Reviews

Provider: LTL Language School

Program: LTL Language School || Learn Chinese in China

My girlfriend (19) and I (20), both students at TU Dresden, attended the language school in Beihai for five weeks to improve from HSK 2 to HSK 3. We chose this provider because it is a budget-friendly alternative to the otherwise often very expensive language schools in China. Overall, we had a good time, but the classes didn't quite meet our expectations. Here is our detailed experience: The Positive: Organization, Events, and Host Families The advance organization by the manager was excellent. Questions regarding arrival, SIM card, the first day of school, and even scooter rental were sorted out smoothly. The language school also regularly organized nice events for cultural exchange. An absolute highlight was our accommodation. Since we traveled as a couple, we were placed in two separate homestays with hosts who were a couple themselves. This allowed us to do almost everything together. Our hosts were incredibly warm, provided fantastic meals, and planned great excursions. Accommodation Tip: The homestays are a great human experience, but also quite expensive. If you want to save your budget, you should know that you can also get good hotels in Beihai for 10 to 15 euros a night (then, of course, without meals and family connection). Important tip for solo travelers: Be careful when booking! If you book a 4-hour group course but there is no one else at the same level (e.g., HSK 3), you will automatically be downgraded to 2 hours of private lessons. You then pay the full 4-hour price for only 2 hours of class a day. Since this involves a lot of money, you should definitely keep this in mind. The Classes: Friendly, but rigid and unprepared Since we were both at the same language level, we were lucky to spend our group course as a 2-person class with a very lovely teacher. On a personal level, she was great, but didactically we were disappointed. We had hoped to primarily practice pronunciation and everyday vocabulary for the streets. Even though it is a private language school (which should actually be flexible), the lessons were not really adapted to us. Instead, the HSK curriculum from the textbook was strictly worked through. Furthermore, the lessons seemed poorly structured and unprepared. Active lesson preparation – as one knows it from a high school or university in Germany – was not recognizable. The teacher didn't bring any of her own materials unless we explicitly asked for them, and then they were usually improvised spontaneously during the break. Other schools also offer online practice materials, which is completely missing in Beihai (as of Oct 1, 2026). Learning Material & Cultural Misunderstandings We often asked for more homework. Rather by chance, we discovered through another student that there is an official workbook for the HSK course, which was withheld from us for 3 weeks. When we criticized the lack of structure, the lack of adaptation of the lessons, and the withheld book in a message, a cultural misunderstanding occurred. We communicated the problem in the direct, German way. In the Chinese culture, this unfortunately led to the teacher feeling personally attacked, and the relationship was temporarily tense afterwards. The manager dismissed our criticism with the justification that they just couldn't offer a "German Teaching Style" here. Yet, good, structured lesson preparation is not a specifically German concept, but a normal expectation for a paid school. Tip for future students: Make sure to package criticism very diplomatically and softly, as the direct approach quickly leads to displeasure here. Conclusion We cannot completely advise against the school, as the host families, the events, and the personal care were great. However, for the amount of money you pay, we were disappointed by the performance in the classroom (lack of adaptation, unprepared lessons, missing online materials). Currently, we would not book the school again, but would probably try other language schools (or directly a university in China) instead. At a Glance: Pros & Cons Pros: * Organization & Events: Smooth advance planning and nice cultural events from the school. * Homestays: Very warm hosts, great excursions, and family connection. * Teacher (personal): Very friendly, likable, and nice. * Value for money (Generally): Often cheaper than language schools in major cities. Cons: * Lack of Didactics & Structure: No well-prepared lessons (missing comparison to high school/university); only the textbook was worked through. * Lack of Flexibility: No focus on real everyday language, rigid HSK plan. * Rule for Solo Travelers: 4h group courses are cut to 2h private lessons for the same price if there are no classmates. * Learning Material: Missing online material; official workbooks withheld. * Handling Feedback: Criticism was dismissed as "German Teaching Style", direct, professional communication led to a bad mood, adjustments in class hardly took place.

Provider: Rustic Pathways

Program: Costa Rica Surf, Adventure, Service & Turtle Programs

My week on Rustic Pathways’s turtle conservation trip was an incredible vessel in exposing me to conservation opportunities. My time in Costa Rica was mainly spent in Camaronal Wildlife Refuge, participating in activities to benefit the turtles who find themselves on their beaches. I have always loved marine conservation, and it was a dream come to to be able to safely interact with sea turtles through night walks. The conversations I had with the refuge guide as well as seeing the impact of the work we did solidified this commitment to conservation.

Provider: Connect-123 Internship Programs

Program: Intern in Cape Town with Connect-123!

This past summer I interned abroad in Cape Town, South Africa at the Legal Resource Centre as a Legal Intern. What made my experience so great was the people and my program advisor Carla. Upon arriving in Cape Town me and my fellow interns were able to meet up with Carla and get more information about Cape Town. We then got to know each other better and proceed to have the best 8 weeks!

Provider: Rustic Pathways

Program: Thailand Adventures and Service with Rustic Pathways

Honestly I was so scared going into a country thousands of miles away from my family with people I never really met, but Rustic Pathways made the experience feel so safe. First they have group zoom meeting with the other kids going on the same trip, so kids like myself could feel less uncomfortable if we weren’t completely strangers. What stood out to me was that there was another kid who already did the trip, but helped us understand what we could expect making the experience more comfortable. The staff watching over us were so passionate about keeping us safe, educated, and having a fun experience. What also stood out was making sure that the kids with dietary restrictions still had food that was enjoyable. I remember when we ate at a restaurant the staff brought gluten free ingredients like sauces for the chef to cook with just in case they didn’t have a gluten free menu. The experience itself was so much fun that I never really was on my phone besides calling my family before bed. I remember when all us kids missed our pets so much, but couldn’t pet stray dogs or cats; so they somehow managed to fit a cat cafe into our tight schedule. The staff always check on us to make sure we are comfortable and having fun which made the experience so great. And they got to educate us about the kingdom, the religions, the forests/plants, the history of Thailand, the food, the animals, the beliefs, the language, and so much more. Honestly I wished that I found out about this program when I was 13, so I could go on more teen trips. It truly was my favorite memory of all time and I really do hope to have more experiences like I did for the future.

Provider: International TEFL Academy

Program: Top Rated TEFL Course + Lifetime Job Support in 80 Countries

The instructors at this academy are incredibly knowledgeable, and the courses are both informative and highly engaging. I have gained a great deal of practical experience and learned so much throughout my time here. I fully intend to continue taking more courses in the future. Thanks to this program, I feel completely prepared and can't wait to start teaching!

Provider: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Program: Study Abroad at UAB: Pre-Established Courses

world strides made it possible to cost effectively go abroad and still live with my friends from my home university. the staff are super supportive and helpful on site as well as preparing for the journey.

Provider: WorldStrides

Program: Study Abroad in Florence, Italy with WorldStrides

Study abroad changed my whole perspective on life! It was the best experience and I can’t recommend Worldstrides enough. They made the process so seamless and helped with any issues that came up. Would definitely recommend.

Provider: Teach Explore Asia (XploreAsia)

Program: Xplore Japan TEFL Program with Guaranteed Placement

Going to Japan was an amazing experience that in the beginning I actually thought might fail. When I was placed with a company I was so excited, I was going to be in a city area and working with young students like I had wanted. However, a week before leaving I was notified that my job position fell through and the dispatch company was transferring me to Hokkaido to a very small town in the middle of nowhere. I panicked. I was so concerned that I would be too isolated and it wouldn't be the experience I wanted. Despite this I went and decided to give it a chance and agreed to at least the first semester of the school year. I went and I found a new home in my small town. Japan is known for its incredible big cities, popular tourist sites, and pop culture. Many people don't know about or get to experience life outside of those locations, and I personally found those areas to be the most incredible parts of Japan. Hokkaido is cold in the winter and my town was remote, that is true, but the way my community surrounded me was something I've never experienced before. I went knowing almost no Japanese and yet the people welcomed me and were incredibly generous. I also ended up living in teacher housing which allowed me to live in a two bedroom traditional Japanese house. The school I worked for was beautiful and I was able to create much of my own English curriculum for kindergarteners which was so fun. The other teachers and staff I worked with were very excited to have me and I think this is something that is often more common in smaller communities. In big cities schools can see a lot of turn over with English teachers, in more rural areas I think its a bit more common for people to have strong connections with the people they work with and their students. The transition was definitely still challenging and I had to push myself to make connections and find other foreigners in nearby towns, but it was so worth it. I would never trade the experience for anything and I highly recommend giving this experience a chance. Going through XploreAsia made the experience fairly seamless and easy. My TEFL course was great and a nice plus for my resume. I also found the job placement to be very helpful as someone who didn't know much about getting a job in Japan. However if you are looking for a cheaper option and don't feel you need a TEFL or the extra support, you can apply directly to Japanese dispatch companies to be a teacher. I worked for Interac Network which I found to be a fairly good company overall compared to similar companies. If you want to live in Japan long term I highly recommend using this service to get you a job in country! From there you will have a much easier time job searching for something different after a year. Overall I cannot recommend this experience enough. I made lifelong friends, both Japanese friends and other foreign ALT's. I grew so much as a person and got to travel and explore a new place and culture very different from my own. It was truly a life changing decision to do this program!

Provider: MAXIMO NIVEL

Program: Volunteer in Latin America! Costa Rica, Guatemala, & Peru

We came as a family of four to Cusco to participate in the Indigenous Communities Umasbamba project and had an amazing time. It was an awesome experience for our kids, who are 15 and 13, to see how other people live out their daily lives. We would recommend this project to anyone.

Provider: Molise Italian Studies

Program: Molise Italian Studies Full Semester (& Internship)

I had such a wonderful time studying abroad and grew immensely through the experience. Living with a host family and pursuing an internship allowed me fully immerse myself in a new community and the intercultural citizenship education I did throughout the experience helped me understand and appreciate both a new culture and my own back home through a new perspective.

Provider: Absolute Internship

Program: Intern in Lisbon with Absolute Internship

I will always remember my internship in Lisbon as the best two months of my life. It was about much more than gaining professional experience abroad: it was about exploring a new city with international friends and creating lifelong memories! Absolute Internship supported us throughout the whole process, from finding us a position in our industry of choice to helping us onsite. Day trips, weekends, group activities... everything was designed for us to connect with other interns and make the most of our time abroad. I completed my internship in marketing and communication at a coworking space, where I worked on a variety of projects, including benchmarking analysis and developing creative ideas for community events. Working in such a dynamic and innovative environment was really inspiring! One of my favorite parts was spending my first month with Sarah, the other intern in my company, having lunch together and making TikToks about interning abroad. After work, I loved watching the sunset from a miradouro and hanging out with young people from all over the world. We had so much fun together and exchanged ideas and insights about our traditions and different backgrounds. It was hard for me to actually talk to people at first because I was still insecure about my English and didn’t feel comfortable speaking it. However, with time, I opened up and realized that speaking perfect English isn’t what matters most; what’s important is putting yourself out there and doing your best to express yourself. Living abroad was a mix of emotions and feelings: it was challenging and exciting, confusing and eye-opening, overwhelming and carefree. This experience taught me to dare more, to be more confident and to look at the world from different perspectives. It was a turning point for me; it changed me and strengthened my desire to travel, learn new languages and build connections across cultures. Lisbon will always have a special place in my heart. It was impossible not to fall in love with the iconic blue tiles, the picturesque neighborhoods and the relaxed atmosphere. I also had the chance to immerse myself in the Portuguese lifestyle, tasting traditional codfish prepared in different ways and trying new sports such as surfing and paddle boarding. I would definitely recommend this program to adventurous students who are ready to step out of their comfort zone to discover themselves and grow both personally and professionally. Stop worrying about being ready and take a chance on your future!

Provider: Go Abroad China Ltd.

Program: Internships in China with Leading Companies | GAC

Don't get me wrong, my first week in Shanghai was really tough. It happened to stand in a supermarket and try to understand something basic. It is precisely this kind of challenges that I have chosen, and GAC provided me with a good support system for that. My placement was in a business consultancy, and my team members were pretty tolerant to me. They did not ignore me; they were taking things slowly in the meetings, tried to explain everything to me, and invited me to lunch even though I hardly knew how to speak Chinese. The tasks I had to complete were real. By week three, I became an active participant of client presentations and conducted market research for European brands entering the Asian market. And here I must say that the GAC took care of all those issues which I would have been worrying about otherwise – my visa, accommodation, transportation from the airport, etc. Those three months changed my understanding of my capabilities entirely. Not only I have gained some experience, but also have changed the way I look at life now. So, if you have any doubts, just go for it!

Provider: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Program: Study Abroad at UAB: Pre-Established Courses

I really enjoyed my experience studying abroad in Barcelona. Throughout my time here, I developed a much greater appreciation for the city, its people, and Catalan culture. Living in Barcelona allowed me to immerse myself in a different way of life, explore new places, and gain a better understanding of local traditions and customs. I especially enjoyed experiencing the city's unique atmosphere, food, and culture. Overall, studying abroad was an incredibly rewarding experience that helped me grow personally, become more independent, and make memories that I will carry with me long after leaving Barcelona.

Provider: Cerca Abroad

Program: Medical Shadowing in Greece

My name is Lauren, I am a second-year biology major in UCSB and I am interning at a hospital in Athens, Greece. I chose to do this so that I can get hands-on experience, but also to experience a different country and their healthcare. I’ve learned a lot, especially from the neurosurgeons, and observed a lot of live procedures, which have been very helpful with my understanding. Cerca Abroad has been really great with coordinating and making sure I would feel comfortable in the new city.

Provider: TEFLmasters

Program: Accredited 120-hour TEFL certification course from $34

The company advisor gave me some good information before I sign up, so I have had high expectacions about the 120 hours course before I start. There is many, many text and videos on the course that can guide you for how you can teach english. My best lesson was the games one, and I see that after the course there are 100 games ideas for different ages and lesson planning also. For learning approach is quite interesting as not just using multiple choices questioning but also matching and others. I like this as it is maybe a little more to challenge me. I learn alot from this course.

Provider: Adelante Abroad

Program: Equine Summer Study in Scotland - Adelante Abroad

Studying abroad in Scotland through the University of Kentucky’s equine program and Adelante Abroad was truly the adventure of a lifetime. I had never traveled outside the country on my own before, so this was a big step outside my comfort zone. I expected to learn a lot about horses, but the friendships, travel, and my time in Ecclesmachan ended up meaning so much to me. The teachers made us feel welcome from the beginning. They were friendly, supportive, and easy to talk to, which made asking questions and trying unfamiliar things feel more comfortable. I loved how interactive the learning was. We labeled bones and muscles directly on the horses and monitored their fitness levels, which helped connect what we were learning about anatomy and physiology to the horses we worked with each day. We even rode a robotic horse to work on our positioning in the saddle, which was such a fun and unique way to learn. Our professors, Louise and Rowan, would drive us in a 15-passenger van for our outings and trips to Aldi to pick up groceries. Piling into the van together made even a simple grocery run feel like a fun part of the trip. It was such a different experience from college life back home, and those little moments with everyone are some of the ones I remember most fondly. I hadn’t ridden since high school, so getting back in the saddle was something I was especially excited about. During the program, I got to ride Billy, Eric, Maddie, Jeff, Brennagh, Chino, and Fern. I had never ridden so many different horses, and that ended up being one of the coolest parts of the experience. Each one felt different and had something new to teach me. Learning to adjust my riding to each horse helped me become a better, more confident rider, and I loved getting to know them along the way. Our riding instructors, Alison and Samantha, helped me grow so much as a rider. We also got to go on a trail ride around the property, which was such a nice way to enjoy the scenery from horseback. At the end of the program, I rode Chino in our competition and placed second! After being away from riding for so long, that was really encouraging and made me proud of how much I had progressed. There was also so much arranged for us outside of class. We went to the races at Perth, saw the Kelpies, visited the Royal Highland Show, and watched a show jumping competition at The Scottish National Equestrian Centre. Those activities gave us a chance to experience Scotland’s agricultural communities and see more of the global sporthorse industry firsthand. Still, some of the moments I miss most are the ordinary ones on the Oatridge campus. We became close with the other girls in the program from Mizzou and spent so much time exploring the farm property. We legitimately frolicked through fields and made friends with the sheep and cows on our many daily walks. It was so peaceful there, and I loved just being outside and taking it all in. Two of my closest UK friends are girls I bonded with on this trip, and we still say, “Love you to Ecclesmachan and back.” I had never been anywhere quite like it and don't think anywhere else could compare. We definitely made the most of our weekends, too. We went into Edinburgh countless times, explored the university, found some wonderful places to eat, and somehow managed to have Knoops (the best hot chocolate) at least once a day! We also spent a day in North Berwick, walking every inch of the little beach town. During three days in London, we visited Borough Market, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace, rode a double-decker bus, and did plenty of shopping in Soho. Then, in less than 48 hours in Ireland, we tried Guinness for the first time, went to the Irish Whiskey Museum, and visited Trinity College. We fit a lot into those short trips, and exploring together gave us even more memories (and souvenirs) to bring home. After the program ended, my dad met me for another week of traveling. We explored the Isle of Skye, including Portree, and visited Golspie, Inverness, John o’ Groats, and Talisker Distillery. Having that time with him was such a special way to end the trip, and I’ll always be grateful we got to share those experiences. When I think about Scotland now, I think about both the big adventures and the little routines we built while we were there. I loved getting back into riding, learning from people who encouraged us, and spending my days with new friends in a place that became so familiar. I came home more independent and confident, with friendships and memories that will last a lifetime. I would go back and do it all again in a heartbeat!

Provider: International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ]

Program: Worlds #1 Volunteer Programs. 40+ Countries from $20/day!

Once I decided to volunteer, IVHQs website helped me easily arrange the rest. I chose Cambodia as I had been there before and thought this was a good place to start my volunteering journey. As an older single traveller i needed to feel safe about what I was doing. I have the confidence now to go anywhere with IVHQ. All the inclusions, information and arrangements as part of the program all happened as IVHQ said it would.

Provider: Floating Doctors

Program: Support Animal Health in Remote Islands of Bocas del Toro

I had the amazing time with Floating Doctors in Panama. Managed to see first hand how One Health approach in remote communities. Being a vet myself, it was an amazing for me to both learn and contribute. Rewarding but challenging, Floating Doctors is achieving a tremendous, community-led change.

Provider: Webster University Athens

Program: Odyssey in Athens Study Abroad Program, Webster Athens

While I was in Greece, I visited a few Islands and a Tonne of nice restaurants. The people were wonderful and so welcoming It became a second home to me. I wish desperately that I could go back but unfortunately I'm in my senior year and can't travel abroad again but I definitely will be going back soon.

Provider: Touch the World

Program: MissionYear - Discipleship & Missions Gap Year

This was an experience that became so much more than I expected. What began as an opportunity to take a gap year, serve others, and experience a different part of the world turned into a year of growth, unexpected friendships, new perspectives, and lessons I will carry with me. Some of my favorite memories are from the everyday moments in between the serving and learning: laughing with teammates, getting to know the people around me, navigating unfamiliar situations, and learning to find joy in the unexpected. Looking back, I am grateful for all of it: the places I went, the people I met, the family I entered, the things that I learned, even the parts that were uncomfortable and stretched me. It was a year I will always be grateful I said yes to!