Psychology Study Abroad Programs in South America

Arcos helped us with our recent study abroad trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Everyone on the team was so kind, thorough, and great with communication. They planned learning activities that aligned incredibly well with the interests of our students, and were with us every step of the way to make sure things went smoothly. The co-directors for Buenos Aires were incredible. They showed so much care for our students and brought incredible positivity and energy every day. I highly recommend them!

Overall I truly loved the program. I felt super comfortable and I give all of the credit to Expanish. From the moment I arrived at school until I left I really felt that they only had the best intentions for me.

Expanish responded to this reviewAugust 23, 2026

¡Hola, Abigail! Thank you so much for these kind words! :) We're so happy to hear you felt comfortable and supported from day one — that's exactly the experience we aim to create. Making sure our students feel cared for every step of the way is what Expanish is all about, and it means the world to know we got that right for you. We wish you all the best on your Spanish journey ahead. ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

I graduated from high school a semester early, and the only way I wanted to spend my semester was by being abroad. I've known about Semester at Sea for around 6 years and I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. I searched up the requirements to be accepted and luckily fit all the requirements most importantly being 18, so immediately I applied. I then got an email back the next morning saying I got accepted into the program and that email brought me to tears in the middle of one of my classes. I couldn't wait to board the MV World Odyssey and embark on this journey of a lifetime. On the ship, I gained so much knowledge about different cultures and I was able to be fully immersed in them, not just sticking to the touristy things offered. Semester at Sea does an amazing job keeping the students' safety in country as a priority with having mandatory “Pre-Port meetings” the night before arriving in a country, and offering field programs which are ship run excursions with ship faculty leading them. The community on the ship was nothing I have ever experienced before. We were so close knit and it felt like I was truly in a connected, caring, and welcoming environment. I met the people I never imagined I'd connect with, and they ended up becoming the best connections I've ever made with people. Semester at Sea also helped me get out of my comfort zone which led me to have experiences I would have never imagined I'd have, best example being running a half marathon in Vigo, Spain even though I'm not a runner and have never been a runner. Semester at Sea has given me the world and the opportunity to appreciate it to its fullest. I left the ship with my passport full, but my heart is even fuller with people, memories, and connections I will forever cherish. Semester at Sea was truly the best experience I have ever had and would recommend it to anyone as it was life changing.

One of the most underrated aspect of semester at sea is the ship campus itself. Being able to live so close to your friends and just walking a few flight of stairs to your classroom and being able to sit down with your professors for lunch is such an amazing experience. It's eternal sunsets, it's endless travel stories from your friends, it's lifetime of memories. Highly recommend. One of the best decisions I made. And still day dream about this experience, still talk and travel to meet my SAS friends 4 years later.

I have not experienced anything like semester at sea before, therefore giving me a whole lot of different lenses to look at the world with. I completely enjoyed my experience and understand the importance of understanding others concerns, communication, communities, and countries. A overall wonderful experience that has changed my views as well as the way I live and who I am as a person.

I studied in Santiago with Middlebury in Chile, where I was fully immersed in urban Chilean culture while fostering lasting relationships within my program and having the freedom to explore interests, academic and professional alike. The curriculum was the best kind of challenging that pushed me to develop my personal agency, and my Spanish skills absolutely skyrocketed over the course of the semester. I absolutely loved the city of Santiago and its culture; the friendships I made with my cultural mentor, my host family, and the other Midd students were so special. Chile is truly such a welcoming and beautiful country, and I will be forever grateful for the way I was able to fully appreciate it and allow it to shape me and my worldview through immersion.

I would definitely visit Buenos Aires again with the organization! Our guide, Jio, was an amazing guide and an overall amazing person. I would recommend this to anyone who may be nervous to study abroad, Expanish make it simple and easy!

Expanish responded to this reviewApril 04, 2026

Thank you so much, Rachel! We’re delighted to hear you had such a positive experience in Buenos Aires. Jio will be thrilled to know he made such a great impression! It’s also wonderful to hear that you felt supported and at ease throughout your stay; that’s exactly what we aim for. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope we get to welcome you back again soon for another adventure! ¡Un abrazo!

I would 100% recommend CIEE study abroad to a friend or peer I had an amazing time and grew so much. The only disclaimer I would give is that it is very structured and feels like a school program (which it is ofc) but if you’re looking for a more independent living abroad experience it could be slightly different than expected

I enjoyed my time at Expanish and will consider going there again. My classes were always overpacked with 12 students for the 5 weeks I attended in January/February, so I would choose less busy dates the next time.

Expanish responded to this reviewMarch 21, 2026

¡Hola, Rodrigo! Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're really glad to hear that you enjoyed your time at Expanish and that you would consider coming back. We appreciate your feedback regarding the class size. January and February are indeed some of our busiest months, but we understand how important it is to have a comfortable learning environment. We’ll be sure to pass your comments along to our Academic team. We’d love to welcome you again—hopefully during a quieter period so you can enjoy an even better experience. Hope we get to welcome you again in the future. ¡Un abrazo!

I had a great experience learning Spanish for 3 weeks and felt my Spanish was improving. Things that can improve : 1- Program was very relaxed , so I felt we wasted a lot of time during breaks. The 20-minute breaks easily extend into 30 and 40 minutes. We rarely started exactly at 9.30. 2- no exams or self assessment. 3- some time wasted during class looking at things online.

Expanish responded to this reviewMarch 18, 2026

¡Hola, Fares! Thank you very much for your thoughtful feedback. We’re really happy to hear that you had a great experience overall and that you felt your Spanish improving during your three weeks with us—that’s exactly what we aim for. We also truly appreciate your suggestions for improvement. We will take your comments into account, especially regarding punctuality and making sure classes start on time, as well as ensuring that breaks last only the scheduled duration. While breaks are important to help students stay focused, we agree that they should be properly managed. Regarding assessments, we do have level exams in place. These are typically taken at the end of each level (usually every 4 weeks, after completing a book). As your stay was shorter, it’s likely you didn’t reach that stage, which is why you may not have experienced an exam. We also appreciate your note about time spent on online materials in class, and we’ll continue working with our academic team to ensure class time is used as effectively as possible. Thanks again for sharing your experience—it really helps us improve. Hope we get to welcome you again in the future! ¡Un abrazo!

I had a brilliant time at Expanish, the teachers were great (Carlos and Roxanna) and the activities were fantastic. The school is in a great area and I enjoyed how the day was time-tabled. Thanks very much!

Expanish responded to this reviewMarch 14, 2026

¡Hola, Isabel! Thank you for your kind words! We’re so happy to hear that you had such a brilliant time at Expanish. It’s wonderful that you enjoyed your classes with Carlos and Roxanna—they’ll be delighted to hear your feedback. We’re also glad you liked the activities, the location, and the structure of the day. Creating a fun and well-organized learning environment is very important to us. Thanks again for sharing your experience, and we hope we get to welcome you again in the future! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

I took a trip with San Diego Mesa College to study abroad Argentina learning Spanish and it was quite the experience. Not only did we get immersed in the culture, but we had got immersed in the language and learned more about the community and city of Buenos Aires. It was able to expose me to different cultures, different settings, and different languages to help understand people from different countries and how to be available to share with them. My experience but also listen. Buenos Aires we'll always have piece of my heart

Expanish responded to this reviewFebruary 21, 2026

Thank you so much for sharing such a heartfelt review, Michael! :) We’re absolutely delighted to hear that your study abroad experience with San Diego Mesa College was so meaningful. Immersing yourself not only in the Spanish language but also in the culture, community, and daily life of Buenos Aires is exactly what we hope every student experiences. It’s wonderful to know that your time here helped you connect with different cultures, broaden your perspective, and grow both personally and academically. Buenos Aires has a special way of staying with you, and we’re so happy it now holds a piece of your heart. We hope we get the chance to welcome you back again one day for more Spanish, more culture, and more unforgettable memories. ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

CIEE has very flexible and diverse programs. There are many different times and places students can study. At my university people are often apprehensive to study abroad so flexibly is very helpful and encouraging for short term or long term stays.

Studying abroad has been such a transformative experience for me. When you're in another country, you have no choice but to do your best and overcome any obstacles that come your way. I've discovered a resilience and perseverance within myself on this trip that I would never have realized if I had stayed at home. Of course, the reason I feel brave enough to take risks was because I knew CIEE was behind me every step of the way. With the support of the staff, I knew that I had someone in my corner; I felt emboldened to take risks and put myself out there. I think CIEE is the perfect program for people who want to test their limits and broaden their horizons.

Asistí Expanish durante cuatro semanas y tuve dos diferentes profesores. Ambos fueron excelentes. Mi español mejoraba cada día. Mucho. Sus métodos son excelentes para escuchar y hablar. Con la gramática volviéndose natural. Gabriel revisaba regularmente para asegurarse de que todo estaba bien. Las actividades y eventos son geniales para conocer a otros estudiantes y aprender sobre la ciudad. Lo recomiendo mucho.

Expanish responded to this reviewFebruary 14, 2026

¡Hola, Deb! ¡Muchísimas gracias por tu comentario tan bonito! Nos alegra enormemente saber que tu experiencia durante esas cuatro semanas fue tan positiva y que pudiste notar cómo tu español mejoraba cada día — ¡eso es lo que más nos motiva! Qué bueno saber que disfrutaste de tus dos profesores y de sus métodos, especialmente para desarrollar la escucha y la expresión oral hasta que la gramática se volviera algo más natural. Ese es exactamente nuestro objetivo :) También nos encanta saber que te gustaron las actividades y eventos, y que te ayudaron a conocer a otros estudiantes y descubrir la ciudad. Y gracias por mencionar a Gabriel — siempre está atento para asegurarse de que todo marche bien. Gracias de corazón por recomendarnos. ¡Esperamos poder darte la bienvenida otra vez en el futuro para seguir avanzando con tu español! Un abrazo.

I absolutely loved my experience at Expanish. From arrival through departure o was met with a kind supportive community. My teacher was patient and pushed us to learn and practice our skills. I love how it is immersive, there are local activities to do in the community every week, and I got a lot out of it. I highly recommend.

Expanish responded to this reviewFebruary 14, 2026

¡Hi Jenn! Thank you so much for your lovely words! We’re absolutely delighted to hear how much you enjoyed your experience at Expanish. Creating a kind and supportive community from the moment our students arrive is very important to us, so it means a lot to know you felt that throughout your stay. It’s wonderful to hear that your teacher both supported and challenged you — that balance is key to making real progress. We’re also so glad you enjoyed the immersive approach and our weekly local activities. Being able to practice Spanish both inside and outside the classroom truly makes a difference! Thank you for your recommendation — it means the world to us. We’d love to have you back for another immersive adventure in the future! ¡Un abrazo!

Exspanish is located in a great part of town in an authentic building that is well furnished and air conditioned. The administrative staff is friendly, efficient and organized. All three instructors that I had during my time there were well prepared, energetic highly skilled and patient. The school shares a warm sense of community and it is an easy place to make friends. The garden is a beautiful place to hang out between classes and the school sponsored activities provide a great environment for getting to know classmates. A special shout out to Sandra and her Charlamos and Chocotorta activities!!

Expanish responded to this reviewFebruary 14, 2026

¡Hola Chris! Wow — thank you for such a fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that your experience at Expanish was a win :) Your kind words about our administrative team and instructors truly mean a lot. We’re very proud of our teachers and the energy, preparation, and care they bring to every class. We’re especially happy that you felt the warm sense of community and found it easy to make friends. That’s exactly the environment we strive to create. And yes — the garden is definitely a favorite spot! We’ll be sure to pass along your special shout-out to Sandra — she’ll be delighted to hear that her Charlamos and Chocotorta activities made such an impression! Thank you again for sharing your experience. Hope we get to welcome you again for more Spanish, sunshine, and maybe another slice of chocotorta in the future! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

Unfortunately, our week included a public holiday so we only had four days to study in, not five. However, it was a good thign to have done as it helped us greatly when there were no English speakers in the hotels and tourist information centres.

Expanish responded to this reviewFebruary 08, 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience, Suzanne! While it’s true that the public holiday meant a shorter study week, we’re really glad to hear that the course still proved helpful—especially when navigating hotels and tourist information centers without English speakers. That’s exactly the kind of real-life confidence we hope students gain from their classes. Hope we get to welcome you again in the future! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

I did 2 weeks of lessons with Expanish over the Christmas and New Year - the schedule was slightly reduced (no classes on Xmas or New years day) ,but we were compensated with additional hours of lessons on the Monday afternoon. The home stay option was good and well-located for a short metro ride to school, however there was no air-conditioning in my room. The additional activities provided were great; however, the offering was limited due to the Christmas period.

Expanish responded to this reviewFebruary 01, 2026

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, Helen! We’re really happy to hear you had a great two weeks at Expanish Buenos Aires and that you enjoyed your lessons, the homestay location, and the additional activities we were able to offer during the holiday period. We appreciate your understanding regarding the adjusted schedule over Christmas and New Year, and we’re glad the extra lesson hours helped balance things out. Thank you as well for your honest feedback about the homestay — we’ll certainly keep it in mind as we continue working with our accommodation providers. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we hope we get to welcome you back again in the future! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

I did a week at Expanish and really enjoyed it. The quality of the course was excellent as were the social events. The staff were also very friendly and welcoming, which I really appreciated. I would have liked to have spent more time there.

Expanish responded to this reviewJanuary 26, 2026

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Billy! :) We’re really glad to hear that even in just one week you enjoyed the course, the social activities, and the welcoming atmosphere created by our team. It’s always great to know the quality of both our classes and events stood out to you. Hopefully next time you can stay longer—we’d love to welcome you back in the future! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!