Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Hands down best city for study abroad Past Review

By (The University of Texas at Austin) - abroad from 01/07/2016 to 05/20/2016 with

Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid: Madrid - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
too many things to write down here just do it

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.

the classes for international students are not difficult compared to my home university, but that's what i wanted

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

they try to do a good job but a lot of administrative stuff is still done on paper and not very quick or efficient

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

lived in an apartment near sol with two other guys and loved it. the freedom you have i think is much more valuable than the homestay experience bc they homestay can be hit or miss. apartments and living spaces are very small but prices are very low compared to austin

* Food:

the best food in europe

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

madrid is one of the safest cities in europe. only problem is pickpockets

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

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)

you can live and eat cheaply in madrid if you want. you can also live expensively if you want. just depends on where you eat and how much you go out. generally prices are comparable to the United states or cheaper

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $80-120
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? have a set amount to spend every month based of your budget and you'll be fine

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

only if you take classes in spanish then you have to speak and use it

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? Advanced
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Fluent
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? SPN 327C, an upper-division spanish course
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? use it all the time and make as many spanish friends as you can. that is how you truly learn it. if you have an advanced proficiency in spanish already, take as many classes in spanish as you can and it will help so much. try to speak spanish every day if you can

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Exchange

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?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • the spanish students at my school
  • classes
  • location of school (ICADE)
* What could be improved?
  • administrative things
  • organization of classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I knew this before but make sure you really explore madrid and the rest of spain, not just europe. it is so beautiful and rich

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.