, and really immersed myself into the theater scene in London. Also being able to live on campus - have my own room and a shared kitchen - saved me a lot of effort from finding housing on my own. It's close enough to the city center (by tube or bus 15-30 minutes from zone 1) that I could easily commute to every day to visit a museum, see a show, or simply walk around, while I could also easily get involved on campus with student groups and extracurricular activities. IFSA also provided a lot of fascinating trips and activities for free, including a weekend trip to the lake district, to help immerse us more with the culture of England. Overall I had a wonderful experience!

I studied abroad for a semester with IFSA at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Words cannot express how amazing of an experience it was! IFSA was always extremely organized and there to help whether it was something logistical such as sending out pre-arrival toolkits/instructions, helping us get situated and move into our flats, all the way to taking us on incredible weekend trips throughout Scotland. Studying in Edinburgh with IFSA is one of the best decisions I've ever made - truly a once in a lifetime experience that I'd do again in a heartbeat!

I am so so glad I went abroad with IFSA-Butler. They made the experience just that much better and easier for me and my family. There pre-arrival toolkit and instructions were so helpful and straightforward that it really helped ease the anxiety I and my parents felt about me going to live in another country. Unfortunately, I was sick when I actually got to Ireland and was really missing home, but I really credit the IFSA on-site staff (Ruth in particular) for convincing me to stay-and I'm so glad I did! My favorite parts of the program were the staff themselves and the trips that we got to take to Northern Ireland and Kilkenny. The IFSA on-site staff team was beyond amazing. Like I said, I wouldn't have even had a semester abroad without Ruth and they continued to support me throughout my time abroad in any way they could. I particularly liked how open they were about the office-we were welcome to stop in anytime to just hang out, do work, or have a cup of tea and snacks, and I really appreciated that open offer. The trips we took were also a highlight. I loved being able to see new sights and do so on a well planned trip (where I didn't have to plan anything, but still got free time!) and being able to meet other people on IFSA programs throughout Ireland. Overall, I know my abroad experience would not have gone nearly as well (or at all) without IFSA and I am so happy I went with them to end up with a life-changing semester in Ireland.

Studying abroad with IFSA in Wellington was one of the highlights of my college career. Not only is New Zealand an amazing country, but Wellington is the coolest, windiest capital city at the bottom of the world. The Victoria University of Wellington (Vic) has about 22,000 undergrads, which, coming from a liberal arts college of 4,000, was pretty big. But international student orientation made registering for classes easy and I got all the courses that I needed to transfer back home. Class sizes are usually pretty big, but half of mine were less than 30 students, and large lectures usually break down once a week into a smaller group with a tutor (some attendance at these sessions is mandatory). International students have a special housing division and live in houses and flats (apartments) in the neighborhoods near the Kelburn campus - my house was less than a 5 minute walk from the main campus. Living in Wellington is cool - the Botanic Gardens are beautiful and there's a ring city park in an arc around the city, plus getting further outside the city to nature is super easy. Bars, cafes, Cuba Street, surfing if you want it in Lyall Bay - I don't think there's anything about Wellington I don't like. Wellington is grungy and has the coolest vibe of any city I've ever been to - in case you couldn't tell, I love Welly a lot. IFSA made sure that my entire experience was incredible, from before I even got to the country until I left. There's an option to take a group flight to Auckland from LA where everyone meets before the 4 day orientation. I ended up going on my own and meeting everyone there before we went to a natural park only an hour outside Auckland for four days of sailing, kayaking, mountain biking, ROGAIN, and lots of muddy tramps around the grounds. We learned about Maori culture and New Zealand slang, among more serious orientation topics before spending the night at a marae (traditional Maori gathering house). IFSA was great throughout my semester in Wellington, with weekly meet-ups with our local advisor Hannah, who always brought us cool food and organized cool events like taking us to volunteer removing invasive species in the bush before a hike, to the World of Wearable Art show in Wellington, and sailing and white water rafting on a weekend trip to Taupo.

What I remembered the most from my abroad experience is my role as an international correspondent for IFSA. I wrote stories and pictures every two weeks to document my own and others' study abroad experience. I have improved my writing skills, communication skills and interview skills tremendously out of this experience. It was also a great opportunity for me to reflect my journey as I go. I'd strongly recommend people to apply for this work-to-study scholarship!

The IFSA program at the University of Edinburgh was fantastic. It was very well-managed, and most importantly the staffs on the field were very supportive and accessible. The financial aspect of the program was totally transparent, and thus, I did not have a lot of hassle. IFSA also assisted me with the Tier-4 visa and it was a huge relief. Other than that, the city was fantastic, and the university had a variety of courses that I took and enjoyed. I made many new friends from different parts of the world, and I miss my time there. I am fortunate to have also found friends in IFSA staffs, who still keep in touch with me. I would recommend IFSA program any day.

Being a college student is hard. There is no doubt about it. Finding the magic balance of academics, socializing, and self-care is even harder. By going abroad with IFSA I was given new responsibilities - I had to cook for myself for the first time (no meal plan anymore!) - and challenges to overcome. If any of these new stumbling blocks tripped me up, IFSA was there to give me a hand. If you are struggling with a course, your advisor on the ground will help you to find the resources that you need to succeed. IFSA also has a great program for bringing together the students that go through them. An excellent orientation and lots of dinners and cultural excursions help you to get a feeling for your host country and grow closer with the other American students. The shear beauty of New Zealand forced me to break away from the mundane tasks of student life and enjoy the amazing country that I was living in. Ilam Gardens, a botanical garden right off of University of Canterbury campus, was one of my favorite places to spend a sunny afternoon with a book. Overall, with the help of IFSA I was able to find more time to go with the flow and smell the flowers, a very welcomed break from the rush of school back in the states.

My favorite aspect of studying abroad was taking a class titled 'Sport and learning in Australian culture' at the university of Sydney. I learned a lot about Australia, its people, it 's culture and it's history through this class. I also had the opportunity to make great friends and have unique experiences like watching the Rugby World Cub and attending AFL games.

From staying with a host family in Buenos Aires’ Recoleta, to spending time with local college students, to volunteering with a local non-profit, to working with IFSA professors to complete my research project, I grew in unimaginable and innumerable ways that will forever shape the way I view the world and my role in it. My experience in Buenos Aires has positively impacted my worldview in ways that will forever affect my personal and professional growth. IFSA-Butler study abroad program is incredibly supportive. I still think about the IFSA staff in my final year of college, and am so appreciative to their attention to detail and thoroughness in the creation of the program. They were incredibly attentive to our adjustments as students living in a new country, honest about the study abroad process, and truly wanted to see us not only grow but thrive in Argentina and beyond. My academic experience both in IFSA and the local universities was fantastic. I enrolled in the directed research program, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had thus far. As a student majoring in Law, Jurisprudence & Social Thought and Spanish, I am also deeply interested in public policy, diplomacy and international affairs. Studying in Buenos Aires, Argentina was an experience that gave me a different perspective on the importance of effective diplomacy (I took a legal history course at a local university). Because of my semester in Buenos Aires, I am even more aware of the importance of the human connection, understanding the different ways that people engage with others across societies, the importance of remaining curious, and the urgency of truly listening to others, even if their opinions or practices are different than my own. I am so grateful to have found such a fantastic program, and wholeheartedly recommend it to any student looking for an experience of a lifetime with trustworthy support.

My study abroad experience absolutely changed my life -- especially because of IFSA, the program I went through. Ever since coming back home I have recommended IFSA to every single person I know who is thinking about going abroad. IFSA gave me the full support to be not only comfortable 10,000 miles away from home but able to step out of my comfort zone and grow as a person in the most incredible city in the world - Sydney. I loved learning and being abroad so much that my life has truly truly changed paths because of it -- I am now after graduation going to teach in China for two years in the Peace Corps -- I strongly believe in international education.

I loved studying abroad at Queen Mary University of London! IFSA made the experience seamless and easy. Their program provided an orientation to help students get acquainted with London and my new university. The orientation went over health, safety, money and academics. It really helped me feel comfortable in a new country. Throughout my study abroad experience, IFSA had lots of fun, interactive programs. IFSA sponsored a trip to the Lake District and many other experiences around London. The trip to the Lake District was amazing, this area of England is beautiful and I'm so glad that IFSA organized this trip to allow all of the students to travel! Another one of my favorite experiences was a street art tour through Shoreditch which IFSA sponsored. It was really fun to learn about the local London artists. I also had a mentor from the IFSA staff who would come to campus every month to check in with the students. My mentor ensured that I was happy with my academics and living situation (in addition to being super friendly)! Overall, I was very happy with my study abroad experience.

I absolutely loved my time abroad. IFSA-Butler made it extremely easy getting there and settling in. I explored so many new cities and some really cool exotic animals that you can't see in the US. I was even able to volunteer at the Australia Zoo! I would return in a heartbeat.

I had an amazing experience Studying Abroad through IFSA. I come from a place where no one really leaves and before going abroad I had never left the East Coast. On top of that, I was a first generation college student from a working class family. I had no idea how to apply for a visa or passport or anything. IFSA staff was so helpful and I am still surprised that I got through the whole process without any problems. The months leading up to me leaving, I emailed my advisers obsessively but they were so helpful every time. I adored my advisors while I was in Australia and loved our trips! One weekend we stayed on a lovely couples farm and it ended up being the best couple days of my life. I really bonded with the Ifsa team and felt supported throughout the entire program!

A great learning experience with great cultural immersion. I had so much fun and met a bunch of new people and made plenty of new friends, there was plenty of free time to travel around Europe as well which made the experience even better! Overall i would highly recommend this program to anyone engineering students looking for a study abroad program.

Not a day goes by that I am not thankful for my time abroad. Sydney, Australia is one of the best cities in the world (and I say that as a Miami-native). It is expensive, which is why I ranked it average in terms of cost of living. But, you do get what you pay for. My meals were always delicious, the city is clean, I always felt safe, even at night! The people are incredibly friendly too! I truly felt right at home. My abroad program, IFSA-Butler, gave the perfect balance of autonomy and support. The first days in Sydney were spent with them, doing a much needed orientation. They were very transparent about rules and expectations, but also let us students have their free time to explore and learn for ourselves! It's also important to mention that IFSA-Butler has spectacular scholarship opportunities too, I know that was really important in determining if I would be able to go abroad. Academically, I have never experienced such freedom when it came time to choose my courses. Every class in every subject you could think of was available for me to take advantage of! The course load was fair enough where I wasn't stuck in a library 24/7 but I still felt like I was learning! I wouldn't change my time abroad for anything in the world... except maybe another opportunity to go back!

I am so glad I went with an affiliate program to study abroad. IFSA was amazing. I am so grateful to them for changing my life. Argentina was an incredible country, with so much rich culture. The staff was very helpful and treated students like family. I knew I could count on them for anything. Huge shout out to Griselda, Mario, Daniel, Marissa, and Carol. Not even at my university do I know amazing faculty like them. The excursions were so fun! I really enjoyed each one and found them profoundly insightful. I was able to receive credit for both of the courses I took at my home institution. The classes were actually enjoyable!

IFSA at the University of Melbourne was, overall, a great program. I felt fully supported through all of the complex administrative work that goes into studying abroad--applying for a visa, finding housing, signing up for classes. IFSA did a great job of streamlining and facilitating the whole process, and of making us feel comfortable and safe while we were in Melbourne. I'm typically a more independent person, so I didn't communicate much with our IFSA mentor while at the university, but I really appreciated all of her reaching out and offering to chat. It never really felt like I was fully alone, and being connected to a network of American students in the city was highly useful. The housing options through IFSA were good, though I wish there had been a bit more variety in the residential colleges they allowed us to apply to. I was very happy at International House, but I think we would have benefited from being able to pick from more options. International House had a meal plan that was quite expensive, and I found that once I was in Australia, I very rarely had time to actually eat meals there (especially given the college's 45min windows for lunch and dinner). That felt like a huge waste of money, and I wish IFSA had made those realities clear before I applied. Perhaps my biggest issues with IFSA occurred during the Sydney orientation program. I was glad that we all met up in a single Australian city before going to our individual programs, but I felt that we were treated as young children for most of the time. I was particularly bothered by our visit to an Aboriginal Cultural Center outside Sydney, during which we watched Indigenous people dance (alongside a large group of primary schoolers) and painted boomerangs (an activity, I think, that was designed for 6-8 year olds). The visit offered a very watered-down version of Aboriginal history in Australia, which didn't even really acknowledge colonization or any of its consequent injustices. By contrast, during the Melbourne Welcome orientation program for exchange students one week later, we were made aware of all of these dynamics and did more 'adult' activities, like learning how to throw boomerangs. I think IFSA should restructure the activities during the Sydney program to reflect the age and maturity of its students. This is my most significant complaint about IFSA mainly because this was the period during which I spent the most time with IFSA organizers. The University of Melbourne and the academics offered there were, I found, fantastic. I really enjoyed the classes I took at the Design School and within the Department of Indigenous Studies. I learned a lot in the latter department and met some great professors and students in all my classes, many of whom I am still in touch with. Registration was made easy by UniMelb's help centers and its many advisors, so there were no real issues there. I had a lot of fun in Australia and the people I met will be lifelong friends. I travelled a ton and saw many of the most beautiful things I've ever seen in my life. I would highly recommend this program as a whole to anyone as IFSA makes all of the nitty-gritty details easy to take care of.

I had such a great time in Northern Ireland at Ulster University. The courses were so much fun and I got to do a lot of hands-on work which was great! The planned excursions were also a lot of fun and really well planned out for all the students in the program. There was also plenty of free time to travel around Europe and explore the city of Derry! I would highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to study abroad.

This program was accommodating, organized and supportive. Because of the information I received before departure and the support I got once on site, I really would say it was the trip of a lifetime. The IFSA staff works hard to make sure you get everything you need while abroad including awesome living situations, health care needs, and planned excursions that were better than any trip I could have done myself. They also realize that this is your time to explore and don’t try to micromanage, especially since New Zealand is such a safeness place. I highly recommend doing this program, you won’t regret it.

I spend the second semester of my junior year on IFSA Butler’s program at University of Melbourne. IFSA helped me feel at home in a new place from organizing a pre-orientation program in Sydney to meet other students and get adjusted to life in Australia to taking us on a surf lesson along the great ocean road. I’ll never forget during my last week in Melbourne I took an extremely hard linear algebra final and afterwards met up with Lindsey, my IFSA contact in Melbourne, who bought me coffee and calmed me down. Having that support system was amazing, especially being so far from home, and I’ll always be so appreciative of all of the work that the staff put in to ensure we had the best time possible. Thanks to the encouragement and help from IFSA staff, I was able to set goals for myself, meet new people, try new things, and step outside of my comfort zone.

Australia is the most beautiful, stunning and surprising place I have ever traveled to. I was fortunate enough to study abroad my junior year in Sydney, Australia at Macquarie University. I studied abroad through the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA). They provided the students a unique opportunity to become familiarized with Australian culture by having a week long orientation program upon our arrival to a new country. I enjoyed the orientation week, as we were able to experience the city's culture as well as exploring its natural beauty in the Blue Mountains. This was a valuable time to explore, make friends and to become adjusted. Macquarie University is devoted to helping its students achieve and grow academically. I had to adjust to new teaching style, but my professors and peers were amicable, therefore, I was able to adapt. The campus is located a short train ride away from the Sydney's center city. This provided many opportunities for exploration and continuous travel during my time abroad. I am so happy I chose to study abroad in such a diverse, friendly and inviting country

I went to China on the mindset of traveling and learning about the community and culture more so then purely academics. I traveled to 20 or so cities/parks but still learned so much about my host city and host community of Shanghai. The best experience by far was the cultural immersion trip to Xinjiang province, the most western province of China. It was a whole different experience. I got to know some of the other students that I didn't hang out with as much extremely well. There were some difficulties but it just made us closer and bond. All the teachers were wonderful, especially mine. Some of the classes were more work than others but they all just reminded us of a different style of education. I wish I did a full year instead of a just a semester.

My time in Argentina was full of new colorful experiences. Thanks to the helpful staff and program support, I was able to get the most out of my classes at the local university, my travels around the country, and my at-home time with my host family. I got to try new things, and meet new people, learning how the stories of others are similar and different to mine, meanwhile grounded in a whole different world. My time was unparalleled and unforgettable.

Before I went abroad with IFSA to Costa Rica, I only had a very basic level of Spanish. After my semester there, I feel nearly fluent. Having all of my classes in Spanish with Costa Rican students was an excellent way to immerse myself in the language. Additionally, the staff, Rodney and Angélica, were extremely helpful and informative. The host family placement is also done very well. I was paired with an excellent family that I still remain in contact with today. Overall, this program was very immersive, and I really got to feel like a member of the community, rather than just a traveling student.

The IFSA-Butler program at University College London was absolutely wonderful. UCL is located in the heart of London and even though I lived in Goldsmid, an off campus dorm, it was quick and easy to get to by taking the tube. The best part about studying abroad is that everyone has different experiences. Even when traveling with other IFSA students we each brought our own unique perspective to where we were and experienced events in unique ways. Many of the IFSA students I met have become some of my closest friends and we still keep in contact. I also really enjoyed that I was able to go to class and live with British and other International students. It was incredible to live with other International students while learning about their cultures and customs. I was able to try authentic french crepes that one of my flatmates grandmas in Britannia made, learn about random British mannerisms from my British flatmate, and learn more about French music from a different French flatmate. I felt completely immersed in other cultures while also showing them some of my Minnesotan experiences. Finally, and most importantly, I learned how to take things as they come. I am a planner and am used to things always going as planned. So, I lost my luggage the first day I arrived in London (thank you IFSA for helping me sort that out!), flights were delayed, trains cancelled, and I became so sick once in Rome that I was unable to fly home because there was a 70% chance that my eardrum would explode and cause permanent damage. I waited for my luggage (about 5 days), I talked to the flight staff, I looked for new trains, and I booked a 26 hour train ride from Rome to London so I wouldn't lose my hearing. Despite all of the setbacks and what my mom has later called 'horror stories,' being in London has been the best time of my life so far. I learned how to deal with uncertainty and that things happen that are not in my control. Instead of freaking out and having a mental breakdown, I learned to assess the situation and figure it out. I am much more confident now than I once was and I am forever grateful for having the ability to go on my absolutely wonderful journey.

My experience abroad was something that I still find hard to put into words. I truly had the time of life, a time that is incomparable to anything I have ever experienced, and ended up finding a genuine home in Ireland. IFSA- Butler and University College Cork provided me with a new beginning to my life, opening myself up to new adventures, taking risks, gaining confidence, appreciating and loving a new culture, and truly making Ireland my second home. Because of my experience aboard, I hope to one day go back to Ireland, especially Cork City, to live for years. I can't express my appreciation for my 4-5 months abroad and everything it taught me and I hope others choose to explore the world with IFSA- Butler (and UCC!) because the hospitality and reassurance of everyone involved was immense.

I went to Trinity College Dublin and loved every second of my experience. I lived in the heart of Dublin, fully immersed in Irish culture. Going to Trinity College Dublin was a unique experience as the school holds such honor and historical importance in the world. It felt as if I was a tourist at my own school. However, as time went on, I became more and more comfortable at Trinity and within the city. Trinity became a home. I walked through the arches at the front gate and entered a magical, calming, and intellectually booming environment. I loved taking classes with Irish students and I learned about their educational style and past experiences. During my time at Trinity I grew as a student and person. IFSA Butler helped me reach my goals while studying in Ireland. They were a key supportive resources in my journey. IFSA was extremely helpful before, during, and after my study abroad experience. They answered all the questions I had before leaving for Ireland. During my time in Ireland, they provided great emotional support and were there for all student needs. We had GREAT trips as a group throughout Ireland and I made lasting friendships with other students on the IFSA program. I would highly recommend IFSA Butler as a study abroad program provider and Trinity College Dublin as a location.

IFSA is the perfect program for someone adventurous like me who wishes to study abroad and become immersed into the community. IFSA did a great job with assisting me during the application and pre-departure stages of my abroad experience. I sent IFSA staff so many emails with questions, and they were very quick to respond and always thorough. While the pre-departure stage was rightfully assisted, IFSA really knew how to loosen the reigns when their students arrived in their host country. While I always knew IFSA assistance was there if I needed it, I appreciated the freedom they gave me to explore on my own and become part of Melbourne's community because my goal of study abroad was to go into the experience completely alone and figure it out on my own. However, IFSA did not freely release their students into a new country. I felt very prepared for the transition because IFSA provides education and various tools before the experience. They also check up throughout the semester to make sure everything is going well, and if things aren't, they find ways to help. All of the IFSA staff are intelligent, kind, and cool people who love travel and culture as much as their students. I recommend IFSA to study abroad students who want to find their own way with a constant safety net below.

I decided to study abroad as a student of the IFSA-Butler Mérida program because of its public health concentration and its location in Mérida. The connections I saw between the course offerings, the extracurricular opportunities (observerships in primary health care settings and service learning through the associated medical school's community health fairs), and my own studies at my home university were more than ideal. Additionally, IFSA-Butler in Mérida offers the unique opportunity to be a student at more than one academic institution. I had classes at UADY, the medical school of UADY, and Universidad Modelo, and that allowed me to get to know and appreciate different academic cultures and systems within a single city. Our program directors were really great about encouraging a more critical perspective and understanding of community and culture: our own, Mérida's, and México's as a whole. In addition to Yucatán-specific academic readings and discussions, we had excursions to archeological sites and some of the cultural events in el centro. In combination, this allowed me to better understand the history and culture of Yucatán beyond simply reading about it or hearing about it in conversation. I would absolutely recommend this program to other students. In fact, I already have--several times! The structure and support of the program were excellent, and even if you don't think Mérida may be for you (in terms of your interests in México), that's all the more reason to go! The regional diversity of México is incredible. I'm sure you'll find the entire experience to be truly valuable.

London is a great city to be in and a good place to study. UCL literally uses the whole city as its campus. It doesn't have any borders of campus; it only has tens of academic building scattered around the city. For example, in my Comparative Political Economy class, we visit the British Museum and Bank of England Museum as two field trips to better understand how local economy in England be involved. University of London really encourages students to be in touch with the society more, not seating in library and study all day. The school usually holds career fair and information session about jobs to encourage students to be familiar with career track. Professors expect you to rely on them only for lectures, because British education system wants students to do more self-studying rather than asking professors for all the time. Life is convenience in London. You will get easy access to grocery store, restaurants and musical theaters. Do not forget to take advantage of discount on monthly plan for students' oyster card (the transportation card used on subway and bus)! Meanwhile, enjoy every field trip IFSA offered! I went to the Lake District Weekend, Wimbledon Tennis Court and so many fantastic places with IFSA staff. The field trips mainly cover the top attractions within or near London. Hope every student will have a good experience for his or her semester in London. Enjoy your life, and explore more opportunities.

My time abroad in Scotland was absolutely a life changing few months. The people I met, the places I saw and the things I learned will forever be precious to me. I learned so many things about the world that changed my view on life. I became much more aware of my cultural surroundings, noticing things people did that were not familiar to me and embracing them. IFSA was so helpful in introducing me to such things and aiding me in my ultimate goals of the adventure. It is something worth experiencing and I am so happy I did so.

My time in Sri Lanka was a great experience overall. I was a bit uncertain about what to expect, but I am so happy I chose my program. The academic format of the program was extremely immersive and really allowed me to learn so much about Sri Lanka. My favorite class, Women, Gender, Culture, Nation, was engaging every day and very relevant to all the things I was experiencing just by living there. For me the biggest highlights of the program were my host family, my independent study project, and my friendships with local students. As an only child, I was really excited to have a host family where I would have host brothers. They provided me with constant entertainment and really helped me with my Sinhala language skills. My host mom and dad (amma and tata in Sinhala) were also incredible. They treated me like one of their own kids and really wanted me to have a great experience. I still talk to my host mom via Facebook Messenger quite often, which is something I was not expecting to gain from this program. On the academic side, I really enjoyed my independent study. I was able to conduct research on children's education and how this is affected by parental labor migration. The ISLE program has such a wide range of connections that I was able to gain access to schools and government officials with ease, which really helped my work. Lastly, in the off times at university I had the opportunity to socialize with local students. For me, this often took the form of cricket matches that were played after classes. I had never played cricket before this, however, I was able to make friends very easily through this sport. Overall I would highly recommend Sri Lanka and I am excited to go back!

My experience studying abroad in the Czech Republic was one that I will never forget. I was able to meet so many individuals from different countries in my flat, from my program, and from Prague College. Prague College opened many opportunities for me. I was able to explore and learn about the the film industry, European politics, and the construction of a video game. I never thought I'd ever make my own video game! However, this experience taught me the many possibilities I have in the future. Then, I was able to make so many other fun memories in Prague as well. I was able to get my first medal for completing a marathon in Prague, listen to beautiful classical music concerts during Prague Spring, and go to the Prague Open. There were also excursions that the program took our group on that let all of us get closer, while also learning more about Czech culture. Our program supervisor, Jana, did a fantastic job always supporting all of us and helping us move in to our new home. Jana was a huge factor that made my experience so wonderful and I cannot thank her enough. This program is very organized and it was easy moving into a new country. The Czech Republic will always be a special place.

Studying at the University of Auckland exceeded any expectations that I could have- all thanks to IFSA! Before the departure, I felt well prepared for the journey because of the surplus of resources that we were provided with. Any questions about banking, airlines, cultural experiences- it was all covered. Once we got to New Zealand, we were immediately bused away to Shakespeare National Park for three days where we could adjust to the time change and make friends with other people in our program. (I have to mention that they will feed you so well at this point in time!) We kayaked and played rugby and had such a relaxing time before returning to Auckland for move in. We had a few days to explore the city, and attend orientations and what not. The housing was all pretty well organized through IFSA- I lived in Parnell which was sort of a walk to campus but I made such amazing friends with my neighbors. It can be hard to adjust to a whole new school system and way of life, but weekly catch up meetings through IFSA were also a great addition because if you ever needed to vent about the adjustments or reminisce about home it was a comforting space and we all became really close. We also took some incredible trips around New Zealand, including a cruise through the bay of islands and learning how to surf (there's a lot more where that came from too but I don't want to spoil it.) My onsite coordinator Ellen (if you get her you are so lucky!) was amazing and so helpful through guiding us on New Zealand culture and she always brought awesome snacks. IFSA really tries to help you optimize your time in New Zealand, but you also have great freedom in traveling and exploring by yourself too during breaks and on weekends. I loved being in Auckland and hanging out with my IFSA crew but I also found myself with a lot of time to immerse myself in the Kiwi culture with other friends. New Zealand is an amazing country that everyone should visit, and if you're considering studying there, do it through IFSA!

I studied abroad in the UK for an entire year, and while I had a bit of a difficult time getting used to my new life abroad, in the end, it was probably the most rewarding year of my life. I learned to become so much more independent and solve problems and handle myself so much better than I did before I went away. I also met so many great people and was able to travel and experience things that I know I would have never gotten the chance if I hadn't gone abroad. My experience has definitely shaped me to be the person I am today and I wouldn't change that for anything in the world. The IFSA staff were also really wonderful and helped me through every step of studying abroad; they helped me before I left with doing paperwork and visas, during my year out even calling to check on me when I was sick, and after when I came home by helping me reflect on my experience and share it with others. I would recommend this program to absolutely everyone.

I absolutely loved studying abroad through IFSA's Argentine Universities program in Buenos Aires! IFSA was so helpful throughout my experience and made everything really easy. The staff was so kind, and they went above and beyond, taking us out to dinner, on excursions like theatre trips, kayaking, and rugby games, and organizing a 3-day trip to Uruguay, where we stayed at our program director's gorgeous hotel! Buenos Aires is an incredible city with so much to do and see, and Argentina is a truly amazing and beautiful country! I'd recommend this program to anyone who has an interest in studying abroad in a Spanish-immersion program!

Throughout the entire process of studying abroad, IFSA was a great support system that prepared me for every step of the way. From pre-orientation newsletters, to the orientation period in Buenos Aires, and finally academic support throughout the program, I felt very supported. The planned trips were also amazing. Thanksgiving break in Uruguay was unforgettable! The negatives of the program was that I felt surrounded my American students and did not immerse as much into the local culture as I would have hoped. I recommend enrolling most of your classes in one university to get immersed in student life there.

My time at the University of Auckland was one I will never forget. I was able to experience a completely different culture, academic setting and social life. The challenges of figuring out life on my own was difficult, but I was given an abundance of resources through my IFSA program and also the University of Auckland. During my time abroad, I faced sickness, family issues and financial struggles - but was able to overcome these obstacles through on-campus services. My time in New Zealand was filled with a lot of firsts: first tattoo, first time skydiving, first time bungee jumping and first time driving on the left side of the road! Although I had a lot of fun outside of the classroom, I was able to balance my time with my studies. My favorite class I took, at the University of Auckland, was a strategic marketing course. My team and I were able to run a virtual online business for the entire semester. Every week we would make strategic decisions based on our previous week's data. We were challenged to look both inside the company (marketing, sales, operations) and outside (competitor analysis). We ended up coming in 3rd place in our industry! So I encourage you to go abroad and go to New Zealand!

A once in a lifetime experience I am forever grateful for. Helped me grow and learn more about myself. I met some amazing new people and it helped open my eyes to a new way of seeing things. Now that I traveled, I want to travel more and see more of not only Australia, but other parts of the world as well.

I thought my program (IFSA Butler) gave me the perfect balance. It provided all the resources for me to grow without being overbearing. I was able to travel, study, and really have independence, but also know that if anything ever went wrong there would be people who had my back. I really enjoyed the orientation because it gave me so much helpful information right at my fingertips. I also liked that I was able to make my own mistakes and learn from them, which I think is the most valuable experience of abroad. Not to mention all of the excursions that they took us on were such an amazing time. Especially because they took us to places that would have been so difficult/expensive to get to (Scottish Highlands, Isle of Skye.) They offered support with my schoolwork and logistics of getting everything I needed. I wouldn't want to have gone abroad with any other program.

Ireland has always been on the top of my bucket list of places I wanted to travel. My family has a lot of history rooted in Ireland and I have always loved the music, culture, and places I could travel. Planning my semester abroad, I knew immediately I wanted to study in Ireland and narrowing it down to studying in Galway wasn’t hard. I studied at the National University of Ireland in Galway, or NUIG, and took six classes ranging from culture and history to music appreciation. The university was amazing and gave me a lot of guidance on how to handle the differences in schooling and how to get involved in the student life in Galway. One of my main goals while abroad was to branch out and immerse myself as much as possible into the local culture and the university, so NUIG was a wonderful place to help complete that goal. The university and the students support the culture of joining student organizations, which at NUIG were nicknamed “socs”, which is short for societies. I joined two socs during my semester and remained very active in them. Through those socs, I was able to go on three different trips at a reduced rate that I also didn’t have to plan. I joined Traditional Music Soc and the Music Soc, which was an a cappella group. I was able to travel to Cork with the Music Soc and compete with Irish students for NUIG, which was amazing! I also got to go camping on one of the Aran Islands, travel and meet different music groups in Dublin, and had a steady group of Irish students to hang out with throughout the semester. Another one of my goals while abroad was to experience as much of Ireland as I possibly could in the short time I was there. IFSA was an amazing program to study through because the staff was helpful in not only planning successful program travels and helping me plan my own travels and navigate the semester in general. I had an amazing student advisor in Galway who was always available to answer any question I had, meet me for coffee when I was freaking out, and support me in any activity I wanted to do. The IFSA sponsored trips were run so smoothly and I had a blast! The biggest trip was the trip to Belfast in Northern Ireland, which I am so thankful was planned by IFSA. Northern Ireland was on my list of places I had to make it to while abroad, but I was unsure how I was going to be able to do everything I wanted to while most likely traveling alone. Going through IFSA, I didn’t have to worry about anything. Housing, tours, and several meals were planned by IFSA and hit all the places I planned on going. The other sponsored trip to Kilkenny was awesome too because housing and a few tours were already planned. Kilkenny was a city I hadn’t planned on going to, but I am so glad I got to experience. Plus, I was given the opportunity to learn to hurl! The IFSA staff also made sure I was safe whenever I traveled by having me check in my travel plans and my student advisor helped me plan my solo travel as well. IFSA was an amazing program to study through because not only was the staff amazing and the sponsored trips amazing, but almost every other detail I was concerned about before going abroad, and that came up while abroad, were already covered by IFSA or were quickly answered. Everything from flight plans to housing was covered through my program cost and through IFSA, which made my process so much easier than anticipated. My older sister studied abroad and had to figure out her own travel plans and housing plans, so I was prepared to scramble to find housing once accepted to the program. Finding out IFSA already took care of all of that was a huge relief. The apartments I lived in weren’t the greatest, but it was in a decent location (within walking distance of the university, city center, and necessities like groceries) and wasn’t the worst place to live. The apartments were decent student apartments so they weren’t anything luxurious, but they were great for a semester of study, especially living in an apartment complex with other university students. My semester abroad was everything I ever dreamed of and more. I was able to spend time getting to know amazing Irish people, experience the Irish culture, and explore the country I have been dreaming about since I was young. Adventuring through the Irish countryside was everything I ever dreamed it would be. I was able to make lasting friendships with Irish students, which not only made my semester amazing, but will continue to connect me to the country I fell in love with. Being an ocean away from everyone I know and love and away my main support system can be incredibly intimidating, but through my program and my organization involvement, I didn’t feel so alone. I had always heard from other people who studied abroad that they left a piece of their heart in the country they studied in and now I can relate. Ireland will always hold a piece of my heart and I will always be ready to hop on a plan and relive my dreams again.

I studied at University of Melbourne through IFSA-Butler for a semester and had a great experience! From the start, IFSA staff offered helpful advice and practical coordination in the pre-departure and in-country stages, and they took care of our university transfer and apartment rentals in Sydney (for orientation) and Melbourne. The optional group travel throughout the semester was a great way to see more of Australia and connect with fellow IFSA students (especially those you don't live with or don't see at Uni). University of Melbourne is a huge institution so you're bound to find the classes that you need/want. Even though the learning style and expectation is very different to most US colleges, adapting was fairly simple. IFSA coordinators were always available for any questions or concerns, but definitely focus on fostering students' independence -- you do have to pursue opportunities on your own to make your semester into the experience that you want. Melbourne is a really groovy city with things happening all the time and is quite geared towards a younger population, so it's a great place to be a student. I'd absolutely recommend IFSA's study abroad program in Melbourne for anyone interested!

My time in Buenos Aires was one of the best experiences of my life. As someone who has travelled to other countries and had homestay experiences, my time with IFSA Butler in Argentina was the most enjoyable and comfortable study abroad experience that I have had. I would recommend my study abroad program hands-down. But I will be honest. The Argentine Universities program is challenging. 5 semesters of a language are required to join the program and you could be in classes surrounded by all Argentine students at your universities in classes that aren’t specifically taught for exchange students. However, the program does allow you flexibility with your classes that you can choose as challenging or easy a class as you would like. I loved my homestay. I lived with a an older woman who became like my second mom. I had my own bedroom and bathroom and breakfasts and dinners covered every day (except Saturday night dinner). My host mom and I were extremely close, considering she had to take me to the doctor at the beginning of my time in Argentina. I learned so much from her in the house about the language and the culture. Another thing that I loved about the program is that there are so many options for classes and you are really given control of your academic life abroad. I did the human rights concentration with IFSA on genocide studies so I had one class with IFSA on the topic and a human rights internship. With this internship, I got to conduct research for a non-profit in a hospital which was such a transformative experience both professionally and personally. I would highly recommend finding an internship or volunteer experience while abroad and IFSA helped facilitate the experience. The program is designed to be immersive and program directors really encourage us to not hang out with all Americans. We are encouraged from the first day of orientation to immerse in Argentine culture and make Argentine friends. That was also one of my goals coming to Argentina and a goal that I made! I made these friends through my classes, a program called PALS at the Catholic University of Argentina, and by stepping out of my comfort zone and meeting people at concerts, bars, etc. and taking advantage of the city’s busting night life! I also had the opportunity to travel around Argentina at the end of my program. Some students find ways to travel on the weekends and it very easy to get a quick plane ride/longer bus ride to incredible places around the country. I choose to wait to the end of the program so that I could really experience all that Buenos Aires had to offer. Buenos Aires is a city for young people and I encourage anyone who wants to study abroad there to study abroad through the IFSA Butler Argentine Universities program.

As someone who had never left the country before, I was incredibly excited and nervous to study abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Since my college is only 2 hours from my hometown, I had never been so far away from home for such an extended amount of time. I also felt a lot of pressure to actively enjoy every moment of my time abroad and have as many experiences as possible. I ended up having an amazing time in Scotland. Edinburgh is a beautiful, historic town with loads of culture (and bars). Compared to other cities I visited abroad (Such as Paris, Copenhagen, and London), Edinburgh felt more like a large town. While it lacked an underground metro, it was not missed. Most everything was within walking distance, and what was not walkable could be reached by bus. The town was also rich with both bars and, surprisingly, a thriving coffee culture. As a barista myself at an independent coffeeshop, I was very excited to test all the coffee shops around the town filled with single origin blends, home-made pastries, and acai bowls. Travel from Edinburgh was also extremely manageable and enjoyable. Other areas of Scotland were easily accessible via train from Waverly station and the airport was an easy AirLink bus ride away. During my time I visited the Isle of Skye, North Berwick, Aberdeen, and St. Andrews. The University itself is beautiful and a large part of the town. IFSA made registering for classes extremely easy. I was enrolled as a student and had classes with both other abroad students and full time students. The University itself has many international full time students from around Europe, so there was an amazing mix of different viewpoints in all my classes. IFSA also held specific events throughout the semester for its students including a food tour and weekend homestay. I stayed in the Lake District of England during my weekend homestay The area was incredibly beautiful and my host family was very warm and friendly. Overall, I would highly recommend studying abroad with IFSA and Edinburgh will always have a place in my heart.

When I came to Costa Rica, I was super nervous about my Spanish skills but the IFSA Costa Rica staff helped a lot with my transition by providing me with enough resources I can use. My favorite part of the program was the outdoor field trips that IFSA offered. We had a lot of fun while learning a lot of things about the environment. This experience changed my life and perspective in life, wouldn't change it for anything!

Studying abroad through IFSA-Butler was absolutely great. The program was very helpful in making sure everything was in order for us, which not all programs do. I think the best part was the study abroad orientation, where I was able to meet a ton of people. In addition, they set up a bunch of cool activities for us like going to the Blue Mountains. During the semester, they made an effort to keep in touch and took us to the Opera House and did a country life weekend with a host family as well. I would highly recommend.

I had the most amazing experience with IFSA Butler at the University of Queensland. With the help of IFSA, I was able to have an advisor there in my city during my entire time abroad and it was incredibly helpful to have her to reach out to. I had questions about using my student health insurance to questions about places to eat out in the city, and she was always an instant reply away. We also had dinners throughout the semester, an incredible orientation experience that allowed us to immediately adjust to the Australian life, and a very fun mid semester trip. IFSA also is how I got my housing in the International House in Brisbane which is where I met friends that I have been in contact with and even traveled to see since returning from Australia. The International House hosted several cultural events, allowed me to meet people from all over the world, and felt like home in a country I had never even been to before. The staff at the International House was also incredibly supportive of its students and helped me get my extended time approved, with the help of my advisor through IFSA.

Going abroad through IFSA-Butler was the best decision I made in college. From the start, I knew I wanted to travel to Scotland, but I had no idea what program would be the best for me. When I first started researching, I found many reviews (like these) that couldn't speak more highly of the program in Edinburgh. And they didn't disappoint. The US IFSA-Butler office was very helpful while applying and accepting my program, and very easy to contact in case I had any questions. They made the pre-departure paperwork and details so much easier to manage. Once in Edinburgh, the Scotland office was amazing. Our orientation was extremely helpful in learning to navigate the city, to meet other students on the program, and get settled in life abroad. It was only a few days, but I think that time was necessary for me to get comfortable in Edinburgh and start to already feel at home. The coordinators were so friendly, approachable, and helpful during a somewhat stressful and nerve-racking first couple of days. Over the semester, IFSA offered different excursions and day events that were all included in the program. There were food tours, a homestay weekend to one of four cities in the Scottish countryside or Northern England, and a weekend trip to Inverness and the highlands. Each event was engaging and a great way to learn a little more about Edinburgh and Scotland. Additionally, the staff scheduled drop-in sessions at the University to answer any questions about classes, homesickness, or where to get the best food. They were super accessible and supportive, no matter what you might need help with. Overall, I wouldn't change anything about my abroad with IFSA-Butler. I can't even imagine how my semester would've been if I hadn't chosen to travel on this program. Between their accessibility, support, and interesting activities or excursions, IFSA in Edinburgh is an exceptional program. I am so thankful I spent my four months on this program, they made all the difference while living in Edinburgh.

I had an overall great experience studying with IFSA/Alliance in Shanghai in fall 2017, and I will be returning in fall 2018 through the same program! IFSA provides a ton of support for students and families from pre-departure materials, scholarships, and detailed orientation when you arrive in your host country. I found the orientation super helpful and also really interesting because aside from discussing necessary information about Shanghai, we also discussed the value of learning about another culture and the best way to accomplish that in our semester abroad. I was able to quickly make friends with students in the program and always felt very comfortable with the staff at Alliance. They work hard to make sure that everything runs smoothly for you while abroad and create an atmosphere where you feel comfortable sharing any concerns you may have. The resident directors in Shanghai did an absolutely amazing job of this, which is one of the reasons I’m choosing to return to the program in the fall! Because I am passionate about studying Chinese, I throughly enjoyed the Chinese classes that I was in. My class was only two other students and myself, because everyone is separated into several levels of Chinese language. This helped me improve my language skills extremely quickly while allowing me to get close with a small group of students. Another memorable aspect of my semester abroad was the traveling opportunities that were made available to us. In addition to individually traveling on the weekends, we also participated in a field study trip with Alliance and an independent travel week. This gave us plenty of opportunity to see more of China and Asia in general, grow close with fellow classmates outside of school, and dig deeper into the rich culture that surrounded us. I hope that more people decide to study abroad through this program in the future!!

I had the most amazing time studying abroad at the University of Sydney! The IFSA-Butler personnel were incredible. I built incredible relationships with the staff that were on the ground in Sydney; they made it a point to get to know all of us really well and provided events for us to get to know them, along with our fellow abroad students, better. I felt that I could go to them with anything from questions about where to buy groceries to more serious matters about issues with school or issues that may have occurred back home in the states. Even after we got into a routine and settled into life in Sydney, they still made it a point to invite us to lunch or meet up for events. I love the University of Sydney as well, it provided me an incredible abroad experience. I come fro ma small liberal arts in the states, so going to a big university that was home to over 50,000 students was a huge change, but my professors did a great job of making sure I adjusted well and were available if I had any issues or questions. It was a huge school and it is easy to get lost, but there are so many opportunities to find your niche, even if there for only a semester; I made great friends while there, both natives and fellow abroad students. The campus is gorgeous; it is truly something out of this world. The people are so incredibly friendly, there is always something to do in the Newtown, CBD, and surrounding areas on any given day (week day or weekend), and it is one off the easiest cities to navigate (by car, foot, and public transportation). I could not have been more pleased with my abroad experience. I made incredible friends, learned to be more independent, stepped outside of my comfort zone numerous times, created unforgettable memories, traveled the world, saw and experienced things I never imagined I ever would, and survived 5 months on the complete other side of the world in my own, loving every second of it. I could not have picked a better school to attend, group to go with (IFSA-Butler was amazing), or city to spend my time abroad. It was the adventure of a lifetime and I would not have changed a second of it for the world.

This past fall semester, I had the privilege of studying abroad in Shanghai, China through IFSA-Butler's International Business in China/ Shanghai program. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life! Apart from the program's enriching and fulfilling language and business classes, I was also able to complete an internship abroad- as I am interested in working in China this was great real-world experience for me. Besides academics, the program offered two breaks. The first we traveled to southern China, Hong Kong and Macao while the second break was independent travel. Both were educational and fun!

The IFSA program at Trinity College Dublin was an overwhelmingly positive experience. The housing options were outstanding (especially Adalaide Square), the academic support was fantastic, and the community feel and social outings promoted a sense of cultural connection in Ireland. IFSA encouraged me to explore my sporting interests, and as a result I was able to interact strongly with both Irish and American students and to develop long-lasting connections. For anyone anxious or nervous about going abroad, IFSA provided me a strong platform to navigate the transition to Dublin and to become comfortable there quickly.

I had an amazing experience studying abroad at the University College Dublin in Ireland. Everyone I had the pleasure of meeting was so friendly and helpful, especially my advisers both at UCD and through my IFSA program. I always felt like I had somewhere to go for help if I ever needed anything, which was extremely comforting while adjusting to life on my own in a place so far away from home. The activities and events that were planned by the IFSA program were also a lot of fun, and they made it so easy to explore new parts of the country that I may not have considered going to otherwise. The campus community at UCD was also excellent, and I was even able to join the swim team and a number of different clubs while I was there. The academics were great, as well, and there were many different options for classes in just about any subject area. I even had the opportunity to work directly with a professor of ecology and one of her graduate students to design my own independent research project that included both scientific field and lab work. Overall, I truly felt like I was immersed in the Irish culture while I was there, which was one of my main goals for my study abroad experience. Between travelling across the country, exploring other places in Europe, or just simply hanging out with the friends I made through the swim team, clubs, and classes, my time abroad allowed me to grow and learn in so many valuable ways. I am extremely grateful for the incredible opportunity I had to study abroad in Dublin, and I would recommend both the IFSA program and the University College Dublin to anyone considering studying abroad in Ireland!

I had an absolutely incredible semester abroad studying at Oxford through IFSA-Butler's program. I studied in the Michaelmas term and took the summer course prior to the term starting, which was a great addition to my experience. It allowed me to ease into living abroad, working under the tutorial style, getting to know the city, and having the entire semester line up both in time and credits with my home college's semesters. The program did a great job making sure we were completely immersed in student life at Oxford while also having a guiding hand and being checked in on by someone outside the university. It was a perfect mix of just enough guidance to keep you comfortable while also ensuring you really dove into your experience and became a part of Oxford culture (instead of sticking with American students from the program). The visits from Andrew to go on little meals out and trips were a breath of fresh air when you needed a familiar face, and the weekend away to the Lake District with the IFSA crew was so much fun! I really bonded with the other students who came through the program, but the setup also allowed me to really make the most out of my time at Oxford by making friends there and really being treated as any other student at the university. I would not trade my time abroad for anything in the world, and I really appreciate how IFSA made that possible for me!

Words nor photographs can fully describe the breathtaking beauty of New Zealand. Choosing the University of Otago as my host university, and choosing IFSA-Butler as my study abroad program, were some of the best decisions of my life. The IFSA staff are so warm and welcoming from the moment you step off the plane, bleary-eyed and jet-lagged. They ensure that you're well-prepared for your adventures ahead, and plan fun excursions throughout the semester that you can take part it (you're missing out if you don't). The university itself is stunning, and the range of courses and variety of university clubs was so exciting for a small liberal arts college kid. I highly encourage volunteering in the community, through the university's volunteer office or clubs (like the conservation volunteer club!). It's so rewarding to be able to give back to the community that truly starts to feel like home. I can't condense my experience into a short paragraph, but suffice to say, New Zealand will always have my heart.

Through the IFSA-Butler program I was able to access a life in New Zealand I had no idea would change me so much. I learned some incredible life skills such as adaptability, self confidence, and planning skills that I will use forever. Though I was worried about the support of IFSA-Butler before I departed, once I got to New Zealand I was fully supported and given everything I needed to be successful. At Otago they have incredible international housing and resources. Then, IFSA-Butler took it to the next level by providing incredible travel opportunities where we learned about the culture, food, and got to experience the natural wonders of New Zealand. I felt like IFSA-Butler was just the right amount of involved in my experience, and I feel very fortunate to have gone with them.

Trying to break out of my shell is what really made the experience unique, and I'm still in contact with some of the people I met six months later - the experiences you can have when you try something totally new are really amazing.

This was far and away the best experience of my life. It was so much fun to go someplace totally new and make friends that I still talk to from home. The experience was pretty eye-opening, too; we always think of people from other countries as being totally different but frankly they're really not. Most of the things we did could have been done without going abroad, but those one or two activities that you actually had to be there for made all the difference in the world.

I chose to study abroad at the IFSA Butler program at the University of York because I wanted a smaller city that was more off the beaten path, where I would be able to live on campus and have an experience very similar to those of English university students. My home university also highly recommended IFSA programs because of the support they offer students and I certainly had a very positive experience with the Program Advisor in Indianapolis, who always responded promptly with answers to any questions that I had. I was very excited to when I was accepted to the program, but I learned over the summer that I would be the only IFSA student in York, which made me considerably nervous. However, when I addressed my concerns with IFSA staff at orientation in London, they were very reassuring about the support they would be providing for me even though I would be essentially alone in York. One of the staff members dropped me off at my dorm and they were always very responsive to emails. Another staff member did come up to see me and take me to tea about halfway through the program. The one thing that was difficult about being so far from London was that it was very difficult to attend any of the IFSA events in London; IFSA would have paid for my train fare, but most of the events were held on weekdays and I would have had to find a place to stay overnight. In York, I lived on campus in a flat. I had my own bedroom and bathroom and shared a kitchen with 15 other visiting students. The kitchen was rather small and only had four mini-fridges to store food in, which was slightly difficult considering that we had to make all of our own meals. Living with other visiting students helped with cultural exchange and culture shock, but did make it harder to make friends among the English students. University of York is considered a very prestigious university and as such most classes are very large lectures. It is very difficult to get what would be considered good grades in the United States, although all of the professors in my department were required to hold office hours, which was very helpful. The actual city of York was one of the best parts of my experience. It is a medieval city with so much history in it; I took a medieval literature class where everyone of the seven books we read had some connection to York and I got to go on a field trip to see the church of a family that commissioned one of the books. There are a ton of great restaurants and attractions in the city, including the best fish and chips, the York Minster, and the Jorvik Viking Center. The city center is also always putting on great events. There was a delicious food festival and the cutest Christmas market while I was there. Overall, the IFSA program at the University of York was the perfect study abroad experience for me. I got to be in a really historic city and take really interesting classes; it felt like a very authentic English university experience. I ended up not needing much support with the IFSA staff, but I knew they were available if I had.

I absolutely loved studying at the University of Sydney through IFSA-Butler. They provided excellent support and helped to make the transition into life in Sydney easier. I met a lot of really great people through this program that I hope to be friends with for the rest of my life. Overall, I think IFSA-Butler did a fantastic job of setting up experiences that enhanced my time abroad while still challenging me to grow. They also set up a "country life" weekend that I will remember forever because it was so beautiful and full of fun memories.

The academic options are endless! I felt like a kid at a candy store, when selecting my courses for the semester. I simultaneously felt overwhelmed and excited. One has the opportunity to take classes at four different universities. Matriculating in a local university allows one to integrate oneself more easily into the culture and meet local students. There are also academic concentrations (such as Argentine Cinema or Human Rights: Genocide), which one can choose, which are provided through IFSA. These concentrations allow one to delve deeply into a particular field of study. The IFSA staff in both the U.S. and Buenos Aires, are very friendly and reply promptly to any queries one has. Throughout the semester, there are various events, such as attending a rugby match, learning tango, kayaking, seeing theatrical works, and more! There is also a semester trip for a few days with to Uruguay, which is included in one’s fees to IFSA. IFSA gives you independence to explore the city and travel, but is always there if you need them. Buenos Aires is a wonderful city in that there’s always something to do. I enjoyed the hip café scene throughout the city. There are many museums to explore as well. If one plans ahead, there is often a free admission or reduced admission day. In the spring, there is Lollapalooza, a music festival. In the fall, there is the Night of the Museums; all of the museums in Buenos Aires give free admission and are open from 9pm to 3am. As someone, who is from a town of 60,000, I found the public transportation, to be wonderful. There are buses that run 24/7 and an underground metro, called the subte. If you are interested in volunteering, while abroad, IFSA has connections! One can volunteer at local schools teaching English or helping out at environmental non-profits. All students are assigned to an academic advisor, who ensures that they are on-track. Tutors are also available if one is struggling in a class. A student’s homestay experience can vary depending on one’s family. Most students are placed with a single retired woman. Homestay placement locations are spread throughout Buenos Aires in neighborhoods like Palermo, Recoleta, Belgrano, and Barrio Norte. If you like empanadas, study in Buenos Aires! If one travels in other regions of Argentina, the filling and style of empanadas differ. If you are vegetarian and worried about studying in Argentina, you can do it. It might not be easy, but there are options for you. I studied abroad in the Fall of 2017.

I chose a program in a Spanish-speaking country for the language immersion, but the reason I specifically chose Argentina was the literary scene in Buenos Aires. A well-travelled aunt promised that I would love the urban atmosphere and the unbelievable literary culture of the city (there's an independent bookstore almost every two blocks in some barrios). The IFSA-Butler program offered an academic concentration through the massive, prestigious public school of Argentina (Universidad de Buenos Aires or UBA) and still left me several credits to take in classes of my choosing at any of the local universities. My study abroad was a deeply engaging and rewarding experience but the part I most want to champion is the IFSA-Butler literature concentration because I learned so much and so differently than I had ever experienced before in an academic setting. The concentration, freely offered to any interested IFSA students to help them shape their course schedule and engage with the local literary scene, is only three classes: Contemporary Argentine Literature, Castellano (essentially a Spanish language class), and Literary Methodology. Each course is taught completely in Spanish. The contemporary literature class was incredible: taught by local author Martín Kohan (whose work is available at many of the bookstores throughout the city), he gives both a sort of crash course on Argentine history and culture and unique, almost tender insights and in-depth analysis that could come only from lifelong study of the lives and work of cornerstone Argentine writers including Jorge Luis Borges, Rodolfo Walsh, Julio Cortázar, and Roberto Arlt. Some form of Castellano is a required course for all IFSA students, but in the literature concentration we read more extensively and had a smaller class size (only two students!) which gave us lots of opportunities for practice and direct tutoring on our pronunciation and grammar. Finally, the literary methodology course, taught by an IFSA professor who also teaches for UBA, was the first course of literary criticism that I have ever taken and will certainly not be my last. We investigated what it means to read critically and how one can and should, using Argentine hero (and famously voracious consumer of literature) Che Guevara as the prototypical reader for our studies. This guided track helped me to understand the context of Argentine literature as I browsed bookstores and poetry readings across the city, opening my eyes to an entire regional kingdom of literature that has never been offered in classes at my home university as anything other than "Latin literature" -- losing all of the regional, historical, and cultural richness of work that is the product of a specific people, time, and place. Thank you to Diego, Darío, and Martín (along with all the rest of the IFSA staff) for giving this English major so very much to think about.

I studied abroad during Fall 2017 at Hertford College with the September Seminar in the Humanities. The seminar helped us get acclimated to Oxford before the Oxford term began. Being immersed in the university made a huge difference and I was able to meet many full-time Oxford students, join organizations like the rowing team, and explore the breathtaking city. IFSA-Butler was an amazing program to go with because our advisor, Andrew Williams, came to have coffee and chat with us twice a week (chatting optional but he would buy us coffee/cake)! IFSA-Butler also did a Lake District trip with us which we loved. Overall amazing experience and I miss it so much!

I truly enjoyed all aspects of my study abroad experience. The entire process was made very manageable through IFSA-Butler. The pre-departure team was an amazing resource to turn to with any questions before leaving. They assisted me in picking my courses and aided with the visa application process. Once in country the IFSA organized orientation was an amazing way to begin my abroad experience. Fighting through the jetlag they organized a great array of different cultural and informational activities and events to ease the transition. My experience studying at Victoria University was great. I was able to take types of classes not offered at my home university. I especially enjoyed the IFSA organized events throughout the semester. These events were some of my favorites during my time in New Zealand. They were all very different experiences but equally enjoyable. Lastly, I loved having an IFSA staff member in Wellington and extremely accessible to us at all times for any problems we faced while abroad. IFSA-Butler made my abroad experience less stressful and ensured an amazing abroad experience.

This program, overall, was a wonderful experience. As an English major, the program was large and had many wonderful courses to choose from, but the workload wasn't too much and allowed me to explore and travel a lot. IFSA itself offered a lot of cool interactive activities and was always very supportive when I needed anything!

I had a great experience in Glasgow last semester. While the academic rigor of the program was much less than I was expecting, I was very glad that I ended up in this amazing city. The best part of my experience were the friends that I made with the other students using IFSA-Butler. The IFSA-Butler Scottish staff were so helpful, friendly, and really took the time to get to know all of us. They were a fantastic resource and my experience would not have been the same without them.

I loved my experience abroad at NUI Galway and IFSA-Butler made the transition easy!! With their staff in Dublin, they headed to Galway to help us register for classes, adjust to the culture, walk to the store, and understand more about the classes and culture. We were immersed with Irish students in our apartments, and although my roommates didn't keep it clean (AT ALL), everything else was great! And going through the class grading scale compared to American Universities was very important!

I was so incredibly surprised at how quickly Galway became a home for me. So many factors contributed to the ease of transition: the charm of this quintessential Irish city, the attentiveness of IFSA-Butler staff and immersion trips, and the kindness of the locals. The city of Galway itself, although smaller than Dublin, was constantly bustling with activity. Street performances, talkative shoppers, and old friends catching a pint on Shop Street could be found all day, everyday. The IFSA-Butler staff offer orientation that allows you to interact with the city for the first time with some guidance. This program also offers immersion trips, one to Kilkenny and one to Belfast, that further engage you with your new host country. Staff is also just a text or call away if you're facing any concerns or have any questions. Also, the people you meet in Ireland are some of the friendliest in the world. Locals would constantly strike up conversation and be genuinely interested in getting to know you or helping you out. You may have been told not to talk to strangers, but definitely do not follow that rule in Galway! Overall, study abroad was easily one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I hope you have a similar experience!

I had the most incredible semester at the University of St Andrews through IFSA-Butler. Their weeklong orientation prior to arrival on campus really set me up for success at acclimating to living abroad and in the classroom. Their planned events were also such a blast -- a highlight was a weekend in the Scottish Highlands. I'm so happy that I got to have the best of both worlds while studying abroad with the resources of IFSA-Butler to support me.

Going abroad was a very terrifying feeling, but as soon as the plane landed all the way on the other side of the world and we were welcomed by IFSA staff at the airport i knew that everything was going to be amazing and all of the nerves went away. This experience changed me and made me a well rounded person. I would do anything to go back again and re live it.

Incredible location. Classes allow you to make friends with locals. The university has a lot of events for international students. Classes range from challenging to easy but you have plenty of choice. Locals are friendly and approachable.

I had a really wonderful experience with IFSA-Butler and at University of Stirling! If you're looking for a more quiet town that's still close to the city Stirling is the perfect location. I also really appreciated the on site staff provided by IFSA-Butler! They organized several events throughout the semester and checked in on us to make sure everything was going well. The on site staff really made the transition easier.

The IFSA-Butler program at the University of Havana in Cuba is special because of the independence and freedom it gives students. Being thrown into the thick of classes and the Cuban education system after a short orientation gives you the opportunity to get a real sense of the differences in administrative and academic approaches that define UH. Classes at UH are immersive and broad in their approach to contemporary and global issues. The unique perspectives of professors are shaped by living in a country where history and politics are lived experiences on a daily basis. This presents a challenge to students looking for a conventional academic experience, but offers exciting opportunities for innovation to fearless ones. IFSA-Butler's program has amazing housing opportunities in the heart of Vedado (close to world-class entertainment and beaches) just a 5-minute walk from the University. The program's organized excursions to Vinales and Santiago de Cuba give students a broader feel for the different regions that make up the island. The program's partnership with anthropological organizations and ecotourism projects in the countryside make for exciting research opportunities also. Overall, an amazing experience. Cuba with IFSA-Butler will change your life.

Studying abroad in New Zealand is an experience that nothing will be able to live up to. Part of this is due to IFSA Butler. They not only made the process seamless, but they put together amazing dinners and trips for our entire group once we arrived. The New Zealand landscapes are stunning, but the people are what made my experience. They broke me out of my shell and pushed me to do activities I would never have imagined I would do. I studied abroad a year ago, and I am still in contact with my friends from there on a weekly basis. If you are thinking about studying abroad, don't question it! Just go and from my experience Otago is the school to go to.

I had the time of my life at The University of Kent in Canterbury. I really recommend going to Canterbury as it is a small and historic english town and the Uni is full of life. People were so nice and the best part were the amount of international students who were also studying abroad there, most of them living close to me in Parkwood. The experience with IFSA Butler was very hands off and independent. But, I did go on a trip to the lake district with them and it was a very nice trip. We stayed in a cozy hotel and they really put in an effort to provide us with amazing activities and meals. IFSA was also very helpful when I got sick during finals and worried that I might not be able to make it to my final. They were very kind and compassionate!

I took 2 biology major courses, and 2 elective credits. They were Microbiology, Immunology, World Religions and Popular Performance in Culture, Music, and Dance. They equated to 16 credit hours. My favorite experience abroad was my trip to Thailand. It's a close call though because I had so many amazing experiences. Some friends and I went there for the break, and we stayed for 13 days. We visited 3 different cities and really became closer, and more immersed in Thai culture. So my best experience was probably my ability to go to so many different countries and experience their cultures. I've never had an experience like that before! Australia was amazing though, and this small review cannot do the program/country any justice, but I think my favorite part was how everything seemed like a completely new experience whether it was flipping on the light switch, driving a car, meeting new people, etc. Sydney and its residents have def became my favorite city/spot on the planet. The food was amazing, and the students at UNSW were so welcoming to me! I made a great group of close friends both Americans, Australians and other students from across the globe. Also I would budget my time and money, and while people think it's stressful-- its honestly allows you to get the most out of the experience. IFSA is amazing; great support for you while you are abroad, and they seem to take care of everything for you, so its minimal stress allowing you to focus on fully immersing yourself in the new culture!

I love Buenos Aires. I plan to move back after I graduate, and IFSA-Butler's program let me fall in love with it. It was an incredible experience in every way, but I want to talk about the biggest disappointment with the program I speak Spanish almost fluently and am a Spanish major. I was told before going that the mandatory Spanish class would be split up by level in the language. When I arrived I found out that they were split by theme, i.e. Academic Writing or Theater. This meant that there was great variety in the class' language level and that the professor had to teach to multiple levels. It was an absolute waste of time, as the professors were working with the same curriculum as other courses, and had to spend time helping students with lower levels of Spanish while the students with higher levels were left unengaged. Perhaps the biggest reason why I felt let down by IFSA in this regard is that I could have used those credits to take another course at a local university and would have gotten a much more immersive experience than I had. If you are a native/heritage Spanish speaker or have an advanced level in the language, consider that this program may not be able to provide for you as much as you would hope.

I'm a double major in Theatre & Social Justice in the US, and I wanted a program that would allow me to improve my spanish while studying what I love, and this program did exactly that. I was in the Derechos Humanos (Human Rights) Concentration through IFSA and took a clowning course and a History and Theory of Argentine Theatre course at the Universidad del Salvador, which I was able to count towards my major in the US. Because I was part of the DDHH concentration, I also was able to intern with Bachillerato Popular Trans "Mocha Celis," which is a sort of high school/GED program specifically founded to help transgender youth and adults finish their secondary school education. This internship allowed me to see what the trans, queer, and activist communities were like in Argentina in a way I would never have otherwise gotten. Because there was only one English speaker on staff there, this, in tandem with my clowning course, improved my spanish immensely. At the internship, when I wasn't assisting the English classes and ensuring the students had full metro cards so they could come to class each day, I was doing jobs that enabled me to talk about culture, art, language, politics, and many other things with the other people involved with the school. These conversations I look on fondly, especially because the Argentines I spoke with were so willing to slow down their Spanish, explain slang to me, talk to me about the implications of particular phrases, and also to ask me to explain what certain English concepts were, like Drag Kings and Republicanism. Meanwhile, the clowning course I was in forced me to think rapidly on my feet, as it was a small class and I was the only norteamericanx in the bunch. By the time I left, my spanish was near fluency--and I entered the program only being able to comprehend about a third of everything that my instructors were saying. If you want a language intensive program that guides you only as much as is needed for you to find your sea legs, do IFSA.

My entire experience in Ireland was amazing and that really had a lot to do with IFSA-Butler. They provide you with the perfect amount of assistance throughout the semester. They are able to successfully provide for their students without getting in the way of their cultural immersion. A lot of the opportunities I had were available to me for a large part because of IFSA. Whether it was learning how to play hurling or taking a pub crawl through the city, the staff was vital for my experience. The only thing you need to consider is which of their amazing offerings is best for you.

I chose York as a way of going back to my origins: my family is historically from the part of England that was invaded by Vikings, and I knew that York was a part of that history. I never expected how deeply it would make an impact on me. I landed first in London and IFSA-Butler staff and students could not have been more like instant family. I did not know anyone going into the program, and I was a little worried about making friends since we were all going to different universities around England. But one of the London coordinators became like a second mom to me, and she took the train from London up to York several times throughout the year so we could have tea. IFSA took the best care of us, and never skipped out on making us feel welcome. The London staff organize a trip to the Lake District each semester, and we stayed in the most luxurious yet simple accommodation at the base of a mountain. Waking up every morning with a full English breakfast and in the middle of misty mountains was a feeling that my heart will never forget. We spend our days in the Lake District retreat doing adventure activities, which I chose to do via ferrata, kayaking, and ghyll scrambling (an northern English word for climbing up waterfalls)! The university may be in a smaller city, but the university is large and has tons of stuff to get involved with. I did Model UN and Scandinavian Society. The entire city feels like a castle because the stone city walls still surround the old city border, and the streets are cobblestone. My favorite time of year was seeing the city around Christmas time. No city does Christmas better than York, with mulled wine carts and old English traditions. My friends from my time there are some of the deepest bonds I've ever had with people, and I now have friends from all over the world including France, Denmark, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Northern Ireland. I'm already planning a trip back to York to see them, and some of them are planning trips to visit me. Studying with IFSA Butler opened up professional opportunities I never would have had otherwise, and I could not be more grateful for my experience. The one word of warning I would say is that the insurance that IFSA Butler makes you buy does not cover medical expenses in Iceland, and I unfortunately had a medical crisis arise while traveling in Iceland so that was an unanticipated and very costly event.

I studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina for 5 months and was enamored with my experience. This was my second time doing an immersion exchange (first time was a 5-month program at a French high school), so I thought this would be a piece of cake. I was wrong. However, it was an exciting challenge and not more than I could handle. I would really recommend this program to someone who has had some international experience before. The best part about my program was the staff, who helped me through some emergency events but never held our hands so we could go out and experience things authentically. Buenos Aires itself has a lot of international students, so there are tons of free cultural activities to meet other people and explore the giant city. On the other hand, there is still a strong local culture and Spanish-speaking expectation that I believe it was much easier to learn Spanish than if I had been in Spain. This is not a country to choose if your goal is to travel to a different city every weekend, as transportation usually requires a plane and they aren't dirt cheap like in Europe. This is a program if you want to make great friends from different US universities and have opportunities to intern, volunteer, join a local dance or art studio, and immerse yourself in the rich and complicated history of Argentina. Academics can be as easy or demanding as you choose, and the host family was a critical component to my experience. Vamos BA!

Studying abroad in Valparaíso, Chile was the best experience of my life. My favorite part of my experience was forming relationships in my new community. I had the opportunity to live with an incredible host family that made me feel like a part of the family in the matter of 10 minutes. I enjoyed sharing meals with my family everyday for lunch and dinner, and going with them occasionally to the market to buy fresh vegetables from local venders, and frequently going on walks with my dad. I also formed an incredible friendship with a Chilean girl that allowed me to learn more about the Chilean culture and Chilean sayings while spending time and fun experiences together. One of my favorite parts of my time in Chile was working at a local school to teach English as a Second Language. The students made me tear up when they threw me a surprise going-away party. Saying goodbye to the people I got to know was the hardest part, but my memories and relationships will last forever. My time abroad challenged me in different ways and made me grow. Chile, you will always hold a place in my heart. IFSA-Butler is extremely organized, has excellent workers, and provides extraordinary experiences for students to learn and grow. I believe the integration element is essential in studying abroad, and IFSA-Butler has a large focus on making that a reality for its students. While in Chile, the director and assistant director helped make Chile my home and addressed all of my concerns and questions. The small size of the program also allows the students to form great connections and partake in incredible experiences and trips together. I was impressed with IFSA-Butler since the beginning, and highly recommend it to anyone interested in studying abroad.

Studying in Galway has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I lived with a mix of American and Irish roommates, both valuable in terms of homesickness and also exploring my temporary home. And there was much to explore! Galway, though smaller than Dublin, is full of culture, history, and people and surrounded by beautiful Irish countryside. All of Ireland is accessible from Galway, and the country's largest airport in Dublin is only a bus ride away, making the rest of Europe just as accessible. The program size when I attended was relatively small compared to some study abroad programs, but this ensured that the program leaders were able to give every student individual attention and we were able to quickly form friendships. Overall, I had a great time in Galway and wouldn't change a thing (except maybe bring a better raincoat).

Studying abroad in Chile with IFSA-Butler was easily the best decision I have ever made. My program was phenomenal: the IFSA-Butler staff were well organized and supportive, the other American students were eager to travel and get to know each other, my host family was incredibly welcoming, supportive and became good friends to me, and my travels around Chile and South America were an eye opening, incredible experience. I absolutely loved studying in Valparaíso, Chile. I loved exploring the hills and endless cafes. I liked going for runs along the ocean at sunset. I loved how close "Valpo" was to Santiago so it was easy to get to the airport to fly all over the country! My three favorite trips were Patagonia, Easter Island, and San Pedro de Atacama. All three were so different and it was incredible to see that such different terrain was within one unique country. I had class Tuesday-Thursday, so I had so many opportunities to not only explore Valparaíso, but all of the country. As a history major, I loved learning about Chile's past: its relationship to its indigenous population, its former dictator Pinochet. While it was fascinating to take classes in another country, the majority of my learning happened outside the classroom - my host family, family friends, IFSA-Butler excursions, conversations at coffee shops... Studying abroad with IFSA-Butler was the perfect balance of freedom and support for me. I could go wherever I wanted to, but I also knew someone was always there for me. IFSA-Butler had great excursions, but also gave us so much free time and independence. I learned so much about myself, gained so much confidence, learned about the U.S. and its relationship to other countries and felt I really grew up. I highly recommend this program!

Nothing is ever 100% perfect, but my study abroad experience at the University of Otago was pretty darn close. I lived in international housing with a Kiwi host (a native New Zealander) in addition to three other international students. We were all in the same boat and eager to explore! Although I did my fair share of studying on the weekdays, my weekends were filled with adventure. IFSA had prepaid, planned outings for the group throughout the semester. While these can easily be on the boring side, IFSA planned AMAZING outings! In addition to a ghost tour and a biking trip, we also got to spend an entire weekend cruising in Doubtful Sound on a luxury boat. I left the US with a backpack and a suitcase, but returned with some of the most incredible friendships and memories I only could've dreamed of. All in all, I'm beyond thankful I took the leap of faith and spent my semester in Dunedin, NZ.

I had a great time at the University of Sydney. Everywhere I went I heard about how it was one of the top rated schools in the world. As classes went on, I saw why. The courses were difficult and challenged me but looking back at the program as a whole, they greatly benefited me going forward into the business world. I'm from a small school in Minnesota and USYD is the largest school in Australia, going from my personal professors and small class sizes to school where my smallest class was 150 people made me learn very quickly how to become more independent in my learning. The advisors for my program, Tom and Fiona, were absolutely amazing. From day one they told us they wanted to be like our "cool Aussie mom and cool Aussie dad" and they truly were. They had a great orientation week set up for us, showing us around the harbor, blue mountains tour, dinner cruises around Sydney Harbor and info sessions on all the possibilities we have living in Australia for the next five months. From here, they had events set up for us about every three weeks -- shows at the opera house, country life weekend where we got to stay with a family in Australia's farm country for a weekend, spring break which we were given several options and suggestions of where to go and what to see during this week off both in and around Australia, a "farewell" dinner cruise around the harbor during Vivid and a final good bye lunch going into finals week. In some of our free time, my friends and I were able to do some traveling -- to Bali, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Go on dozens of costal walks, and of course, we had to make time for surfing! Looking back at the whole time, it's hard to believe I was there for five months. The program was broken up nicely so there was time for us to do things we wanted, but there was also time to have fun as a group from our program, the three week spacing made the five months go by very fast. Now that I'm back in the US and back at my home university, it's hard to believe how long I was there -- it truly went by in the blink of an eye.

This program is perfect for anyone with decent Spanish skills. You can literally choose to do whatever you want to do. I am a nerd so I got to take lots of classes where I was the only foreign student. The staff in Buenos Aires is amazing and they will treat you like family from the moment that you step off of the plane. The admin in the US leaves much to be desired but the staff abroad more than makes up for it. I made lifelong friends in the program and in the city so I have people to go and visit and live with. Probably the best decision that I've ever made.

One of the best aspects about IFSA was the flexibility they gave us with choosing classes. I felt like we were given plenty of options in a variety of different universities. This allowed us to customize our schedules, giving us plenty of time in the day to explore Buenos Aires before or after class. The workload was not as intense as I expected- most of the "work" ended being translating into castellano. It was nice to learn about the contemporary society and culture though, although much of that ended up being through our own individual experiences outside the classroom. I found all the IFSA staff to be super approachable and always willing to help, whether it be with our classes or adjusting to the local culture. Orientation was tedious, but I imagine most of them are, and there was plenty of useful information. Afterwards, you could really utilize IFSA and their resources as much as you needed them, whether through their staff or the activities they offered once in a while.

Studying abroad in Buenos Aires will forever be my most memorable college experience. However, with a transition so huge, but yet so sudden, IFSA staff was very supportive all the way from the first arrival at the airport, through the days of orientation and up to the course selection process. With the hundreds of course offerings for students from 6 different universities, kids are often overwhelmed, but the staff did an amazing job making this difficult task less arduous. There was ample time to roam the city of Buenos Aires and to explore the rest of South America on the weekends. In addition, I think I got paired with the best host family ever imaginable in a cozy Almagro apartment with an amazing family.

Last semester I studied abroad at Oxford University - St. Catherine's. I was really worried about studying abroad because prior to doing so, I had very little travel experience. I did not know how to navigate the various systems and logistics. IFSA-Butler was amazing! They made the entire process so easy. I had a great relationship with my study abroad advisor who was so easy to reach. They answered all my questions (and I had a lot) and were really good about explaining the processes and steps I needed to do. Furthermore, I really loved the orientation we had in London with all the other study abroad students in England. I particularly really enjoyed the session on cultural differences; it was really funny but also really informative. Once we got situated and moved into our dorms at Oxford, IFSA-Butler continued to maintain strong relationships. The staff would come from London to visit the Oxford students or pay for our bus tickets to come see them in London. They held various events going to museums, shows, and stadiums. They also handle a lot of the academic logistics such as requesting your classes (tutorials) from Oxford and handling your transcript. Overall, I'm so glad I decided to study abroad through IFSA-Butler and if I were lucky enough to do it over again I would most definitely still choose them.

The semester I spent in Edinburgh, Scotland going through the Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA) Butler University program was the best time of my life. I was nervous about going to a foreign country where I knew no one, but all of my nerves were put to ease by the helpful IFSA staff. Before I left the country IFSA representatives helped me get my visa, told me what to pack, and generally prepared me before I departed for Scotland. Once I got there I immediately felt at home. The other students and I attended orientation for our first few days, which helped us assimilate into the culture and understand how to navigate Edinburgh (both literally and figuratively). Going through a program instead of directly enrolling into the University of Edinburgh was a great decision for me. Through IFSA I gained friends for life, that I otherwise may not have met during my semester. We all felt like we were in a community of like-minded individuals, who were there to support each other throughout the time we spent abroad. Every few weeks the IFSA staff held optional Community and Culture events, where students could learn about food, politics, history, sports, social media trends, and everything in between. These events were a great way to spend time with other students in the program and learn more about the country in which I was living. We even got to speak to a Member of Scottish Parliament, which I otherwise would not have been able to do. I enjoyed getting to know Scotland on a deeper level. The excursion to the Scottish highlands was an incredible opportunity that IFSA offered to its students. We were able to travel to several important Scottish places including the Culloden battlefields and Loch Ness. It was nice to have a trip that was already organized, so that we could enjoy the moment without worrying about catching a flight, getting lost, etc. Throughout the semester staff was available to meet with us on a regular basis to talk about anything from homesickness to questions about Scotland to telling us about the best restaurants. I felt supported throughout the entire process, from before I left Scotland to when I returned home. If I had to do it all over again, I would not choose any other provider; no one can compare to the amazing staff of IFSA and the support and care they provide.

I had a wonderful time in the Spring of 2016 studying abroad with IFSA-Butler at the University of Edinburgh. I made great friends (shout out to El Jefe and the Funky Bunch), had the opportunity to experience a different kind of academic system and environment, and learned so much about Scotland and the UK. Lets start with the IFSA team. The IFSA Scotland staff (at the time, Deirdra, Andrew, and Jenny), were absolutely wonderful. They were so friendly, and I felt comfortable coming to them when I had any problems or questions. I actually arrived in Edinburgh a day early, and accidentally ran into Andrew at the airport. He helped me get to the hostel, and his and Jenny's friendliness made my first few hours in the country a lot less scary. The first 3 days of orientation were also super helpful, and gave me a safety net as a navigated getting a SIM card, finding my apartment, and those sorts of things. I also felt like they provided us with the right amount of IFSA activities balanced with the right amount of space-- we were always getting emails about drop-in hours where we could go see Deirdra, so I felt like they were constantly present if I needed them. But at the same time, we weren't constantly inundated with IFSA-related things. They gave us the opportunity to go on two trips, two meals, and a few other activities (a food tour and a sports tour), which was a good amount of things to get us together with other IFSA students, but also enough to give us the freedom to explore on our own. On the other hand, though, I have my misgivings about the main US IFSA-Butler office. The website is good about telling you what forms you need to hand in, but it doesn't give much guidance on how filling those forms out is different for each location. And I had someone at the office who was supposed to be my contact to help me do all the prep work for applying and post-acceptance forms, but she wasn't very helpful, and sometimes didn't reply to emails for a week, (which, given the deadlines I had to hand things in to her, wasn't great.) For example, I had to fill out a course preference form. But no where on the UoE website does it explain to us Visiting Students that we only take 3 classes per semester. So I had picked a normal courseload of five classes, and was only told after the fact that I needed to narrow them down. This could have also been a problem if I had planned to take back 4 classes for my major, instead of 3. If IFSA had more support in that area, figuring out classes and housing would have been much smoother. That being said, my experience overall with IFSA was great. I am still friends with Deirdra on Facebook, and I am so jealous of all the suggestions she posts for her students to go do in Edinburgh! For those thinking of going abroad with IFSA, I have one main suggestion: make sure you leave the IFSA bubble. During orientation, it's very easy to make fast friends, and then stick with that group. But then, you've only made friends with other Americans studying abroad, and not other students in your host country. So make sure you go out and join clubs, meet people in pubs, and just be open to new experiences! Specifically at UoE, I joined the Creative Writing Society and went on an awesome trekking trip with the Exmoor Pony club. I leave you with a picture from that trek, and the majesty of the Pentlands, a national park just outside Edinburgh.

IFSA-Butler really went above and beyond when it comes to preparing their students for cultural immersion. Our orientation was set in a wonderful hotel, they provided us with great meals (and worked especially well with my extensive list of food allergies) throughout, and I left after a few days feeling prepared to take on London––and the Tube. I loved that they offered a little two-credit course for culture and community to help take students around town and just learn about each other and the city. They were so efficient about providing us with all of the information we needed, and things like insurance and student visas! I really didn't have to worry about those finicky details. I would definitely recommend studying abroad in the fall semester, when everyone is first finding new friends, than spring semester, though. I definitely struggled to immerse myself with the other British students, as most of them had already found their social cliques for the year, and wound up hanging out with other study abroad students most of the time. Regardless, living in downtown London was wonderful and IFSA really prepared me for the academics, the culture shock, and everything else I might need.

I studied away with IFSA-Butler in Santiago Chile from February to July 2016. While there, I took three courses at local universities and a course with the program, and I lived with a wonderful family. IFSA-Butler was an amazing program because it gave me the flexibility I wanted to really personalize my experience while simultaneously giving me enough structure through the program when I needed it. I highly recommend studying with IFSA-Butler.

My experience studying abroad was exceptional! For someone who had never traveled outside the US (except to Canada) and only ever with my parents, I was terrified to spend a semester far away from home and with so many unknowns. However, IFSA-Butler helped alleviate many of my concerns; the Resident Director was very engaged and living so close to her and everyone on my program made a new city feel a bit more like home. IFSA-Butler organizes several trips outside Havana, and I really appreciated having the option to travel and learn more about the culture. I had very little idea of what to expect from my semester abroad but the unknowns were such an integral part of my personal learning and growing experience.

My experience was phenomenal. I loved the location of Dunedin, the people, the activities, the school clubs, and much more. I was able to not only make friends within my IFSA Butler group, but branch out and become great friends with people from New Zealand also. I joined the Ski Club, learned how to ski, and became very close with many of them. They helped break down my walls. I used to get very nervous when talking to people I did not know and was very reserved when I did talk, but that changed when I was abroad. I had to step out of my comfort zone and I am glad they made me do so. I also tried activities I had never done before. I faced my fears, because they seemed to have no fears. I loved IFSA Butler, the location, and the people of New Zealand.

When I hopped on a plane for the United Kingdom this past fall, I had no idea what to expect. I thought perhaps I might finally develop an appreciation for tea (I did), meet my fashion icon the Duchess of Cambridge in person (I didn’t), and acquire a passable British accent (the jury’s still out on this one). As I met the other members of my study abroad cohort, I became confident I would develop strong friendships and have wonderful, exciting adventures. What really took me by surprise, however, was my academic experience—my studies abroad at Worcester College, Oxford, were the most fulfilling and challenging of my life to date. The University of Oxford has a tutorial system, which relies on one-on-one and small group teaching in combination with extensive independent work. This meant that, unlike at my university in the States, I had a considerable amount of free time that I could structure as I chose. I was able to develop a regular and consistent schoolwork schedule while simultaneously having more time for introspection and social engagements than I typically do at home. The tutorial time itself was stunningly fun. My tutors were interesting, passionate, and engaged in their subjects, and having the chance to spend time with them one-on-one on a weekly or biweekly basis was fantastic. While at Oxford, I felt that I was treated as an academic and scholar in my own right, not as a student; my ideas and arguments were respected, valued, and challenged just as the arguments of any other scholar would be. I feel that this positive experience was very much a result not only of studying abroad at Oxford, but of doing so through IFSA-Butler. I felt that I was fully integrated into the community at my college, just as any other Oxford student would be. Neither my tutors nor other students treated me as though I was a tourist or a visitor; instead, they saw me as a true member of the university community. It was amazing to have the chance to form relationships and a second university home base at Oxford, and now that I’m gone, I miss it with all my heart. To anyone who is passionate about their academics and interested in taking their studies to the next level while also having amazing and grand adventures, I strongly recommend studying at Oxford through IFSA-Butler.

The IFSA-Butler program was exceptional. The orientation team and my program advisor went above and beyond in helping the students adapt and learn about New Zealand. The program informed us of academic expectations, travel information, and gave us plenty of contact information if we had any questions or needed assistance in any way. I was beyond happy with traveling to New Zealand through the ISFA program and would do it again if I could.

I had an absolutely incredible time at UCD. My education was rigorous, but manageable, I loved the C&C program that IFSA offered, and IFSA staff were wonderful. I wouldn't change a thing about my experience, and I am excited to go back to Ireland for graduate school.

Though during my semester abroad I often questioned if I had made the right decisions in terms of when and where to go, or which classes to take, or what to do with my free time, I never regretted my choice to study abroad through IFSA-Butler. The IFSA staff were there with me from start to finish as advisors, mentors, and friends. Pame, the Assistant Director of the Valparaíso program, was an especially wonderful resource and friend. We ate lunch and hung out in her office all the time, and she helped us figure out details for a lot of our travel plans. IFSA also takes great care with matching us to our host families. My host family was a wonderful group of people and are easily the ones I miss the most now that I'm back. We had two students who changed families partway through the semester, and our program director was very helpful with making those changes and helping those students through them. They want to ensure that each student has the most fulfilling experience possible with their family. The program excursions were also really rewarding experiences, as they gave us a chance to travel with an already structured plan and experience different aspects of Chilean history and culture that I don't think I would have been able to enjoy on my own. We visited the Human Rights Museum in Santiago and learned about Pinochet's dictatorship; we went to Isla Negra to tour Pablo Neruda's house and learn about the fishing industry and environmental conservation on the coast; and we spent five days in a southern region of Chile living with and learning about native Mapuche culture. Our trip to the south was especially great because we experienced a lot of the natural beauty of the region and learned about a culture that is often marginalized and ignored within Chilean society. The most disappointing aspect of this program was that PUCV (the local university we enrolled at) was on a student strike when we arrived, so most classes started about a month later than they were originally scheduled to start. This really limited our course offerings because we could enroll in classes with Chilean students that would start and end later in the semester, or we could stick to the classes offered in the International Department which all started and ended on time. Since many of us already had flights planned for the end of the semester, we couldn't enroll in any classes with Chilean students, which limited our connections with locals. Of course, this was not IFSA's fault at all, and they handled the strike situation as best as they could, but it's something to keep in mind when planning to study in Valparaíso or Santiago. Strikes are not uncommon in Chile, whether in universities, companies, or workers' unions. For instance, all extracurricular activities were cancelled unexpectedly halfway through the semester because of a strike by the activity instructors. In Chile, you just never know what's going to happen. All in all though, I had a really wonderful and rewarding semester. I typically felt safe in the city, and I always felt well supported and cared for by both my host family and the IFSA-Butler staff. Chile can be a crazy place to study abroad, but I couldn't imagine a better way to enjoy the ride than with IFSA-Butler.

Going abroad was hands down the best experience of my life but also one of the most difficult. While I could rave on and on about my experience with the people I met and the activities I got to participate it in, there were also huge moments in my time there that created a lot of difficulties for me. On the "best experience" side of things, I absolutely loved the college I stayed at (International House) and the people that I got to meet there. Staying in a college helped me to immerse myself in the life of a student there and interact with local students. The college itself also had tons of great activities that really kept me busy and having a good time. Outside of the college experience, the IFSA on site support and the activities abroad were really fun and only served to enhance our experience. However, I was not as enthused by the support from the U.S. side of the program. Perhaps it was because they had just changed over, but I had a lot of difficulty getting any information from the advisor pre-departure. That may have been due to the fact that the advisor for the program changed for that time period, but it still made our lives incredibly difficult. Additionally, I had massive issues with insurance after spraining my ankle and found myself out of $550 for the whole 5 months I was abroad. In all, I had a good time, I just feel like I could've gone without those difficulties or had a little more help than I did with that.

I spent a semester studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina with IFSA-Butler. I loved Argentina and my time there. IFSA specifically was a nice program because it allowed you to directly enroll in local universities so it provided you with the opportunity to integrate deeper with the local culture. While you still could take classes with international classes, most people on the program were in classes with only argentines. The staff in Buenos Aires were also amazing. They were helpful, caring people who I still think about fondly. The only thing I personally didn't like was the homestay. I didn't really like the people I lived with and thought it was awkward that they didn't have to provide us with lunch. This led to a lot of awkward 'hellos' when I would go to the kitchen while they ate a big meal together without me. I honestly think most people didn't have this experience and it was just my particular family. I would recommend IFSA Butler but I would also recommend to be extremely proactive with changing families. Luckily, IFSA is extremely accommodating with this.

My fall semester abroad in Edinburgh was fantastic, thanks to IFSA-Butler. Before I was even in Scotland, IFSA was incredibly helpful with choosing classes, arranging housing, and preparing us in every possible way for our departure from home. They took so much stress off of what would otherwise have been an intense summer of preparation. I can't describe how many amazing experiences I had in Scotland, but I learned so much both inside and outside of school. The University of Edinburgh is a top-quality institution; I liked all of my professors and benefited from my classes. In my free time, I explored the historic city (including all the free museums!) and joined different student groups like the Bhangra club. I had lots of unexpected, diverse experiences with student societies, and I believe that the best way to find one's place when abroad is by joining one. IFSA-Butler enhanced my time in Scotland by planning a trip and a homestay, arranging IFSA get-togethers, and providing constant support. My homestay at a farm was my favorite weekend in Scotland, and the other IFSA weekend trip took us to beautiful places like Loch Ness and a castle. These are experiences I would not have been able to plan alone, and they showed me so much more of Scotland than I would have seen without this program. We also had a Thanksgiving get-together, which helped keep the homesickness at bay. Finally, the IFSA staff stationed in Edinburgh cared so much about all the students and made us feel comfortable in the new city. They gave us an orientation at the beginning of the program and continued to check in with us frequently throughout the semester. Tips from them about everything from exams to grocery shopping helped me adjust to my new life. I highly recommend this program; Edinburgh is a uniquely beautiful and historic city and IFSA-Butler will help you make the most out of your time in Scotland.

Going to college, I absolutely knew I wanted to study abroad; specifically, I wanted to study abroad in the United Kingdom or Ireland. After searching a plethora of study abroad programs, one, in particular, stood out to me and that was the IFSA-Butler program at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland. I can easily say that I am so glad I chose this program. What made this program great for me was the small yet close group of peers I had who were also a part of the study abroad program with IFSA there. The IFSA staff made us feel so welcome as soon as we landed in Northern Ireland, and having a small group allowed all of us to bond very quickly and become close friends with ease. Having this friend group before venturing into the local university life was nice since we had a means of being together during a time where we didn't really know anyone else very well. Overall, the social aspect of study abroad through IFSA was phenomenal, and I feel that this aspect is one of the most important for studying in a foreign country for a semester. Focusing on a more academic standpoint, Northern Ireland was ideal for me as they offered courses from numerous departments. I was able to take a political science class, religion class, and statistics course during my semester abroad which all counted towards Major credit and core requirement credit at my home university. The courses were interesting and very worthwhile for my degree and overall education. All of my lecturers and TAs were so helpful with informing me of the academic logistics that went along with classes, assignments in the classes, and exams. I never felt like I was ill-prepared for anything academically related. Overall, my study abroad experience was phenomenal and I highly recommend this program to anyone who may wish to study a variety of disciplines and wish to gain a unique experience with a small yet close group of peers.

King's College London has a great location. You will hear this repeatedly, because it is the most obvious compliment to credit the university with. Commute, alone, from flats to classrooms, is surreal. Rain or shine, the Big Ben looming over the River Thames is a sight to behold. I thought my classes were fascinating. If you go to them, you are more likely to enjoy the study abroad experience as a whole. Participating in seminars is a choice, but the more you engage, the more it's going to feel like you're actually part of the King's community. At times, it can all be overwhelming. Trying to find where your courses are going to taught, calling maintenance to clean a flooded bathroom, and forgetting to top off your Oyster card is part of figuring out life in London, life at King's. King's College London, overall, provided me with an interesting education, made up of a wide variety of classes, and placed me in the heart of the "world's capital". The university hosts many events, schedules talks from well credited scholars, and is the home of several clubs and societies. If you want to make the most it, King's will take care of the rest.

If you are thinking about NZ for study abroad and need to find a program, look no further. As a pre-med collegiate athlete studying abroad is typically not an option. However going through IFSA butler met both the academic and the athletic requirements I needed to be able to study abroad. They worked with my school in getting grades and class information to transfer into my major and you receive a Butler University transcript for the classes you take so Medical Schools count them as classes taken in the US. They also helped make my athletic training requirements a breeze. By working with them ahead of time I was placed in an apartment close to the pool so I could train with the local swim team everyday without having to figure out commuting via bus or car. Even past the academic and athletics these guys made pre-departure/orientation/ and the return process as painless as possible. Staff in Dunedin was and the South Island were fun and always willing to help with any issues we encountered. Also they do 2-3 all inclusive and fun excursions that are included in the program fees which a provide planning free adventure.

I loved my experience. It was definitely challenging at times, but the community I found there was irreplaceable. The program staff was very attentive and the rest of the students on the program was supportive and kind. I really liked the travel included with the program (Cusco/Machu Picchu, afro-Peruvian community, Caral). Lima itself was a great place to study abroad in-- the city is full of things that appeal to any interests; there are lots of restaurants and bars, as well as malls, theaters, parks and more. I had a weekly volunteer placement which helped keep me grounded while in Lima.

Institute for Study Abroad provided an experience that I would have never imagined living a year ago. IFSA-Butler prepared me for my trip to Australia months before the departure, answered every question imaginable, and ensured that I was taken care of on the other side of the world. When planning a trip to study abroad, having a strong and reliable program provider is of utmost importance, and IFSA surpassed those expectations with flying colors. They provided stellar housing accommodations, insight on scheduling classes, and have a reliable staff who are always ready to help. Not only does IFSA contribute to the predeparture logistics of studying abroad, they hosted an orientation in Sydney, Australia, and remained in contact throughout the semester. I highly recommend utilizing the benefits provided by studying through IFSA-Butler.

IFSA-Butler was a great experience for me. I had an awesome host family and this program provided me the liberty to take my own excursions when I didn't have class. The structure was fairly laid back and really provided me the opportunity to develop my experience in Chile as my own. It's a lot more independent overall, though the Santiago advisor is much more involved than other programs I've talked to, so I definitely would recommend this program to someone who has an overall idea of what they want to get out of abroad and not someone who needs to be in a structured environment.

Hola todos! I had such a rewarding experience in this program and I wanted to share some of it with you! I was already pretty excited about studying abroad in general and was super excited to go to a Latin American country. The reason I chose Chile is because of how kind the people are. I felt as though everyone just had such a great attitude in life. I knew that they had a hard recent history with the dictatorship, and it was difficult but necessary to learn about that time to fully appreciate the Chilean identity. From my host family to some of the friends I made at Universidad Católica, I loved the how open the people were to foreigners! My experience abroad was something that I will never forget and I hope to go back to visit Chile again in the near future!

I am so glad that I chose to study abroad in Shanghai China fall term of my junior year. As an International Business and Chinese double major, Alliance's International Business program was a perfect fit for me! I got to strengthen my Chinese speaking, writing, and reading skills. My favorite times learning Chinese were during "Chinese Table/中文桌子“。 "Chinese Table" was a weekly event where Alliance provided our Chinese class with a small stipend so we could go out to eat local Chinese food with our teacher and classmates. The only requirement was that we had to speak in Chinese! I loved going to new restaurants and trying new food dishes while bonding with my teacher and classmates. The academic classes were also great. I particularly enjoyed our final capstone project where we got to collect data and research a subject of our choice. My paper was done from a marketing perspective on Chinese student opinions of the Iphone 7. As part of the International Business program I also chose to do an Internship. I highly recommend doing so! I interned at a small digital marketing firm, but you can be placed in a variety of different business areas to suit your personal interests. Having an internship on top of classes had me exploring the city on my own and taking the subway to and from my internship every week. I shared a large apartment with my classmate and a Chinese roommate. Our Chinese roommate definitely went above and beyond to welcome us to Shanghai. We ended up being great friends, and we were even invited to her parents house for lunch! We even took a weekend trip to Seoul, South Korea together! I definitely recommend saving up your money as you will probably catch the travel bug like I did! In my 4 months in Shanghai I took several other international weekend trips and trips to other cities throughout China. However, what I enjoy about the Alliance program is their integrated week study trips. For example, the International Business program took a week-long trip to Hong Kong, Macau, and several other Chinese cities! These trips are led by Alliance staff and is a great bonding experience with your Alliance classmates. I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in International Business or to anyone studying or would like to begin studying Chinese!

One of the best things I have done in college is studying abroad in England. At my home university, the study abroad program is still developing which meant I had to place a lot of trust in the IFSA-Butler program. During the period before departure, IFSA was extremely helpful in making sure that I had all necessary information. While abroad, IFSA planned very interesting events such as the adventure weekend excursion to wales where we participated in canoeing, a rope course and other fun activities. Overall, IFSA Butler gave me a very strong group of friends in addition to a supportive network while I was abroad. I would recommend studying abroad with them to anyone who wants a fun, unique experience.

I was fortunate to have the unique and interesting opportunity to study abroad in Lima, Perú during the Spring semester 2016. Through living with a host family, attending a Latin American university of more than 16,000 students, completing four courses in a second language, and traveling to a number of diverse locations around the country, I came to understand what it meant to live and thrive in a foreign setting. The values, lessons, and paradigms that I encountered cannot be learned in a classroom or domestic campus setting, and I feel that it is my responsibility to advocate for others to take advantage of similar opportunities. Through my completion of this program, I consider it my responsibility to share the positive (even some neutral or negative) aspects of studying abroad through IFSA-Butler. From the beginning, the Peru staff were angels-Lali, Zivka, Maria Elena, and "Mama Laura" are some of the sweetest most caring women I have ever met. They all really wanted the students to feel comfortable and cared for. I was having a lot of medical problems and they all listened, tried to understand, gave me advice when they could, and even accompanied me on my many doctors appointments. On this note, I must say that the health insurance through CISI really saved me and my family financially. With all the medical issues I was having, I accrued more than $2,000 (US) in medical bills. This program (part of the program, for all students) covered 100% of these bills-hospital, doctor, medicine, everything. I would pay for the services upfront, but CISI sent my family a full refund for *everything*. This helped me more than I could ever explain. The host family I was placed with was also mostly good. I lived with two laicas consagradas, or consecrated laypeople—ultimately, nuns who lived among regular people. This led to many interesting experiences (considering I am not religious myself) and occasionally some issues. It is common in Peruvian culture to not make problems very public or obvious, sometimes to the point of holding in too many thoughts/feelings, so passive aggression can become a factor that can build over time. A few times it did come to a head, but ultimately we were able to work through our differences and learn from each other (I hope). When this was not a factor, they were very grandmotherly and sweet. Our house was always very clean and I was lucky enough to have a few minutes of hot water every day for a shower. Two meals a day were provided. The academics were slightly challenging because this program was entirely in Spanish, although I did pick one class through the university which I came to regret—Laboratorio de Arqueología 4-arqueozoología (Archaeology Lab 4-Zooarchaeology) taught by R. Villar. There were only 6 students in the class, yet class times and locations were constantly changed and everyone in the group knew about it except for me for 8 weeks. No emails/texts/etc were sent to everyone, but somehow everyone knew where to be except me. This did not happen in any of my other three classes, so I find it unlikely that I was just being a confused foreign student. She moved the midterm date a week early (also without anyone telling me). We had a component that required us to make our own bone tool, but I had difficulties due to my medical condition (which we discussed, she told me not to worry about that component), and although I completed it and brought it to the final to turn in (which no one came to because they had cancelled it without telling me), she still gave me a D for the project. Overall, it was a very bad experience and has been my only C in a class in my entire college career; I wish I would have taken a different class. Other than this, I learned a lot through my other classes—especially through my advanced Spanish language class through IFSA-Butler. My teacher Rossana Díaz Costa was awesome and really cared about all of us, both academically and as a friend. Peruvian social reality was an eye-opening class, although we mostly talked about the ex-President Alberto Fujimori and his daughter Keiko, who ran in the elections this year. Our group traveled to multiple places in Peru including Arequipa (student-run trip), Cusco and Machu Picchu, El Carmen, and other places (through the program). Each of these trips focused on a specific part of Peruvian culture. Cusco and Machu Picchu focused on the indigenous Peruvian lifestyle and sustainable farming while El Carmen focused on the Afro-Peruvian community-which I found quite interesting and unexpected. These trips really allowed us a nice break from hectic Lima and gave us a chance to experience and learn together outside of a classroom setting. The trips were some of my favorite parts of studying abroad. IFSA-Butler also set me up to volunteer with a local archaeological site called Huaca Pucllana so that I could complete my community work in a place that aligned with my studies and interests. I am an archaeology major, so this was a great opportunity. I met a many of the archaeologists at the site and was even able to become good friends with a few of them. Some of them directed me to resources I could use for my thesis when I returned to the US. I spent over 80 hours in the lab cleaning and organizing archaeological materials like plant remains, bones, shells, and ceramics. Although I wasn’t able to dig (they began digging during finals week), this was still a valuable experience and was a great addition to my resume and understanding of my field. There were many positive and negative things about studying abroad, but they were more or less personal matters. The things provided by IFSA-Butler were consistently excellent and helped me a great deal during my time there. I would recommend this program (or others through IFSA-Butler, as I would assume they have similar standards) to anyone who is considering going abroad and who wants a program that will take care of them, challenge them, show them around the world, and ease the process of reintegration to the US.

I could not have been happier with my semester spent studying and student teaching in Belfast, Northern Ireland through IFSA-Butler. The supportive program advisers, thriving cultural scene, and full immersion through community engagement gave me memories to last a life-time!

My experience in Argentina was nothing short of incredible! The IFSA program helped make everything so so easy (helping register for classes, finding a place to live) while still giving me all the freedom I want as a student. If you wanted help, IFSA was always there for you.. but if you wanted to just be on your own and explore, you could chose that option also. I had the most amazing time exploring the wonderful city of Buenos Aires and befriending locals. The IFSA program is a must for anyone thinking about going abroad - I obviously did it, and it was the best thing ever! I wanna go back.

Studying with IFSA was the absolute highlight of my college experience. Going into Study Abroad is very scary in the first place, and the IFSA staff was so welcoming and encouraging, they helped make the experience the best it could be. Buenos Aires was an amazing place to study and I loved my host mother, the friends I made, my location, and everything about the city. My classes took a little warming up to, since I took a class with all Argentines, but it was an extremely valuable learning experience for me. I highly commend IFSA for the programs they provide and the experiences each of their students have.

I had a blast in Sydney. I studied there in the (American) fall semester of 2015 and my transition there was fairly seamless. The IFSA staff in Sydney did everything they could for me to feel comfortable and happy and did an incredible job. They organized a number of voluntary trips and events for us to make sure that we were having an amazing time. They were also a great resource for general information. Overall, I had a great time and IFSA did a great job in making sure that that was possible

Studying abroad at SOAS with IFSA-Butler was amazing! IFSA helped me get settled and figure everything out and SOAS was a great school to study at! The academics and social life were great, but the student housing left a little to be desired.

I traveled to Auckland in Spring 2016 from Fordham University in New York and I could not be happier with my choice of abroad programs. From choosing my courses to getting acquainted with the city, the IFSA-Butler staff was incredibly helpful and approachable throughout the entire process. While in New Zealand, the program planned numerous events for our group ranging from rugby games to an overnight trip on a boat. Being so far from home, it was a great comfort knowing I had a staff member just ten minutes away to answer any questions I had or just to catch up and grab a coffee. I met other Americans who either traveled alone to Auckland or chose another program and I can honestly say they did not have the full experience my group and I had. If I had to go abroad again I would absolutely do it Butler.

My goal for study abroad was to feel like I was living in a new country for a semester and that's exactly what I got out of IFSA Butler in Valparaiso. They provide all the support that you could need to navigate the transition to living in Chile but don't require it, giving you the option to take it or figure out life on your own. The program administration, my host family and the other students on the program were all incredibility welcoming and friendly. It's challenging to encapsulate my semester's experience in few words, but this program provided me with exactly what I was looking for and the flexibility to make my six months abroad my own.

Studying abroad at the University of Glasgow was one of the best decisions of my life and one I will cherish forever. The sports societies were accepting, the people were amazing, and the opportunities were vast. IFSA-Butler stayed with me through it all and made sure I was doing well. They also provided amazing excursions into Scotland.

This was a great option to study abroad and gain skills speaking Spanish for the summer. I could not take a whole semester to go abroad and I saw and learned so many amazing things in Merida and the surrounding area. Between Mayan ruins, to museums, to cenotes, and a 4 day trip to Cuba, they kept us busy and it was definitely a worthwhile experience.

Study abroad, like real life, always has its ups and downs. Not every day of study abroad felt like an adventure like I thought it might, but after spending an entire year at St. Andrews, really immersing myself in the culture and making new and long lasting friends, I can say, without a doubt, that who I was when I got here is not who I am now as I approach my final exams. Studying here was such a rewarding experience, and it was only enhanced by the IFSA Butler staff, who really start to feel like family by the end. If you have a chance to study here through Butler, I would HIGHLY recommend it!

The International Business program in Shanghai was a balanced combination of all the things I personally was looking for before going abroad. I needed academic rigor as well as cultural immersion which I both found with the Alliance program in Shanghai. As an Economics major, I wanted to make sure that I could actually take Econ related classes that I can credit for and that will contribute positively to my academic career. The housing was perfect as it was so close to the University. The apartment was great and spacious with 3 bedrooms, a common area, a bathroom and a Kitchen. We were assigned Chinese roommates which was great because that way, even during the days where I had a lot of work and was constantly surrounded by people from my program, I would still practice my Chinese and chat with my roommate either in the morning or before going to be. That was very helpful as I got to meet some of her friends and learned so much about their lifestyles. The location of the university and the apartment was great too, close to a wide range of food places, not too expensive. It also provided many opportunities for cultural immersion and language practice. In general, Shanghai is an amazing city with boundless opportunities for learning and discovering new things. I absolutely loved my time there with Alliance!

My semester abroad with Alliance in Shanghai is best described as an irreplaceable experience! The Alliance professors, staff members, international students and Chinese students whom I saw on a regular basis made my semester abroad successful, endearing, memorable and irreplaceable. The connections I've made with other students, my Chinese roommate and language partners are long-lasting and sincere; relations that were often nurtured by Alliance's orientation, trips and general program organization. I learned a great deal from spending time with so many students who have different backgrounds and come from different parts of the US, if not the world. I particularly liked how the three Shanghai programs (Intensive Language, 21st Century and International Business) had specialized trips depending on their focus but still felt very interconnected with one another. I will forever remember the Alliance staff, as well. They skillfully added the spices and herbs to make the semester a memorable and smooth-sailing journey; this included things like leading large and small group trips to a variety of places/businesses, organizing cultural workshop nights, arranging educational speakers, taking you to the hospital, helping you deal with internships, giving you directions, taking tons of photos for you and taking time to sit down and help plan independent travel (and find great discounts!). I could always contact any of them at any time to ask any question I needed answered, and they would always be able to help me very quickly. I always felt like they were wholly invested in us and taking care of our needs; an absolute treasure in any study abroad program, especially if you are not very proficient at the host language! Our professors were quick-witted, patient albeit (understandably) demanding and brilliant in their field of studies. We came to know one another well and would joke in class pretty regularly; especially our Chinese language professors. They were an absolute joy to spend time with and get to know; some of my favorite 'snapshot' moments include my Alliance staff members and professors. And I still talk to some of them even now! All in all, Alliance in Shanghai is a well-fueled, tested and modernized machine that leaves the student well-equipped and well-supported to have a healthy, successful and exciting semester. I can find no faults! I absolutely loved my experience in Shanghai and I always encourage anyone and everyone to study abroad through Alliance-especially in Shanghai-if they are interested in Asia. Because of its intense variety, Shanghai itself is the perfect study abroad location for any student, especially those interested in business or urban studies. China-Shanghai in particular-has a powerful role in the future and is already highly regarded worldwide. Also, it is perfectly located for traveling to other parts of China and throughout Asia when the opportunity arises and is filled to the brim with endless culture and language-practice opportunities (if you know where to look). There are times when I miss it dearly, and I hope to return one day. So embrace the challenge and get ready to catch what all it'll throw at you. Just don't forget to make mental-or physical-notes along the way or else you'll forget the details!

I am happy to have chosen The Alliance in Shanghai: International Business in China as my study abroad program. I learned to travel independently in China, so being there was definitely worthwhile. The experience is encouraging to know because it will help me on my future travels in and out of China. Academics: My Chinese language class was very intensive. I found Chinese 400 and China: An Economic Giant to be my two most enjoyable courses out of all of the ones I took that semester. Administration: They were very informative and provided assistance when we had questions. The orientation session helped prepare of what was expected from us throughout the semester. Housing: We were all assigned to a furnished apartment that had a living room, kitchen, dining room, and bathroom. I was provided with my own bedroom. Heater/AC, hot water, and water machine were available to use when needed. We were each assigned two roommates, one from the program and another who is a native Chinese. We were encouraged to practice speaking Chinese with our Chinese roommate. Food: The program doesn't provide you a meal plan but the food that can be bought around there are always super affordable and delicious! Cultural Experience: I felt fully immersed into the local culture. I communicated with locals on a day-to-day basis in Mandarin. I was able to get around in Shanghai by myself. Health Care: I, personally, did not have any serious health issues, but my friends who had them were able to gain access to the local health care system easily. Safety: I felt very safe. There were no problems when I was in China.

IFSA Butler made my entire abroad experience a million times better. The application process was easy and straightforward. I didn't feel overwhelmed or stressed about this process because IFSA staff were responsive via email and phone, and answered any questions I had along the way. Once in London, the staff was so welcoming and supportive. I reached out to them several times when I had concerns about my academics and social life, and they made sure to check in with me every so often to see how I was doing. UCL had really great psychology courses, with professors/lecturers that were specialists in a myriad of topics. My housing accomodations were in a great location and really helped me immerse myself in both London and UCL culture. IFSA also organized several trips outside London, which gave me the opportunity to experience England beyond the city and university. Overall IFSA was incredible. I would recommend their programs to anyone!

Right up until the moment I got on the plane I was miserable, in tears, freaking out, and basically the picture of unhappiness. I almost didn't come abroad because I was so scared to leave the comfort of home. Hindsight is 20/20 though and I'm certainly very glad that I decided to come to the University of Edinburgh for the semester. I didn't know if I would make friends, assimilate into a different culture or succeed academically. But upon arriving and meeting the wonderful IFSA-Scotland team my fears melted away with each passing second. Their orientation which takes place a couple days before the university's orientation was really helpful in establishing an early security blanket. I was able to meet some of my best friends during orientation. With the help of the IFSA-Scotland team I was able to figure out what environments were most conducive to studying in addition to how to balance my personal life and academics. But the best part about the program is that they definitely aren't the type of people to drop you off and leave you alone. They are very accessible (with fantastic response times as well!) and have intrinsic knowledge about pretty much anything that would be helpful to living and studying abroad. I don't know where I'd be without their fabulous handbook. I had to deal with a few strange incidents during my time abroad including needing a root canal right before finals but I was able to deal with it since they maintain very open lines of communication. I was able to get it taken care of with a bit of help and that was that. When I think about my time abroad it is impossible not to immediately think about the quality of the program I chose. From an early orientation to their weekend excursion to Inverness where I got to play with super adorable puppies to their Thanksgiving ceilidh, these past 4 months have provided me a lifetime's worth of memories. If I've learned anything from my time in Scotland it's that life is made up of a multitude of moments and it's about cherishing the good ones that makes life so sweet. If I had to go through all the anxiety and uncertainty of coming abroad again I wouldn't have had gone about it any other way.

My experience at the University of Stirling's International Summer School was fantastic. The support I received from the IFSA-Butler team in Scotland was second to none. I had some trouble with my arrival flights but they worked with me and helped me make sure I got where I needed to go. They were always available to answer any questions I might have or help me in anyway they could while I was abroad. The ISS program at Stirling is amazing on its own but with IFSA-Butler it was even better. Scotland is such a natural beauty, it is hard to not be impacted by it. There are lots of outdoor activities along with cultural activities, such as ceilidh dancing or trying fish and chips for the first time. If I could go back in time I would go through the program again and again. I found it difficult to leave. The kind and knowledgeable staff really made a difference for me. My experience was undoubtedly enhanced by choosing IFSA-Butler. Seriously, they are so sweet and enthusiastic about Scotland and study abroad, it is hard not to enjoy your time there.

First of all I love Edinburgh. It doesn't get better than this city. But beyond that, IFSA did a great job taking care of us and making sure we had what we needed to have a good semester in Scotland. Orientation is completely worth it. You get to spend some time wandering around and making friends on the same program - I hung out with my IFSA regularly while in Edinburgh. Andrew, Deidra, Ruth, and Jenny are absolutely awesome. I highly recommend IFSA. Some of my friends who enrolled directly through the university relied us to pass along the information that IFSA provided us with (travel documents needed, grade conversions, questions about the city, etc...).

Team #IFSA has been an extremely consistent, professional, and unbelievably helpful program provider during my time abroad. From applying past the program deadline to the endless questions about which classes I could take to the most unexpected problems like getting tonsillitis while traveling, the IFSA team has never failed to give a thorough response (and with wonderful response times too!). We started with orientation, which they set up for us in a hotel, a few days before the actual University of Edinburgh's orientation began. This gave us plenty of time to adjust to the city (and for those who just flew in, the jet lag, which I heard was much appreciated). The series of diverse yet succinct topics (i.e. security, sports, food, nightlife, slang, grocery shopping, academic advice, travel advice), we covered had me feeling more than prepared to be living in this country. Throughout the semester, we had a few excursions and programs as well, which were every bit as worth it and lived up to the descriptions we had been hearing about. They did a community and culture informal session a few times and each of the ones I've been to have been super interesting, and it was very nice to see how much effort was put into the presentations despite the unsurprisingly low turnouts (due to class conflicts etc.). My favorite aspect about IFSA is that the team here doesn't feel like "my study abroad program region coordinators" and instead feel more like a "group of cool people who happen to know the answer to every question I have and are actually pretty fun too." In conclusion, I don't think my study abroad experience would have been what it is without IFSA. I probably would've been stressing out a lot more over minor logistical things that the IFSA team had already so thoughtfully prepared for and researched ahead of time. Go with Team IFSA, you can't go wrong.

IFSA-Ireland was amazing. They made me feel so welcomed, with their airport welcome and open door policy throughout the year. If you had academic or personal problem they were there to help. I would do the program all over again.

Going abroad is scary. I get that. I was scared out of my mind. But it was so nice knowing that I had a support system both with me in New Zealand as well as back in the states. IFSA was an amazing study abroad program, I'd recommend it for people who want to be fully immersed in another country's educational system. I met some awesome people, saw amazing sights, traveled all over the place, all the while knowing that there were people whose job it was to look out for me no matter what I did. Wish I could go back!

I studied abroad in Shanghai a year ago. I can't believe it has been so long! I think about my experience in China every single day because I miss it so much! It was definitely the best four months of my college life. To be honest, at first I was not sure whether to do this program or not because of how far it was from my family and friends. Also, I didn't know anyone else going on the program with me. I had taken about two years of Mandarin at Rollins College, but was not confident of my speaking/ listening skills at all. However, I (fortunately) decided to take the risk and go and it was the best decision I could have made. The program allowed me to fully immerse in a unique and amazing culture. I had a Chinese roommate from the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, whom was my pillar throughout the semester. She helped me get around, learn how to properly communicate with others (what to say/ what not to say), and became a very good friend of mine. My Mandarin skills got so much better! The small class sizes helped everyone participate and learn. The professors' interest in the students' learning was great for our overall improvement. I loved the apartment buildings in which we lived and the area around. The transportation is very easy to understand, very convenient and very cheap! Also, many people were concerned with the food, but this was not an issue at all. There is everything and anything you might need. We also had a kitchen therefore could cook our own food if necessary. I could go on and on about everything I loved about China including the courses, the university campus, the field trips, safety, health care, and the overall support from the program. I would REALLY recommend this program. It's great! If you have any interest in China, this program is for you!