Program terms: Fall, Full Academic Year, Spring
Restrictions: Vanderbilt applicants only
Type of Program: Direct University Enrollment
Costs: Budget Sheets
Academic Calendar: Extends into Summer Months
Key Dates:

Term	Application Deadline	Program Dates
Fall 2025	03/03/2025	To be determined
Full Academic Year 2025	03/03/2025	To be determined

Please note: if you're considering applying for the Spring term, the application will open in late April. Admission to the program is subject to enrollment capacity, so apply as early as possible.
 

Program Overview: 

In this program facilitated by CIEE, students can experience a hybrid of study center classes and take classes at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M). Students may also take non-engineering courses at UC3M such as economics, business administration, biological sciences, communication studies, international studies, political science, and sociology. Studying and living in Spain's largest city offers students many possibilities for soaking up Spanish culture and exploring on your own or in a group. CIEE staff are onsite to support our students, provide guidance, and provide extra-or co-curricular activities and excursions.

Academic Structure and Course Registration: 

• UC3M is known as the Harvard of Madrid, so students can expect coursework to be academically challenging or on par with Vanderbilt's academic rigor. 
• Course registration will occur on site after you arrive and classes are NOT guaranteed. Final course registration can take up to a month to be finalized and this is very typical for the host university Universidad de Carol III de Madrid (UC3M).
• The 1-credit hour STEM tutorial is NOT credit-bearing at Vanderbilt and will not count towards your overall credit hours.
• To access UC3M's majors and course listings click here.

Program Dates:

• For the fall semester, the program runs from early-September until early-December.
• For the spring semester, the program runs from late January until the first week of June. Early departure from the program is not allowed during the spring semester.
• If you plan to have a summer internship, please be mindful of this restriction and consider alternative programs as needed.

Housing and Commute Times:

CIEE Madrid offers many housing options to maximize your study abroad experience, including homestay, student residence halls or shared apartments. By default students are placed in standard housing, but they can choose to upgrade their housing to Select Housing or Select Housing Plus for an additional fee paid to CIEE. Upgraded housing is NOT guaranteed. Therefore, even if students select this option, they may not be placed in upgraded housing. 

Commuting is a large part of everyday life in Madrid and the city is very accessible with great public transportation: trains, buses, taxis, etc. The average commute time in  can be up to 70 minutes from your housing accommodation. For more up-to-date information about housing, refer to CIEE's website here.

Visa Process:

A student visa is required to study in Spain for U.S. passport holders (students holding passport of other nationalities should consult the Spanish consulate regarding visa requirements). Visa application process will occur after you have been accepted to the program. Key items to note:

• The visa process can take 5-8 weeks after submission of application.
• Students must surrender/give up their passport during the visa process. Spring study abroad applicants are advised to not schedule international travel between October - December.

For more information, visit program homepage.

Fact Sheet

Housing: Apartment (shared), Dormitory, Homestay
Minimum GPA: 3
Language of Instruction: English, Spanish
Language prerequisite: No
Additional prerequisites: N/A
Costs: Budget Sheets
Student contacts: Peer alumni

Photo: Courtesy of Ben Woods