Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Best Experience of my Life!! Past Review

By (Trinity University) - abroad from 01/13/2016 to 05/21/2016 with

IES Abroad: Vienna - Study Abroad With IES Abroad

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned to be independent and how to navigate situations that are out of my comfort zone. I learned to interact with people from a wide range of countries. I got to see an incredible amount of places and cultures in a short amount of time.

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.

Classes were very interesting, but not particularly rigorous. A couple of my classes included field trips to museums and historically significant locations in Vienna. The grading standards were easier than what I am used to at my University.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

I never had any problems with administration.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived with an RA (an Austrian girl) which was an amazing experience, however, there were seven girls squeezed into one apartment with only one bathroom. It seemed like that experience was unusual though as many people lived in smaller groups. We lived in a great location.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I did not personally have any healthcare issues but one of my roommates did and she found the healthcare system very affordable and easy to navigate.

* Safety:

Vienna is one of the safest cities in the world. I never felt uneasy even walking home late at night alone.

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

IES gave me exactly the experience I wanted abroad. They provided classes that were interesting, but not so difficult that I didn't have time to enjoy the city and travel on the weekends.

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)

This depends on how much you want to travel. The location of Vienna is great because there are amazing places to visit nearby that are affordable and cheap to travel to. Eating out in Vienna is more expensive, so we cooked a lot in our apartment.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100-$200 depending on whether I travelled or not
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Try to cook as much as you can, food can be very expensive.

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

We did not speak German in most of our classes but we all had to take German three times a week and this encouraged us to use German.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? none
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* 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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • German class
  • Living with an RA
* What could be improved?
  • Too many students
  • Orientation
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? That I wouldn't be as homesick as I was worried I would be

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.