Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Great experience Past Review

By (Biology, McGill University) - abroad from 06/17/2015 to 08/01/2015 with

IES Abroad: Cape Town - Summer Health Studies

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
Gained a lot of first hand experience on healthcare in South Africa

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.

I did a 7 week long health studies program in Cape Town through IES. This included a a course about healthcare in South Africa as well as a service learning component in primary and tertiary hospitals in South Africa. The class component could have been better planned however I learned a lot from the service learning component. There was sometimes poor communication between the teacher and IES that could have been improved. IES organized for us to observe at several healthcare clinics around Cape Town. We were able to experience a lot of things that we would not be able to observe in hospitals in the US.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

IES did a good job planning activities for us the were included in the tuition fee such as a peninsula tour and wine tour. Cape Town is an awesome city with so much to do. The is a lot of hiking and places to see!

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing was very safe. There were numerous locks and a security guard 24/7. There were also safes in the room.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Cape Town is not the safest city. A couple of students had their phones stolen. You should be careful when out at night and not take the public transport.

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

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)

The conversion between the rand and dollar is very good so food was very cheap.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

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

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • city of Cape Town-hiking, beaches, food
  • new culture
* What could be improved?
  • administration
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? brought some warmer clothing

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 Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.