Reviews

I did an animal care project in Portugal with IVHQ and I'm glad to say it was smooth from start to finish. The application was simple and the team always answered any questions I had about the placement itself or any issues I had with documents etc. Before I left there was a group call with my coordinator and other volunteers I'd be working with which made leaving home alone for the first time less daunting. At the placement I would feed the dogs, clean cages and have loads of cuddles and play time with them! The local team were very friendly and easy to approach as well. I had a great time and really felt like I actually made an impact. I would recommend IVHQ to anyone who would like to volunteer abroad

The Further Afield initiative of Goto-CO is an experience I would recommend for the following reasons. They take care of and book flights (with great flexibility). The organisers and people behind it are friendly, outgoing, and on top of it all. The experience combines work and leisure.

What can I say other than being extremely proud of myself?! I have never taken an online course before, but watching a movie earlier in the year put an idea in my head about me bing abroad and teaching English, and now I’m finally in a position where I can do just that! It wasn’t easy, wasn’t hard, but it was extremely eye opening, rewarding, interesting, and just generally well executed! I couldn’t be happier with my experience!! Thank you so much to all at TeflMasters for your support and kindness!!!

My experience teaching abroad was an unforgettable one. Being able to teach children in rural areas and learning about their culture taught me so much. I would definitely go again when I get the chance!

I had no idea programs like this existed, and I am glad that, after doing research, I found TEFL Pro. They are amazing! They provide everything you will need to learn in videos and activities. They are always there to help if you need it, and you write posts when completing a module. I have already recommended my friends back in California to this program. Most of them are excited or say that it feels "too good to be true," which I thought the same thing until now. TEFL Pro gives you everything you need and will help you even after completing the program. :)

This summer I took part in Gotoco's TEFL programme in Vietnam. The TEFL course was amazing as we had the opportunity to teach multiple age groups over the 3 weeks and I have overall become more confident with my teaching. The coordinators additionally gave us classes in how to teach which I think really prepared us. Overall the living conditions were great; the house was lovely, and the food was also good. The location of Da Nang was also a very nice place to spend 3 weeks, and on the weekends we had daytrips and throughout our coordinators took us to various cultural experiences.

Going abroad with CYA was truly a life changing experience for me. I got to immerse myself with the Greek culture and got to visit areas of Greece that I didn't even know existed through field study trips. For example, besides living in Athens, I had the opportunity to visit Northern Greece and see more of Greece's country side. Additionally, through the academics that CYA provides, I was able to take a modern Greek class and even got to learn a little bit of Greek. I will never forget my time with CYA and am grateful for everything it taught me.

I took the hybrid TEFL course and I can attest that Maximo Nivel’s TEFL trainer Karen is incredible. Right away she makes you feel welcome and integrates you into the work. She is an excellent teacher and is truly there to support you. I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher. Thank you

The TEFL course taught me to think outside the box when planning lessons and how to use online resources and materials effectively. The tutors are outstanding, friendly, and incredibly supportive. It was truly a life-changing experience!

The TEFL Academy responded to this reviewSeptember 22, 2026

Guster, thank you for the wonderful review.

The classes are well structured with an excellent framework and toolset. We have lots of fun learning in a low pressure environment with fantastic teachers. The NiHao Cafe APP is a magnificent tool to aid learning as well as the various culture corners and opportunity to use the language we have just learned.

I have been living and teaching in South Korea for a few weeks, and so far the experience has been amazing. I signed up through RVF International, who previously helped me move to Spain. With their help the whole process has been seamless! From the initial application, the E2 visa application portion, to moving to South Korea and attending the EPIK orientation. It has all, in my experience, been very organized and efficient! I work at a great school, and have felt supported by the office of education in my area, the schools I teach at including the co-teacher/ staff I work with, as well as RVF International!

I spent two months studying Mandarin at Fudan University in Shanghai through GAC, and it was an unforgettable experience. My homestay family welcomed me like their own — we cooked together, watched Chinese dramas, and they patiently helped me practice every day. My teacher was engaging and focused on real conversation rather than just textbooks. By the end, I could confidently order food, ask for directions, and chat with locals. The GAC team also organized weekend trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou. I came home with real fluency and a deep love for Chinese culture.

Studying abroad is the adventure of a lifetime! With CYA, it was even more memorable. The program is located in Athens, in a safe, lively neighborhood. I felt immersed in the culture immediately, with tavernas and local grocery stores just steps from my apartment. The program not only offers opportunities and activities right there in Athens, but it also coordinates trips throughout Greece to further our exploration of the country. I loved how supportive and organized the program was. It made it easy to not only learn more about culture, history, and language while in Greece, but also to get the most out of our study abroad experience. I liked the size of the program because everyone gets to know each other really well, and it makes it feel like a family. The professors are extremely supportive and are always looking to make personal connections with the students. There are so many class options for any major or interest. A lot of the classes like to use Athens as their classroom, and I think this was one of my favorite parts. I loved meeting at the Athenian Agora or the Acropolis to actually see what we were learning about. I loved taking Greek language, mainly because my professor was the best! I learned so much from her, and she made learning the language possible and exciting. It was so fun going to the local coffee shops and practicing my Greek. CYA is a great program for anyone interested in Greece, history, arts, culture, the Greek language, or a program that takes the abroad experience to the next level!

I actually can’t recommend this program enough. It seriously changed my life. First off, the staff from worldstrides alone should be enough to sell you. I felt more supported by the mentors in Lima then I did in my university in the states. Michelle and Christy are some of the most caring people I have ever met. They were incredibly helpful- I was absolutely sure I could ask them about anything and they would happily help. They went out of their way to make sure we had the best experience possible, from giving dance/surf class recommendations to accompanying a student to the hospital when they felt sick. My host mom, Doris, was absolutely spectacular. Not only was she so sweet and patient, she was also incredibly accommodating (and such a good cook). My roommates had dietary restrictions (One didn’t eat red meat, the other was lactose intolerant), and she worked hard to make sure everyone felt comfortable. She was so patient and helpful as we practiced our spanish. I still call her every other week! Besides the wonderful people involved, Peru as a whole is absolutely amazing. Go. Please. It has something for everyone. It’s one of the gastronomic capitals of the world, so the food is amazing. Worldstrides takes you on both included (Historical district, huacachina (with sand surfing)) and extra excursions. I was lucky enough to be able to go on the extra trips to the amazon (absolutely crazy), and to Machu Picchu. It’s a once in a lifetime experience. Lima is an amazing city with so many events, you’ll never be bored. I did everything from attend an interactive spanish-adaptation of the broadway show “Next to Normal” (phenomenal), to participate in Miraflores’ community zumba classes, to go to a circus, to march in Lima’s pride parade, to fish for piranhas in the amazon. I did the 2-month summer program, and it was spectacular. The first month, I took classes at Cayetano Heredia- Medical Spanish and Community Health. Weekdays were sometimes a little long, but all the teachers were SO supportive and amazing. You get to learn from and shadow practicing doctors and see how healthcare works in Peru, which is a FANTASTIC experience! We even got the opportunity to run a simulated clinical visit with actual actors. The second month, we got to volunteer with Aprendo Contigo, an organization that works to ensure hospitalized children don’t fall behind in schoolwork. We got to have the chance to see what we learned manifest in real life and have real patient interactions. I left wanting to come back as soon as possible, and legitimately considered staying in college for an extra semester just to be able to stay for a whole semester.

What I enjoyed most was not feeling like I was just there to watch. I joined ward rounds, listened to case discussions, observed wound care and other everyday procedures, and had plenty of chances to ask questions along the way. I also learnt a lot from communicating with patients and seeing how much trust and understanding matter in healthcare. By the end of the four weeks, the hospital felt much less unfamiliar, and I felt a lot more comfortable in a clinical environment.

I can highly recommend LTL Language School in Tokyo. I studied there for two weeks, from August 24th to September 3rd, with classes from Monday to Friday, every day from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Before starting, I was a little worried that four hours of Japanese every afternoon might be exhausting, but fortunately it was much more manageable than I had expected. The teachers are very attentive to the students’ concentration and know exactly when a break is needed, especially after intensive or difficult grammar sections. This made it possible to stay focused even on days with a lot of new material. The lessons were sometimes very intensive, but always well structured and easy to follow. What I particularly appreciated was that I did not simply rush through new material. I was able to review and strengthen important basics, which turned out to be extremely helpful for me. In the past, I often made the mistake of trying to progress too quickly when learning Japanese. As soon as the material became more difficult, I would eventually lose track and become frustrated. At LTL, I felt for the first time that I really understood how I can approach learning Japanese in a sustainable way: strengthen the basics, review regularly, keep going consistently, and when something becomes difficult, take a step back and work through it again instead of giving up. The teachers were very friendly, patient and attentive. I especially appreciated the personal feedback. For example, one of my teachers complimented my hiragana handwriting and gave me specific advice on how to continue studying and practising at home. During my stay, I could already notice small improvements in everyday life. I became more confident and was able to start forming simple Japanese sentences on my own. Of course, I am still very much a beginner, but the course gave me the feeling that I am finally on the right path. For me, this was much more than just a language course during a holiday. It gave me new motivation to continue studying Japanese consistently after returning home. I am already planning to come back next summer and would be very happy to study at LTL again. Thank you very much to the whole team for the wonderful time, the excellent teaching and the supportive atmosphere. A very clear five-star recommendation.

I studied abroad in Italy for my Spring Semester and going into this, I was incredibly stressed. But WorldStrides made all the difference in my experience. They provided all the resources that I felt I might need for any situation. They took us on some excursions during the semester and they were well planned and super fun! I would go on another study abroad trip with WorldStrides.

I really loved my experience with Worldstrides in Cusco. The program staff was incredibly knowledgable about the topic material, and also very helpful with local things to do and get involved with. I really loved my classes and also the location in Cusco, where there was so much to do, especially as someone who loves hiking, being outside, and traveling. My professors were also really engaging and clearly really interested in the class material and enjoyed teaching us. Overall, I could not have asked for a program which better fit my own interests and created such a positive atmosphere.

I've been studying at That's Mandarin for less than 2 months and I'm amazed at how much I learned so far. I do the intensive program and it is a lot of information per week but it is worth it making the effort to understand it. Every teacher has a different style of teaching which is also good to improve different skills.

I went to Beijing with my classmates from school — all of us Italian, so we were in the same boat. I want to write about my experience because I read other reviews before going and they helped me a lot. So maybe this can help someone else too. I won't lie, the start was hard. The flight was long and the time change really hit me. For the first day or two I was just tired and confused, and I did not feel like doing anything. But after that, things got much better and I started to enjoy everything. I think this is normal when you travel so far. The classes were in the morning. I have to say, I did not expect to like them so much. Our teacher was really funny and she never made us feel stupid for making mistakes. She would explain words by acting them out, so sometimes she was running around the classroom or making faces, and we were all laughing. We played games too, like one where you describe a word and others guess it. My friend tried to describe "panda" by pointing at herself and looking sad. Everyone was laughing so hard that the teacher had to wait for us to stop. Because the mood was so relaxed, I was not afraid to speak, even when my Chinese was wrong. That is a big thing for me, because at school at home I usually stay quiet and never put my hand up. Here I actually wanted to answer. I still mix up the tones and I know I say many things in a strange way, but it did not matter. Nobody was judging. That feeling is hard to explain, but it made me want to learn more. The afternoons were for activities. We went to markets and saw a tea ceremony, which was more interesting than I expected. We also tried calligraphy, and I learned that I hold a brush very badly. The teacher i sthere was patient with me, which I appreciated. We walked a lot, so my legs were always tired, but in a good way. I liked that every day was different and we were never bored. About the food: it was different, but good. Some dishes I loved and some I didn't finish. That's normal, I think. I'm Italian, so I have strong opinions about food, and even I found things I liked. Things I did not love: the metro at rush hour is really crowded, and sometimes it was too loud and too much for me. By the end, being with the same group all the time was a bit much, and I needed some time alone. But I think that happens to everyone on a trip like this. What I will remember most is the small moments. One night a few of us sat outside and talked until late. One morning I walked alone before class and just watched the city wake up. Those are the things I will keep. So, my opinion: I'm happy I went. It was not a perfect holiday, but it was a real experience, and I think that is better. If you are thinking about it, I would say yes. Go.