Technology Study Abroad Programs in South Korea

I enjoyed every part of studying abroad in Seoul. AIFS made this experience special by having various group activities related to Korean culture. Thanks to the AIFS staff! I will always remember this time.

Korea quite literally had to be the best experience of my life, not only was it so thrilling and exciting to become immersed in a new country. Even with all the challenges, I had a lot of time to self-reflect, and I grew a lot. I've become more confident, more independent, more reliable, and I truly value what I have. Being in Korea helped me better myself hoenstly, and i also made so many wonderful friendships out of it that i will forever cherish for the rest of my life, weather it was us going out ot eat or going to to enjoy the nightlife or a movie night or maybe even just debunking the night being able to form a bond with some absoulte amazing epople was absouletely my favorite part of being in Korea.

I chose AIFS Abroad because I wanted a program that felt supportive but also gave me the freedom to explore, and South Korea was the perfect fit. From the beginning, the staff made everything easy—they guided me through the application and pre-departure steps and were always quick to respond whenever I had questions. That level of support continued while I was abroad, which made the transition a lot smoother. The program itself was well-rounded. Housing was comfortable and in a good spot, and the excursions let me see parts of Korea I might have missed if I had gone on my own. I really appreciated the cultural activities too, since they gave me a deeper understanding of the country beyond just school. On top of that, I built some amazing friendships with other students in the program, which made the experience even better. Looking back, this program helped me grow more independent and confident, and it gave me skills that I know will carry into my career and life in general. I’d definitely recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone who wants both structure and adventure while studying abroad.

I chose AIFS Abroad because I wanted a program that felt supportive but also gave me the freedom to explore, and South Korea was the perfect fit. From the beginning, the staff made everything easy—they guided me through the application and pre-departure steps and were always quick to respond whenever I had questions. That level of support continued while I was abroad, which made the transition a lot smoother. The program itself was well-rounded. Housing was comfortable and in a good spot, and the excursions let me see parts of Korea I might have missed if I had gone on my own. I really appreciated the cultural activities too, since they gave me a deeper understanding of the country beyond just school. On top of that, I built some amazing friendships with other students in the program, which made the experience even better. Looking back, this program helped me grow more independent and confident, and it gave me skills that I know will carry into my career and life in general. I’d definitely recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone who wants both structure and adventure while studying abroad.

I had an idea of what studying abroad would be like: going to school, eating at home or a restaurant, going on trips, etc. But I was suprised by how it really felt like my life. In the sense that, the mundane things became my favorite things. Waking up and being able to say “I’m in Korea” or buying toothpaste when I ran out. The touristy stuff and the amazing trips were, no doubt, amazing, but the longer I stayed here the more I fell in love with the idea of planting temporary roots here. I feel like I‘ve made a connection to South Korea. That rather than just stopping by for a few days, I’ve relocated my life for a bit of time and it‘s not only changed my location but also my life. Safe to say I‘ve been significantly impacted and my life will not be the same, in the best way possible.

If I told myself a year ago, heck even 6 months ago, that I finally took the leap and traveled to South Korea-- I would think I was crazy. Going abroad seemed like a fairytale. It was so expensive, so unheard of in my family, my community. But I had decided that this would be my time, the quintessential summer to experience the world to the fullest. Since the pandemic, and even previous to it, I’ve wanted to see how other people live, what other cultures are like and the beauty of biomes divergent from the melting heat and clobbering humidity of my home. That spring semester of 2024 finally helped me determine where I wanted to go. Joining the Korean-pop club at my university showed me more of Korea than I had known before. I was a casual K-pop listener, but from witnessing the food, the historical landmarks, the cultural differences, it all seemed so unique and captivating. Getting on that plane was a long, nerve-wracking journey, but landing into a whole new continent where even the language written on the airport signs were different, was a complete culture shock. Jet lag was a tough monster to defeat, but after about a week of getting used to a new sleep routine, I had felt more energized and excited about being alive than ever. Even with the tough days, like preparing for an oral presentation in Korean language class, or traveling to a new area alone, I was still overjoyed with the idea that-- I’m literally in Korea right now! It was easy to get lonely being in a foreign country, not having any family or friends in the same time zone. But knowing other students in the AIFS program were going through the same thing, made me feel less alone. I created some amazing friendships, finding things in common with people I never would have met otherwise. Going on excursions with them to places like the famed N Seoul Tower, Everland theme park, and even taking weekend trips to Jeju Island, were moments I could never replace. In a similar note, being in the Sogang University community felt so comforting and safe. Besides being a gorgeous campus, the faculty were so accommodating and the professors were so curious and warm-hearted. I am going to greatly miss the natural atmosphere of Seoul, the expressiveness and kindness of Koreans, and seeing something new everyday that I wouldn’t be able to find in Florida. Visiting South Korea was just the push I needed to kickstart my traveling addiction; I can’t wait to go back and see what else the country has to offer.

My experience abroad was a lot of fun. I met a lot of people, learned about Korean culture, and was able to take academic courses not offered at my home institution. Seoul is a very student friendly city.

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.