Sociology Study Abroad Programs in Salamanca, Spain

I studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain with the AIFS Early Start Program in Spring 2025. I chose this program because of the affordable price, the ease of getting a visa (AIFS even sends someone to the consulate on your behalf), the variety of upper-level course options, and the early start, which let me spend a month at the university before the official program began. That extra time really helped me immerse myself in the Spanish language and culture. The staff support was excellent from start to finish. Before the program, they provided clear information about scholarships, logistics, and the overall process. During my semester, my advisor was attentive and always available to help with anything I needed. I LOVED my housing situation! I stayed with a host family, which allowed me to practice Spanish daily and experience the culture in a much deeper way. AIFS also offered numerous included activities, such as a trip to Portugal, a cooking class, and a dance class, which made the experience even more memorable. The professors were kind, supportive, and explained everything clearly, ensuring we truly understood the material. Studying abroad with AIFS helped me realize how capable and independent I am, while also allowing me to build friendships with people from all over the world. I would recommend AIFS Salamanca to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish, broaden their global perspective, and experience Spanish culture firsthand.

From the moment I landed in Madrid, I knew I was in good hands with my resident coordinator, Miguel Blanco, and my host mom, Juani. These two individuals made my spring semester a time of learning, growth, and immersion, all in a safe and supportive environment. Don Miguel and the API team coordinated engaging excursions where we learned more about Spanish history and culture. I think our tour of an historic Moorish palace in Trujillo, Spain, was the most exciting moment of my trip—looking over the palace walls and seeing miles of greenery and the old city below truly put Spain’s age and beauty into perspective. I would not have seen such a sight had it not been for Don Miguel. While the excursions were amazing opportunities to explore the Iberian Peninsula, living with my host mom taught me how to enjoy life day by day as a Spaniard. Our daily lunch and dinner chats were some of my favorite moments from my trip because it was the best time to ask questions and learn more about the typical Spanish experience. She made Salamanca feel like home, and I loved living under her roof. When I remember my time in Salamanca, all I can do is smile. I am so grateful I had the chance to embrace the Spanish lifestyle and find peace in the Golden City.

Late-night kebabs, dancing to a mix of Spanish and English music, visiting cathedrals, strolling to the university, seeing castles, exploring aqueducts, learning to make traditional cuisine, and spending time with my host mom were just a few highlights of my incredible journey in Spain. I chose to travel to Salamanca through API Abroad. The University of Salamanca, one of Spain's oldest universities, drew me to the cty. Its blend of a slower pace of life and thriving social scene plus location in Castilla-Leon made it the perfect destination for my study abroad experience. Applying through API Abroad was a seamless and straightforward process. Each part of the application was detailed and provided clear guidance, walking me through every step. Before my departure, API sent a comprehensive pre-departure guide, covering essentials like cultural differences, packing suggestions, and descriptions of our host families and potential city excursions. The day of departure was filled with firsts—my first time traveling abroad, being on a plane, and traveling alone. Knowing that my program advisor would meet me at the Madrid airport was a huge relief. Miguel, my program advisor, greeted me warmly upon arrival, as did the other students in the program. The initial days in Madrid, filled with tours and bonding experiences, made the transition to Salamanca smooth and enjoyable. Orientation sessions covered everything from schedules and host family arrangements to cultural norms, available resources, and helpful guides. Living in Salamanca offered an authentic immersion into Spanish culture. My host family prepared traditional dishes like judías de verduras, pisto de verduras, hornazo, empanadillas, and more. We attended the Feria in September and visited the casetas. I joined bachata and salsa classes, learned to cook paella, tortilla de patatas, and torrijas, and biked across the city. Beyond Salamanca, I explored the aqueducts and castle in Segovia, and enjoyed a medieval market in León. These experiences deepened my appreciation for Spanish traditions and daily life. I attended classes through Cursos Internacionales at the University of Salamanca, with a schedule of classes five days a week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The professors were incredibly kind and supportive, patiently explaining concepts and showing genuine interest in our experiences outside of the classroom. One professor, in particular, would remind us every Friday, “Recordad, haced cosas” (Remember to go and do things). This encouragement added to the warm, inviting atmosphere that made learning Spanish enjoyable and fulfilling. Miguel, our program director, was always available to address any questions or concerns. Whether accompanying me to the pharmacy when I was sick, recommending restaurants, helping me find glasses, or guiding us on program-organized trips, Miguel’s support was invaluable. He even organized a Thanksgiving dinner to ensure we felt at home during the holidays. The friendship among the other students in the program, who came from diverse backgrounds, also contributed to a supportive and vibrant community. My time in Spain helped me grow in countless ways. It strengthened my Spanish language skills, boosted my confidence, and made me more independent and open-minded. The friendliness of the people around me—my host mom, new friends, and program staff—eased any homesickness I felt. When I did miss home, their support made all the difference. This journey was transformative, and I’m eager to return to Spain someday. API Abroad and Spain were the perfect match for my study abroad experience. The program’s exceptional support, Salamanca’s charm, and the cultural immersion opportunities created an unforgettable experience. I wholeheartedly recommend API Abroad to anyone considering studying abroad—it’s a chance to grow, explore, and create lifelong memories. This journey not only shaped my academic and personal growth but also gave me a broader perspective on life, inspiring me to embrace new challenges and opportunities with confidence.

My experience abroad was deifinitely scary at first, navigating Madrid Barajas airport was not a challenge I was expecting but nonetheless it helped me to be able to manage myself in a foreign country. Transitioning to life in Salamanca wasn't too difficult especially since I come from somewhere between a small town and a big city. I initially chose the homestay option as I wanted to get more acquainted with the everyday culture, but unfortunately the lifestyles of myself and my host parents didn't really match up. I am sometimes more of an introvert (especially in new situations/places) and like to have a safe space to decompress and they were expecting someone who was more outgoing, explored a lot, and stayed out much later than I initally would. Then, moving into the residence hall was a straightforward process that didn't take too much time and I felt so comfortable having my own space (especially having my own bathroom!). Plus, I was near all of my friends in the program. In addition to being close to my program mates, I also got to meet more local students and it was nice to have the typical college experience with them instead of simply staying with people who you were always familiar with that were in your program. I think my biggest issue was that I wasn't forced to be speaking in Spanish as much as I had wanted to. Speaking spanish with people in your program can be awkward at times but it's definitely worth it, but when all was said and done, all of my colleagues were speaking English. For me, the language was something I would adopt during the day and then at night it was usually back to English. This might be biased since my last language immersion experience was with 0 English speakers and I was forced to speak in Spanish 24/7, which isn't realistic for everyone. Overall, IES made everything very accomodating and they were the nicest people I had ever met. I could go to them with anything and even developed bonds with them as mentors. I would absolutely do it again and I reccomend it to anyone even if you're a beginner in the language.

I studied abroad in Salamanca for two weeks, and I wish I had more time and the opportunity to stay for a whole semester. But in that little time, I did so much. The program was well organized and included many excursions while also leaving time for you to plan your own activities. Classes were from 8 am-2:15 pm and after classes came the best part, Siesta time. There are many bars, stores, and museums where you can spend your time. Compared to more recognized cities like Madrid, Salamanca is cheaper, so I recommend taking advantage of that. During my time, I also had the opportunity to go to Barcelona for one weekend and Madrid the next. I absolutely loved both cities too. My recommendations for you are to make sure you are ready to walk a lot and if you are doing a January term- since it's a short program you will do a lot of activities- so save your energy. Plan accordingly. Rest whenever you find the time but take advantage of the opportunity and your time there so you don't regret anything. Take pictures for memories!!!

My semester in Salamanca was one of the best times of my life. Here are some words I would use to describe Salamanca and my college experience there: peaceful, entertaining, fun, fascinating, simpatico, and take-me-back. My international business courses were interesting, the professors were great, the food was amazing, going out was fun, and the excursions to Portugal and around Spain were awesome. I highly recommend looking into the AIFS Salamanca program if you are at all interested in the Spanish culture, a fun college experience in a beautiful walkable city, or learning about international business in a foreign country.

Studying abroad in Salamanca was the best experience/semester I had while studying in University. I was immersed in the Spain culture due to the lack of English that was spoken there. The people, the food, and the way of life in Spain is amazing. I learned more studying abroad in Salamanca than any semester I had back in University. If you want to learn Spanish and have an authentic Spain experience you should study abroad in Salamanca.

I loved this study abroad experience! I spent 3 weeks in Salamanca, Spain, which is a smaller city. In those 3 weeks, I felt like I truly lived in that city. The smaller city size meant that less people spoke English, so that provided me with an opportunity to progress in my Spanish. I got to explore, learn about its history, and meet some amazing people. A large focus of my trip was learning Spanish. I lived with 3 other students in a Spanish family's home. That was pure immersion since they didn't speak English. The host family was so welcoming, fun, and the host mom made amazing food! We got to speak with the children in Spanish and watch movies with them! Our classes helped me learn a lot of Spanish. We had awesome excursions, and opportunities to make friends with other students. Overall, this was a great way to spend a winter break!

This study abroad experience was the best decision I have ever made. I didn’t just learn about a new country and their culture but I learned more about myself and how to be more independent. Salamanca was an amazing city! The history, culture, and people were all amazing. Walking to school and passing by historical and beautiful buildings every day was such a surreal experience. I will never forget this study abroad experience, and truly hope everyone gets to experience this at least once in their life.

While abroad, I felt that I became a whole new person in the best way possible. I would say that my time abroad was unique as I did not stay in my host city on the weekends. During the weekends, I was fortunate enough to travel to others countries and experience their culture as well. I have a deep respect and desire to want to understand the different languages and traditions other cultures have and I have found the best way to discover this would be through traveling. Much to my surprise, I solo traveled all these adventures and I know that if I were to tell myself that when I was younger, I would not believe it. Though, I will admit, my first solo trip was not planned as I had a flight error while in Madrid and then elected to stay in Madrid alone the rest of the weekend rather than head back to Salamanca. But this spontaneity, something I don't typically practice, was so freeing and honestly led to the best memories. Throughout my travels, I had met so many wonderful people from all different walks of life and loved to learn more about their own unique stories, but still found comfort in my "homebase" of Salamanca. I found much independence and liberation through solo traveling as it allowed me to choose what I wanted to do and where I was headed. That being said, traveling around Europe was not only easy but also cost-efficient. I really enjoyed being able to utilize the public transportation systems and loved the overall ability to walk everywhere. Additionally, the awareness to the environment is so much different because of public transportation, which allows less pollution in the air. Due to all the factors and aspects that I loved abroad, I am hoping to return and reside in Europe permanently, but I must complete my undergraduate degree first. However, I will admit that I am applying to masters of public health programs abroad, as another benefit of Europe is the affordable education. Overall, I think the United States could learn a thing or two from Europe, but until then, I will just continue to share my amazing experience with others, hoping that they too can experience Europe for themselves. Upon returning abroad, it was difficult to assimilate back into my old life as it was not Europe. While in Europe my mental health was amazing, I was present everyday as I was experiencing new things all the time. But here in the states life was so much different. The cost of goods was more expensive, everything was further away from each other, and public transportation was rarely utilized in my suburban community. In complete honesty, I still have trouble being back home and am looking forward to the day that I can return to the "best version of myself" while I was in Europe. I was brave, independent, excited to explore, less stressed etc. Prior to studying abroad, I have been overseas but I never. knew the full extent of the European healthcare system. As a public health major, I found this perspective of Universal Healthcare so beneficial but was also cognizant of the disadvantages that come with Universal healthcare. This opportunity to not only learn about Universal healthcare but also experience it was so fascinating to me which thus led me to question many of the systems in the United States. My long-term plan is to work with a global organization on better healthcare access and through my travels, I was able to experience the benefits and negatives, providing me with a whole new perspective.

This study abroad program was amazing. The people of Salamanca are very friendly and appreciate your eagerness to learn Spanish. The teachers are very nice and care about your learning. The students I met here were incredible. You will be put out of your comfort zone in the best way possible. This was a life changing experience.

I had a great time in Salamanca. I met friends from all around the world and got to practice my spanish in class and in my homestay. I was also able to travel a lot during my time in Spain which was such a great experience for me.

My time in Salamanca contains the majority of the happiest moments of my life. From the people including friends I made, my host mom, and the program director Gaye Michaels, to Salamanca itself with all its beauty and history, I miss it every day. The education I received was also incredibly at the wonderful Cursos Internacionales. The professors there actually develop relationships and care about their students. It was incredible.

I had so much fun during my summer study abroad. Salamanca is a beautiful town in the middle of Spain, known as the golden city because of the sandstone buildings. The architecture is stunning! I stayed for both terms, a total of about two months. I decided to stay in a home stay which I recommended everyone do! My host mom made delicious food and she was very helpful if I was struggling. AIFS has you fill out a form before you go to best place you with a roommate with similar interests. They did an amazing job, my roommate and I are still best friends to this day! The college was amazing. They have four levels of Spanish which you have to test into. I tested in to the third highest and while I was there I completed the courses! I signed up for an extra class to be able to earn more credits. I took a grammar, speaking, and literature class. The culture immersions AIFS planned were a lot of fun and Julía, the manager of AIFS in Salamanca, was always open to hearing what we as a group wanted to do and planning is events. We did things like go to cultural dancing classes, cooking, a flamenco show, etc. Also, since I was over there for two terms there was about a week break in between when I went an traveled! Traveling when in Europe is so easy as the countries are all close! I traveled to Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, and Gran Canaria. If you are on the fence of going to study abroad, go! I made so many memories that I will forever hold close to my heart! It is a bit expensive, but so worth it!

After waiting what seems like forever, I finally embarked on my journey abroad to Salamanca, Spain in the Spring of 2020. Although it was not on my radar at first glance, Salamanca stole my heart and a permanent stamp in my mind. The culture and history it has to offer are unlike any other place I have visited and the academic opportunities are endless. It wasn't until my time abroad that I learned to appreciate all the tedious grammar structures that get harped on in Spanish class. Salamanca was the perfect learning environment in more ways than one. The classes offered by IES Salamanca were challenging, yet just right and the cultural experiences they planned really allowed me to explore and learn all about the Spanish culture and way of life. I cannot recommend Salamanca enough, whether you are in the beginner or more advanced Spanish level-- it has something for everyone.

I can't imagine a better place to learn and grow than the beautiful city of Salamanca, Spain. It's the perfect size for a community feel with the autonomy to go on many an adventure in the city. My host family was incredible and very sweet - I felt right at home in their house and enjoyed the opportunity to practice Spanish in and out of the classroom. The courses at IES were rigorous and I feel thankful for a tiered-level program that allowed me to work with students of similar ability. I also enjoyed the variety of classes offered. Attending courses at the partner institution, USAL, was incredibly helpful in gaining credit for my home university and advancing my spoken and written Spanish communication. I loved my time in Spain and I can't imagine a better place to have been!

Studying abroad in Salamanca through AIFS was without a doubt the best few months of my life. AIFS was so helpful throughout every step of the way - from deciding if study abroad was right for me, to choosing with program, and even how the classes offered would help with my degree. Once I was sold on Salamanca, I was met with more support than I could ever ask for. First, the AIFS staff did a phenomenal job with roommate matching. I had decided to stay in a homestay, and my roommate quickly became my best friend. We got along so well, and despite me not knowing anyone in the program prior to arriving in Salamanca, we immediately clicked and this really helped me have a positive study abroad experience. As for the homestay - DO NOT PASS UP THE CHANCE TO STAY IN ONE!! It is such a unique experience and really lets you dive into the culture and traditions of the city you're in. My host mom lived her whole life in Salamanca and cooked the most amazing traditional meals - from paella to tortillas de patatas ... my mouth is watering just reminiscing about it! It was so clear that my host mom cared so much about my roommate and I too - from the way she meticulously folded each piece of laundry to the way she carefully packed a lunch full of bocadillos for me before a trip out of the country, I knew that I was truly considered to be part of her family too. My friends in the program that also stayed in homestays all had similar experiences as well - you just can't go wrong! finally, the resident directors in Salamanca are AMAZING!!! they really cared so much about us and made sure that we were taken care of in every way imaginable! literally so so so so grateful to the resident directors for helping me with everything - from how to navigate ordering in a tapas bar to getting a new sim card for my phone! 100000000/10 experience!!!

I wish I could come up with any critiques about my time abroad in Salamanca with API, but I simply cannot, except for the fact that I had to return home two months early because of Covid-19. The people of Salamanca, Salamantinos, call Salamanca the City of Gold- and it absolutely lives up to its name! From sitting in the Plaza Mayor people watching and drinking café con leche, to picnicking at Rio Tormes next to the Puente Romano, there was never a moment I wasn't pinching myself saying “how could life get any better?”. Salamanca is a small city full of so much life, Spanish culture, and Spanish language. By choosing to study in Salamanca with API, you will be supported by the API staff through all parts of your time abroad. The API Salamanca staff made my experience, and I am forever grateful for all I have personally gained from studying in Salamanca. This is your sign! Sign up now!!

Studying abroad in Salamanca was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Despite the short semester and early return, I genuinely felt immersed in the culture, area, and schooling. I made friends that I'll hopefully be in contact with for the rest of my life, and traveled at every opportunity. It bolstered my independence and opened up new horizons for me to travel and return to Spain in the future!

Studying abroad in Salamanca Spain was the best decision of my life! There is no better city to learn Castellano or enjoy the beauties and excitement of urban Spanish life. I explored the city everyday and found adventures around each turn. My time in Spain was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but I will always be grateful for the help of the AIFS staff for getting me home safely. I can't wait to return and make up for the lost time! Salamanca, te echo de menos.