Music Study Abroad Programs in Spain

I graduated from high school a semester early, and the only way I wanted to spend my semester was by being abroad. I've known about Semester at Sea for around 6 years and I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. I searched up the requirements to be accepted and luckily fit all the requirements most importantly being 18, so immediately I applied. I then got an email back the next morning saying I got accepted into the program and that email brought me to tears in the middle of one of my classes. I couldn't wait to board the MV World Odyssey and embark on this journey of a lifetime. On the ship, I gained so much knowledge about different cultures and I was able to be fully immersed in them, not just sticking to the touristy things offered. Semester at Sea does an amazing job keeping the students' safety in country as a priority with having mandatory “Pre-Port meetings” the night before arriving in a country, and offering field programs which are ship run excursions with ship faculty leading them. The community on the ship was nothing I have ever experienced before. We were so close knit and it felt like I was truly in a connected, caring, and welcoming environment. I met the people I never imagined I'd connect with, and they ended up becoming the best connections I've ever made with people. Semester at Sea also helped me get out of my comfort zone which led me to have experiences I would have never imagined I'd have, best example being running a half marathon in Vigo, Spain even though I'm not a runner and have never been a runner. Semester at Sea has given me the world and the opportunity to appreciate it to its fullest. I left the ship with my passport full, but my heart is even fuller with people, memories, and connections I will forever cherish. Semester at Sea was truly the best experience I have ever had and would recommend it to anyone as it was life changing.

One of the most underrated aspect of semester at sea is the ship campus itself. Being able to live so close to your friends and just walking a few flight of stairs to your classroom and being able to sit down with your professors for lunch is such an amazing experience. It's eternal sunsets, it's endless travel stories from your friends, it's lifetime of memories. Highly recommend. One of the best decisions I made. And still day dream about this experience, still talk and travel to meet my SAS friends 4 years later.

I have not experienced anything like semester at sea before, therefore giving me a whole lot of different lenses to look at the world with. I completely enjoyed my experience and understand the importance of understanding others concerns, communication, communities, and countries. A overall wonderful experience that has changed my views as well as the way I live and who I am as a person.

My study abroad in Cordoba helped me grow, pushed my boundaries, and highlighted the parts of my life that I deeply value. I was able to view the world through different perspectives and challenge my ideas of what normal was. Finding new ways in which I fit into communities that looked different from the ones I grew up around helped me find different parts of myself. The global variety of people I was able to meet, talk with, and form deep relationships with, helped me understand myself in brand new ways. Additionally, Spain has so many different places with their own distinct cultures, histories, and communities. Being able to explore the different parts of Spain enriched my study abroad beyond my experiences in Cordoba. Studying abroad completely transformed how I will approach new people and situations in the future and fueled my desire to learn more about the cultures, languages, and people that form the world.

Being a premed student I was at first quite hesitant about applying for a study abroad since I was not very sure how it would work with my science classes. That was until I came across Spanish Study Abroad's page and saw that they offered a wide range of classes and programs that could too work for science majors! My first time applying was for the Spring of 2025 for which I was able to take both Spanish classes and do an internship organized by the Spanish Study Abroad branch in Seville at IENSA (a neurosurgery and neurology center in Seville). My second time, was the Spring of 2026 and with how well the program is organized, I was able to do my last Biochemistry class at University Pablo de Olavide. Long story short, the first semester abroad was honestly one of the best decisions of my life and definitely the best decision for my Spanish since between learning in the program and engaging with the very friendly Andalucian people, I successfully moved a whole level up in my Spanish in just a couple months. Additionally, Seville is culturally rich and I love that the program makes it a point to explain and share the wonderful culture and cusine with us! From this experience, I built my confidence and knowledge in Spanish and made very important connections with both locals and in the Spanish healthcare system. I loved it so much, I did the study abroad TWICE and I can confidently say it was 100% worth it!!!

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.

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.

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!

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!

I took a one week course that was 16 hours of class. The staff at Spanish Institute was incredibly nice and welcoming. They organised a few trips to get to see the city and attend cultural events like a flamenco show/class and in some regular classes there was also a focus on understanding and learning about Spanish culture which was very helpful and interesting. Would recommend this to anyone who thinks about starting to learn spanish or wants to become fluent and wants to take the next step.

Una escuela perfecta para aprender espanol y la cultura espanola. Los profesores son muy profesionales y agredables. En dos semanas aprendi mucho. No esta lejos del centro de Sevilla. La recomiendo ampliamente! A perfect school to learn Spanish and Spanish culture. The teachers are very professional and friendly. I learned a lot in just two weeks. It’s not far from the center of Seville. I highly recommend it!

Studying abroad with SSA in Seville was not a single transformative moment, but a gradual process of learning, unlearning, and growth that reshaped how I see myself, other cultures, and my future goals. Over the course of the semester, my initial assumptions were challenged through everyday experiences, academic engagement, and meaningful interactions with people in my host country. By the end of my time abroad, I had developed a deeper sense of self-awareness, cultural understanding, and clarity about the direction I want my academic and professional life to take. Spain and Seville welcomed me with open arms, taking me in and making me part of its beautiful culture. It was amazing to experience the day-by-day there. One really gets to comprehend the beauty of having small rituals and activities that bring you joy everyday, despite your typical routine (work, studying, exercising, socializing, etc). Spain and Seville, specifically offers an undoubtedly rich culture that you can appreciate everytime you walk on its streets. I honestly could not be happier I got to spend 4 months here and I am extremely excited to go back and see all the wonderful people I have met. I truly recommend this program and SSA, especially if you want to experience Spain's warmth and culture at its best.

Estudei por 4 meses na escola e tive uma excelente experiência. O conteúdo é dinâmico e é adaptado às necessidades do aluno, além do ambiente ser extremamente acolhedor. Outro diferencial, na minha opinião, é o ensino da história e cultura local. Sevilla é uma cidade riquíssima em cultura e a escola consegue transmitir isso perfeitamente, seja durante as classes em sala de aula, ou em campo, explorando os principais lugares da cidade junto com as professoras, compartilhando o contexto histórico. Tive a oportunidade também de debater em espanhol sobre temas da atualidade, o que foi muito enriquecedor para o meu vocabulário e também para a minha experiência de vida no geral, já que pude conhecer opiniões / pontos de vista de colegas de classe de outros países. Recomendo de olhos fechados! I studied at the school for 4 months and had an excellent experience. The content is dynamic and adapted to the student’s needs, and the environment is extremely welcoming. Another highlight, in my opinion, is the teaching of local history and culture. Seville is a city rich in culture, and the school manages to convey this perfectly, whether during classroom lessons or on field trips, exploring the main places in the city with the teachers while sharing the historical context. I also had the opportunity to debate current topics in Spanish, which was very enriching for my vocabulary and overall life experience, as I got to know the opinions and perspectives of classmates from other countries. I recommend it wholeheartedly!

I highly recommend choosing this school. They have an amazing team, everyone is very nice and welcoming. They tailor your learning to your goals and have a variety of options available from online, individual, groups or experiences that immerse you in the culture of Sevilla.

My experience with IES Barcelona was life-changing. I lived in a Residence Hall in Sant Marti, where my commute to class was 30 minutes every day by train. The public transportation in Barcelona is affordable, clean, safe, and easy to use, so navigating the public transportation was one of my highlights. The school location was in the city center with incredible views just down the street. I enjoyed studying by the Cathedral of Barcelona, which was only a six-minute walk from our classes! The courses were not too difficult but highly interesting. I took an Art History course where I had the opportunity to learn about the history of Art Nouveau pieces around the city of Barcelona. I also had the opportunity to take a History of Contemporary Spain class, where I was able to broaden my horizons in the Political Science field and compare US history and government to the history and government of Spain. In between work weeks, I was also able to travel. The Barcelona airport is a hub for international travel, so I was able to take exciting trips to several new locations. Overall, this program was the perfect study abroad experience where I became more independent and learned so much about the world.

Ich habe hier einen Kurs in B1 belegt und möchte mich bei der Schule für die gesamte Organisation und Vorbereitung des Kurses und bei den Lehrern für mitreißende Stimmung bedanken, so dass ich mit viel Freude und Begeisterung hier lernen durfte. Danke :) I took a B1 course here and would like to thank the school for the entire organization and preparation of the course, and the teachers for the engaging atmosphere, which allowed me to learn here with great joy and enthusiasm. Thank you :)

**This is a great opportunity for UNR/UNLV students and I would not recommend for students that don't attend these schools.** For clarification, I was on a one month (July) Summer program. Something I didn't realize when applying for USAC is that it is based out of University of Nevada. I was one of maybe 5-8 people from other schools out of a 30 person group, which wasn't very fun when the others were a giant group of people that could see each other after the program, etc. I did make some amazing friends, though, and everyone was generally very kind. My Spanish class was very easy and I did not feel challenged at all, I showed up to class and did my work and forgot it when I left. However, my teach we amazing and I wish I could have her as my teacher again. The two "excursions" were bus rides with some museums that I could have paid less than 100 Euro to do by myself. I had to pay extra to live in the dorms which only included one meal a day. My friends who lived in apartments had 20-60 minute Metro rides to campus (UJRC). Finally, since I was not on the group flight, they didn't allow me to join their provided transportation even though I landed at the same time as the group flight. I also had to provide my own transportation to the airport when I left.

I had the best time in Madrid! The city had so much to offer, I made friends that I’ve traveled to see again since the program and I loved my classes! The staff for my program was lovely and were always there to support us!

My study abroad in Madrid was wonderful. I stayed with a great host family and I found the usac staff to be very helpful. If I had the chance to do it again, I would in a heartbeat. The friends I made in Madrid are something I think about all the time. I miss being there and immersed in the culture.

During my time abroad I learned more about the world, myself and what i'm capable of than ever before. This was by far the most rewarding thing I have ever done and not a day goes by where I don't miss it. Ive made the best friends I could ever ask for, had some of the best food in my life, seen the most beautiful architecture and learned so much history about other regions its amazed me. I learned how to navigate new environments all on my own in countries where English was not a first language. Ive grown so much independently and mentally from this and will take it with me in my future success! For anyone that is on the fence about going abroad I strongly encourage that you won't regret it, the worst part about abroad for me was having to leave a place that I quickly called home!