Liberal Arts Study Abroad Programs

The title of this review is the title of my integrative project. It summarizes my time in Namibia related to purpose driven learning. I’m grateful for meeting Namibians and making connections with them and for the connections in South Africa also. Living in the house with a bunch of entitled, racist, selfish white youth was a distraction, and I hope that the program will truly examine what “decolonizing” means. It’s currently hyper focused on the comfort of white youth. However, for those who really care about humanity, there is a world of opportunities for engaging with and supporting people who are fighting for justice and equality.

Coming to the American University of Beirut from the Kurdistan Region was a big step for me. Like anyone moving to another country, I had so many questions. What would studying in Lebanon be like? Would I find my people? Would I feel at home? Looking back, I can say that my experience at AUB turned out to be much more than I expected. Studying Nutrition and Dietetics taught me a lot, not only about my field but also about how to think, question things and look at problems from different perspectives. There were opportunities to get involved in research, explore subjects beyond my degree and connect what we learned in class to things happening in the real world. One of the things I appreciated most was being surrounded by people with different backgrounds and experiences. I learned just as much from the people I met as I did from my courses. But honestly, some of my favorite memories have very little to do with academics. Moving to Lebanon meant figuring out how to live independently, adjusting to a different culture and building a life away from my family. AUB brought together people from so many different places, and somewhere along the way, a place that was once completely unfamiliar started to feel like home. The friendships, long conversations, spontaneous plans and even the ordinary days on campus are things I still look back on fondly. AUB also gave me opportunities I probably wouldn't have imagined before coming to Lebanon. Through the MEPI Tomorrow's Leaders Program, I was able to explore new interests, meet people from different backgrounds and take part in experiences that pushed me beyond what I thought I could do. These opportunities helped me grow in ways that went beyond my education. Of course, living abroad wasn't always easy. There were days when I missed home, days when things felt overwhelming, and moments when I had to figure things out on my own. But I think those experiences were just as important as the good ones. If I could tell future international students one thing, it would be to come with an open mind and not be afraid of what you don't know yet. Give yourself time to adjust, say yes to opportunities, meet people outside your usual circles and enjoy the little things along the way. You might arrive with a certain plan, but leave with experiences and friendships you never expected. For me, AUB was never just about getting a degree. It was about finding my independence, discovering new possibilities, and growing into a person I hadn't quite imagined when I first arrived. And for that, I'll always be grateful.

Wow...I cannot believe that just a few months ago, I was walking my route to la Universidad de Sevilla like it was just another day. I knew I wanted to go abroad from the day I started my college experience, but I was so nervous and homesick when I landed in Sevilla that I feared I had made a terrible mistake. I could not have been more wrong! Right from the start, the WorldStrides staff (especially Quique!) took us all under their wing and showed us the rich, welcoming culture of Sevilla. Our orientation was less about classes and more about immersing ourselves in the city, from touring the Catedral and Real Alcázar to trying our first tapas (espinacas con garbanzos, anyone?). My host mother was encouraging and helped me to practice my Spanish each day, and all of my professors were engaging and invested in student success. Most importantly, I met one of my best friends abroad in the WorldStrides program! We spent so much money at the Jester cafés there... By the end of my time abroad, I had connected with Sevilla in ways I could not have anticipated, and I grew in my confidence and open-mindedness. I spent my weekends navigating airports and metros in new cities I visited, tried plenty of foods I would not have spared a glance to back home (my host mom made great boquerones...), painted watercolor scenes around Sevilla in one of my classes, and learned to understand and walk alongside my neighbors across the world. I will never have an experience quite like this again - and what a bittersweet feeling that is. Thank you, WorldStrides, for gifting me with the opportunity of a lifetime! And to anyone reading this, if you are looking for a sign to pick Sevilla, this is it!!

Studying abroad in Argentina was the best thing I have ever done. I met some of my best friends while abroad and I was able to travel to places that were bucket list locations. I lived in a house with 4 other girls and I got along with every single one of them. There was something so special about being so close with the people you live with and just enjoying their company. I traveled with my roommates and got to know them on a deeper level. The program was so helpful when getting us to our homestay and helping us locate the school and find our way back. They were super helpful at all times and always on call if we needed absolutely anything at all. With the culture, we were able to learn not just Argentinian culture but culture from around the world due to the amount of people who came from all over. I was also able to travel to Rio de Janeiro with some of my favorite people and it was the best trip I had ever been on in my life. Overall, Argentina was the best experience I have ever had in my life and I absolutely recommend studying abroad to anyone who is considering it.

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.

Coming home a new person! The program was awesome from start to finish, I never felt homesick, and the art course was a highlight. Only the Paris hotel let it down. I’d recommend it to anyone and already tell friends to apply.

This program was amazing. My advisor in Australia was fantastic and really made the trip better- Eugenia!! The day trips offered easy and low stress ways to explore Australia with food and transport all provided. IFSA staff were very open to feedback as well, I always felt heard. The housing was perfect for what it was to me and was in a great location near campus. Overall, I have no complaints.

I studied abroad last semester in January in Barcelona, Spain with WolrldStrides. Great cultural immersion opportunities and overall support. Everything went smoothly with coordination at the airport and all other supplemental excursions. Would recommend WorldStrides to anyone, regardless of the program.

I arrived in Lebanon as a high school graduate who had never traveled abroad alone, who did not speak Arabic, and who was full of nerves about what lay ahead. I expected to feel lost and overwhelmed, but the truth was exactly the opposite. The moment I stepped into campus, I fell in love, i wandered around campus for a week straight discovering new parts of it. People with warmth that I never really saw elsewhere, from first day on AUB became my home. Friends, teachers, and even strangers on campus made room for me as if I had always belonged, and the campus quickly stopped feeling like a place I was visiting and started feeling like a place I was meant to be. I found myself at AUB; I became a living part of this campus, and it became a living part of me. There were challenges along the way, as there always are, but each one made me stronger, braver, more patient, and more open to the world, and together they shaped me into the best version of myself. Had it was not for AUB, I could never imagine myself pushing through this journey... During my studies the country fell into war not once but twice, yet AUB was running, it was my first time witnessing the state of war, there were days where I wanted to leave, yet my professors and peers pushing through to ensure our academics don't fall behind made me stay. "Impressed" was an understatement, Amidst chaos AUB was here giving us glimpse of a bright future. It was this assurance which taught me not to give up. For what i must say this indeed has been the most rewarding and eye-opening chapter of my life, and it is the reason I call AUB my second home. Studying here was never just about earning a degree; it is about the experience of being a part of AUB, a community that welcomes you, believes in you, and changes you for the better. If you are standing where I once stood, nervous and unsure, I assure you to take the leap, because it will give you a home, a community, and a version of yourself you are proud of. I will admire this university, it will always be a second home I'd go back to.

I spent my semester abroad in Florence, and it was a great experience. The city is beautiful and easy to get around, and after a few weeks it started to feel like home. I had my go-to coffee spots, I knew my way around, and I spent a lot of time just walking around the city. Even the everyday stuff, like grabbing groceries at the market or getting dinner with friends, felt like part of the experience. My classes were fun and a nice change from a typical semester. One of my favorites was an outdoor painting class where we went to different spots around Florence and painted the landscape. Spending a few hours painting one spot made me notice so much more about Florence than I would have just passing through. Traveling was a big part of my time abroad. I ended up visiting 10 countries, mostly on weekend trips. Florence was a good home base for that, and every trip was different. I got to try new food, meet new people, and see a lot of places I’d always wanted to visit. Some of my favorites were Morocco, Chamonix, Lisbon, and Madrid. Each one had a completely different feel, from the markets in Morocco to the mountains in Chamonix to exploring the city streets in Lisbon and Madrid. Planning the trips and figuring things out along the way taught me a lot too. Overall, I came home more independent, more comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone, and with a lot of good memories. I’d recommend studying abroad in Florence to anyone thinking about it.

When I first applied to Sevilla I was skeptical. Coming from a big school the normal was to study abroad in larger cities such as Barcelona, Florence, and London. What scared me the most was applying somewhere I would know practically no one, which turned out to be the best part. I quickly found my group within a few days thanks to Worldstrides cultural immersion experiences such as visiting the cathedral or going to a flamenco show. I became best friends with the girls in my program I was lucky enough to live with in the center of Sevilla, housing that you can only dream of. I spent my weekends feeling the true experience of being a sevillan, getting tapas with friends, volunteering to teach english at a local elementary school, and dressing up in our trajes for the feria de sevilla. to anyone hesitating picking a smaller city, i would absolutely recommend Sevilla 100 times over, the sense of community and support you get from not only the Worldstrides administration but the university is unmatched.

My summer in Greece through the CYA (College Year in Athens) program was an unforgettable experience that combined cultural exploration with hands-on environmental research. Through CYA, I was able to learn both in the classroom and outside learning about how plastic affects the mediterranean Sea. I had the opportunity to visit a wastewater treatment facility and landfill to better understand waste management and the ways human waste affects the marine environment. Then partnered with the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation and the Aegean Marine Life Sanctuary, where I learned how plastic pollution impacts marine wildlife and ecosystems. Participated in water sampling, marine wildlife monitoring, microplastic research, and underwater soundscape observations using hydrophones. Outside of research, I explored the islands of Samos and Lipsi, experienced Greek culture, and met people from different backgrounds. The experience allowed me to connect what I have learned in the classroom to real-world environmental challenges and strengthened my passion for marine conservation and environmental policy.

College Year in Athens responded to this reviewNovember 07, 2026

Hi Zahra, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love to hear that you found your time both inside and outside the classroom to be impactful. We hope you can visit us again soon!

My experience on the Gold Coast truly changed my life and led me to the best months of my life and the best people. I loved getting to meet people from all walks of life but finding things we had in common, for example our love of the beautiful beaches we had access to on the Gold Coast. Bond University was truly an amazing school with super interesting classes and the coolest professors. I loved how many activities the school itself put on for its students and found that a great way to meet locals, and other students studying abroad from other programs. From Cairns, to Stradbroke Island, to our home base on the Gold Coast, WorldStrides provided so many opportunities for us to get to know each other and the culture of our host country. I truly don't think I could ask for a better few months or a better program. I am so grateful for this program and the opportunity to be a student blogger for the company to allow myself to share some of my favorite memories and moments from Australia.

When people tell you that studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it can be hard to understand just how true that is until you experience it for yourself. Studying abroad genuinely changed who I am as a person, and looking back, I can say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. My mom was born in Spain, and growing up, I always dreamed of experiencing even a small part of what her life was like there. Hearing all of her stories made me even more excited about the opportunity. Living in Spain allowed me to experience everything I had imagined and so much more. From the incredible food and rich culture to the late-night social life, historic sites, and overall lifestyle, I fell in love with everything about it. I was able to immerse myself in the culture both inside and outside the classroom, even taking a class entirely in Spanish. One of the most rewarding parts was the friendships I made, not only with local students in Seville, who I now have a reason to visit, but with people from Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and all across the United States. I came away with friendships that I know will last a lifetime. Seville's location also gave me the opportunity to travel and experience so much more of the world. I visited six countries during my time abroad, including Italy, England, and Morocco, just to name a few. Each destination offered a new culture, perspective, and experience that made my time abroad even more special. More than anything, studying abroad made me feel even more connected to a country that has always been such a meaningful part of my family's heritage. Being able to experience the culture my mom grew up in while creating my own memories and connections there is something I will forever be grateful for. If you are considering studying abroad, DO IT! It is completely normal to be nervous, but the people you meet, places you see, and person you become along the way make it all worth it. You truly will never get another opportunity quite like this one, and it is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Being stationed in Italy, I had the chance to go on a solo trip to Lublin, Poland, where my great great grandfather had immigrated from in 1909. It was a great chance to connect with my Polish heritage first hand in a town that very few study abroad students get to visit.

Studying abroad in Madrid changed my life forever- while this statement seems to leave every study abroad student's mouth, it really is the truth. I explored many different countries during my stay in Spain which opened my eyes to what the world has to offer other than the United States, but surely the most impactful part of my abroad experience was making Madrid my temporary home. I never thought a city could feel like home when I don't speak the native language, but Madrid is a place that speaks to you without words. The city itself is a beautiful place- well kept, rich in its culture, sights, and amazing eats but the city itself is alive. It is the most full of life place I have traveled to- everywhere you go everyone is present with the people around them, playing games, talking, laughing, sharing meals, dancing, singing, all of the above. It's a place that I will hold in my heart forever, a place that I wouldn't have been able to experience without a program like WorldStrides that made everything seamless. They made it comfortable to move to a foreign country and made our program feel like a family. Thank you WorldStrides and thank you Madrid for changing my life!

I studied abroad in Barcelona in the Spring of 2026, and going into it, I was excited, nervous, and anxious, unsure what to expect. I didn't know how I would settle in, whether I would feel comfortable, or whether I would be homesick. All of these worries were completely answered, and the unsure semester turned into the greatest 4 months of my life. I attribute this experience to WorldStrides and am grateful to them for allowing me this opportunity. Barcelona is an amazing city with lots to explore, close to other countries to travel to, great culture and history, and I would not recommend a better place to study. I was housed in the Gothic Quarter, and I could not have picked a better place. I was close to the old Roman architecture, amazing restaurants, Las Ramblas, and just everything amazing about that side of the city. It was close to our university, and I cherished walking to school and back every day, or taking the metro. Either way, my commute was one of my favorite parts of my day. I loved the university; the classrooms were beautiful, the surrounding area was beautiful, and I would sit in the outdoor garden area and collect my thoughts or talk with friends almost every day before or after class. This opportunity obviously also gave me the ability to travel and see the world with people I love; I studied abroad with some friends from home, and we got to see the world together. I gained moments and experiences with them that I will have with them and cherish forever. Going to Dracula's cave with my boys in Budapest, seeing the Eiffel Tower light up with my friends during fashion week, or paragliding over Interlaken with all of my friends; I would not have been able to experience these things without WorldStrides, and this review, bringing up great memories, is making me emotional. As much as I was able to travel and such, it also opened up experiences for others. My family came and visited me, and before Spain, they had not been farther than Mexico or Canada. My parents are both over 55, and they haven't had the chance to see Europe until they met me during my semester abroad. I feel super passionate and happy about the fact that I was a big reason for my parents getting to see the world, getting to show them around my new home and all of the little places that I had become a regular at. Meeting my new friends, roommates, and walking around the city was such a great experience to have with my family, and it will be an all-time experience for the rest of my life. My dad jumped into the Mediterranean because he is a huge water guy, and he kept mentioning how he would regret saying that he didn't swim in the Mediterranean. He's 61, and if he didn't come and visit me, he probably would have never had the opportunity to fulfill a childhood wish and come and see the world. Barcelona, Spain, was a great hub and a great home base. I wouldn't have changed anything about my experience, and I have no regrets coming back home to the States. The culture, values, behavior, and all the things Spain has to offer changed my own mindset and my own values, and I came home to the States with a different outlook on life. I thank WorldStrides for giving me this opportunity, and I would recommend using them for any study abroad trips!

Studying abroad in Barcelona was an unforgettable experience. I made some of my closest friends, tried new things, and stepped outside my comfort zone. Beyond exploring a new city and practicing Spanish, I had time to slow down and think about who I am and what matters to me. I returned with wonderful memories, meaningful friendships, and a better understanding of myself.

I had the best semester ever in Dublin, Ireland, thanks to the WorldStrides team. The experience was everything I dreamed of from meeting the best roommates turned forever friends, to studying at Trinity College, and exploring the vast countryside that Ireland has. The team set us up for success in every aspect, we had amazing housing only 10 minutes from the city center, and Amazing trips planned. We went to Galway and the cliffs of mother, and the mountains of wicklow to hold baby sheep. I miss my experience every day.

From the moment I got off the plane in Valencia I knew I was going to have a great experience. I greatly enjoyed daily life in Valencia, and was able to experienced public transportation daily. Taking Spanish courses definitely assisted in my cultural experience, especially because the teachers were amazing. I had an amazing host family and would definitely do it again. The staff are wonderful and teach you a lot about Spain!