Culinary Arts Study Abroad Programs in Spain

San Sebastián is a great place to study abroad if you live diverse cultures and languages, great food, great wine and cider, and many more factors. Right in the heart of the Basque Country, it has much to offer. You can go out for a nice night with your friends and have Pintxos and drinks, or visit the nearby towns that hold much cultural significance. No matter what you decide to do, you won’t be disappointed!

It was the best time of my life. I was able to learn so much not only from the amazing teachers but also from the welcoming community of Alicante. The field trips were also very fun, and ended with the most beautiful views of the ocean and the city. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and genuinely encourage everyone to study abroad at one point in their college career.

Best summer I have ever had the classes were so fun especially the sailing class ! The best part was all of the new friends I made and being able to travel ever weekend with them and explore Europe! I would do it again if I could !

The five weeks that I spent in Alicante were some of the best weeks of my life. The friends I made, the experiences I had, and the things I saw are truly unimaginable. You cannot explain how life changing something like this is until you are there. I was really on the fence about going abroad and I am so incredibly grateful that I made the choice to go. This program is ran wonderfully. I loved my classes, I always felt so supported by our advisors, and we had the most wonderful landlord. If you are even considering going abroad, do it!! I will always have a special place in my heart for Alicante and my time abroad.

This was the best summer and possibly expierience I have had in my life. I studied in San sebastian for 2 sessions over the summer and loved it. Met the best people who I can consider my friends for life now while learning so much. I got fully immursed in the culture here while attending so many cool events I never thought I would be able to like participating in the running of the bulls and being in spain to see the spain soccer team make it to the finals in the world cup. I learned how to surf and more importantly speak more fluent in another language. I highly recommend this program!!!

Every person was SO helpful and supportive. Luis and Veronica were amazing and so were the professors. They did a fantastic job with the tours and trips, they were always so fun. There was also just enough time that me and my friends I made were able to explore on our own and experience the holidays and festivals Alicante had to offer.

I had the best time abroad last summer, session 2 of the USAC San Sebastián program. I specifically participated in the psychology portion of the program taking a positive psychology class during my time there. Although the class had some critiques, San Sebastián is the most amazing city to study abroad in. It is small enough to not feel overwhelmed but still has all the aspects of a big city that you may desire. Plus, it’s right on the beach!!

I studied abroad in Madrid through USAC in the Summer of 2023. The coordinators at URJC Vicálvaro and the pre-program preparations were fantastic. Group excursions covered so much, and they offered a variety of living options. The language immersion helped me earn by Global Seal of Biliteracy and I made lifelong friends.

Studying abroad was an experience I had always dreamed of, and I'm so thankful for the winter study abroad program that USAC offers. Time flew by in college, but this was worth the wait. I took Economic and Political Institutions of the European Union at the Universitat d'Alacant in Alicante, Spain. In the mornings, we debated European politics in class. In the evenings and on the weekends, I strolled the beach with views of the Mediterranean, climbed the Castell de Santa Bàrbara, and explored cafes and restaurants with friends — both old and new. I was excited to arrive in Alicante and sad to leave, and I would do it all over again if I could!

My experience with USAC study abroad in Bilbao was one of the greatest decisions I made in my undergraduate education. The program staff from start to finish were accommodating, empathetic, encouraging, and an overall fantastic resource. They supported me in getting connected and building relationships within the Bilbao/Getxo communities, allowing me to supplement my courses with Social Media Admin opportunities, Classroom experience as an English Language Conversation Assistant in a local elementary school, tutoring opportunities with local families, and several group excursions that piqued my curiosity and sense of adventure! They offered great recommendations for regional travel to explore all that País Vasco had to offer, provided a safe space for any concerns I had, and took interest in my experiences and day to day life! When it came to housing, my host family was an incredible placement. I lived in an apartment with the most amazing family who supported me far beyond providing room and board. My host mom and her daughters were friendly, and I spent many days with them laughing at the kitchen table, exploring the community, and creating a relationship that has lasted beyond my program’s end. I fell in love with Bilbao and Getxo as a host city, felt enriched by my curriculum and professors, and returned home more confident in my language fluency than ever before. The ease of travel from Bilbao to the rest of Spain and more broadly throughout Europe was a complete breeze! I often spent time traveling and exploring on weekends, expanding my cultural competency and my passion for learning about the world around me. I feel that the USAC program offered me a chance to test my boundaries and grow as both a student and a person, I would encourage anyone considering study abroad with USAC to take the leap of faith and know that you’ll love where you land!

Je suis arrivée dans un pays où au début je me sentais étrangère. Très peu de relations avec les locaux comme si j’étais renfermée sur moi-même et ma culture. Pourtant, ce n’est pas ce que j’imaginais. Je m’imaginais sortir boire un verre un samedi soir. Tapear un peu, parler de tout et de rien. Ce que je faisais déjà un peu au Québec. Je cherchais une relation avec ma famille d’accueil, une ouverture de ma part, mais aussi de la leur. J’ai réussi à m’épanouir quand j’ai changé de famille. Cela a été le jour et la nuit. Ce changement m’a ouvert l’esprit et m’a permis de réellement m’encrer avec la culture. Connaître cette facette cachée dont seuls les locaux peuvent te guider à trouver le bon chemin. C’est ça que je cherchais réellement. Je suis tellement reconnaissante envers ceux qui m’ont accompagnée et qui me permettent de vivre l’expérience que je peux vivre aujourd’hui.

I learned how to surf, which has always been a bucket list item for me. Our surf instructors were amazing and were amazing to learn from. I also got to practice my Spanish with them. They are trilingual, as are many people in the area; they know Spanish, Basque, and English. The weather was absolutely beautiful for the month of July. I got to take weekend trips to beautiful nearby areas and got to go see the running of the bulls. My Spanish class was very well taught, and my professor was amazing.

Studying abroad was an incredible experience—immersive, eye-opening, and unforgettable. I grew academically and personally while exploring new cultures, making lifelong friends, and gaining confidence. Highly recommend!

My semester abroad in Alicante, Spain, was an immersion into Spanish culture and the sun-drenched life of the Mediterranean coast. My days were a blend of academic pursuits and afternoon explorations, where I quickly learned to navigate the city by the rhythm of its palm-lined esplanadas and the scent of saltwater in the air. Mornings began with churros and thick hot chocolate, followed by classes that deepened my understanding of Spanish history. The afternoons were for wandering through the narrow, winding streets of the old town, discovering hidden plazas, or relaxing on the expansive sandy beaches that define the city's coastline. I honed my Spanish skills through lively conversations with local shopkeepers.

I had a really good experience with Forum-Nexus overall. The program gave me the chance to travel a lot, meet great people, and learn more about different countries in a way that felt interesting and personal. I liked that the staff was friendly and helpful, and the hotels were some of the best I’ve stayed in. Some visits were better than others, but the overall balance of academics, free time, and cultural experiences made the program worth it. I’d recommend it to other students, especially if they want to make friends and grow through travel.

This summer abroad program was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as an undergraduate.” “It was thoughtfully organized, with a great balance of academics, cultural exploration, professional visits, and enough independence to grow on my own.” “The instructors were engaging, knowledgeable, and encouraged real discussion, which made classes feel useful beyond the classroom.” “I especially liked being able to connect what we learned to our travels.” “The staff was welcoming and supportive throughout, and I’d absolutely recommend the program to other students.

I went abroad Spring 2024 and genuinely have not stopped talking about my experience since. Studying abroad in Spain was life-changing and I grew in ways I didn’t know I needed to. I was born and raised in Nevada, and had only been out of the country to Mexico once before my experience. Moving to Spain, being immersed in the Basque culture, changed my life. I was able to use and practice my Spanish daily, learn about an entire new culture, become self-sustaining and independent, and truly gain an immense appreciation for the world. I recommend this experience to every one I meet. In San Sebastián, I got to live 30 steps from the ocean, surf in between classes, participate in cultural activities like Día de San Sebastián, and eat some of the best food of my life. The area is so extremely walkable, I got to live in Gros, which is actually the neighborhood furthest from the school. I walked to school every day, along the ocean, past the beautiful buildings and architecture, and past the student’s favorite school snack, tortilla from Bar Nestor! I could not recommend studying abroad more, especially if you want to completely grow as a person and truly appreciate time independently. My USAC group still plans trips together until this day, and those relationships will last a lifetime! Thank you USAC!

I studied with USAC in July of 2025. I learned Spanish on URJC’s campus. The location was 20 minutes from downtown Madrid via metro or car. It was quiet, and there is a small grocery store near the dorms. I stayed on the university campus so I luckily had A/C! The USAC staff was very helpful and kind. They even offered to help me with my language skills when I wasn’t in class and needed extra tutoring. The field trips were fun, especially to Segovia. My cohort was very friendly, and I enjoyed going on trips with them around Spain. We had weekends off which was super nice. The cafeteria food was okay, and you could only get one meal from there a day. Overall, I definitely enjoyed this study abroad program!

Living abroad in Spain was very enjoyable for me! I was blessed to have seen so much of Europe in such a short amount of time. I lived with a host family too and it was an enriching experience to really be immersed in Spanish culture. I loved how intimate and small our classes were, I really got to connect with the other students and we had the sweetest time together. I also took a sailing class which was a wild ride! Swimming in the ocean too is quite unforgettable and the friendships and memories I made are ones I hold dear to my heart.

Donostia is the most charming city, it has the best people, the oldest language in Europe, it’s the cleanest, the public transportation is like no other, I was able to play on a local soccer team and make local friends, my apartment was on the top floor and had a balcony overlooking the ocean. Everyone that chose to study in Donostia also had very similar aspirations, and they were in the same sort of place in their life as me, so it was very easy to make friends with everyone. It was also so immersive and forced me to speak in Spanish everywhere I went, which was exactly what I wanted!