Awful experience, do not attend April 08, 2026
By Cabry L (Boston University) - abroad from 08/25/2025 to 11/21/2025 with
IES Abroad: Siena - IES Abroad Center
Nothing, just that I'd never use IES abroad or go to Siena ever again
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Awful administration, completely useless and inflexible on any policies. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our living arrangements were at best unacceptable, with poor heating and no air conditioning. There was a musty aroma in our building, and it felt like we were living in a basement. Unacceptable given you pay above market price. |
| * Food: |
Hated it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Not well at all, old crowd in Siena so hard to integrate and no study abroad culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
I had multiple health issues which were poorly addressed by what can only be described as a third world health care system. |
| * Safety: |
Decent safety, but still not great. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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Finances
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* 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) |
fine, not bad |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | How sketchy IES abroad is and how ridiculous they are to deal with |
