Engineering Study Abroad Programs in South Africa

Traveling to Buenos Aires was an incredible experience! I was nervous initially since it was my first study-abroad experience. I was unfamiliar with the culture, environment, and language and did not know what to expect. The warm hospitality and generosity I received from on-site program staff and locals guided me through all the ups and downs of the experience. The program challenged me to come out of my comfort zone both academically and socially. We attended physics classes at a local university and a sports and contemporary culture class right after. We learned about the history of the country and experienced the Argentinians' passion for futbol firsthand by attending games. My friends and I explored the city after classes, trying out some of the many cafes and restaurants on every corner. Buenos Aires had a very reliable transportation system as well, so it was easy for us to travel from our apartment in Palermo to other neighborhoods in the city like Belgrano, La Boca, and Recoleta. Each neighborhood had something different and wonderful to offer. We often ran into cultural fairs, art festivals, fresh farmer markets, and live performances. There was something fun to discover every day. On the weekends, we traveled outside of the city to see the numerous natural landscapes in Argentina. We saw the falls at Iguazu, went horseback riding in Mendoza, went hiking at the Perito Moreno Glacier and El Chalten, and even visited a cute portside town in Uruguay. Although my time in Argentina was short, the incredible people, food, and music are a memory I will never forget.

Such an amazing experience South Africa is the most magical place I have ever been! Would have liked to have had set trips or events to meet the other USAC students. As well as the group flight I was the only one who attended, I would have like to have seen more student or have been notified. Overall a truly life changing experience I will never forget.

Truly changed my perspective on the world of engineering and potential career path in a world I never would have thought possible. Broaden my world view and met truly amazing people that I connected with for a lifetime.

My study abroad experience with CEA program was truly transformative. From excellent academic offerings that seamlessly integrated local culture to meaningful cultural immersion experiences, this program exceeded my expectations. Living with a host family and engaging in various activities allowed me to embrace the host culture fully. The personal growth I experienced, from increased independence to a broader worldview, was invaluable. The support from program coordinators and the close-knit community of fellow participants made this journey even more memorable. I returned home with lifelong friendships, a richer perspective, and a newfound confidence. I wholeheartedly recommend the CEA program to any student seeking a life-enriching study abroad adventure.

I love to travel and I am a complete adventure junkie. I loved every bit of my study abroad experience! I got to experience the culture as well as wildlife of South Africa. I would go back in a minute! It was so fun, even the classes!

On-site staff were excellent and very helpful. Housing was pretty good and my roommates were great. I’m glad there were several trips to other parts of Italy they organized since it allowed me to learn more about Italy. However there were some issues with the organizers and my university in the USA.

The housing was great. I enjoyed meeting my flat mates. Some of us will remain friends. My Thermodynamics class was tough for me. I think most students struggled some. For those of us engineering students who really need to capture this material for later classes and our fields in engineering; I would nit take this course in a 6 week class. The college and CEA should state that somehow to students before they sign up for it, I will pass the class but feel like I might need to take the course again OR restudy somehow The excursions were great. I enjoyed seeing other parts of Italy. The only think I was not impressed with was the food/dinner places that were a part of the program. I get feeding a lot of students...but I feel there could have been some better restaurant choices. Overall this was great. I am hopeful there will be no issues with getting my transcripts over to my school. This is the last week of class...so I have not done that yet. The communication from the beginning to the end has been outstanding. I didn't miss a beat. They let me know about everything. I would surely do another CEA program if time permitted. Possibly even an internship program. I would also surely let other students know this is a great program, and my experience was a 10 overall. Thank you CEA staff and faculty (USA and Rome, Italy).

This program, city, and everything about it are incredible, and definitely worth your while. Together, they created a memorable study abroad experience that I will never forget! Even though I was only participate in the first six weeks of my program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I wouldn't take back my decision to go for anything. Why? 1. The people! Everybody in Cape Town, especially the IES Centre staff, are supportive, welcoming, and lovely human beings who not only want you to acclimate comfortably and succeed, but more so to have the best experience possible -- and work to make sure you do! 2. The place! South Africa as a whole and Cape Town specifically is an incredible place to spend a semester abroad. Not only is there a rich and exciting culture to explore, the beautiful landscape of the location is a jungle gym for explorers, adventurers, and city walkers alike. Even the campus itself is beautiful-- you'll gaze in astonishment every day you're there! 3. The opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone: Cape Town is a ways away, and may seem like a culture much unlike our own. But, it is nothing to be afraid of! This program will challenge you for the better and expand your horizons to experience something new and unlike what you have before. I highly recommend this program!

Cape Town is such a beautiful city, with so much to learn and experience. I was worried the program I chose wouldn't immerse me as I wanted but I was absolutely proven wrong. This specific program was focused on experiential learning which taught me more than I ever thought I would gain. Highly recommend to anyone interested in health care, how culture affects it, and historical implications.

There will always be something I can say about my study abroad experience! My favorite part was the service-learning component. I volunteered with three organizations. The organizations were SoZo Fou ndation, SHAWCO Education, and WordWorks. Additionally, the most beneficial class I took abroad was Community Development in Context. (South Africa)

Studying abroad has always been a goal of mine - living in a new country, meeting different people, and exploring a new culture - and IES Abroad made it a reality. Studying abroad in Cape Town was a once in a lifetime experience. The academics at the University of Cape Town were challenging, and could be frustrating at times because of the differences in workload and grading compared to the US. However, I did learn a great amount in relation to South Africa's history and culture. IES staff were kind, hardworking, and helpful with anything that need during your six months abroad. They helped with any issues that may have arised in academics (both at the University of Cape Town and the IES courses), housing accommodations, service learning, field trips, etc. They are there for you if you are having a problem adjusting to the differences in academics or living abroad, or if you just want to stop in for a quick chat. Another aspect I thoroughly enjoyed about IES were the free field trips which included Boulder’s Beach (penguin colony!!) a Cape Malay cooking class, tour of Bo-Kaap, District 6 museum, Old Biscuit Mill, etc. They also offered to optional excursions at an additional subsidized cost (highly recommend) which was the Garden Route and a safari at Kruger National Park. Cape Town is such a beautiful place, and the people are so friendly! Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience abroad because I met so many great people, got to check off several items off my bucket list, and learned about a new culture and the history of South Africa.

Before I went to Cape Town, people would tell me that "studying abroad is a life-changing experience," and I had a hard time believing them. Initially, I thought that studying abroad was a chance to experience a different world. But I did not think that experiencing a "different world" would change me. To me, it made sense that study abroad students would experience a different world and gain skills in intercultural communication--among other things--as a result. However, I reasoned that experiencing a different world and having one's life fundamentally changed were two mutually independent events. That said, living in South Africa for a semester and being able to take classes at the University of Cape Town changed my mind. Sure, I acquired skills, but more importantly, the radically different culture and world I got to experience forced me to change. Admittedly, I'm rather introspective, but studying abroad led me to reflect on all the differences I saw between South Africa, America, and their respective citizens. Moreover, I then had to decide how I would think and live moving forward. So, when people say that studying abroad is a life-changing experience, they're not lying or overexaggerating. Studying abroad gives students the chance to reflect on and be changed by all that they experience. And IES Abroad made this process as smooth as it could have been.

I studied in Cape Town, South Africa for six months with IES. The program was supportive in terms of responding to students' needs, arranging an orientation with lots of culturally immersive activities, and educating us about local culture. I would say there was less support once the semester got underway. We had lots of freedom but also had the security of knowing there was a fully staffed office just down the road from our accommodation to answer any questions we had. The field trips throughout the semester were well-planned and lots of fun. I only took courses at the University of Cape Town, but the program also offered classes at the IES Center. I was fairly disappointed with the quality of the academics at the University. The different grading system, lack of clear grading criteria, and general unorganized nature of the classes was frustrating at times. However, learning more about the culture through the classes was a huge part of my experience. The classes changed my perspective on different ideologies I held which I now realize were the result of only taking classes from a western perspective before attending UCT. Obviously, IES has no control over the academics at the University, but they did act as a liason if any issues arose between students and professors/admin. The academics were challenging and classes required a lot of dedication to receive high marks. The local culture was easy to adapt to because everyone spoke English and people were generally very friendly and willing to talk to you. There were lots of clubs to get involved in at the University and endless activities in the area to participate in. Honestly, the people who had the best experiences tended to be open to the opportunities available. I rarely said no to doing anything while I was there and ended up having an incredible semester. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking for a study abroad experience with opportunities beyond what a typical European program would offer, since Cape Town not only had an amazing nightlife but also hiking, service learning opportunities, and the chance to be immersed in a non-westernized culture.

CEA is the perfect program to study abroad through. The credible courses they offer allowed me to get required credits for my degree, while structuring the academics in such a way I could spend my free time to explore Rome. All of the staff members are friendly and willing to help with any inquiries that the students may have, and the activities that are organized through CEA are a great way to get guided trips to what would be trickier places to go to. Everyone in CEA is constantly looking out for the students and are willing to listen to feedback students have during the trip. The combined effects of all of this has led to the best study abroad experience I could have asked for.

CEA responded to this reviewJuly 09, 2019

This is music to our ears, Schuyler! Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough review – we are so glad you had a positive experience with our wonderful Rome staff and throughout your study abroad experience! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

It was the best thing that I have ever done for myself. It gave me a confidence that I never knew that I had and showed to myself that I was capable of doing things that other people are too afraid to do. I was 19 and moved from everything that I was comfortable with to a foreign and generally unsafe African country. When people normally go abroad during university, they go somewhere easy, such as London or major cities in Europe. For the most part, everyone would speak English, public transport is good, you can walk safely alone at night, and meet people doing exactly what you are doing. I went to South Africa, where everyone told you to be careful, even during the day time. Not alone was there no good public transport anywhere, but the few students I met that used it, never did so alone and some of them even got robbed. I even had my phone stolen within the first few weeks of being there. I was throw into a world of uncertainty, danger, racism, and poverty; the complete opposite of anything that I had ever experienced. And I loved every second of it. I met so many people that I would have never met before, it opened my eyes to what the real world is like. This experience showed me how privileged I was to be living the life that I was. I saw racism first hand and was able to combat it directly. I partied too much. I worked with organizations to help spread awareness about the problem of HIV & AIDS in South Africa. I fell in love. I did so many things that not only I thought I would never do, but things that I would have been too afraid to do before. It wasn't easy whatsoever to make the choice and actually follow through with it. And the first few days I had the ever so classic, "What the hell did I just get myself into?" moment, every night while laying in bed. Please excuse my language, but holy shit, I would never even think about doing anything differently. I could go on for hours about this, but to put it shortly; I feel bad for everyone who hasn't had the opportunity to experience something like this or is too afraid to pull the trigger and do it, because you should.

The USAC South Africa program is easily the best thing I've done. My time in Stellenbosch provided me with valuable education, an immersive cultural experience, and lifelong friends. For this particular program, the on-site team are all Stellenbosch University staff, so there aren't representatives from USAC helping you in person while in South Africa. However, they were super helpful during the months leading up to my departure, answering my barrage of emails and questions and generally making the process much easier and less stressful. This trip was my first time ever leaving the United States, and they addressed all my concerns to make sure I had a truly positive experience. As far as my actual time in Stellenbosch, it was an amazing mixture of interesting classes (I chose the General Elective program and took South African Political History; Equity, Leadership, and Transformation in the Global Classroom; and HIV/AIDS in South Africa) intertwined with memorable excursions. Some of my favorite outings were: shark cage diving in the cold waters of Gansbaai, wine and chocolate tasting at Spice Route, hiking Table Mountain in Cape Town and Jonkershoek Mountain in Stellenbosch, bonding with my peers at braais (Afrikaans for barbecue), boating out to Robben Island and learning more about anti-apartheid activism, and meeting with community members at an HIV/AIDS clinic in Mbekweni. South Africa is a beautiful country with a troubled history, but the people I met were wonderfully kind and loved sharing their culture with us. Aside from the planned excursions, there are so many opportunities to explore Stellenbosch and Cape Town on your own, or see more of South Africa through the Garden Route tour. On colder, rainy days, it was fun to curl up with some tea and blankets in the "Wi-Fi room," or grab a hot chocolate from the Neelsie. One of my favorite things about the program was that our group consisted of students from 19 different countries; I now have friends all over the world I can visit, like Germany, Egypt, Italy, Australia, Tunisia, and, of course, back in South Africa. This program stretched my comfort zone and increased my confidence. Now, rather than feeling hesitation at the possibility of traveling and volunteering abroad, I'm monitoring flights everyday waiting for another chance to try something new. (FYI--you'll probably listen to Africa by Toto more times than you can count).

Studying abroad was always a dream of mine, but I didn't know if it would actually become a reality. Fast forward to my junior year, and in the fall semester, I start to seriously plan on going abroad. I originally planned on studying in Granada, Spain, until I became aware of the opportunity to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. Before fully committing to Cape Town, I spoke to students who had studied abroad there during previous semesters, and ALL of them absolutely loved it and said it was the most amazing and beautiful experience of their lives. I decided Cape Town was where I wanted to go and started to get extremely excited. The students who I had spoken to did not go through a study abroad program. Therefore I was very hesitant in doing so when my study abroad coordinator recommended that I did. She was right, going abroad with IES was the best decision that I made! Immediately from the moment of arriving at the airport, IES representatives were so welcoming and easy to locate, I remember that day like it was yesterday. Cape Town was exceptionally amazing because there are plenty of things to do. In addition to having opportunities for joining school clubs, you have the beach, beautiful mountains and the city! After being in Cape Town, I have gotten to appreciate outdoor activities such as hiking and the beauty of mother nature. Of course, going to a new place for six months is nerve-wracking, but IES provided fantastic housing, support, and field trips just to name a few things. I miss my IES family in Cape Town and which I could go back immediately!

Studying Abroad with IES Abroad in Cape Town, South Africa has been more significant in my life than I could have imagined. I knew I would have fun, meet new people, and experience unfamiliar things, but I gained so much more than I expected to. I learned and improved skills such as understanding cultural differences, working in diverse teams, listening, tolerating ambiguity, and being flexible. I explored other countries in Southern Africa, including Botswana and Zimbabwe. I stepped out of my comfort zone daily, from trying new foods to learning new languages. None of this would have been possible without the incredible support from IES Abroad. They provided medical, social, academic, mental, and cultural support in every way. They organized several (free!) field trips and excursions, many of which would have been impossible to do independently.

The five months I spent in South Africa were radically different from my life in the U.S. Every day, I was called to question key aspects of my identity and how they have affected my life's trajectory. The academic rigor of UCT(and in a very different teaching style from American schools) pushed me to work harder than ever during a semester where I had already committed to four extracurriculars. To use the South African slang, it was "hectic"- and I wouldn't have had it any other way. The sheer variety of the experiences I got to have, compounded with both the rapid change at home and abroad, as well as the country's vibrancy, resulted in the experience of a lifetime. Communal efforts to conserve water continually inspired and humbled me with their dedication, and the major university and city life couldn't have been more polar opposite to my small-town, Vermont college life. From even before I ever boarded the first of several flights to South Africa, IES Abroad and its regional Cape Town center went above and beyond by providing highly relevant information and conscientious advice. Optional events offered by IES regularly throughout the semester were high-value, incredibly fun, and added visibility to the spectrum of South African daily life and culture. The center staff were warm and highly capable, and made a decisive effort to help and get to know their students in every way possible. Studying abroad with IES has facilitated the most significant semester so far of my college career.

The city, school, and program completely exceeded my expectations and I could not have asked for a better semester. If I hadn’t been a senior, I would’ve extended my time in Cape Town for a second semester. The IES Cape Town staff went above and beyond for their students. They planned several fun activities and field trips throughout the entire semester so we were really able to experience everything. The RAs were also extremely helpful and involved. They showed us around the school, helped us set up our phones, schedule doctors appointments, etc. Cape Town is the perfect city for study abroad because there are so many different things to do and see.