Winter Art & Fine Arts Study Abroad Programs in Japan

Studying in Barcelona had been a dream! I took classes in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, and Spanish Art and Cultural Heritage at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. My 7 weeks in that paradise were filled with exploration, inspiration, and so much fun. From amazing people to the delicious cuisine, and stunning architecture to the colorful culture, Spain should be at the top of the must-visit countries list. My favorite activity, besides spending my day at the beach, was wandering around the city without a map and being amazed by the beauty hidden in every corner of Barcelona. Thanks to the Spanish Art and Cultural Heritage class, I learned even more about this impressive history and culture. CIS helped me through every step of adapting to studying and living in Barcelona. They planned fun events for us, such as various tours in famous parts of Barcelona, beach picnic and volleyball, wine tasting, tours to towns in Spain, and cooking classes. I stayed at Aparto Pallars, which is conveniently located near the metro station, from which you can take the metro anywhere. I'm so grateful for this experience, and I'm definitely willing to go back to Barcelona or any other program with CIS!

I had the incredible opportunity to study abroad with CIS Abroad in Thailand during the fall of 2024, and I can confidently say that it was an experience of a lifetime. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to broaden their horizons. The on-site staff were exceptional, offering unwavering support throughout the entire journey. Their dedication truly made a difference. The cultural richness of Thailand is something I’ll never forget. Thanks to CIS Abroad, I was able to explore countless temples, enjoy local cuisine, and visit beautiful islands and vibrant cities. One of the program’s standout features is its encouragement for students to travel and immerse themselves in new experiences. The staff not only helped prepare us for academics but also ensured we felt confident navigating the country independently. This experience reshaped my perspective on the world. I had the privilege of meeting people from diverse backgrounds, which allowed me to learn and grow in ways I never expected. I also gained a sense of confidence that I didn’t know I needed, thriving in an unfamiliar environment where communication was often challenging due to language barriers. CIS Abroad goes above and beyond to support its students. From teaching about local culture to offering academic assistance (specific to Thailand), they foster an environment of growth and opportunity. Their consistent communication throughout the semester was invaluable. I wholeheartedly recommend CIS Abroad. It’s more than just an academic program—it’s a transformative experience that will empower you to truly live your best life while exploring the world.

I love studying in South Korea! It was a bit of a culture shock when I arrived as this trip was a lot of firsts for me, like my first plane ride, time in an airport, and trip outside the country! The sunrises are beautiful, and the Cherry Blossom season is one of a kind. As a picky eater, Korea helped me find more foods to try and experiences I liked. If I had to do something different, I would travel more independently and get lost through exploring. The biggest advice I have is to give it a fair shot and do it. There will be moments when you'll get frustrated with not knowing what to expect, but take those in stride and be patient with yourself.

I was hesitant to study abroad for the first time and CIS Abroad exceeded my expectations. CIS Abroad is there to make all steps in your study abroad journey as seamless as possible. The application process is simple and straightforward, and if you have any questions they are always there to help and respond quickly. During the pre-departure meetings, and onsite orientation I knew that I was going to be okay, and this was going to be a journey I would never forget. Arriving in Florence with CIS Abroad, they truly made you feel at home, and the onsite directors were so friendly towards all of us. Without CIS Abroad there to help, my journey would not been of amazing as it was.

Studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan for a month was the most amazing time of my life. I was quite anxious to go to Japan especially since it was going to be my first time leaving the US and flying by myself, however, I received incredible and immense support from the on-site program directors. Being immersed in Japanese culture through program activities like kimono wearing, calligraphy, tea ceremony, and just interacting with locals overall was wonderful. I was able to make friendships with some Japanese students which was so nice because they showed me beautiful places and foods to try. Not only did I make become friends with Japanese students, I also became close with the other study abroad students so I often went out to explore and have tons of fun with them everyday. Waking up everyday in Japan brought so much excitement because there is so much to see and do so I NEVER felt bored. As for Seisen University, the campus I attended in Tokyo, was beautiful and quiet. It was only a short train ride and walk away from my accommodation, so maybe a 20 minute commute. However, it is on a hill so it was quite a workout to walk to campus from the train station especially with the really hot and humid weather during the summer months. Then, the teachers were great! They were really interactive, entertaining, and passionate about what they were teaching. Since it was a summer program that only lasted a month, the courses were very fast paced especially the Japanese language courses. Also, the Japanese students were super friendly and kind and I always enjoyed talking to them and eating lunch with them. It was truly fascinating learning from them and I learning from them about our lives. Overall, I definitely recommend studying abroad with Cis abroad and choosing one of their Japan programs. It was a decision that I was highly doubting before I went but after experiencing it, I have no regrets at all and am very grateful for it. It is an opportunity that I wish everyone to experience.

The School for International Studies through CIS abroad was the most perfect program for me. The program is three months long which is a little shorter than most programs however it is great for someone who is on trimesters, is nervous about getting homesick, or like myself- wants to travel for a while before their summer job starts. The academic coursework was challenging in a way that was incredibly rewarding. The professors don't give you hours of studying and homework to do because they understand that you are there to travel just as much as you are to take classes. I took several classes on the history of Spain and Barcelona and I learned more than I have from any professor or school because after learning about things like Gaudi's style of architecture we went out into the city and got a first hand experience by seeing things like casa batllo. My professors were so engaging, entertaining, and helpful, I still keep in contact with many of them today. They helped me to learn the rich and diverse history and context of the city I was living in. The CIS staff on sight at SIS was incredibly helpful in getting students involved in the Catalan culture and making us feel comfortable. It can be frustrating trying to get a hold of them before you go abroad for questions but as soon as you step foot in Barcelona the staff is ready to help out any time of the day. Whether it is a safety concern, you are sick and don't know where to go, or you are struggling in your classes the staff at CIS can help put you on the right track. The trips and activities (which are included in the cost of your tuition) are absolutely amazing and everything is paid for. My semester we went on two overnight trips, Sevilla and Zaragoza, where the food, accommodations, and planned activities were all paid for. We also went to the Dali museum, took a cooking class, and went out to dinner with our CIS mentor- all completely paid for by the initial cost of your program. This was absolutely amazing, especially for someone who wanted to experience Spain on a tight budget. As far as housing, I stayed in a shared room/ shared apartment with American students from other programs. This gave me the opportunity to get to know people outside of just the school I was studying at. The apartment I stayed in was in an amazing location and we had everything we needed (washing machine, dishes, bedding, towels). Our apartment was very close to a metro stop however most days I walked about 15 minutes to class to get to know my way around the city better. The CIS on site coordinators were available 24/7 through a cell phone in case of any emergency. I never felt unsafe in my apartment or walking around the city. I also purchased the international health insurance both through my home university and through CIS. I never thought I would need it but when I got sick while traveling outside of Spain, I was happy that I had insurance. The appointments, tests, and medication I received were completely free of charge and I visited a private travelers clinic where they spoke english and I had absolutely no wait time. Overall I think the CIS School for International Studies program in Barcelona is amazing for anyone who wants to travel a ton and get the most out of what you pay for. The only suggestion I would make is that about 2-3 times throughout the semester we had class on Friday. I had wished that our overnight trips were on the weeks where we had class on Friday because it was kind of difficult to travel out of the country on those weekends with Friday class. I ended up staying in Barcelona those weekends though which was a great decision so that I could take some time to get to know the city I was staying in and experience the weekend night life in Barna.

Costa Rica was truly the experience of a lifetime for me. As someone who is an environmental science major, this country spoke so near and dear to my heart as they are very environmentally oriented overall and really are striving to keep their forests thriving. I had the sweetest host mom, an absolutely amazing site director, great university staff and I made some of the greatest friends on my trip, not to mention the vast number of breathtaking places I got to visit during my summer in Costa Rica. I have gained such an appreciation for the Spanish language and can speak more now than I ever could before! And I truly fell in love with the Costa Rican culture - Pura Vida!

During my four months in Cusco, Peru, I was able to gain experiences and memories I never thought possible. I studied abroad with CISabroad as my program, and the support I received was amazing. Every question I had before leaving for my trip was thoroughly answered, and I felt more than prepared. While in Peru, I loved being able to take courses that were drastically different from those that are traditionally offered here in the U.S., such as Healing and Shamanism. I was able to travel all over the country and experience different ecosystems including the desert in Huacachina, the Amazon rain forest in Puerto Maldonado, the coast in Paracas, the cloud forest at Machu Picchu, and various Incan ruins throughout the country. We also hiked (all the way up to 14,000 feet!), went horseback riding, and volunteered at schools, an animal shelter and an orphanage. I think the best part about studying abroad is learning to love the culture shock and being in new situations you may never have thought you’d be in but are so glad you had the privilege to experience. Overall, studying abroad was one of the best experiences of my life.

Overall my experience with this program was excellent. My transition was very smooth and i was always comfortable and safe even when I kept questioning my decision of studying abroad on my last fall semester of college. As I am back on home university I don't regret my decision at all. This program gave experiences that you would never gain anywhere else by giving you the opportunity to engage with the community and also apply what you learned in the classroom to the outside world. It was difficult because we didn't get enough interaction with other Peruvian university student besides those that we had in our tandem session which were for students who were trying to practice there English or Spanish. Maybe it was just my group but we were pretty small with only 10 people which was nice but we lacked the ability to be more diverse in the international and national student. But if you are looking for a program that isnt too overwhelming and that gives you opportunities to interact with outside communities but also still have the ability to learn in spaces with other who are also international student this is a great program for that. I would also want to mention that besides the academics with the program you are able to go on excursions for free or for a reduced price, in my time in Cusco i got a trip to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu included in my program.

I spent Fall of 2019 studying at RMIT University in Vietnam. This was an amazing experience for my first time in an Asian country. Vietnam is a place full of culture and history. Being with the locals, going hiking, meeting interns from other countries, and meeting my closest friends is something I will never forget! The cultural experience that I had was unbeatable. School wise, my course at RMIT were not that challenging for me and structured differently than in the States. I recommend taking more classes than suggested if you want a harder course load, or use your free time to really explore Saigon, its food, and interact with the locals just as I did.

Studying abroad completely opened my mind to so many different ideas, cultures, values, ways of speaking, and ways of life as a whole. In choosing to study abroad in Australia, I initially did not expect it to be entirely different from the United States. However, I was shocked to quickly learn that this was a whole new world from what I was used to! For one thing, "uni" (as Australians call college/university) is very self-paced and independent. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that lectures were recorded and posted online, so if you missed one (or if you learn better by watching the video, as I do), you can still be caught up. I thought that this was really cool- my school at home does not do this, and I feel like it caters to multiple styles of learning. In this way, I experienced a new method of learning at school, which was really exciting. I also became familiar with the Aussie lingo. Initially, I did not think that there would be any language barrier- Australians do speak English, after all! Again, I was surprised. It took me a few weeks to really get familiar with the way that Australians speak, as they tend to speak quickly and use a lot of slang that I had never heard of. This was SO cool, because I felt as though I was almost picking up another language. Now that I'm home, I don't stop using the expressions that I've learned (probably to the annoyance of my family and friends who wish that they, too, could have experienced it firsthand;)). The most important part of studying abroad to me, though, was meeting so many amazing people from all over the world. JCU hosts many international students, so I not only met people from Australia, but I also met people from Germany, Italy, India, Mexico, and Austria- just to name a few. Meeting people from all over the world gave me so much insight that I never could have gained had I chosen to not study abroad. I have definitely found that I have been heavily influenced by the ideas of my international peers. To me, this is a really good thing- I have become a very open-minded person, and I find it easier to relate with other people who are different from me. In this way, I have seen studying abroad as a huge growing experience for me, as I have definitely become a more well-rounded person from it. I highly suggest that you study abroad, because it will truly open your eyes to how big the world truly is, and it will help you to achieve personal growth in ways that you did not even know were possible. Studying abroad is absolutely the best thing that you can do during your college years, so take advantage of the opportunity!

I was lucky enough to study abroad on the Gold Coast last fall. Choosing to go abroad with CISabroad was one of the best decisions that I made! The site director Jackie Chapman was incredible! She made us feel at home during orientation and continuously checked in on us throughout the semester! She introduced me to some of best friends who I still keep in touch with today! The program set up trips to Byron Bay, to markets around the Gold Coast and paid for coffee meet ups with other students so we could get to know each other! I did a ton of traveling and the CIS staff was super helpful with recommendations and making sure we stayed in groups! I would recommend this program to anyone considering studying on the Gold Coast!

To anyone considering a study abroad experience, it is one of the greatest college opportunities that can be right in front of you. Going abroad with CIS not only gave me many opportunities that I never knew I had right in front of me but they also provide many opportunities for scholarships to help pay for the program expenses, a new passport and travel expenses. Going from a small town in high school to the University of South Carolina was a big step for me, taking on the opportunity to travel to Greece never having been out of the US before has made my college experience that much greater. The CIS Abroad - Summer in Greece Session II was a three week long study abroad which took place during July of my Junior year summer. Spending time in a place where you have no idea any of your surroundings and getting to know 10-15 new people where everyone is just as long became some of the best bonding time of my college career. I was given the opportunity to room with 5 other people in a town filled with all Greeks to where we were immersed straight into the culture. CIS didn't house us in an apartment in a touristy area. Being straight in the middle of Athens CIS still put us in a local community surrounded by grocery stores, pharmacies, homestyle restaurants, chained Greek restaurants and many other available options right there at our finger tips. CIS also provided us with opportunities to do things as a group included in our program fees to make us feel at home to be guided around by a local working for CIS. I have already considered trying to find a way to do another study abroad program through CIS during my senior year!

CIS Abroad responded to this reviewOctober 25, 2019

Thanks for your review, Edward! We’re thrilled you had such a wonderful experience with CIS Abroad! We’re so happy that we could help find ways to fund your program. It’s also great to hear that you enjoyed the activities and our on-site staff helped make you feel right at home in Athens. We’d love to help you go abroad again, whether it be back to Greece or on to a new adventure! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, and we’re so glad you had an amazing time!

There truly aren't words to describe the happiness I experienced while abroad in Cusco this past summer. I learned so much about who I am while being on a different continent than my family. I learned that I wasn't actually away from family, but right at home with my homestay family. Tania and Sandro took me in and made me feel like one of their own, and almost 4 months after coming back to the states I think I talk about them every single day. The culture exudes from every street corner in Cusco. Hundreds of years of cultures comes off the pages of a textbook we read in the United States and becomes real life while you walk through La Plaza de Armas or down Avenida La Cultura. From Mercado San Pedro to Sacsayhuaman, I could not imagine my experience anywhere else. CISabroad allowed me to foster independence while still providing every support needed to ensure my safety.

I spent this last semester in Dublin with the CISabroad program and I loved every minute of it. The CIS staff was amazing through the process and so ready to answer any and all of my questions. And our on-site program director was absolutely amazing! He was always there to check in on us and if we had any questions he was one phone call away at all times. He also knew so much about Dublin, and Ireland in general. He was like our Irish dad, always watching out for us. The university that I attended was also really nice, they had a large number of international students and a lot of events and clubs tailored towards all of us. I got to meet people from so many other countries through their events. The university also had a variety of classes available for me to take, and it was cool because I was in classes with other Irish students. For a couple classes, I was the only international student there. So I was really able to learn from those Irish students, and see what their courses are like, how their schedules work, and how their programs are set up. The best part of my time in Ireland was definitely the friendships I made with my other CISabroad program-mates. There weren't many of us, but we all became so close. I still talk to many of them everyday and I miss them all so much. I would highly recommend this program, or any CISabroad program, to anyone wanting to study abroad. You will be well prepared to go, well taken care of while there, and you will be with some of the greatest people you will ever meet!

CIS Abroad responded to this reviewOctober 28, 2019

Thanks for sharing your experience, Hailey! We’re so happy to hear that you found a program you loved and had such a good experience with the CIS Abroad staff. It’s great to know that we could help you feel fully prepared to go abroad, and that you felt supported both at home and overseas. So glad that you had an amazing semester in Dublin and you’re still connected with the friends you made while you were abroad. We appreciate your recommendation!

My time in London and Barcelona was phenomenal. The experience of studying abroad gives a surreal feeling of personal growth right before your eyes. Being in metropolitan cities, I was exposed to the home culture, but also culture from immigrants and refugees all over the world. It is the opportunities like this that will better my character and allow me to make a difference in the future. I encourage students everywhere to follow their interests and study abroad.

CIS Abroad responded to this reviewOctober 25, 2019

Hi Kayleigh! We’re so glad you gained so much from your experience abroad. We’re happy to hear you had an amazing time and had the opportunity to experience so many different cultures. Thank you so much for your review!

Barcelona is an amazing city in itself, but exploring it through the immersive classes alongside the CIS staff made it twice as good. We did so many cool activities, went on awesome excursions, and got a real inside view on what life is like in Barcelona through all the program events that were included, almost all at no extra cost. Everyone from CIS was so nice and personable, I think we all felt like we had become friends by the end of the three months. I never felt like my money was being spent on unnecessary things and was surprised over and over by how much was included in our program. Some of the coolest things that we did, like staying with host families in Morocco or exploring hidden tunnels in Barcelona, really wouldn’t have been possible to do without the help of CIS. Also, the classes were the perfect level of difficulty to take while studying abroad - they were interesting, but there was plenty of time left to travel and explore the city. Although it would have been cool to take classes with more local students, having the curriculum geared toward study abroad students was a lot less stressful and let the classes be a lot more relevant to what we were interested in - I always looked forward to going to class and really loved my teachers. The only thing I really wish I had done differently was figure out a way to stay longer.

I had the most amazing experience abroad in AIx-en-Provence, France! From the moment I received my acceptance into the program until the end of my program, the CISabroad and IAU staff were friendly and helpful with answering any questions I had! The city of Aix-en-Provence itself is stunningly beautiful, and the people are friendly and eager to help you learn. In fact, my favorite part of my experience was my homestay because my host mom treated me as if I was one of her own. Often, I would sit in the kitchen and chat with her as she cooked dinner so that I could practice my French! I also loved all of my professors at the IAU, which made it hard to leave. I will never forget this experience and how it helped me grow into a more independent and confident person. I highly recommend this program without any hesitations.

I cannot say enough amazing things about CISabroad. Headed to Rome, I was initially nervous. However, I have never had my initial emotions changed so fast. CISabroad had immersed us in the culture, educated us on the food, people, politics, you name it. Within the first week, Rome felt like home to me, and what a blessing it was. I gained the confidence to speak the language, meet the people, and I even ended up playing for a football club during my stay! By no means am I exaggerating when I tell people it was one of the most unreal experiences.

My time in Spain was eye opening. Living amidst such culture and history was something I wish I could do forever. My program taught me a lot and gave me hands on experience with confronting new situations with urban design.