What you gain on your program will likely go beyond friendships, travel savvy, and academic achievement. Study abroad also provides you the unique opportunity to develop intercultural competence, the set of skills required to work and communicate successfully and appropriately with people from other cultures. Here are a few ways you can develop intercultural competence abroad: Be aware of your own cultural orientation and how it impacts your experience of and behavior in your new surroundings. Pay attention to the people in your host city, and try to recognize how their cultures impact their...

You may request a neighbor of the same gender on your Housing Form. For the IES Abroad Center staff to accommodate roommate requests, both you and your roommate must: indicate each other on the Housing Form. rank your housing preferences in the same order. submit your forms before the submission deadline. Note that your form will not be considered complete or processed until you and your roommate have completed your housing forms. Keep in mind we will strive to meet you/your rooming request, but it is not a guarantee. The Housing Form may or may not be available in your account right away. If...

Confirm Your Spot & Understand Arrival Instructions Wait until you have officially confirmed your spot in the program and completely read arrival and departure information prior to booking your flights. Once you are confirmed, you will be responsible for booking your own travel. When booking flights, please keep in mind flight times and time differences. In many cases, you may need to depart the day before to arrive in your program host country on the official arrival date. IES Abroad strongly encourages you to book flexible flights and/or contact the airline to determine their cancellation...

Before departing for the Netherlands, you should exchange between about €50 - €150 in order to cover incidental expenses during your first few days in Amsterdam. Euros can be purchased at large banks in the United States and at most international airports. Dutch Bank Account Credit or Debit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express are NOT widely accepted in the Netherlands. The Maestro card is recognized across Europe and will be the most dependable way to access money during your time in Amsterdam. You will be issued a Maestro bank card by opening a Dutch bank account...