Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

IES Freiburg in the Fall Past Review

By (German Studies., Trinity College) - abroad from 09/03/2014 to 12/19/2015 with

IES Abroad: Freiburg - Environmental Studies & Sustainability

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to live independently and improved my German skills tremendously.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Awesome staff and teachers! Loved the support and knowing they would help you with anything.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My very spacious room was in a quad with three German girls around my age. It was also very close to the downtown altstadt.

* Food:

I was responsible for all my meals and loved having a kitchen.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I was able to meet German people at night and in my dorm.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had one doctor's visit that ran very smoothly. IES helped with everything.

* Safety:

Freiburg is so small, nothing dangerous really happens there.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

There are ways to live off of a small budget and also great restaurants to splurge at.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 $ a week
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Plan ahead.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

They always reminded us.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Intermediate
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Advanced
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? 302
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Practice with the other Americans!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • My housing
  • The staff and support
  • The teachers
* What could be improved?
  • The night life
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? How small Freiburg was.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.