IES Abroad Madrid

Before I went to Madrid, I was terrified of going abroad - there were so many unknowns, and it was such a big leap to leave all of the friends that I'd made at college to go spend an entire semester in a country I'd never been to with people I'd never met. But as soon as my plane touched down in Madrid, I felt more relaxed. All of the students were nice, the staff were helpful, and the city was beautiful. IES really made Spain feel like a home to me, with interesting courses and the ability to take classes at the local university and really immerse myself in the college life of Madrid.

Not only did I grow academically and improve my language skills, but I also learned so much about myself and I have so much more confidence now. I know that not only can I live on my own in a country 10 hours away from my family, where everyone speaks a different language, but I can thrive there. As happy as I am to be back in the States, with all my friends and family, a part of me wishes that I were back in Spain again.

If you want to study abroad you should absolutely consider Madrid and IES. Madrid has amazing food, culture, and nightlife and there was never a dull day. Also, you can travel to anywhere in Europe for less than $250 (~200euros) which I took full advantage of and was able to visit 13 countries and 25 cities. I would highly recommend studying in Madrid.

IES was also extremely helpful and made my experience that much better. They are always available if you get sick or lost or even just want a recommendation for a good place to eat. Also they have required tutoring classes that count for 25% of your grade and the entire grade is attendance, so it is a huge boost to your abroad grades which was a very nice boost for my GPA.

I had the most amazing, culturally-enriching experience in Madrid this past Fall semester! Going into studying abroad, I was torn between Barcelona and Madrid, and am so incredibly grateful to say that I made the best choice by choosing to study abroad in Madrid with IES. I specifically chose a full-immersion, language intensive program so that I could strengthen and improve my Spanish speaking skills, and fully immerse myself into the Spanish culture and way of life. I absolutely LOVED living inside of a Colegio Mayor (Spanish dorm), as it served as a cultural hub, overflowing with so many different cultures, allowing me to meet new friends from literally all over the world ( that I still talk to). I was able to do "intercambios" with these new friends, where they helped me improve my Spanish, and I, their English, so it was a really great living-learning environment that I recommend everyone to choose! IES was amazing with their pre-departure information, and for helping me with every single step along the way before I left to Spain. Once I got to Madrid, the orientation was informative and the staff was so incredibly kind and caring, and truly want you to get the most out of your experience abroad. The study center put on different cultural events during the week and on the weekends, and IES did a really nice job with pre-planned trips to different cities in Spain (San Sebastían being my favorite). The study center was in a super safe location, right next to a beautiful park, and was actually located right next to one of the metro stops, allowing me to access the metro very easily and accessibly. As far as classes go, they were more academically challenging than the classes I was used to in my home institution, in that I have never taken a course taught in Spanish that was not about Spanish grammar or Spanish studies. I definitely wrote a lot for some of my classes, but the homework load wasn't too intensive that I didn't have a social life or couldn't travel. During my experience abroad, I only stayed in Spain; I visited 11 different Spanish cities, and truly had the opportunity to immerse myself into the Spanish culture. I was able to see the world through a more globalized and empathic lens, and be more understanding towards others who are different than me. Madrid gave me the chance to step out of my comfort zone, make amazing friends, explore beautiful sites, learn what my passions are, and helped me grow in more ways than I thought were possible. I hope you enjoy the vitality and heart of Madrid as much as I did. (:

My favorite part of this experience was participating in the many extracurricular activities that IES provides. I was able to join a language interchange group, participate in a flamenco dance class, and assistant teach English at a grade school in the city. I also loved taking a course about the Prado Museum. Despite having a semi-difficult experience with my host family situation, I felt that the program staff was always available to support me. If you go on this program, do not be afraid to ask for help.

My semester abroad in Madrid with IES Abroad was an incredible experience! I lived with an amazing host family who was so welcoming and cooked delicious food. They taught me a lot about Spanish culture and helped me improve my Spanish. The IES Madrid staff was very friendly and supportive. If you ever needed anything, they were always willing to help. I took materials science, machine mechanics, Spanish Art and Architecture, which are the classes I needed for my major and minor. The engineering classes were tough, but it was worthwhile to experience a different educational system. The IES classes I took were some of my favorite classes because the professors I had were so passionate about their teaching that made me enjoyed learning about the material. They also had relevant and engaging class trips and activities. IES also offered many fun trips and cultural activities, like cooking classes and flamenco shows. Madrid was such a vibrant city full of life, and I'm so grateful I was able to call it my home for my semester abroad.

Studying abroad is always referred to as the greatest experience of one’s life. For me, my six weeks in Madrid were 42 days of cafes, conversations, friends, and discoveries that collectively created the greatest experience of my life. My host family was incredible and exposed me to so many little differences between Spain and the US that I would have never learned. The classes taught me so much because they were taught in a way that was fun and interactive (I highly recommend Madrid the City). In addition, my weekends were filled with trips to London, Tenerife, Morocco, Sevilla, Toledo, and Valencia, and the day trips arranged by IES were so convenient and exposed us to places we would’ve never seen on our own. Overall, the program was so hospitable and always made sure we had everything we needed. I loved my time in Spain and I highly recommend IES Madrid Summer to anyone looking to go to Spain for less than a whole semester and who wants to learn and experience the true language and culture of the city.

Classes were easy to understand and staff was very accommodating. Madrid is a central hub for transportation, so it is so easy to travel around Europe (and even Africa! I went to Morocco for a weekend). I highly recommend studying through IES, it was amazing to meet students from all over the country and I definitely will not forget the memories I made while abroad. Six weeks is the perfect amount of time, not too long and not too short!

I had the opportunity to fully immerse myself in a culture different from my own. Participating in a full immersion program helped me to step outside of my comfort zone and challenge myself to try new things and continue strengthening my Spanish speaking. Living in Spain's capital, Madrid, I never ran out of things to do. My favorite part of living in Madrid was running from my homestay to see the magnificent sunset at Parque del Oeste and run by the Palacio Real. There are so many great food options, and for dessert, I definitely recommend San Gines for the best churros con chocolate. Overall, my experience studying abroad in Europe was better than I could ever imagine. I had the opportunity to travel to many different countries and experience even more cultures. I loved my experience and highly recommend that everyone studies abroad.