Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

A worthwhile experience September 08, 2023

By (Political Science and Government, Drew University) - abroad from 01/10/2022 to 05/07/2023 with

IES Abroad: Freiburg - European Union

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My experience with IES Abroad was worthwhile to the ultimate extent. I was able to seek mental help to navigate through my thoughts and anxieties while abroad. I was able to connect with my professors, staff, and students to become more open-minded to the topics and lines of thought that I would have never came up with. I am not the same as I was before studying abroad, and I am thankful for that development.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The professors were extremely knowledgeable about what their course covered. Much of them had their own personal experiences/studies to give, which made the classes much more interesting.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The on-site administration was absolutely fantastic (I would even say they make up a major part of what makes the program stand-out). They were able to offer resources, assistance, and even an open-mind to what you have to say.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

The housing offered to the IES students was great! We were able to stay with the local student of the University of Freiburg and be able to make friends outside of the program. My only small comment on the housing situation was that the people who were originally in the living arrangements did not have a lot of information on us. I would only change that aspect so that when study abroad students arrive, the people already within the housing arrangement would be prepared.

* Food:

The food, for the most part, was good! Surprisingly, Freiburg has a decent proportion of its population that is vegetarian. This brought a whole new scope of meals for me, and I absolutely loved it.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt very integrated into the local culture of Freiburg. With the help of the IES Staff along with a local therapist that IES was able to connect me with, I have been able to find local attractions and activities to do. I was able to visit concerts in Freiburg's Konzerthaus and speak with some locals/musicians there and I was able to hike from Sankt Margen to Sankt Peter by the advice of the IES staff. I would not have been able to embark on these adventures without the assistance from IES.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Healthcare for me involved mental health, which was easily accessible. The IES staff has connections to local therapists and was able to connect us fairly quickly to a specialist. There is only an initial charge, yet the remaining sessions were covered by the health insurance IES offered.

* Safety:

I felt very safe in Freiburg and around the area. I am usually a person who likes to walk and hike alone, and there were no instances in which I felt in danger or uncomfortable.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

I was able to live a bit cost effectively when abroad. I would just warn that when going on the field trips, budget more strictly then because it is easy to go above your set limit.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Each week I spent around $100-$150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I would say take the full amount of money you have so far the you plan to use for your time abroad and divide it by the weeks you will be abroad. You will then set a weekly budget and any week that you have spent under your budget, you are able to save for your trips.

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

Though the European Union program was not language immersive, it did have some components in which we were able to learn German and speak a bit colloquially. It was encouraged, yet not to the extent where it was obligatory.

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? I have only take Spanish
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? I do not have any advice as I did not take the language courses that IES offered.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
* 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?
  • Field Trips
  • Staff
  • The Students/Roommates
* What could be improved?
  • The workload
  • The topics of discussion for class
  • The course-related events for field trips
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how intensive studying abroad would be. This is not necessarily a negative factor - it definitely is not - yet it calls for your full attention and effort. The program's syllabus did not give a full extent of the work needed (we got the syllabus while abroad); I wish I knew that to prepare what my schedule would be to study, relax, and travel.

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.