Reviews

I spent 4 weeks in August 2026 at LTL Chengde, and it was the perfect deep dive for my beginner Mandarin. Full immersion means exactly that — I used Mandarin everywhere, from daily classes to meals, markets, and conversations on the street. Zhongwen, the course coordinator, was outstanding — incredibly responsive, organised everything smoothly, arranged a wonderful homestay, and planned cultural visits that made practicing feel natural, not forced. She genuinely cares about your progress and comfort. Four hours of focused 1:1 lessons each day built confidence fast — my teacher spoke only Mandarin, patient but encouraging. Homestay life let me share meals, stories, and daily moments entirely in Chinese. Chengde itself is beautiful, peaceful, friendly, and wonderfully affordable — locals love chatting with you! I came here to start using my Mandarin — and I did. From limited experience to confidently chatting with locals and my host family. Four weeks was transformative. Highly recommend LTL Chengde to anyone serious about learning. Would absolutely return.

This shadow abroad program truly changed my life. It completely transformed my career path and opened so many doors that I didn’t even know existed. I had such a blast, learned sop much, I made some true core memories!

From a wonderful team and great people, to a new experience and the opportunity to explore Thailand and its culture, this was such an amazing programme. Although it was only a 2 week programme, I’m so glad that I came. I learned so much and met so many amazing people. Before I went I didn’t expect there to be so many cultural activities planned for us which was a really nice surprise. We learned how to make traditional Thai desserts and dishes, visited many temples and got to see so much more during our free time :) I would recommend Gotoco to anyone who wants to try something new, meet new people, experience a different culture, and see what teaching English abroad is like.

Hi, my name is Paula, I am from Chile and I study in the US. I study Neuroscience. I chose the medical internship because I wanted to go to medical school and become a surgeon, so it was very interesting to see orthopedic surgeons at work and get a hands-on experience too. Some of the interesting things that I saw were a knee replacement and an Achilles tendon surgery. Coordination was really good, everyone was really nice and life in Athens is amazing, the food is great, and the people are really nice.

Studying abroad was one of the most meaningful experiences I have had as a college student. It gave me the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone, experience a new culture, and meet people from different backgrounds. Being in a new environment challenged me to become more independent, adaptable, and confident in myself. What made the experience especially memorable was being able to learn outside of the classroom. Exploring new places, trying different foods, and experiencing the local culture helped me see the world from a different perspective. I also learned that you don’t have to be completely comfortable or know everything before taking a new opportunity. Sometimes, the best experiences come from putting yourself out there and being willing to try something new. Studying abroad helped me grow both personally and academically, and it gave me memories that I will carry with me long after college. I would encourage other students to take advantage of the opportunity if they can because it is an experience that can truly change the way you see yourself and the world around you.

I really enjoyed the overview and broad spectrum of information provided in this course. The lesson planning was a great activity to work through and the detailed feedback was very helpful in my development. Some links weren’t working on the bonus material but very grateful for the amount of information shared.

Overall I loved my time in Costa Rica but the unfortunate part about it was I was there for 2 months and the 2nd month we did not have any excursions or cultural events even though we paid so much money to be there and I feel like we were lied to on what everything would cost to travel individually. I think I loved my time in Costa Rica because me and my roommates made the most out of it even though we felt separated from the rest of the program because we were the only ones who lived away from everyone and we could not walk to our other friends home stays because our homestay mother would make us Uber once it was already dark we did not have the money to continuously do that if we just wanted to hangout with our friends. Also we were mislead about the internship transportation luckily I was in a group of 4 for my internship and we could split Ubers but even then I was struggling financially towards the end of the trip and had no idea that we would have to figure out our own transportation to our internships if I had known that before I would have never done the internship it was totally misleading. Lastly, I enjoyed my homestay but I hated having the same meals from lunch and dinner and when I told my homestay mother that we all did not like that she did not change it she continued to do it.

I really enjoyed completing the TEFL course. The course was well-structured, informative, and easy to follow. The content was practical and gave me useful skills and confidence for teaching English to learners. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone looking to gain a TEFL qualification.

Although my time abroad in Sevilla, Spain with CEA CAPA was only 4 weeks in the summer, I had the most amazing time. I was nervous going into the program; I knew no one from my school who was going and was assigned a random roommate, but the CEA CAPA staff were super accommodating and reassuring. I met the best group of people, took a super fun class on Spanish food and culture for college credit, saw beautiful architecture, traveled all over Spain and Europe, strengthened my Spanish language skills, and learned so much about myself. I loved my experience so much; my only regret is not doing a longer program!

My experience with TEFL Academy has truly been transformative. Towards the end of my course in 2024, I experienced a personal loss and had to step away from my studies. What touched me most was that the TEFL Academy did not give up on me, and in 2026 I finally completed my qualification. The academic support was exceptional. Saturday webinars, patient tutors, assignment guidance and three opportunities to complete assignments made me feel that the focus was on helping students. The course also changed my teaching practice. As an isiZulu First Additional Language teacher, I previously relied heavily on translation, dictionaries and flashcards. The course opened my eyes to more communicative and engaging approaches to language teaching. The classroom training was practical, enjoyable and inspiring. I completed the course with renewed confidence, new possibilities and a fresh perspective on teaching

My experience studying abroad with CEA CAPA in Barcelona was truly amazing. I had high expectations going into the program, and they were completely exceeded. My apartment was in a great neighborhood that felt extremely safe while still giving me an authentic, local experience. It was also close to everything, which made it so easy to walk around and explore the city every day. I also had a great experience with my classes. My professors were extremely understanding and supportive, which made balancing academics with everything else that comes with studying abroad much easier. The CEA CAPA staff was incredibly welcoming and played such a big role in making my experience as great as it was. They offered so many activities, events, and opportunities that helped me meet people, experience Barcelona, and feel comfortable living in a city so far from home. Overall, studying abroad in Barcelona was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and I’m so grateful I chose to do it through CEA CAPA. I would absolutely recommend the program to anyone considering studying abroad!

My two weeks with CFHI in Puyo, Ecuador, reshaped how I think about public health — not as an abstract concept, but as something lived daily by the communities I visited. As a physician, I came in with clinical knowledge, but I left with something harder to teach: a felt understanding of how geography, infrastructure, and culture shape access to care. Spending time in indigenous communities around Puyo, I saw firsthand the distances people travel and the barriers they navigate just to reach a health post. I learned about local approaches to disease surveillance and prevention — vector control, community-based epidemiological monitoring, education campaigns — and how much of effective public health work happens outside the clinic, in trust-building, listening, and adapting to local realities rather than imposing external models. What stayed with me most were the everyday moments: conversations with community health workers, the warmth of families who welcomed us into their routines, and the quiet realization of how much resilience it takes to sustain health and wellbeing in under-resourced settings. This experience was a turning point for me — it's part of what drew me toward epidemiology, and I'm now pursuing a Master of Science in the field, carrying the questions Puyo raised in me into my research. I'm profoundly grateful to CFHI, to my local mentors, and to the Puyo community for an experience that changed the direction of my career.

I had a really unforgettable summer with The Intern Group. For the internship, it's my first real industry working experience, I learned so many new things, solved the problems that I have never met before. Thanks so much for my colleagues and mentors, they were always so patient and supportive, helping me whenever I have troubles. I really enjoyed the working environment, everyone is doing their own things, but the meetings and communication let me felt strong connection. And also thanks a lot for the events from Intern Group. I met people from different background, sharing opinions with each other. And the activities also led us to look into the English culture, experienced the life in London. It's such an unforgettable summer. I made new friends, had an experience of internship, broadened my horizon for different cultures. Thanks for meeting everyone.

I've been at That's Mandarin for 5 weeks, and have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the language school so far. The teaching staff are all very friendly, and create a positive and supportive environment that strongly encourages everyone to use and grow their mandarin skills as much as possible. Even throughout short breaks, before and after class, the positive and hardworking atmosphere fosters significant improvement in Mandarin skills, which developed my Chinese speaking ability very quickly. The learning platform is incredibly impressive, and highly supportive when learning Mandarin in your own time. The social events the school puts on every 2 weeks are very enjoyable, and a great opportunity to create authentic connections with teachers and other students. Fortunately, I have another 7 weeks with the school, but I'm not sure if it is enough! Couldn't recommend this language school more highly.

Enrollment in this educational program has proven to be an exceptionally rewarding endeavor, facilitating an accelerated acquisition of knowledge and insights in a remarkably condensed timeframe. Furthermore, the digital infrastructure is exceptionally user-friendly; upon the seamless processing of the transaction, immediate, frictionless entry to the student portal was successfully established.

The TEFL Academy responded to this reviewSeptember 16, 2026

Thanks for the feedback!

J'ai 17 ans et cela fait 2 semaine que j'étudie à That's Mandarin, à Chengdu. J'adore les cours ici. L'application est super simple à utiliser et très pratique, je peux révisé n'importe où à n'importe quel moment. Toutes les personnes que j'ai rencontré, prof et autres employés sont adorables, très gentils et toujours souriant. C'est un environnement super agréable et propice à l'apprentissage. J'ai déjà beaucoup progressé en seulement 2 semaines grâce à eux. Les pauses permettent sont les moments qui permettent de s'entraîner à parler et à comprendre le chinois sans qu'il y ait de jugements ou moquerie, que du soutien et de l'encouragement. Je recommande cette école à tout ceux qui souhaitent progresser rapidement dans un environnement des plus agréables.

After graduating in 2023 with a degree in International Relations, I knew I was passionate about working in the third sector. I did Operation Raleigh in 2024, where I spent 3 months in South Africa, I met many people who were on their gap year before university and many were planning to travel South East Asia in this time too. When I got back I wasn't satisfied with my life, struggling to find any opportunity for a role that I was passionate about. I then decided to work hard to save up to go traveling in 2026. I knew while I was traveling I wanted to do some kind of volunteering or internship, that's when I came across Roots Interns, who I had never heard of, but I found an NGO Management Internship based in Cambodia and was instantly set on making it my goal. In the months leading up to my departure I was busy planning my solo traveling, but Nakeshia from Root was always on hand to talk me through the logistics of my internship, along with answering any stupid questions I had. My expectations of this internship were beyond exceeded, I was welcomed with open hearts, and the team were amazing! I learnt many things during my time, spending time with each department of the NGO and learning my strengths and my weaknesses. I was sad to leave in November but I had more travel plans to continue. Except this wasn't where it ended. I stayed in contact with Volunteer Building Cambodia's (VBC) Founder Mr Sinn. He always mentioned if I wanted to come back there would always be a place for me here (like I said, open heart). So when I found myself at a bit of a crossroads, do I go back to England or do I fly back to Cambodia with the little money I have left. A year ago if you had put this decision infront of me I would've stayed in my comfort zone and gone back to England, but I chose to take a risk and head back to Siem Reap. Two days after I arrived back, I met with Mr Sinn and he offered me a role in VBC as Marketing & Communications, the following day I was moving in to my apartment, and the following week I was back in the office where I was sat 4 months ago. I cannot recommend Roots Interns enough, they provided me the opportunity which has led to where I am today. Working in the third sector can be extremely competitive, but because of this Internship I have been able to jump into a role where I am learning the ropes, whilst gaining experience of working in a grassroots NGO in Cambodia. For anyone who has graduated and is struggling for an 'in', this is genuinely the perfect opportunity.

This programme is an easy way to introduce someone to travelling abroad, teaching English as a foreign language and gaining independence. The opportunity gives someone enough independence but also has a safety net in case you need advice or help in a matter. I have gained valuable skills that I can use in a new career, and it has given me insight into a career where I would teach abroad. I have gained the ability to create and use teaching resources, which would allow me to continue to teach if I wished. I went on a 5-week Rural thialnd programme and the highlight was the students and the meaningful impact we all had on them in a short period of time. From the very first day, we were welcomed by the students and were made to feel like respected teachers. Students were receptive and understanding of the language barriers we faced. Students were happy and wanted to constantly learn and practice English. Those same students continue to contact us and have a strong desire to practice English and get better. Another highlight was the friends I made on the programme. It was initially daunting knowing I would be stuck living with strangers, but I can proudly say I made lifelong friends, and we built connections with each other almost immediately.

I found the course to be informative and relevant to my expectations. Assignments had clear instructions and sections were bundled according to concepts. It was a great experience and a good boost to my confidence. Well worth the time.

My experience with IVHQ in Tanzania was truly unforgettable! 🇹🇿🤍 From the application process to arriving in Tanzania, I felt like I had clear information and guidance throughout the process. The application was straightforward, and having the details about accommodation, transportation, volunteering, and what to expect before arriving made preparing for the trip much easier. The coordination once I arrived was also very helpful. I appreciated having people available to help with the transition into the program and being able to connect with other volunteers from around the world. The highlight, of course, was my time volunteering at a daycare in Sakina. The children and staff welcomed me with so much love and made me feel like part of their family. It was such a meaningful experience, and I left Tanzania with memories and connections I’ll carry with me forever. I’m so grateful to IVHQ for making this experience possible and giving me the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone, give back, and experience Tanzania in such a meaningful way. I would definitely consider volunteering with IVHQ again! 🌍❤️