Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An Unforgettable Semester! Past Review

By (Trinity University) - abroad from 08/15/2019 to 12/21/2019 with

IES Abroad: Amsterdam - Psychology & Sciences

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I absolutely loved studying abroad, and I feel like I learned so much about myself. Living in a new city for multiple months puts you out of your comfort zone and helps you learn to be self-sufficient. I loved everything about my semester abroad.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

It is hard to adjust to foreign educational systems, but IES Abroad was very helpful.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The staff were amazing.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I loved my living arrangements!

* Food:

I mostly cooked for myself but the food in Amsterdam was good and had a lot of vegetarian options.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Attending a local university really helped me make some Dutch friends and learn more about the culture.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Amsterdam feels very safe, but it is always important to use common sense. Just like in any city, avoid walking alone at night in areas where there aren't many people around.

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

The IES Abroad staff were fantastic.

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)

Traveling got expense, but I was able to budget pretty easily when I wasn't travelling.

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Keep track of what you spend your money on!

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

It is easy to get away with just speaking in English, but our program did encourage us to at least pick up some Dutch phrases.

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

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
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?
  • The staff
  • Orientation
* What could be improved?
  • Nothing
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It is okay to have bad days! Even though there will be a lot of good days, just like every other semester, not every day will be a good day.

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.