This depends on your citizenship. US citizens do not need a visa to enter the Shengen area (which includes Portugal) for up to 90 days, which is more than enough for the duration of the iX program. We’ll gladly provide any letters or documentation that may be needed upon your arrival, but because you’ll be learning and doing excursions with us, the best way to describe the program if asked about it at the border is that you’re doing an educational tour. If you’re not a US citizen, please check the diplomatic and visa requirements of your home country or passport issuing authority.

You’ll be staying at Bluesock Hostel Lisbon, which is very centrally located, right off of Avenida da Liberdade. The area is steeped in history, with beautiful Azulejo-clad buildings and cobbled streets giving the city its signature Mediterranean feel. The hostel itself is modern with 24-hour reception to assist with any queries you may have, and you’ll be a short 15-minute walk from the iX designated coworking space (called Heden Rossio). Bluesock has a rooftop bar with sweeping views over the city, looking down towards the ocean, over terracotta roofs and with views onto some of Lisbon’s historic landmarks. Since you’ll be in Lisbon in summer, it’s also important to mention - every room is temperature controlled!

Uber is much more affordable in Lisbon than it is in most of the US (and even in the rest of Europe). There is also a sophisticated public transport system which is cheap (but can be challenging in cases where it’s all in Portuguese!) For official iX excursions, transportation will be arranged and provided for you, so no need to worry about that. Overall, though, Lisbon is a very walkable city, especially in the central parts, which is where you’ll be spending most of your time. Make sure you have comfortable walking shoes!

Yes, the classes are online, but the internship is in-city. You’ll have access to an excellent coworking space called Heden, in the central area of Rossio. Here you’ll have free WiFi, access to loads of coffee shops and restaurants just outside the door, a full kitchen and modern amenities that will allow you to participate in your online classes. You will be able to walk to Heden from the Bluesock hostel with ease. Heden is a great place to join the classes online, as the internet is faster - as such, most of our students prefer to work and learn in a professional workspace.

No, your meals are not included in the program. However, there are many fantastic restaurants and cafés in all directions, within walking distance from the coworking space as well as your accommodation. If dining out, you can expect to pay $5-$7 for breakfast and lunch, and $7-$15 for dinner, depending on your choice of dining. Budget on $30+, just like you would in America, for nice dinners out with drinks. Uber Eats is also available. As they are government subsidised, groceries are exceptionally affordable ($0.80 for 1qt of milk and $1.21 for a loaf of bread) so you could also plan on having some or most meals in-house. Many students have enjoyed experimenting with local ingredients and cooking dinners together.

During the four-week internship/learning blend, you will have the opportunity to apply and develop your skills in the real world by working on a project with continued support from our teaching team. This provides an exciting opportunity to positively impact a company or organization and develop your professional portfolio. For three days a week, you will work on your internship project full time (and the other two days part-time), in your internship team as well as individually. You will have daily check-ins on your progress on your internship project from your teaching team dedicated mentor, who will also be on hand to answer any questions you have. Unfortunately, since our partners only confirm projects shortly before the program starts, we are not able to release the names of the companies ahead of time. You will have the opportunity to submit your preferences for which company you’d like to work with and discuss your internship placement with an in-city program manager. For examples of companies that students have interned at in Lisbon, see this link.

Flights are not included in the price of the program. What is included is: the course and internship program, safe comfortable accommodation with other iXers, co-working space from which to do online class and internship work, four excursions, in-person talks by industry experts, weekly community and social events, airport pickup and drop-off, 24/7 health & safety support. welcome event and orientation.

We have a schedule that our program management team puts together to help you explore and enjoy the city with friends and our staff. You are also free to plan your own activities, and should you need assistance, feel free to ask!

Rooms are allocated with 2-5 students in each. Rooming selection is on a first-come-first-serve basis. This means that students who commit to the program and pay their deposits early have first choice of rooming options. If you have specific requests for who you’d like to room with, please let your Career Advisor know. If you would like your own private room, you can contact your Career Advisor prior to the start of the program to see if this can be arranged (depending on availability - and please note, this will be at an additional cost). Alternatively, you can contact your program manager when on the program about this, but the sooner we get your request, the sooner we can make appropriate arrangements.

The co-working space is called Heden in the historic Rossio district, which is a 15 minute walk from the Bluesock Hostel. You’ll be shown where it is on the first day of the program during orientation.

The iX Alumni Network is supported by a dedicated online platform that is rich in perks! From free asynchronous learning courses to the alumni database that connects you to other former students who now work in the industry, our alumni have many ways to stay engaged. We have a dedicated internal community team that ensures that everyone who wants to continue their learning journey - and are keen to join our post-program earning opportunities too - can do so. We're always keen to keep the iX family in touch, even if life gets busy sometimes.

We cap our class sizes to ensure that every student has the opportunity to get involved and have a personalized learning experience. As a result, the iX Abroad program is relatively small: we usually have 25-30 students in Lisbon and 50-70 students in Cape Town in each session. All students will be housed in the same accommodation and have access to the same facilities and experiences - it's up to the individual to make the most of it! The iX staff on the ground are always on hand to ensure that each and every student is safe, supported, and given the space to grow in their own ways.

Uncertainty is normal - and it can be a gift! We encourage exploration, especially with the knowledge that no experience is wasted. If you're unsure of what your vision for your future career looks like, don't panic - that's absolutely normal. Our advice is to request the course info packs from your iX admissions consultants and get to know what the learning outcomes are for each course, as well as examples of previous internships and teaching teams. When making a decision, remember: you're not bound to do one thing for the rest of your life! New skills can be valuable down the line in surprising ways. Even if you do one of our courses and realize that it's not for you, that's still a valuable insight (since knowing what you do want is wonderful, but knowing what you don't want is a great second-best). If you're struggling to make a choice, ask your admissions consultant to put you in touch with an iX alum who has done one of our courses before. Real-life insight can be very helpful when clarifying your decisions. Even if you start the program and realize that you're not interested in the field, we do allow course switches (with clear motivation) up to three days in.