IES provided the opportunity of a lifetime & I will always remember this trip Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

My classes were outstanding and I enjoyed going to them. Studying abroad taught me so much about myself and made me more confident about graduating college and living on my own. I learned a lot academically and personally.

On-site administration of your program

Their customer service was world renown. Everyone who works for IES has the best intentions for all the students.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

It was under construction when I lived there, and I found the workers on site rude. However, I believe it its supposed to be completed soon. (temporary) negatives aside it had a great location and I didn't mind living there

The housing is right by multiple grocery stores and I was pleasantly surprised how reasonably priced fruits, vegetables, and meat was. I would often buy a week+ worth of groceries and only pay 18 pounds.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

IES works to make sure students feel less like visitors and more like locals. IES took the time to show us spots around London where locals shopped, eat, and socialized. My only complaint was it was harder to meet locals my age than I thought it would be.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not have to deal with healthcare while I was abroad, but I can say IES gave us a lot of information when we arrived about this topic. If something were to happen, IES said they could find you a doctor and make you an appointment.

Yes, London is a big city and things happen, but I always felt safe during my time abroad (even during Brexit and the summer's terrorist attacks). During our initial orientation, IES brought in someone who worked with the police to teach us how to stay safe in London. IES subscribed us to a email service that alerted us when to stay away from certain areas (London and elsewhere). Also, when we traveled outside of London, IES required us to put our travel information on this website. They were extremely caring and always checked in on their students--especially when I went to France the morning after the Nice attack. Overall, I felt very safe and liked the measures IES took to keep us safe.

IES put together such a thoughtful program. Their customer service is outstanding and their classes are enriching. The support I got from the IES organization was incredible and it made studying abroad such a positive experience.

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

London is a very expensive city, but if you know that going in you can avoid overspending! Fortunately, its not grocery stores that hurts your wallet. Its pubs/nightlife, dining out, and certain shopping places that hurt your wallet, but those can all be done in moderation.

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• Dorm

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• Americans

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• Americans

• IES' customer service
• The location (of the school, of my residence building, of choosing London in general)
• The classes

• More guidance on meeting local college students

The Outright Urbanite