Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic

January in Santiago DR

Click to scroll down and read more

Information for term January in Santiago DR

Application deadline, and cost information.

Application Deadline

November 1, 2023
weeks
days
hours

Program Deadlines and Pricing Info

  • Deadline: November 1, 2023
  • Dates: Dec 27, 2023 – Jan 17, 2024
  • Eligibility: 2.5 Overall GPA

Overview

Click to Open

Study in Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic this January and immerse yourself in the daily life of a vibrant developing Caribbean Island, where fascinating historical, commercial, and ecological treasures intersect.  

Santiago de los Caballeros is conveniently located in the central Cibao valley in the northeastern part of the island, known as La Ciudad Corazon (the Heartland City), offering a glimpse of authentic Dominican culture. CIEE Santiago-DR organizes activities to help increase your intercultural understanding and enhance your Spanish language skills while enjoying the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. 

Unique Experiences

  • EXPLORE THE DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS 

    of a tropical island by hiking and cycling along beautiful beaches, rivers, and mountains 

  • \

    GET CAPTIVATED BY THE LOCAL LIFESTYLE 

    by immersing yourself in Dominican traditions and exploring street art in the “Heart City.”

  • ENJOY LOCAL DOMINICAN CUISINE 

    from street food like savory empanadas, fresh tropical fruit juices, yun-yun, and yaroas to the most elaborate dishes in fine restaurants and welcoming homes. 

  • MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS WHO ARE DOMINICAN 

    11 %
  • MILES OF TROPICAL PARADISIAC COASTLINE IN THE COUNTRY

    1,000
  • HIGHEST PEAK OF THE CARIBBEAN, PICO DUARTE 

    10,161 FT

Location & Culture

Click to Open

Find yourself surrounded by mountains in the lush valley of the Cibao region in the center of the island of Hispaniola. Here lies Santiago De Los Caballeros, the second largest city in the Dominican Republic, which puts you steps away from places of historical, cultural, and ecological interest – not to mention about an hour’s drive to the Atlantic Coast with crystal-clear warm water and white sand. Santiago is the commercial and cultural center of the fertile Cibao Valley region, housing the León Jimenez cultural center and the commercial street of Calle del Sol.  

Founded in 1495 by 30 caballeros from Columbus’ early expeditions, Santiago boasts a fascinating history, exciting museums, and endless cultural experiences, including music, art, and festivals. This growing, modern city is home to many Dominican specialties, such as cigars, rum, chocolate, coffee, amber, and larimar, and a population of more than 800,000. Despite its sprawling size, Santiago retains many small-town features. Traditional merchants call out their wares in a musical chant, and street vendors balance large baskets of fruit and vegetables on their heads.  

Close to the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the South, Santiago offers endless sports options, including baseball, kitesurfing, and golf, along with ample cultural and artistic entertainment and recreation. Here you can dance to the contagious rhythm of merengue and bachata and enjoy the best Dominican gastronomy.  

Come and enjoy a vibrant and growing city in the Caribbean with everything the tropics offer, from some of the most beautiful beaches in the world to the highest peak of the Caribbean.  

The Culture

Excursions & Activities

  • Explore the historic and cultural charms of Santo Domingo, the capital city of the Dominican Republic and one of the Caribbean’s oldest cities. Walk the cobblestoned paths around the historic colonial zone and dive into the culturally rich Parque Colon, while enjoying a freshly brewed coffee or a savory snack from one of the many cafes surrounding El Conde street. Indulge your history-enthused and art-loving mind by visiting some of the museums or even spending a few minutes at the park while street artists play different instruments, pose as living statues, and entertain you with their juggling abilities.  
  • Visit nearby cities and places of historical, social, or ecological relevance, such as Puerto Plata, Jarabacoa, or Rio Blanco, which offer further opportunities to enrich your experience in the D.R.  

Daily Life

Click to Open
  • HOUSING

    Homestays. All students live with CIEE homestay families. Living with a Dominican family is your ticket to integration into life in Santiago de los Caballeros, as it provides an excellent opportunity for immersion into the local culture. Although families may be able to communicate in English, they foster communication in Spanish to motivate language learning.  
     

    Your host family provides a single room with a desk, laundry once a week, Wi-Fi, and a copy of the house keys. All homestays are within walking distance (up to 30 minutes) or a single public transportation ride (30-45 minutes) to Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) campus, and are conveniently located near coffee shops, commercial centers, ATMs, and restaurants. Students who are staying for a full year are responsible for their own housing during the break between semesters.

  • MEALS

    Homestays include three meals per day. Host families and students arrange their own meal schedules. If students miss a meal, they are responsible for either preparing it at home or eating in one of the many restaurants and cafés throughout the city.

Academics

Click to Open

Academics

Courses are taught at CIEE Santiago De Los Caballeros and are only for CIEE students. Classes are scheduled Monday-Friday and meet three to five times per week, and attendance is strictly enforced both for classes and required co-curricular excursions. Students should expect an average of two hours of preparation required for each hour in class. Instruction is supported and augmented online with our learning management system, Canvas.

GPA

2.5

Language Prerequisites

There are no specific language requirements for this program.

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Program Requirements

All students enroll in one 3-credit CIEE course. 

Program Credit

Total credit: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits per session.

Course Credit

CIEE courses: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours per session. 

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Academic Culture

Class pace is accelerated, and the workload is demanding. CIEE courses follow U.S. academic culture and standards. The class environment typically features a combination of traditional lectures and discussions with co-curricular excursions and activities. Each course is a full semester in content, so the pace is accelerated, and the workload is demanding. CIEE courses are designed to follow U.S. academic culture and standards. Heavy emphasis is placed on student participation. To avoid falling behind, students should not plan personal travel out of Santiago when classes are in session and plan trips for the weekends.   

Class Format

Courses are for CIEE students only and are taught Monday-Friday, and attendance is strictly enforced both for classes and required co-curricular excursions. Students should expect an average of two hours of preparation required for each hour in class. Instruction is supported and augmented online by our learning management system, Canvas. 

Grading

Students are graded on quizzes, exams, attendance, homework assignments, presentations, and class participation. As attendance is mandatory, absences affect final grades. Students must check with their professors to find out exam and project presentation dates. Under no circumstances will CIEE alter deadlines or exam dates for study abroad students who have made conflicting travel plans. The course includes compulsory activities with special assignments as part of classwork. The U.S. grading scale of A-F is used. 

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Language of Instruction

English

Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.

Courses

Click to Open

Course Information

Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.

Dates & Fees

Click to Open

Dates & Fees

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Fees & Housing

January 2024 Nov 1, 2023 Dec 27, 2023 Jan 17, 2024
$3,850
Click to Close

Program Fees

CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits.

Participation Confirmation = $300

Educational Costs = $2,690

Housing = $780

Insurance = $80

Total Fees = $3,850

Estimated Costs

Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.

Meals not included in program fee = $0

Personal expenses = $150

Total Estimated Costs = $150

Financial Aid

CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

What's Included

Click to Open

What's Included

Tuition
Housing
Meals
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext and a local liability insurance
24/7 emergency on-site support

Our Staff

Click to Open