Engineering + Society
Unique Experiences
Study at a Prestigious Local University
No reason to worry about your Spanish language level if you enroll in English-taught courses in science, engineering, business, communications, arts, and social sciences with local Spanish students at one of Spain’s academically rigorous universities, the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M).
Take Elective Spanish Language Class
Enroll in a Spanish language course at UC3M appropriate to your level, from novice to advanced.
Create International Professional Skills
Build your international network of peers by delving into group projects and social activities, apply problem-solving, cross-cultural and critical-thinking skills in a variety of disciplines including Science, Technology, Engineering, Business, Social Sciences, and Mathematics
500
Art Galleries and World-Class Museums
23
Square Miles of Green Parks in Madrid
6 M
Residents in the Greater Metropolitan Area
Your Destination
Madrid’s influence in politics, education, science, entertainment, media, fashion, and arts makes it an important international metropolis, and a major hub in Southern Europe. Spain’s capital city is also its largest, with a historic center dating back to the Habsburg Empire, and world-renowned art museums. A wide variety of tapas bars, dance shows, concerts, outdoor parks, soccer matches, and contemporary theater and cinema make it a lively place to live and learn.
Only steps away from the historic Puerta del Sol, CIEE Madrid is located in the heart of downtown with its vibrant cultural offering. The UC3M Leganés and Getafe campuses are a 40-60 minute commute by train to the south end of Madrid.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Madrid.
The Culture
Featured Excursion
Visit the world heritage site of El Escorial´s Royal Palace, Kings´ Pantheon and Monastery built under the reign of King Philip II of Spain in the 1500s. Located in the mountains about a one-hour drive north of Madrid, El Escorial’s impressive architecture gives visitors a glimpse into daily life of the royal court, where decisions were made at the height of the Spanish Empire as a global powerhouse. Students have free time to explore the neighboring 18th-century village San Lorenzo.
Other Excursions & Activities
- Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the medieval city of Alcalá de Henares or hike the trails in the Guadarrama Mountains on a CIEE-organized day trip.
- Soak up Spanish culture with museum visits, dance classes, urban art and graffiti tours, and popular neighborhood visits to Lavapiés, Malasaña or La Latina.
- Savor down-time with Spanish students while you play basketball, frisbee, hike, kayak, swim, or catch a theater, dance, or music performance.
Projects
In CIEE-sponsored workshops, learn about issues like culture shock, LGBTIQI+ life in Madrid, stress management, navigating the Spanish university, and how to put your study abroad experience on your resume, among other topics.
Students taking STEM courses at the local university are strongly encouraged to sign up for one additional tutoring course (1 US credit) taught by UC3M faculty that prepares students for exams and reinforces the material studied in lecture with additional problem sets. Learn how to sign up for STEM tutorials during the UC3M course selection process.
Apply for an Internship ( Spanish only) before arrival. Earn credit and beef up your resume with international experience in design, marketing, or supporting an NGO – there are plenty of options. Students applying for an internship are required to submit additional materials during the course selection process.
Local Engagement
Campus Life. Our students benefit from all the services and campus facilities provided for UC3M students, including access to gyms, sports centers, and libraries, as well as cafeterias, Wi-Fi, and student clubs and organizations.
Home Life. Students in homestays and residence halls can enjoy meals with their Spanish families or other international and Spanish university students, making for cultural immersion. Try practicing your Spanish with your new family and friends abroad.
Volunteering. Give back and create a deeper connection to Madrid. Students have opportunities to volunteer at local organizations, youth centers, schools, and more. If the local health and safety regulations permit, in-person volunteering will be offered.
Program Blogs
The Ultimate Guide to Studying Abroad in Madrid
Magnificent Madrid . The most Spanish of all Spain’s cities. The best place to live. The finest people. That is, if you take Ernest Hemingway’s word for it. The literary... keep reading
Madrid Mountains Coming Alive
Who wants to climb up a mountain? Madrid is surrounded by spiked sierras and green landscapes that contrast with the concrete architecture of the city. On one of our daytrips... keep reading
Rock Music and Techno Scene Next to Leganés Campus
Leganés is not only known as a popular university town in Madrid for Engineering students but also has a fantastic reputation for its street terraces, gastro bars and a rocking... keep reading
Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Madrid offers many housing options to maximize your study abroad experience, including homestays, student residence halls, or shared apartments in several city districts. All housing options are located near supermarkets, restaurants, gyms, and public transport and provide the convenience of urban living in one of Europe´s largest cosmopolitan city settings.
Standard Housing: Includes a single or double room at a homestay or a double room at a shared apartment located within a 70-minute commute from CIEE Madrid. Homestays offer socially active hosts who allow for a lot of student independence, no curfew, kitchen access for food storage, living room, Wi-Fi, weekly laundry, and a bathroom shared with the host. Hosts provide two meals a day during the week.
Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring fewer amenities with basic furniture, laundry facilities, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen. Meals are not included in the dorms or apartments.
Student dorms are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically house students in single or shared bedrooms with an individual or shared kitchen.
Select Housing: Includes a single room at a shared apartment or residence hall with a commute time between 30 and 70 minutes from CIEE Madrid. Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring a few amenities with basic furniture, a laundry machine, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen. Meals are not included in the dorms or apartments. Student residence halls are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically house students in single or shared bedrooms with individual or shared kitchen. Select housing requires an additional fee.
Select Housing Plus: Includes a single room at a shared apartment or residence hall with an average commute time of 30 minutes from CIEE Madrid. Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring a few amenities with basic furniture, a laundry machine, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen. Meals are not included in the dorms or apartments. Student Dorms are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically house students in single or shared bedrooms with individual or shared kitchen. Select Plus housing requires an additional fee.
Meals
Homestays: Hosts provide two meals a day during the week.
Residence Halls/Shared Apartments: Meals are not included. Residence halls and apartments have direct access to supermarkets, restaurants, public transport, and independent dining halls. Students have the option to purchase dining hall meal plans on their own if offered by the residence hall management.
Academics
The Engineering and Society program is designed for engineering students who want to learn Spanish and gain insight into Spanish and European culture while immersing themselves in Spanish university life. This program also allows students with no knowledge of Spanish to take classes at a Spanish university in English in a variety of topics not only in the area of Engineering but in Business or Economics, among others. Choose from CIEE elective courses and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) courses in audiovisual, communication, computer, electrical, electronic, industrial, material, mechanical, telecommunication, and telematics engineering. Engineering courses follow a lecture format for the first four to six weeks then switch to lab work or smaller group sessions. CIEE students may also take UC3M International School courses, which focus on Spanish language and culture courses with other US college students in English h
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) was established in 1989 and is recognized as Spain’s most prestigious institution of higher education. It follows a U.S. academic calendar and has one of the highest percentages of full-time and tenured female faculty in Spain. Students take engineering classes on the Leganés campus. Students can also take classes at the main campus, Getafe, which offers a wide variety of disciplines, from business courses to sociology, economics, communications, political science and law. Both the Leganés and Getafe campuses are 30-40 minutes outside of downtown Madrid via efficient and modern public transit.
CIEE courses are offered at CIEE Madrid, near the Puerta del Sol – a well–known public square in the city's center.
Course Information
- Spanish-taught courses are available to heritage or advanced-level speakers only. Interested students are subject to a proficiency assessment.
- Internships are only available in Spanish to eligible students.
Academic Projects
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Academic Projects
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Visual and Performing Arts
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Social Sciences
Natural Resources, Conservation, and the Environment
UNIVERSIDAD CARLOS III DE MADRID COURSES
Please visit the university website for more information.
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS (Leganés campus)
Offered in English
- Aerospace Engineering
- Applied Mathematics and Computing
- Biomedical Engineering
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Data Science and Engineering
- Electrical Power Engineering
- Energy Engineering
- Engineering Physics
- Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineering
- Industrial Technologies Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mobile and Space Communications Engineering
- Sound and Image Engineering
- Telecommunications Technology Engineering
- Telematics Engineering
NON-ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS (Getafe campus)
Offered in English and Spanish.
- Business Administration
- Cultural Studies
- Economics
- Employment and Labor Relations
- Film, Television, and Media
- Finance and Accounting
- History and Politics
- Humanities
- International Studies
- Journalism
- Law
- Management and Technology
- Management of Information and Digital Contents
- Philosophy, Politics and Economics
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Statistics and Business
- Tourism
UC3M International School COURSES (Getafe Campus)
UC3M International School courses are available to U.S. university students and are offered by UC3M International School. Courses are taken with other American / international students and focus on Spanish language and culture. Unlike traditional UC3M courses, UC3M International School courses do not involve coursework with Spaniards.
The following lists are samplings of courses that may be available. Not all courses are offered each semester. The final list of courses will be available upon arrival in Madrid.
UC3M INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL ENGLISH TRACK COURSES
Offered in English. More information can be found on the university’s UC3M International School website.
- Gender Perspectives in Contemporary European and Spanish Literature
- Latin American in a Post- Colonial Perspective, and its Relationship with Spain
- Spain and the European Union: Political and Economic Issues
- Spain in Progress: Spanish Society Today
- Spanish Art Masters in Madrid Museums
- Cultural Studies: Spanish Culture/s from 1940 to the present
- Spanish Language: Basic Level I
- Spanish Language: Basic Level II
- The Sociology of Migrations: The Context of Spain and the European Union
UC3M INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SPANISH TRACK COURSES
Offered in Spanish. More information can be found on the UC3M International School website.
- Cine Español
- Economía Española y Europea
- El Terrorismo y Sus Víctimas: Un Desafío Global Desde 11-S
- Español en el entorno académicoEspañol Coloquial
- Español para Hispanounidenses
- Estudios Culturales
- Historia de España
- Historia del Arte Español
- Historia del Presente: España de Hoy
- Instituciones Españolas y Europeas
- La España Literaria de Cervantes (Siglos XVI – XVII)
- Literatura Española (siglos XIX y XX)
- Literatura Hispanoamericana (siglo XX)
- Religión y Sociedad en España
- Teoría y Práctica del Cuento en Español
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
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
---|---|---|---|---|
Program Fall 2024 16 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $20,950 |
Program Academic year 2024-2025 | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date * | End Date TBD* | |
Program Spring 2025 18 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | ||
Program Spring 2024 19 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $20,950 |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
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 protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $14,956**
Housing = $5,500
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $20,950Estimated 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 = $1,190†
International Airfare = $1,200††
Local Transportation = $125†††
Books & Supplies = $50
Visa Fees = $160††††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500†††††
Personal expenses = $260††††††
Other = $30†††††††
Total Costs = $3,515Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee:
Select Housing Fee = $750^
Select Plus Housing Fee = $1,500^^
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.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For students in homestays, families provide 2 meals (breakfast and dinner). For students in apartments, you should budget approx. $260 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††The youth public transportation for under 24 year olds has a significant discount for local bus metro travel
††††Students staying a full semester in Madrid require a visa
†††††If no consulate in your home area
††††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
†††††††Covid test fees for entry to the US, if required
^based on availability
^^based on availability
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 protection with benefits.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
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.
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 protection with benefits.
Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
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.
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 protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $14,956**
Housing = $5,500
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $20,950Estimated 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 = $1,330†
International Airfare = $1,200††
Local Transportation = $125†††
Books & Supplies = $50††††
Visa Fees = $160†††††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500††††††
Personal expenses = $300†††††††
Total Costs = $3,665Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee:
Select Housing Fee = $750^
Select Plus Housing Fee = $1,500^^
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.
*non-refundable
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
†For students in homestays, families provide 2 meals (breakfast and dinner). For students in apartments, you should budget approx. $260 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††The youth public transportation for under 24 year olds has a significant discount for local bus metro travel
††††Most university courses is available online
†††††Students staying a full semester in Madrid require a visa
††††††If no consulate in your home area
†††††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
^first-come, first serve, based on availability
^^first-come, first serve, based on availability
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
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 travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Eero Jesurun
CENTER DIRECTOR
Eero Jesurun, Ph.D. completed his B.S. and M.A degrees from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Eero studied at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid where he obtained a Ph.D...
Get Started
1
Start an Application
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience!
2
Connect With Your Campus Study Abroad Office
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.