Engineering Study Abroad Programs in Madrid, Spain

Madrid was an amazing city to explore as a student. It had a variety of activities, from world-famous museums and parks, to a lively nightlife and food scene. I had access to cultural activities, a great group of fellow students, and easy access to travel Europe. I always felt safe in the city and really felt like I got to know it well. Classes were great and easily transferrable to my home university, although we did have a daily commute to class. IES provided support where needed. My housing was amazing as well. No complaints!

Studying in Madrid with CEA Capa was so much fun! It was truly a life changing experience and CEA made it as smooth as possible. CEA is super helpful with finding housing for you and helping you get set up with roommates, as well as flights, a ride from the airport, a metro card, etc.. It is a huge leap to leave the country for months at a time, but CEA makes it feel so easy. This is such a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really grew so much from being immersed in a different culture for 3 months. I made lifelong friends and memories that I will hold forever. Madrid is also the perfect city to live in for study abroad! It is great if you are looking to work on your Spanish skills and challenge yourself to leave in a busy city environment that highly values relaxation and fun!

I spent the fall of my junior year abroad in Madrid, Spain, and it was the best decision I had made for myself. Through CEA CAPA Programming and Housing assignments, I met some of the best people I have ever met. My eight roommates and other friends supported me endlessly during my time abroad. My favorite memory is the 24-person Friendsgiving my roommates and I hosted; that was the moment we all knew how abroad had impacted us and our long-lasting friendships. The most common questions regarding my experience from people interested in going abroad are about academics, social life, and traveling. I studied at the Universidad de Carlos III in Spain, and only half of the classes I took during my time abroad were related to my major. The rest were considered general elective credit because I knew I wanted a more flexible schedule when I was abroad. I would say that they were at about the same difficulty level as my home university. Another question I often get is about the commute to campus. In my opinion, Madrid has one of the best metro systems in Europe. It is incredibly convenient and easy to understand. My apartment was in Madrid, and the Carlos campus is in Getafe, a little out of Madrid. I took the Cercanias train straight to school from my apartment, and the commute took about 45 minutes. I wish it was shorter and at first, I thought commuting was crazy, but my roommates and I got used to it. It was also one of the first times I had ever experienced public transportation alone. I also structured my classes so that I only had to commute there and back once a day, and I spent time in the library between classes. One of my favorite memories is that my friends and I always got a cafe con leche and a pastry for 1.60 euros daily between classes. The social life in Spain is very alive. There was always something new to do, and it felt like the city had never slept. Our favorite tapas place is called Malaspina in the city center. The staff laughed every time we walked in because of how often we would go. My friends and I also loved to explore new places in different neighborhoods. My favorite neighborhood was Malasaña because it felt young. My favorite trip was to Sevilla, which CEA CAPA organized. It was a beautiful location, and the trip felt stress-free. Not only were all my friends on this trip, but we could take our time rather than feel like we had to be on the go compared to other trips I had been on. The program also organized different optional tours during this trip, making coordinating easier.

I had the best time abroad with CEA CAPA! I felt so supported every step of the way. It can be very overwhelming trying to get a visa, knowing what to pack, and booking flights but I felt so supported with an advisor from the CEA staff. Once I landed in Spain I got picked up from the airport and there was always someone there for me to talk to with any questions. Regarding safety and health there was so much help if you needed to go to the doctors or get some help. Highly suggest CEA.

A striking impression of CEA CAPA is the staff, who facilitate one’s dream of studying abroad. Throughout each step in the process, I am grateful for the staff and their understanding of my questions, concerns, and curiosity about the opportunity to go abroad. Throughout my term abroad, the CEA CAPA team in Madrid served the students with genuine joy to share their unique culture with those from abroad and excelled at serving the students in a wide-ranging capacity, from housing to excursions––ensuring students felt included and excited to explore. I am certain that my experience abroad would not have been the same without the dedication and joy of the Madrid CEA CAPA team. I am so grateful for my wonderful experience abroad in Madrid, Spain!

CEA responded to this reviewMarch 16, 2024

Hi Caleb! Thanks for your review. We're so glad you felt the dedication and joy from the CEA CAPA Madrid team and got to enjoy your wonderful study abroad experience!

The CEA CAPA staff was incredible at making my time abroad exceptional. They planned awesome excursions and activities and were always there to help! I greatly enjoyed my classes as well. Furthermore, my accommodations were wonderful, with AC and heat, a dishwasher, and a washer/dryer. Plus, I lived right next to the royal palace!

I enjoyed my time studying with CEA CAPA in Madrid, Spain. The on-site staff was extremely helpful and made my experience great. I had awesome housing in an apartment and could easily walk to school. I highly recommend studying at Univeridad Nebrija in Madrid to improve your Spanish language knowledge and learn more about other interesting topics regarding Spanish culture.

I loved my experience with CEA CAPA because of how user friendly they made their program online. Prior to starting the program so many emotions are brewing and CEA CAPA is there to remind you every step of the way that you are not alone! Included excursions are definitely a bonus too.

I really enjoyed the AIFS summer program in Madrid at the University of Nebrija. I took an invigorating class on the Spanish culture and was able to practice my Spanish language skills in many different settings. In addition to the classes, the program provided us ample opportunities to explore the city and immerse ourselves in the day to day lives of Madrilenos.

Studying abroad was one of the best experience i’ve ever had! I was able to meet so many new people, travel easily, and experience so much. AIFS helped to make this experience this good. Everyone should study abroad and experience living in another country at some point in their life if they are able!

Being able to live abroad and getting the full cultural experience was life changing. I never wanted to leave! My roommates in the apartment were so nice and we are all still friends and it has almost been 2 years!

I absolutely loved my experience in Madrid. I made so many life long friends and had a wonderful time immersing in a different culture and experiencing a University outside of the United States. There were a plethora of things to do and experience on a daily basis and I truly recommend studying in Madrid, Spain. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to study abroad. I definitely recommend this program! My living accommodations were amazing and the program managers were wonderful as well. There are so many opportunities for students to experience life throughout this program.

I can honestly say my semester abroad was the peak of my life. This was with help from Lucas, the program manager, as well as meeting some really great friends. Some highlights were the aifs trip to Morocco, where we were able to meet the Barcelona and Sevilla students. The trip to Granada was amazing as well. I have recommended AIFS to everyone as I believe it is the best study abroad program that universities have to offer.

I think that coming to study in Madrid took me out of my comfort zone. I grew a lot on a personal level, I met incredible people and the learning that this great experience is giving me, I am sure it will be very useful for my future.

I highly recommend enjoying the university, more than just studying, and learning from a new culture, experiencing the city of Madrid, and using this open door to Europe to grow personally and professional.

Studying abroad has helped me grow in a lot of aspects so I believe that after my studies at the university, my experiences will help me get to my goals in a more efficient way. Carlos III University is the only one that offers an International Foundation Course that helps international students to study and then to stay in Spain for work. This course helped me to settle in Spain before starting my professional career.

Studying abroad with CEA was the best decision I have ever done. It was such a life time experience and meet so many wonderful people from all over the world. My host family was wonderful and super nice and so comforting my first few weeks. Aside from this Madrid itself was such a wonderful host city with so many things to do and see. The food is unbelievably delicious with so many options for tapas and dishes as well.

I studied abroad in Madrid during the spring semester of 2022. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Actually getting abroad was a little rocky, but from talking with other friends who went abroad, this seems to be a universal experience. I ended up accidentally arriving a week early for my program, so I spent some time in Spain by myself. This accident was great for my transition from home to abroad life because it gave me the chance to explore and come out of my comfort zone without the frenzy of the start of school and orientation activities. IES had a lot of resources set aside for students that I used frequently throughout the year. I had weekly tutoring for both of my biology classes, when I became sick during my time abroad, a physician came to my room to treat me, and the organized field trips throughout the semester really helped keep all of the abroad students close and connected. Over some weekends, I would travel with my friends to other countries. From this independence, I learned so much about myself and the way I fit into the world. I came to learn what empowers me and what I value/lean on in the midst of change. Going abroad was a huge period of consistent adjustment and readjustment. As stressful as this sometimes was at first, I am so much more flexible in the way I live my life, and my life is easier. As I was initially adjusting to the new stresses of life abroad, it was really important for me to have a safe space. I needed to create my own home. Having a really safe and homey bedroom was important for my relaxation and decompression from daily life. My apartment provided by IES was perfect. It was called “Mi Casa Inn,” and it was basically a hotel that only students lived in. There were other abroad students, and Spanish locals who lived there. This was amazing for integration and quick connections with other students. This was also really safe when going out at night because I always had friends who were going back with me. I am one hundred percent sure that IES was the best choice for my abroad program.

My abroad experience was amazing. I was never on the fence about going abroad; it was something I knew I wanted to do since high school. When I arrived in my Madrid apartment, however, I unexpectedly fell apart. The exhaustion of traveling and the emotional toll of moving to a new country caught up to me. Luckily, every student apartment is assigned to a Compañero/a, and she helped my roommates and me get settled. From that point forward, I had the time of my life! Orientation was very thorough, I got to meet a lot of new people, and the trips we took outside of the city were breathtaking- Córdoba was my favorite. Also, the food was incredible everywhere I went! Unfortunately, my experience was cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. It was heartbreaking, which speaks to the unforgettable time I was having. I am eternally grateful for my abroad experience and for the IES staff that helped along the way. Everything was well organized and, even when disaster struck, I felt safe with my program. Hopefully I can revisit the beautiful country of Spain in the future.

My Sevilla program through Adalante was amazing! I made some great memories, traveled a lot, and made some friends. Covid cut the semester short but for what it was, it was great. Adalante was cheap enough for me to enjoy my time, be well supported in Spain, and still save money. They were very accommodating and kind.