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Spain is a beautiful country home to diverse cultures and landscapes—from beachside cities in Catalonia like Barcelona to Andalusian communities nestled among the Sierra Nevada Mountains like Granada. Study abroad programs in Spain offer something for everybody, regardless of your personal and academic preferences. Fortunately, AIFS Abroad offers study abroad programs across Spain, including Barcelona, Salamanca, Madrid, Valencia, Seville, and Granada, so you can choose a city and program that best fits your needs and enjoy an unforgettable global education experience. Want to learn more about what it’s really like to study abroad in Spain?
Hear from six college students who did a study abroad program in Spain with AIFS Abroad!
Gabe: Fall in Valencia
Meet Gabe, an education major from Colby-Sawyer College who studied abroad in Valencia during the fall semester.
Below, Gabe explains why he chose Valencia:
“I live in a tiny town in New Hampshire, and it’s cold for a lot of the year, so the idea of living in a big cityon the beach sounded like a pretty sweet deal. I also wanted to step out of my comfort zone, meet some new people, and come back with some fun stories. Going to a lesser-known city with an entirely different language felt like an exciting challenge.”
When you study abroad, you’ll likely come to appreciate the differences in culture and the unique aspects of your host city. For example, many cities in Spain have a long history, so they often have beautiful architecture and fascinating historical sites. Hear Gabe describe his favorite things about Valencia:
“There are giant castles all over the city, remains of various walls from the Middle Ages and prior… So [my favorite thing about Valencia is] definitely the castles or the historic football (soccer) park where my roommate and I play pickup—great way to practice Spanish and meet people.”
One of Gabe’s favorite things about Spain as a whole is how affordable living and traveling in the country is compared to the U.S. (especially the food!):
“Spain is insanely affordable; you can get awesome food for under five euros and travel all over Spain at really good prices. But if you’re like me, it’s pretty easy to let the three-euro bocadillo (sandwich) purchases stack up, so save money before you come so you have money to [eat] food and also see as much of Spain as possible!”
Anna: Summer in Salamanca
Meet Anna, a pre-med undergraduate student at Eastern Illinois University who’s pursuing a dual degree in biological sciences as well as world languages and cultures, with a primary focus on Spanish. Anna chose an 8-week summer study abroad program in Salamanca. She’s proof that many STEM students can study abroad[TH1] —and not only did she study abroad without interfering with her rigorous academic track, but she explains that it was extremely beneficial to her pre-med studies:
“Pre-med students can absolutely study abroad, and it is something that I highly encourage. It comes with its unique challenges, but I felt that it was important to study abroad in addition to my classroom studies of biology and Spanish to be a better physician for my future patients—being able to understand them on a language level, but also connect with them on a cultural level as well. If you are a student who is still in high school but you know that this is the route you want to pursue, start looking at programs that are supportive of those desires.”
For example, AIFS Abroad offers many health and medical courses around the world that can help other students like Anna advance their medical degree abroad.
Hear Anna describe why she chose a homestay for her housing in Salamanca:
“[A homestay] is a fantastic way to improve your language skills. Many of the host families here in Salamanca don’t speak any English, so Spanish is the only way to communicate. Using the language is the best way to learn, so while you build a connection with your host family, your language will improve. A homestay is also a fantastic way to try traditional food, learn the routine and customs of the country, and discuss cultural topics with your host family.”
With so many amazing destinations in Spain to choose from with AIFS Abroad, how do you make a decision? Hear Anna describe why she chose Salamanca:
“Salamanca is known for its pure Castellano accent. I felt that it would be easier to learn and understand the language structure without the influence of other dialects. Being from the cornfields of the Midwest, I also wanted to live somewhere quieter. Salamanca is a much calmer city than the major hubs.”
Jhanvee: Spring in Seville
Jhanvee, a junior from West Virginia University studying journalism, studied abroad in Seville during spring semester.
Hear Jhanvee describe what her experience making friends was like on her program in Seville:
“As soon as I landed in Seville, we had an orientation event and a tour of the city. And during those times, I was able to meet everyone in the program and get to know them, and over the course of the semester, it’s been pretty easy to make friends and get close to people. Especially when we all decided to travel together—we [went] on weekend trips together with the program, [including] a Morocco [and] a Portugal trip. And there was a trip to Cordoba and Granada… So, I would say it’s been a pretty smooth process meeting people. As well as I’ve met some people in the residence hall who are Spanish students. That’s been nice too.”
In addition to AIFS Abroad trips and excursions, Jhanvee made several trips outside of her program with the friends she made in Seville. She explains that “the train system to get around Spain is amazing! Domestic flights are affordable and fast as well!” Making it easy to travel in Spain and throughout Europe during her semester abroad.
Dietary restrictions can be a challenge for students who want to study abroad, but you shouldn’t let concerns about food stop you—a little planning and research can go a long way! Despite initially struggling to find vegetarian food in Spain, Jhanvee said:
“In general, I have really enjoyed the food in Spain. Everything is very fresh, and I actually eat much healthier than I do in the U.S. Most cuisines can be found in big cities like Madrid. However, smaller towns have limited options, so it is important to be aware of this if you are vegan or vegetarian.”
Marisol: Summer in Granada
Marisol, who is studying speech-language pathology at the University of Wyoming, went on a summer study abroad program in Granada. Hear Marisol describe why she chose Granada as her program destination:
“One of the main reasons I chose Granada is because of its location in Spain. It’s more south, which means it’s about an hour and a half from the beach, which is very nice on the weekends. Also, the dialect [in Spain] is different than [the Americas], so I wanted to be able to pick up on that dialect and hear that more. Another reason I chose Granada is because of how much freedom I had in my program; for example, I’m in an apartment and I chose that [over] a homestay. This city is more local than other cities in Spain, and it’s just beautiful. I would recommend anyone traveling to Spain to visit Granada! It has such beautiful architecture, and the energy here is incredible!”
For students like Marisol who aren’t able to study abroad during the spring or fall semesters, a summer program is very beneficial, as she explains:
“I’m only here in Granada for the month of June… I decided to only do a month summer program versus coming for an entire semester because it worked better with my degree… Another thing was that it’s hard sometimes to adjust to a new culture and new language, so a month was perfect for me because I can be homesick, so you get over it pretty quickly.”
Justin: Fall in Barcelona
Justin, a finance major from Bradley University, studied abroad in Barcelona during the fall semester.
One of Justin’s favorite things about studying abroad in Spain is how easy it is to travel throughout the country and to neighboring nations, as he explains:
“Traveling has been really easy and really fun throughout Spain. I’ve gone to Girona with a day trip that the AIFS Abroad program offered, and it was really good. I’ve been to other places, like Sitges… [and] Besalu, which was really nice, too. I’ve also gone on a few other day trips throughout Spain with the [AIFS Abroad] program—they offer many, many day trips… I’ve also been on a few other trips outside of AIFS Abroad, [such as] Nice, France. Honestly, I really like how easy it is to maneuver from Barcelona.”
Some college students wonder about safety while studying abroad, especially when in a big city like Barcelona. As Justin said, the on-site AIFS Abroad staff and emergency number made him feel a lot safer during his program:
“Typically, I’m with my friends, but if I am by myself, I still feel pretty comfortable. The metro is great—great transportation—so you can really maneuver throughout Barcelona. In terms of what AIFS Abroad offers, they offer some great contacts in case you’re ever in a situation—they have an emergency number and an office located in Barcelona. So honestly, yeah, I would say I feel safe.”
Raechel: Spring in Madrid
Raechel from College of Charleston studied abroad in Madrid, Spain’s capital city, during spring semester of her senior year.
As an international business and Spanish double major, she was able to take a variety of classes that helped her meet her academic goals. Below, she goes into more detail about her classes in Madrid:
“I only took 4 classes. I did a Spanish panorama of the culture and the different regions in Spain, I did a grammar class, a business/entrepreneurship class, and I also did a panoramic of Spanish literature. All of my classes transferred back before I left for my school.”
As Raechel explains, for those who have proficient or fluent Spanish skills, there are classes available that are taught purely in Spanish:
“I decided to take only Spanish classes. I had to take a proficiency exam through the university to gauge what level I was at. They gave me a set of courses to choose from that I could then get approved through my school to then send all of that paperwork to AIFS. You don’t have to speak Spanish… but as long as you can say, you know, ‘hello,’ ‘how are you?’ and how to ask basic directions, you’re golden. Everybody pretty much speaks English, mainly the younger generation, and it’s a touristy city, so they… use English as a common ground.”
While it’s not required to learn or speak Spanish prior to studying abroad in Spain, many college students like Raechel take advantage of the opportunity to advance their language skills and their degree simultaneously!
Immerse yourself in the lively Spanish culture while you earn credits toward your degree like these college students did—study abroad in Spain with AIFS Abroad!
AIFS Abroad offers a wide range of study abroad programs in Spain, each tailored to meet specific academic and personal preferences. Whether you want to enjoy the small-town charm of Salamanca, the big city energy of Madrid, or something in between, there’s a program in Spain for you! Study abroad in Spain with AIFS Abroad and take advantage of our valuable program inclusions (which really take the stress out of planning!), such as housing, trips and excursions, social and cultural activities, comprehensive insurance, 24/7 emergency support, and the support of our trusted on-site staff.