My Unforgettable Semester with IES Abroad Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It's not difficult to ace your courses if you do your assignments (with the exception of the Japanese language course, depending on your level). Professors were generally available and willing to help out with questions. I feel like I learned a lot about Japan in my classes while I was studying there.

On-site administration of your program

I loved our administrators so much. They were so helpful to me and got so excited whenever I expressed interest in getting involved in the local culture/community. They really encouraged me to put myself out there.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The dorm I stayed in was pretty great! The beds were futon-style, but I got a single room, and the communal bathroom is extremely nice. You'll get food twice a day during the week. Visitor rules are quite strict, but I enjoyed living there. The Mini-Stop around the corner from the dorm was my favorite thing about the town I lived in.

The food at the dorm was good! It took a while for me to get used to not having easy access to western cuisine (even the western selections at the dorm were often still foods I was unfamiliar with), but there were a ton of meals that I really enjoyed there. There was miso soup and rice available at every meal, and that was great!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Integrating with the local culture is very much up to you - with this program, you could make a lot of Japanese friends and throw yourself into the local culture, or you could also just do your coursework and avoid interaction. IES Abroad does a good job of letting you know your options when it comes to opportunities like Language Partner Program, Kaedemate program, music lessons, campus events, and club sports. Joining a wadaiko club at my host college was a fantastic opportunity for me - I went to local festivals, ate a lot of great street food, played traditional instruments, and met many good friends.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have an experience with health care in Japan, but was fully informed of what my options would be if I needed it.

I never felt like I was in danger in Japan. The only thing I had to look out for were people approaching me at the train station; there were a couple of times when I had uncomfortable conversations on the platform with people noticing that I was a foreigner and asking a few too many questions.

I loved IES Abroad; I had the freedom to shape my experience just the way I wanted to, as well as all of the great travel opportunities that I was allowed as I studied with them.

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

It's going to be hard not to spend more than you're used to in Japan - there's just so much to explore. Living on a budget wasn't easy all the time (especially when I wanted to go out into Tokyo on the weekends), but there was a lot of amazing food available for low prices at the grocery store and konbinis.

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

You don't have to have any knowledge of Japanese to study in Tokyo with IES Abroad. (But I recommend having at least a little knowledge of the language before going to Japan at all!)

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• Dorm

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Club activities
• Excursions
• Proximity to Tokyo

• Coursework difficulty
• Proximity to campus
• Orientation length (a little long)

The Academic or Linguist