Spanish Study Abroad Programs

I went to Mexico to improve my Spanish skills and gain confidence moving and interacting in unfamiliar settings and situations. This program allowed me to greatly improve my Spanish - the month-long urban homestay was super helpful for that - and expand my skillset and knowledge of what I can do. In the course of this program I also complete a social work practicum at a local elder care home, and that allowed me to apply and further develop social work skills of empathy and communication, as well as to more completely immerse myself in the local community.

There was so much provided with the program that made me feel very secure about my decision to study abroad with WorldStrides. For example, we had a very clear schedule and an overnight excursion to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu was included. I felt very safe the entire time I was there and knew that if I ever got sick or needed help the program leaders would be there to help me immediately.

Studying abroad was the best choice I've ever made. Worldstrides, as a partnership program, was the best. The first week, we met for orientation in Cairns, Australia, and they took care of hotel and excursion expenses (this includes the Great Barrier Reef). It was a great first week getting introduced to Australia and my program. They were very helpful before and during my time in Australia, always there for questions, concerns, and planning a handful of group activities + one overnight trip! They were truly a blessing while abroad.

I did the "Liberal Arts, Migration, & Social Change" track of Augsburg's CGEE program, and it was amazing. It doesn't require you speak to Spanish, but it has a robust Spanish-intensive with different levels so it's accessible regardless of fluency. It's also a great networking opportunity. You'll see a lot of guest lecturers from all kinds of careers (professors, journalists, philosophers, interpreters, community organizers, agricultural/environmental experts, etc.), and you'll get chances to interact with them and sometimes exchange contact info after their visits. For example, I want a career in writing, and I traded contacts with a journalist who spoke to us! The program also offers a few short, free volunteering opportunities that you can add to your resume (I did this and it helped me land my first internship as an ESL teacher's aide). Finally, the regular professors in the program are always willing/prepared to write letters of recommendation: One of whom is helping me publish my first academic paper that I initially wrote for her class. Finally, it was an amazing social experience. Every person I met there was super interesting, passionate and driven (but perhaps most importantly, just a really good hang) As for stuff to do, there's a ton of bars/clubs, museums, gardens/farms, and a nearby waterpark :D. Some of the stuff we did while I was there included kayaking, arts and crafts, gardening, hiking, museum tours, movie excursions, bowling, ice skating, karaoke, concerts, and bar/club crawls! I think you'd have a blast if you're interested in any of the following: Latin American studies, Community Organizing, Multi-media Art, Art History, Geopolitics, Anthropology, Spirituality/Religion, Biology/Ecology, Agriculture, Literature, Philosophy, Writing/Journalism, Social Work, & Dance. (take the dance class if you can!)

Arcos helped us with our recent study abroad trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Everyone on the team was so kind, thorough, and great with communication. They planned learning activities that aligned incredibly well with the interests of our students, and were with us every step of the way to make sure things went smoothly. The co-directors for Buenos Aires were incredible. They showed so much care for our students and brought incredible positivity and energy every day. I highly recommend them!

I absolutely loved my time in Chile. Not only were the accommodations and classes perfect, but so was the life outside the classroom. Being located in Santiago, we were right in the capital city with multiple events, and activities you could participate in during your time abroad. It was a beautiful landscape with of a city with mountains, and an ocean in Valparaiso\Viña Del Mar just an hour away. I highly recommend studying in Chile!

My time in Barcelona was unbelievable and unforgettable. I did a semester at UAB in the spring 2026 semester and had the best experience. I met so many amazing people and went so many amazing places. There was something for everyone in Barcelona, it was the perfect city. And it was a great hub to explore more of Europe. I was able to visit 12 countries and 16 cities in an 18 week program. WorldStrides staff in Barcelona were so amazing, they were so helpful and friendly. The living accommodations that they set up for us were perfect as well. I was living very comfortably and all the friends I made in the program agreed that they loved their setups. The WorldStrides excursions were amazing as well, they were so fun and I met even more friends. Truly could not recommend it enough to anyone looking to go abroad.

Studying abroad can seem scary and intimidating, however the Costa Rican culture and USAC staff made my journey so welcoming, easy, and fun! The staff were truly so kind and genuinely cared about their students. Any question, concern, or recommendations were happily answered and they followed up with everything. They made my experience so enjoyable and allowed me to fully focus on my academics and experiences.

As a first-generation, Mexican American college student, I had the opportunity to challenge myself, academically and personally, in a place I never been. I do not regret this decision at all. I took every opportunity that I was presented with; social media ambassador, internship at a human rights commission, and most importantly, building relationships.

I I initially went to study abroad to expand my knowledge and immerse myself in a Spanish-speaking culture to increase my development and support my future desires to work in social work specifically advocating for Latino Americans struggling in the US that go against social systems that continue to oppress the Latino community. My experience during my study abroad program turned out to be way more than that. The people I met both my peers, and the staff completely changed my outlook on life and social work in general, pushing me to strive for myself academically, socially, and culturally. I am forever grateful for the experience I encountered during my study abroad program in Mexico with all of our speakers I had the honor of hearing their stories and their struggles and their achievements throughout their life, dealing with various types of discrimination. The encouragement I received from the study abroad staff helped me tremendously throughout various personal struggles, especially it being my first time living away from home I could not be more grateful for what this program taught me in the person it taught me to become, and I am still becoming in my Host family will forever be close to my heart and it feels like I have a home wherever I go, and if I could, I would do it all over again

My time with WorldStrides in Salamanca was incredible. Prior to my departure, I received consistent communication and advice about my time abroad. Once there, I spent time with an amazing host family that truly immersed me in the language and lived right in the middle of the city. The University itself was a wonderful source of global learning with students from all across the world. Throughout my time there, the WorldStrides team in Salamanca supported me every step of the way, offering assistance and support with any questions I had. My month in Spain was the time of my life, largely due to WorldStrides!

Really enjoyed my time here, wish I could have stayed longer. The only caveat is that the crowd tends to be either rather young (think 16-19) or older (40+) so if you are in the middle of that (I was 22) befriending people may be a bit more awkward, especially with the constantly changing crowd. However, that was not a big problem as I was able to make many great friends outside the program (and some within as well!). Staff were all incredibly informed, helpful, and outgoing and really made the time a blast. The events they offered were plentiful and diverse as well, which was very handy and good for meeting various people. Additionally, the spanish lessons were taught fully in spanish (although staff knows english and helped answer questions in english when people truly didn’t know how to communicate in spanish) which was very good and helped rapidly increase my spanish comprehension and skills.

Expanish responded to this reviewAugust 23, 2026

¡Hola, Abigail! Thank you so much for such a thoughtful review! :) We're so glad you had a wonderful time and even wished you could stay longer — that's the best compliment! We really appreciate you sharing the note about the age gap in the group; it's great feedback for us, and we're glad you still found your people, both in and outside the program. It's also fantastic to hear our staff made things fun while being so helpful, and that the fully immersive Spanish lessons helped your skills grow so quickly — that immersion really pays off! Thanks for choosing Expanish and we hope to see you again soon! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

The Arcos Journey abroad was very fun, the cultural immersion aspect of it made my experience in Buenos Aires so fun. I especially enjoyed that we went on several excursions not just in Buenos Aires and within Argentina, but also the trip to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, was also a very enjoyable experience so I want to thank Arcos for this experience.

The Arcos Journey abroad was very fun, the cultural immersion aspect of it made my experience in Buenos Aires so fun. I especially enjoyed that we went on several excursions not just in Buenos Aires and within Argentina, but also the trip to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, was also a very enjoyable experience so I want to thank Arcos for this experience.

I arrived expecting to learn about public health, but I left with a new understanding of myself, my future, and the world around me. Through SIT’s Public Health in Urban Environments program, I studied Argentina’s health system, epidemiology, and social determinants of health while experiencing firsthand how culture, community, and inequality shape health. My independent research on access to dental care in underserved communities was especially meaningful. As someone pursuing pediatric dentistry, speaking with dentists and families strengthened my desire to make oral healthcare more accessible and culturally responsive. But some of my most important lessons happened outside the classroom. Living with a host family, traveling throughout Argentina, building friendships, and navigating a new environment pushed me beyond what was comfortable and made me more independent and open-minded. Study abroad didn’t just give me memories or academic credits it changed how I see my education, my future career, and myself. As a mentor, I hope to help other students take that same leap and make their experience their own.

I recently studied abroad for 5 weeks in Lima, Peru with WorldStrides. This experience genuinely changed my life, and the staff and accommodations provided to us by WorldStrides were a huge part of this. The on-site team was extremely supportive, and the additional trips planned by staff made my experience 10x better. I highly recommend using WorldStrides if you are considering studying abroad anywhere!

This study abroad was certainly out of the ordinary for what you would get for a semester abroad. If you’re looking for an authentic experience in countries that are less popular for study abroad, this is for you! This program was incredibly thought-out and well organized and I learned so much that was directly applicable to my studies and work. Please don’t let chatter about safety in Guatemala deter you—I felt safe, even as a woman, and the staff to support you were very prepared about safety concerns. I would recommend this program to anyone willing to experience something unique and that challenges your current ways of thinking. This program is especially applicable to majors in sociology/anthropology, gender studies, Spanish, poli sci, Latin American studies, international relations, race/ethnicity studies, education, journalism and similar things.

I studied abroad with Worldstrides in Barcelona during the spring semester of 2026, and it was genuinely life-changing! I was able to connect with professors at my university and my peers and create lifelong friendships. It was easy to make meaningful connections because the academic curriculum revolves around group work. I was able to work with students from all around the world and grow my international interpersonal skills. I can not recommend going with WorldStrides enough! They eased any potential worries I had before and during my time abroad. The team is there to help you and make your experience incredible!

It is hard to write a short review for my time in Mexico because of how big of an experience it was-- not only because of how much I learned from professors and community members alike, but also from the sheer amount of fun and changes in perspective I was able to have in the short 4 months. Before I left for this study abroad experience I was terrified; I didn't know the language, or anyone else who was going, I had no frame of reference for what it was going to be like, and I was afraid that I would be so out of my comfort zone that I wouldn't have any fun. However, I felt right at home within the space that the professors and staff of Augsburg have worked so hard to create in order to make every student feel safe and welcome. There is a great emphasis on community and care for one another which can be felt through every aspect of this experience. Of course it was challenging at times, but the challenges were incredibly rewarding and allowed me to learn more about myself, others, and the world than I ever could have hoped (along with the help of my peers, who are now life long friends). I feel so lucky to have been a part of this program and hope that more students will take the leap and allow themselves to be cared for, inspired, and taught by everyone who works hard to make this such a special opportunity.

Going abroad was such an amazing experience that I definitely reccomend to everyone! This program in Chile was so immersive and very supportive throughout my time. Worldstrides planned great excursions for us that made it very fun with always something to look forward to!