Study Abroad [redefined]®

College study abroad is your chance to live and study in another country while earning college credit. Whether you choose to spend a semester, summer, or year studying abroad, your IES Abroad courses and experiential learning opportunities—think internships, experiential learning placements, field trips, and more—are designed to immerse you into the local culture. Because when you study abroad, the world is your classroom.

Study abroad is more than going from here to there. It’s an exhilarating challenge of academic and cultural immersion, plus a whole lot of fun. Our study abroad programs allow you to choose courses based on your area of study and where you want to travel. Other details, like your housing, field trips, and on-site support, are all built into the program. At IES Abroad, we’re committed to offering you incredible international experiences that set you up for success before, during, and after study abroad. Put simply, at IES Abroad, we do study abroad, differently. 

What Study Abroad Means to Us

student on an Environmental Studies & Sustainability course looking at a leaf with a magnifying glass

Take Courses

Depending on which study abroad program you choose, you can take courses at our Centers abroad, a local partner university, or possibly both. At our Centers, we hand pick the best faculty to teach courses specifically to IES Abroad students through a local context. Course options at prestigious local universities enhance not just what you learn, but how you learn it, and provide you with new perspectives as you join local and international students alike. Direct Enrollment programs provide you with the opportunity to take all of your courses at a partner university.

Find Your Program
Student Intern with Mentor in Vienna

Take Courses & Do a Part-Time Internship

Complement your study abroad courses with a for-credit internship and academic seminar as one of your elective courses. With a part-time study abroad internship, you gain hands-on experience and deeper insight into the local professional culture. This experience is not only valuable to your study abroad adventure, but to your career as well.

Find Your Program
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Take Courses & Participate in a Part-Time Community-Based Learning Placement

Many of our study abroad programs offer community-based learning placements and accompanying academic seminars as one of your elective courses. Our programs with a community-based learning component combine coursework with volunteer work so you can give back to the local community while you develop professional and personal skills.

Find Your Program

Student gathering study abroad information at a college fair
IES Abroad

How to Study Abroad

From application to airplane and all the way back, we’re here to take the mystery out of how to study abroad.

Start with research of your college or universities study abroad policies, available scholarships, and study abroad programs. As questions come up along the way, our IES Abroad Representatives are here for you. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to apply for your potentially life-changing study abroad adventure.

Choosing to study abroad can be a huge decision, but we firmly believe it’s one worth making. Browse our guide of resources including virtual tours, student blogs, course syllabi, and more to help you make the most informed decision.

Check Out Our How to Study Abroad Guide

“Be bold. We always give ourselves a million excuses not to do something. The truth is no one knows how to live a correct life, but what makes it worthwhile are the experiences you let yourself take on that journey.”
Carver C. • University of Iowa • Paris Summer – Internship

a group of students pose for a photo in St. Peter's Square in Rome
Kayce P. • Texas Christian University

Global Brilliance Begins Here®

When you choose to study abroad on an IES Abroad program, you get the full deal: personal advising before you go, access to stellar academic opportunities, options to travel on field trips, guaranteed housing, and health and safety support.

Whether you’re going to Barcelona or Buenos Aires, we’re committed to providing superior academic and student support services every step of the way.

See All That's Included

a group of students pose for a photo at the Osu Kannon Buddhist temple in Nagoya
Zachary L. • University of St. Thomas

Why study abroad?

At least one reason to pursue a Bachelor’s degree is to launch your career. Did you know study abroad can help you do just that? Study abroad is not a vacation from your education, it’s a chance to expand, explore, and develop long-lasting personal and professional skills.

For more than 50 years, IES Abroad has researched the practical outcomes of study abroad. Time and again, the career benefits of study abroad have proven especially substantial. Increase your hireability, secure a job more quickly after graduation, and more when you study abroad.

Learn More About the Benefits of Studying Abroad

A 3x3 grid of headshots of our student ambassadors.
IES Abroad

Want to talk to someone who studied abroad?

No one knows the IES Abroad experience better than a student who has lived it! From budget tips to housing experiences, our volunteer Ambassadors are here to share it all.

Contact an Ambassador

“It's been great to be able to share my experience with other people who are interested in the same program that I did. It lets me give people advice that I wish I had, like what to pack or what to expect from classes.”
Mariana B. • Wellesley College • Galapagos Islands Direct Enrollment – GAIAS

a group of student pose for a photo in the forest in Cape Town
IES Abroad Cape Town

How to Navigate Identity During Study Abroad

At IES Abroad, we believe that studying and interning abroad is not just for a specific type of student, it is for everyone, no matter how they identify. Which is why we have a dedicated Diversity team to support you before and prepare you for studying abroad. We understand that depending on how you identify, where you’re from, what religion you practice, or your family background, you may have a few other concerns. 

Browse Student Identity & Access Resources

Kojo Clarke Headshot
“The best version of yourself is the version that you create.”
Kojo C. • Franklin & Marshall College • Nantes - French Language Immersion & Area Studies

students visit a lake among the mountains in Ecuador
Kristi C. • Wake Forest University

Study Abroad Meets Sustainable & Earth-Friendly Values

We have always considered sustainability and earth-friendly practices to be an integral part of the global experience. This is why, in 2021, we formalized these values into our Global Good Commitment. With inspiration from the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, we have committed to three main values: sustainable living, equitable living, and human well-being. These values are strategically-woven into our curriculum, and program offerings.

Learn About Our Global Good Commitment

“When you study abroad, you gain extensive insight into yourself, your host culture, and the world. Nothing makes learning so fun.”
Ben N. • Trinity University • Freiburg - European Union

Your world [redefined]®

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student looking up at Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona