Chemistry Study Abroad Programs in Berlin, Germany

My time with IES Abroad felt very well-organized and well-planned. There were no hidden aspects or questions that couldn't be answered with a quick call. My time in Berlin was rewarding and something I will cherish forever. I was able to participate in student life as the event planner and marketing executive of the IES Berlin Student Council, and I enjoyed participating in field trips to Sachsenhausen and Munich, where we got guided tours about the history and significance of the locations and sights we visited. As I'm not a city person, immersing myself in Berlin was tough at first. However, the staff at IES Abroad Berlin helped me adjust to these new emotions and the feeling of being out of place. I began solo-traveling to different countries and cities, exploring in ways I knew I would enjoy, and I am so grateful that Berlin was able to give me this new sense of independence. I never would have gained this independence by staying in my hometown. Living in a new country challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, adapt quickly, and rely on myself in ways I hadn’t before. I learned a lot about who I am while in Berlin, which is why it was one of the most rewarding and transformative parts of my college years. While studying abroad in Berlin, I was one of the presidency, marketing, and student affairs interns for an international university, where I primarily focused on online presence, social media operations, organization, and analysis. This hands-on experience will help me gain an international position at a bilingual company after graduation. There are a lot of things that you can learn through a textbook or lecture hall, but nothing compares to first-hand experience. I have been learning German my whole life, but speaking it in a casual, daily conversation wasn't something I was used to before going abroad. Through studying abroad, I was able to immerse myself in Germany’s culture, hobbies, and customs, and that is something I wouldn't have learned in a classroom setting. I wish I had made more friends while I was abroad, because that is what I saw everyone else gain from their experiences, but what I gained was more personal. I gained freedom, independence, responsibility, and organization. These are skills I will be able to highlight and use in my personal life and future career, and I have IES Abroad to thank.

I had a lovely time here, although it was not without flaws. The amenities were not great especially considering how much we paid to be here. The company guilt tripped and body shamed us. But I made innumerable new friends and had experiences that I will cherish forever.

Very nice experience, learned a lot. People I’ve met here are now friends I will still be in contact with. The internship was where I learned new skills and networked with people within the fashion industry and got inspired by being here abroad

Tremendous staff. Environment is like none other and they accommodate well. For Seville, the city has been tremendous and CIEE gives you a proper introduction to this magnificent city. Whether an intern or a student during one of the sessions, you can get along with everyone and overcome the anxieties of a new city

I would be very likely to recommend CIEE Study Abroad to a friend because this program gives you many opportunities to explore the city you are in as well as the surrounding areas. All of the employees are very kind people who will be their to uplift and support the students who are abroad.

I have had a great experience, it is organized and comes at a good cost. The staff on-site is very supportive and helpful (as well as Brooke in Portland), but we had an emergency situation and the Portland higher-ups didn't handle it well, nor did anyone answer the emergency number provided to us.

I feel that CIEE tries to have activities for us and I really do feel that I am learning a lot here. Also everyone here seems really nice and I feel that though we are different a lot of the students seem to have the same mindset and its a good chance to network.

CIEE is very well-staffed and they do everything they can to make sure you have the best experience possible. Everyone is friendly, the rules and guidelines are laid out for you, and the excursions CIEE plans are a blast!!

This has been the best summer of my life. Everything about CIEE has blown me away. Virginia Niera has been an extremely attentive and helpful program director. She and Antonio Romero were both quick to offer help with any issues I might have. The professors, Amador Fernandez and Antonio Rodriguez, taught with enthusiasm and care. Each class genuinely excited and intrigued me. They graded fairly and truly cared about students understanding and learning. We took informative, fun, and interesting trips. They were all well-planned and extremely enjoyable. The tour guides we had, Adrian and Alicia, were knowledgable and made the tours very meaningful. The trip to Morocco really opened my eyes to other cultures and ways of life. Finally, my homestay could not have been better. I really got close to my host family, and I felt like I had a place in Seville where I could be totally comfortable. I have already recommended this program to two of my friends, and I plan to encourage more to do it if they w

My first experience abroad and I love it here. I feel that CIEE tries to have activities for us and I really do feel that I am learning a lot here. Also everyone here seems really nice and I feel that though we are different a lot of the students seem to have the same mindset and its a good chance to network.

Study abroad is something that everyone needs to be apart o at least once in their lifetime, and CIEE was a great way to do it. I think I would recommend this because we’re given a place to reside in a foreign country with people who have no problem helping you at the drop of a pen. The CIEE community becomes your family and makes you feel like you’re at home and always offer things to do for free or at least help to make your study abroad experience as great as it can. It’s also nice that you can choose from different programs and either be a student for half and an intern for the other half, be an open campus student and stay for an entire semester, or every 6 weeks choose a new home. It’s an amazing experience for a reasonable price but an opportunity and of a lifetime.

My year abroad in Berlin has been one of the best experiences of my life. Studying abroad provided me with a chance to truly experience the German culture and language firsthand while also getting to learn a different side of myself. This experience has shaped me into a person who is willing to be adventurous, chase understanding, and explore new sides of myself and my surroundings. But not only have I gotten to know myself, but I have become a part of the language and culture around me. Being able to take classes both through IES and Humboldt University, I have been able to learn about the German educational culture while furthering my German language skills immensely. But while these aspects of my education have given me a greater understanding and appreciation of studying in Germany, they almost do not compare to the amount I have learned outside of the classroom. Living in Berlin has taught me more about Germany - in the past and the future - than I could have ever hoped to learn from afar. I have been able to live and be part of the history of Germany. My home-stay taught me about the German culture and past from the point of view of someone who lives it everyday. It is truly amazing to be able to discuss things like the Berlin Wall with someone who lived in Berlin from the time of the Wall's creation until the time of its destruction. Things like that can only happen on a study abroad like this, and this is just one small example of the amazing things I have been able to experience through this study abroad experience. No matter what I do in the future, I know that this experience has helped shaped me into an independent, open, and ever-learning individual. I could not be more satisfied with my IES Abroad Berlin experience, and I highly recommend the opportunity to anyone and everyone.

After four months in Berlin with IES, I can confidently say that I have found a new home in Berlin! Not only was the city itself a lively place to live as a student with countless concerts, exhibitions, parties, and other events going on every week, but my homestay was cozy and comfortable and my host family super kind, generous, and excited to chat and help me improve my German. From an academic standpoint IES also exceeded expectations. I took only classes with IES (I wish I could have taken classes at Humboldt or Freie Universitat, but due to the German university schedule (fall/winter semester classes end in February) I could not), which worked well for me, as I prefer small seminar-style classes and being able to speak with and get to know my professors. The course load was manageable, and all of my professors were so friendly, funny, and smart. I actually wanted to go to class and learn from them. Above all, they were sympathetic to the fact that all of us were German students, not native speakers, and it was clear that they cared about our success. The student assistants at IES, all students at Humboldt, were available for tutoring sessions to help proofread assignments or simply to provide general advice and recommendations in Berlin. They were a great resource! All of my classes also put an emphasis on using Berlin as a classroom, which meant lots of "field trips" and excursions to relevant museums and monuments, libraries and archives, or to theater performances. That was definitely a huge plus to being in Berlin, and one of the academic highlights for me. In the case of any concerns or problems, the staff at IES was always available and willing to help, super approachable and friendly. My only complaints would be an occasional lack of organization and communication, especially at the beginning of and prior to the program about scheduling. On the whole, however, I would definitely recommend IES Berlin for anyone looking to improve their German and interested in really learning and getting to know this beautiful city. I will definitely be back!

Everyone needs to go abroad. It is awesome experiencing so many cultures. Professors while abroad are very helpful and care about their students. I really enjoyed getting to know my professors and learning not only class content but also from their real life experiences. Traveling on the weekends was obviously my favorite part of this experience. I was able to visit a bunch of different countries. Wish I could stay longer.

By getting outside of my comfort zone as much as possible, I was able to experience parts of the world while figuring out new things about myself! Staying in a home stay is completely worth it because you get to practice your Spanish and meet incredibly interesting locals!

Living in Spain was such a great experience! From the food to culture and things to do, Spain has it all. I´m definitely going to miss my time here and all the great people I met. Studying abroad helped me grow so much as a person, and I won´t ever forget this experience.

This experience allowed me to reflect on the type of person I am, what I like and what I do not like, and really step out of my comfort zone. Studying abroad has allowed me to develop critical values that are important for everyday life. I have always believed that one of the best ways to erase ignorance is by traveling and my experience here has proved that.

Let me start by saying: I became convinced over the course of my semester in Berlin that it's basically the best place in the world. It's a capital city, but without many of the things that ruin a capital city and make it boring and unlivable. It's cheap, young, political, and there's an incredible amount happening. There's great music, bars, parks, even multiple lakes for swimming not too far away (some with sand beaches). But in addition, the city also has so much history, including incredible museums, monuments, and memorials. I've travelled a fair amount in my life, and lived in the UK and the US, and I found Berlin truly unique. All of this is not to say that Berlin is without problems, but you'll learn about those in your courses and become more attuned over time. None of it persuaded me to revise my opinion. The IES Programme itself was also great. The people that work there were always available and helpful, whether with course questions or health insurance queries. I took half of my courses within the programme. I would especially recommend Multicultural Berlin with Sabine Berking-- I learned a lot about Berlin and Germany, and we took some awesome field trips to places around the city. My German improved unbelievably quickly just from being there and being immersed, and I'm so glad I had this opportunity. I would say that I did not feel hugely academically stretched by my IES courses, but they catered well to a wide range of German abilities, and if you are feeling more confident, there is an opportunity to take classes with ~real~ German students at Humboldt. This is something I would absolutely recommend. Though it was a little effort to make it work, it was definitely worth it to meet people outside the programme and feel like a real Berlin student. For this reason, if you are only going for one semester and it is an option for you, I would definitely recommend going in the spring, as the Humboldt semester doesn't line up particularly well with our semesters, and in the spring the extra couple months run into summer rather than your spring semester back in the US (I was in Berlin until the end of July). Plus it means that the weather only gets nicer and nicer while you are there! Most of my friends in the programme lived in home-stays in the city. I personally had an amazing experience and grew close with my host mum. Others had more difficulties, which is tough for IES to solve, though they will talk things through with you. A couple other of my friends organised living arrangements outside of IES, and so lived alone or with other students, which is an option to consider if you're feeling very motivated.

I had a great time with AIFS. I was able to travel all over Europe and meet many new friends. I would not really change anything other than I wish it could be longer. I liked how easy it was to get in contact with the AIFS office to solve any problems I might have had. Classes here were not as hard as back home but I found myself learning more and enjoying the work I was doing.

This semester truly changed my life in a positive way. It changed the way I look at the world, other people and cultures, daily life, and even myself. I would highly recommend to everyone thinking about it!