Study Abroad Programs in Alcala de Henares, Spain

When you are a Bulldog at Butler University, it’s hard to leave your vibrant campus life behind for a full semester. Still, choosing to study abroad became one of the most rewarding decisions of my college experience. Thanks to Calie Dickey and staff at Butler's Center for Global Education, the decision quickly became a no-brainer. I took my international business and Spanish studies from our campus classroom all the way to Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. Living life as a Madrileña, every day brought something new. Spanish language immersion was central to my goals, and living with my incredible second family as a host daughter in their home became the most impactful part of my experience. My family welcomed me into every part of their lives - their gastronomy, daily rhythms, friends and family, evening street culture, and cherished traditions. I learned that Spaniards can always find something to celebrate. During my time abroad, three things stood out: • Discomfort turned into confidence • Curiosity turned into cultural exploration • Strangers turned into family As a student at the Instituto Franklin-UAH, I was challenged in nearly all Spanish-speaking courses and connected my daily experiences with coursework in Spanish poetry and traditions. I also completed a marketing internship with local business Buceo Alcalá, where I grew as a professional in my secondary language - proving to myself that growth lives on the other side of discomfort, even amid cultural and language barriers. The International Business major in me was eager to absorb everything around me. Before I departed, even my former colleagues at Eli Lilly and Company were excited to send me off. I was later invited to visit our Government Affairs team at the international office in Alcobendas, Spain, an unforgettable opportunity to see one team working across seas. My time with Teresa Millan and her team Cristina Escudero Marquez, and Claudia Penzol López will always be cherished. Now back in Indianapolis for my final semester as a Butler undergraduate student, the golden question remains: “Do you miss it?” And while yes, I miss the adventure, the unknown, and the beauty that is Spanish living, I am grateful to be home. I smile with contentment for the life-changing memories and apply my broadened perspective to my life every day.

Studying abroad at UAH was one of the best decisions I ever made in college. I'm a semester away from graduation and can say without a doubt that the four months I spent at the university were some of the most impactful and inspiring of my life so far. My Spanish speaking ability greatly increased, I made awesome new friends, explored Toledo, Madrid, and Alcalá, as well as the Valle de los Caídos, and figured out what I want to do with my life. I cannot recommend this experience highly enough! Go get lost in castles and monasteries, find yourself in awe of the Roman ruins, and make friends with the locals in cafes and bars. Getting to know the lovely people and participating in daily life activities alongside them, even joining in all the festivities for Semana Santa, was incredible. If you have the opportunity, by all means, what are you waiting for? And if you do, please be sure to go back to the río de Henares and tell it I miss it already <3

I’ve only been here a few weeks, but it has been so much fun! I’m learning a lot about Spanish culture, and I love living with my host family. I cannot wait to continue making memories here in Spain!!

I enjoyed the extra excursions that were organized through CIEE, like zip lining and visiting El Escorial. These are trips that I might not have taken/organized for myself, but they were very enriching experiences.

This study abroad experience is one in which I learned to grow as a person. I was able to make new friendships and discover a new culture. Alcala de Henares is a wonderful town full of history and wonderful people. I would say I learned the most through my host family that treated me as their own child and through the various courses in the program. The faculty of the program are all very generous and always making sure that you are having an unforgettable experience. Through events organized by the school, I was able to visit museums and nearby historical cities. with friends I was also able to travel a lot. Overall, this experience is a unique one that I would recommend to anyone. And Alcala de Henares will always be like a second home to me.

The Instituto was phenomenal with my semester abroad. All classes were taught in Spanish, and I lived with a host family. These two aspects were wonderful for my cultural immersion and growth in Spanish. I am truly appreciative of the staff who I have grown close with over the semester. They were always helpful, attentive, and supportive of me. One unique part about this program are the excursion, which I wish I had taken more advantage of. They went to Toledo, Segovia, La Valle de los Caidos, and more. With this program I not only made friends from around Spain, but also around the US. I also grown close to the professors and staff and got to know them outside of the classroom, like at futbol games and cooking classes. Without a doubt, living with a host family was one of my biggest stresses, but I have grown so close to them over the semester, and my understanding of the Spanish culture, language, and literature was truly enriched. Yes, having classes all in Spanish was a challenge, but that helped me so much with presenting, writing, and speaking in Spanish. All of these aspects helped me achieve my semester goals abroad, and it's an experience I will never forget.

The preprogram resources were very helpful, I felt very prepared when I arrived. Having a weekend trip included was great. It was a smaller group of students so it was easy to form relationships with other students.

CIEE took very good care of us and was wonderfully helpful when we needed something. They made sure to update us on things that would help us and even provided great tips for travelling to cities throughout Spain.

The classes were pertinent to my studies and the staff were flexible and kind. Also, I really loved the trips that we have been taken on- it's nice to have people around to help make sure you don't miss out on the really cool places/attractions. Great program!

CIEE provided so many services for a relatively low price. I especially thought the excursions were planned well and that Sonia did a great job helping us understand the importance of vigilance while also demonstrating safe ways to enjoy ourselves in Alcalá and other cities.

The Teach & Learn in Spain program offers its participants the opportunity to gain hands on teaching experience while pursuing a Masters Degree at the University of Alcalá through Instituto Franklin. I attended the program from 2012-2013 and received a Masters in Bilingual and Multicultural Education. I was a Language Cultural Ambassador at a bilingual primary school in Madrid while I pursued my masters, and decided to stay an additional year teaching. My overall experience in the masters program was great. Iulia, my Program Coordinator, and all staff members at Instituto Franklin made me feel safe and supported while in the program. I was presented with plenty of opportunities to get involved at Instituto Franklin and UAH through cultural and academic events, which made my overall experience more meaningful. The courses I completed in the Masters in Bilingual and Multicultural Education were all applicable in my daily duties and responsibilities as a Language Cultural Ambassador. Having no prior teaching experience was a challenge at first, however, the courses and assignments prepared me to become an effective educator. I especially found the classroom management course to be helpful and relevant. In my opinion, all aspects of the program were manageable and essential. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in pursuing a Masters in the field of education, getting a hands on experience, and immersing themselves in another language and culture.

Attending the Instituto Franklin during the 2015-2016 school year was the best educational decision I’ve made. To those students who are willing to embrace their studies, apply themselves, and work hard, you will be rewarded with incredible educational and life experience. After graduation, I returned to the United States and was immediately hired as a high school English teacher. (Full disclosure: my undergraduate degree is in teaching with an English emphasis, hence applying for a teaching position.) The administrators who interviewed me were incredibly impressed with my time spent abroad, particularly with obtaining a Masters in Bilingual and Multicultural Education. After being hired they told me that was the biggest reason I was chosen over the other interviewees. The school district did not require my degree to be accredited but I do plan on having it accredited soon. I plan to update this review with more details regarding that process. If you have an opportunity to apply to this program, I wholeheartedly encourage it. Not only do I have unbelievably fond memories of that school year, but I am now in a better career because of it. Shout out to Iulia, Carlos, and all the other professors who helped me achieve my dream.

Honestly, when I first decided to attend UAH through the Instituto Franklin Teach & Learn program, I wasn't sure what to expect. But since I knew I wanted to work in the field of International Education, I thought it would be a very valuable experience to complete my degree abroad. I'm so happy that I made this decision and really cannot say enough positive things about the Teach & Learn program. Instituto Franklin is constantly evaluating best practices and theories of bilingual education to make their curricula as relevant to today's modern teaching practices as possible. Furthermore, the investigations and assignments in the courses encourage cross-cultural perspectives and force students to explore how their own backgrounds inform their experiences as teachers and professionals. In addition to all of this, the Masters program is designed in a theory-to-practice model, so all of the exploration and learning that takes place inside the Teach & Learn classroom is then put into practice and developed on by each students' personal experience in their practicum, in the Spanish classroom, and in Madrid. Participating in this program was of great value to me both personally and professionally. As a graduate from the MA in International Education Teach & Learn program, I felt very equipped to enter the field and begin my career, given all of the practical experience that I gained as a part of this program. I highly recommend the Instituto Franklin Teach & Learn program!

It has been almost two years since my time abroad, and I still reminisce about various memories from my experience on an almost daily basis. I cannot stress how thankful I am for my decision to study abroad. Although I would advise students to study abroad longer than a month or two, this program is a phenomenal way to obtain a study abroad experience if it is not possible to spend a semester away. By living with host families, taking fascinating classes taught in Spanish, and living in the outskirts of Madrid, you can have an incredibly fulfilling study abroad experience in a short amount of time. After living with a host family and taking classes taught in Spanish, you would be surprised at the amount of Spanish you learn – even after a month. I had taken many Spanish classes in high school, but due to my major, there was only room in my schedule to take one college-level Spanish class my freshman year. I studied abroad two years after that Spanish class, so I was nervous about having to communicate with a host family and even more nervous about taking classes in Spanish. However, my Spanish skills returned quickly and I enjoyed watching myself improve. It was a satisfying moment when I realized I was able to start having more in-depth conversations with my host family and other Spaniards because of my speaking abilities. There is something fulfilling about having conversations with people that otherwise could not have occurred if you did not learn their language. Because of memories like these, I would highly recommend studying in a country that speaks a foreign language. I also gained a deep appreciation for Spanish culture and its history. In my classes, we learned about a multitude of historical events and the famous pieces of art that were created in response. The incredible thing was that, right after learning about these important events and artworks, I could take a train into Madrid to visit landmarks where these historical events happened and to see the art in person, at the Prado or Reina Sophia, that was just discussed in class. Being able to go physically see what we had just learned about gave me an appreciation for Spanish art and history that would be nearly impossible to obtain from learning about the same topics in the United States. The last part of the program I want to mention is that it also allows students to travel. Classes are only Monday through Thursday, and therefore, students can have 3-day weekends to explore other parts of Spain, or Europe. Madrid is a 35-minute train ride away and you can easily find a bus, high-speed train, or plane to wherever you desire. This program truly is great for learning about and living in the Spanish culture, as well as improving your Spanish in a relatively short amount of time. Because of those opportunities, in addition to numerous other travel and social memories, I could not be more grateful for my time abroad with this program.