Passport to Spanish Culture in Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Experience the historical origins of Spanish culture
Immerse yourself in the culturally rich and enticing city of Alcalá de Henares, whose historical centre is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, where you can learn both inside and outside the classroom.
This four-week program allows you to study in the prestigious Universidad de Alcalá de Henares (UAH), one of the oldest and top ranking universities in Spain. Nestled in cultural yet modern town of Alcalá de Henares, which is a short trip from Madrid. In addition to your classes, various tours to some of Spain’s most inspiring attractions will fill your time abroad. The combination of language and culture course components creates a program that is open to a diverse set of academic backgrounds. Spain is developing as ‘a global intellectual hub’, and is a great fit for any university student looking to expand their cultural and academic horizons.
Key information
Application information
Student Experience
Passport to Spanish Culture 2022
Alexandra Gomez
Have questions?
For program information, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Montes Garcés at montes@ucalgary.ca
For application and registration support, please contact the Group Study Team at group.study@ucalgary.ca
Other useful links:
Program details
Questions about these courses should be directed to the program instructor.
Please note: course descriptions are tentative and subject to change.
Students on this program must choose between the following course sets. Students must enroll in all 3 courses of their chosen set.
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Course Set 1
SPAN 301: Intermediate Spanish I (3 units)
Prerequisite: SPAN 203SPAN 323: Introduction to Textual Analysis (3 units)
Prerequisite: SPAN 301
Antirequisite: Any 400-level SPAN coursesSPAN 409: Topics in Experiential Learning in Spanish (3 units)
Prerequisite: Acceptance to the "Passport to Spanish Culture" Group Study Program -
Course Set 2
SPAN 409: Topics in Experiential Learning in Spanish (3 units)
Prerequisite: Acceptance to the "Passport to Spanish Culture" Group Study ProgramSPAN 499.15: Spanish for Business (3 units)
Prerequisite: SPAN 303 plus 3 units of SPAN 300-level coursesSPAN 575.03: Hispanic Comics (3 units)
Prerequisite: 9 units of SPAN 400-level courses or department consent
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Pre-departure
April, TBD, Calgary: Mandatory safety briefing and pre-departure orientation facilitated by Group Study Programs.
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In-field
May 2, Calgary: Depart Calgary for Madrid
May 3, Madrid: Arrival, travel to Alcalá
May 4-6, Alcalá & Madrid: Settle in, Guided tours of Alcalá and Madrid, program activities in Madrid
May 7-16, Alcalá: Program activities
May 17-19, Galicia: Overnight trip to Galicia
May 20-23, Alcalá: Program activities
May 24, Segovia: Day trip to Segovia
May 25-29, Alcalá: Program activities
May 30, Madrid: Depart for Calgary or independent travel
For a comprehensive program itinerary, please click here
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Costs
The estimated cost of the Passport to Spanish Culture Group Study Program will include tuition, airfare, field trips, local transportation, accommodations and meals. The program cost is $12,133.
For the full cost breakdown and payment deadlines, please see the program Student Cost Summary.
Important information regarding deposit payments: Deposits are non-refundable. Deposits secure your space in the program and allows payment for logistical arrangements to be made in advance.
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Funding
Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund (based on a funding-first model where students apply prior to committing to a global learning program) and the Global Learning Award (students apply after being accepted to a global learning program; the amount varies year-to-year as the money is split among chosen recipients). Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked below, for more information.
Undergraduate students majoring or minoring in Spanish, or with a specific academic interest in Spain, may be eligible for the Julio Peris Scholarship - up to 2 awards of up to $1500 each! Deadline to apply is May 1st. Application instructions can be found here.
Faculty of Arts Group Study Program (GSP) Scholarships (for GSP participants) and Faculty of Arts Student Study Abroad Scholarships (for other international programs) - up to 10 awards of $1000 each! Application not currently open. Details to come.
Student loans: If you qualify for student loans, your program should qualify. Please note that eligibility for student loans is determined by your loans provider.
Students will stay in the Lope de Vega Residence Hall.
This program is open to undergraduate students in good academic standing from all faculties.
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Online application questions
All programs have general questions about how this program will meet your goals (academic reasons, personal interest, career prospects, etc.), how you plan to finance your program and coping skills. This program also has several questions from the professor that will need to be filled out.
Note: Because the online application will time out after one hour, we recommend that you copy the questions in advance to work on in Word to check for spelling, grammar and word count, and then paste it into the online application.
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Unofficial Transcript
- Download an unofficial transcript from your Student Centre. Click here for a step-by-step guide to access your unofficial transcript.
- Submit your transcript through your online application with your statement of purpose.
Please ensure that you have read the Group Study Program General FAQs thoroughly before applying.
This was a unique opportunity to hone my language skills by becoming more fluent and comfortable with my professors and host family.
Jaclyn
International Business student
Getting started
Program-Specific Info Sessions
Info sessions are scheduled for every Group Study Program. Attending an info session is not required to apply, but strongly recommended as it will give you an opportunity to meet the instructor and learn more about the travel experience.
We also recommend watching Global Learning 101 for general information.
Global Learning Advising
If you have questions about this program, you can meet with one of our Global Learning Advisors by emailing group.study@ucalgary.ca or booking an appointment through the link below.
1. Select "Advising"
2. Select “Study Abroad”
3. Select “Book by Appointment Type”
4. Select your program advisor to view available times.
Academic Advising
Before applying to study abroad, you should ask your academic advisor how a Group Study Program might align with your degree.
After you are accepted, you should ask your academic advisor more specific questions about courses/credits. It’s also recommended to follow up with your advisor again once you return to Calgary.
Start your application
Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!
Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.
International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.
For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.
If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.
Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.