Study Abroad Programs in London, United Kingdom

My time at Richmond has been the best 3 weeks of my life. I've never felt freer and happier. I have made so many friends along the way that I will never forget, friends that I laughed with until we were all out of breath and crying. The history that London has is almost unreal, walking by churches that are older than America. Everyone was unbelievably kind, at concerts we were upgraded to front row seats, and in class we were given opportunities to see Oxford and York - both of which were some of the best moments I had with the friends I made. Our professor was always willing to answer two million questions, before Richmond I had never had fun learning. I'll never forget my time in London with Richmond and every opportunity it's given me.

Truly I could not tell you what I would have changed about my experience with AIFS. The travel package was so nice, I can book a plane ticket easy peasy, but I was concerned about landing and trying to figure out the tube. They made it so I didn't have to worry about a thing. The accommodations were so nice, and well located. The first day they showed us the route to get from our accommodations to our classroom which I really appreciated. The staff were all so kind, helpful, and accommodating. The experiences they booked for us were so fun and a good balance of catered experiences and free time for you (and friends) to explore London on your own. The professor was amazing! He was incredibly knowledgeable and kind. I truly would not change a thing about my experience and I cannot recommend it enough! For this particular program, they took us to West End musicals, Oxford, Top Secret Comedy Club and out to a few dinners! During class we would walk around London to immerse ourselves in the city, we explored Kensington, the East End, Bond Street, Westminster, Big Ben, the Churchill War Rooms and more!

I had the best time ever! London had so much to offer and I loved exploring it. AIFS definitely helped foster this process, with the affordable day trips as well. I loved every minute of it! Have recommended the program to multiple people back in the states.

I stayed an extra year in college to do this program specifically--that's how valuable I knew it would be. And after the program ended, I loved Amsterdam so much I extended my stay with the help of IES to live abroad for an extra 3 months. The academics were top-notch and flexible. I designed my schedule around the courses I wanted, which I could take either with IES or at a Dutch institute (I did a mix). The IES law course was one of the best criminology courses I've ever taken, with all-around knowledge from a great professor who made the class worth every second. My courses at the Vrije Universiteit (VU) were challenging but incredibly rewarding. Navigating the academic differences is certainly a task that takes time, but I networked with students, professors, and IES staff to ensure that I was completing my work to the Dutch standards. My program was tight knit, so we bonded through fun cultural trips together and in our shared kitchen mostly. I cannot rave enough about the IES Amsterdam staff. Every single person was available and prompt in answering any question I had. I've never had better communication from a group of people in my life. And they didn't just treat us like lesser students, but respected us as adults and tailored each meeting and activity to fit what our interests were. I do not know one person in our program who did not fall in love with how darling Amsterdam was. There is no shortage of things to do, and travel between cities is very easy to figure out. I wish I could continue studying in Amsterdam because I enjoyed it much, but I know that I will for sure end up visiting again. As a plus, the IES network is amazing. During my travels I have met with other IES students in Germany and France! Definitely worth it to do an IES program, especially to Amsterdam!

I had the most amazing time in Amsterdam studying Law and Criminology with the IES program. I was able to figure out that law was the path I want to take in my life by solely focusing on that aspect during my time abroad. I was able to pick classes that fit my interest and had wonderful access to help if I ever feel I needed it. I met the most amazing people through our international apartment from all over the world. I wish I could participate in this program every year.