Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

CIEE in Madrid was awesome!!! October 27, 2022

By (Data Science, Claremont McKenna College) - abroad from 01/24/2022 to 06/04/2022 with

CIEE: Madrid - Engineering & Society

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned how to be fully independent and explore my surroundings while being in a completely new environment. It was definitely worthwhle.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

CIEE was great! They had a great orientation week and we got to explore Madrid with a local who works for CIEE. It was fantastic to get to know other students studying abroad and exploring Madrid early on. CIEE was responsive to emails and our concerns about housing, safety, etc.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Lived in an apartment with 9 other girls, we each had our own room and shared 2.5 bathrooms and a kitchen. The rooms were very nice and the kitchen was spacious. We even had an in unit washing machine.

* Food:

The Spanish food was so delicious. Miss the croquetas and especially the paella. It was very nice to experience traditional Spanish tapas as well.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I felt like a true Madrid native during my time there. Especially towards the end of the program, Madrid felt like my home.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I got very sick and had to go the ER once. It was very early in the morning, but it was a very easy and quick experience. I signed in, got called and seen by the doctor, and then he prescribed me medicine and told me to go a local pharmacy to pick it up. The medicine was very cheap and effective in making me feel better.

* Safety:

I felt extremely safe at all hours in Madrid. The public transportation was clean and easily accessible as well.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

CIEE was the perfect program because it supplied all I needed very quickly. Housing was covered, budgets were pre-made, health insurance was facilitated, metro services were facilitated, etc.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Madrid was very cheap, and with the only immediate expenses being groceries (which are also very cheap), it was easy to maintain on a student budget.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Get the monthly metro pass (CIEE facilitates this for you), go to the cheaper supermarkets (DIA is more expensive), plan your trips early!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Housing
  • Madrid night life
  • Orientation events
* What could be improved?
  • Covid protocols/resources
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It is very hard to connect with locals in Spain.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.