Mayor Plaza with horse statue in Madrid

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid - Haskayne Only

Madrid, Spain's central capital, is a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks such as the Buen Retiro.

The stomping grounds of the famous Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, Madrid is the cosmopolitan capital city of Spain, combining classic architecture with modern construction and sculptures. The Universidad Carlos de Madrid (UC3M) is equipped with a wide variety of excellent facilities, including 2 libraries, recording studios, court rooms, sports facilities, a beautifully tiled spa, sauna and pool complex, and others.

UC3M (founded in 1989) currently has a student population of nearly 18,000 students, and has 3 campuses located around Madrid, Getafe CampusLeganés Campus, and Colmenarejo Campus. It is also highly esteemed - ranked #8 in Spain and #48 of the top 50 universities in the world under 50 years of age by the 2014 QS World Rankings, it provides excellent educational opportunities for some of metropolitan Madrid's 6.3 million residents. The city also prides itself in being one of the greenest cities in Europe, with large green spaces and rivers or parks within a 15 minute walk in any direction.

Key information

Location

Madrid, Spain

Language

English, Spanish

Semester

Fall, Winter, Academic Year

Program type

Exchange

Application information

Application status

Closed

2024-2025 applications

Program full.

University-specific additional requirements

No academic reference required - see the Eligibility section below.

2025-2026 applications

Open November 1, 2024

Program details

Haskayne Exchange Areas of Study:

  • Business Analytics
  • Business Technology Management
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Finance
  • General Business
  • International Business
  • Marketing
  • Operations Management
  • Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources
  • Strategy and Global Management
  • Supply Chain Management

Ensure you review your course selection with a Haskayne exchange advisor before leaving for your exchange to confirm transfer credit.

Haskayne undergraduate students must take their core courses at the University of Calgary. Students can take two senior commerce and/or non-commerce options, and/or a maximum of 2 concentration courses (not ACCT/PLMA). They are required to maintain full time status while on exchange.

 

Students at UC3M typically take 24-30 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits per semester (3-5 half courses). 6 ECTS = 1 UCalgary half course equivalent. 

Use this link for a list of available English courses in Business (note: individual course outlines are accessible via link from course names).

For course offerings in Spanish, review the document on Study Programs at UC3M as it corresponds to Non-European exchange students.

Note: Because some restrictions apply for international (exchange) students when it comes to registration, please make sure to refer to the Incoming Students "Available Courses and Course Restrictions" guide, linked in the page above. You can only make course changes up to and during the first week of arrival, after which there is no add/drop/withdraw period. 

Information about the Spanish grading system is available here --> click on pdf UC3M Grading System in right side bar.

The academic year at UC3M is divided into two semesters:

  • First Semester runs from early September to late January
  • Second Semester runs from late January/early Feb to late June

Note: Proctored exams are not permitted, so students must complete exams on-site at UC3M. Students on exchange for Fall (First) semester only may be able to arrange to write their exams early before the winter holiday period; students are advised to ask their professors within the first week of classes to make these arrangements for writing exams early.

  1. Costs

    Exchange students pay their tuition and academic fees to the University of Calgary. Other expenses are paid directly to the service provider. 

    Average cost estimates for student housing, food, local transit, and misc. expenses is about 600 euros per month at UC3M.

    Madrid cost comparison vs. Calgary: Click Here 

    "Carrefour has the best selection for groceries and the lowest prices. The groceries in Madrid were actually quite a lot cheaper than in Calgary. UC3M also has a process to help you set up a local bank account if you want one, especially if you’re going for a year." 

     

  2. Funding

    Did you know that you can take your UCalgary funding with you on exchange?  
    Since you remain a degree seeking student at UCalgary while on exchange you remain eligible for any awards and scholarships you are eligible to receive from the university as well as student loans.

    UC International administers the International Study Travel Grant for students travelling on approved UCalgary study programs that are credit bearing. The amount changes year to year as the money is split evenly between qualified applicants. Students may only receive the study travel grant once. Please see the funding page for more information.

    Julio Peris Scholarship for Study in Spain: The Julio Peris Scholarship is a generous award of up to $1250, granted to two outstanding full-time students, who have been accepted by us for an exchange or group study to Spain. For details, deadline and application forms, please visit the link above for more details. 

  3. Student Tips on Finances

    "For cheaper Transit options, go to the tobacconist in Madrid with your passport and student visa. The transit ID card for students under 26 years old costs roughly 6 euros, and with it you can travel for 20 euros per month on all metro, cercanias (high-speed trains to Madrid, or Getafe, or Leganes), and buses. For getting to/from the airport, taxis in Madrid have a flat rate, which is about 30 euros. However, I recommend taking the cercanias (high speed train), which is 40 minutes directly to Atocha train station in Madrid. Also Uber does exist in Madrid, but Cabify is more common, and rates tend to be cheaper than taxis. There is also a smartphone app as well."

    "The two best phone providers that don’t require contracts were Vodafone and Orange. These companies allow month-by-month data-only plans. Using Orange, you can transfer your data to other countries, for when you’re travelling." 

     

UC3M offers a variety of accommodation options, including on-campus residences, and has a variety of accommodation services and providers at various price-points and locations. More information can be found here as well. Please be careful when you arrange for your own accommodation, there are many housing scams in Madrid.

Student Tips: If you have to arrange for your own accommodation because there is no space in student residence, arrive early and get a short term accommodation in a hostel and search for an accommodation in person instead of online. Like this you will be able to check out the places before you sign any contracts. It is a good idea to take a local person or other friend with you when checking out accommodations. You can also go with third-party providers that check the places for you, however, it is good to also check them by yourself. 

Other Student Tips: "In Madrid, most Spanish students live off-campus, so if you don't get into residence, that is an option. You can set up accommodation before you go, or look for accommodation once you arrive. My recommendation for communities to live in would be Sol and the Gran Via area, and get accommodation as close to Atocha train station as possible (which is the hub where all metro and cercanias trains connect in Madrid), making it easier to get to the campuses or travel outside Madrid. If you plan to live off-campus, group living or shared accommodation is recommended because it's a great way to lower costs of living and meet new people. From Atocha train station, it takes about 25 min to get to Getafe or Leganes."

Haskayne students at UCalgary can ONLY apply for this partner through Haskayne, and must meet the Haskayne requirements for exchange.

What's so special about Carlos de Madrid, or the city of Madrid?

UC3M Offers a buddy program for students to be matched with local Spanish students, as well as excursions such as a trip to Granada or cultural excursions.

For a description of each UC3M campus click here. Also check out the UC3M flickr album for a visual campus tour. 

You can also check out these videos about UC3M:
Get to know Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
Welcome to Carlos Jan. 2018
Welcome to Carlos Sept. 2018
Research at Carlos III de Madrid
Sports and Fitness at UC3M

Student Tips: "Go to the Orientation! It’s the week before school starts and it is the best way to meet new friends. This is also where you can sign up for ESN (Erasmus Student Network), which is about 10 euros to join, and every day of the month in September it seems like there’s an event going on. ESN also hosts sports events and biking trips. The ESN Card works a lot like the Ski Club card here in Calgary, for discounts on restaurants/bars and airlines." 

The city of Madrid is also one of the greenest in the world. 

Student Tips: "The best things to check out in Madrid are the main tourist community, Gran Via – this is where everything happens at night in Madrid – stores and bars are open late, and everyone is out walking around. Be careful of pickpockets in this area as they target tourists, but generally it is a safe area to be in. Buen Retiro Park is also a must-see place to visit – it’s a park/forest within the city, with a lake that you can rent a boat to ride on. Temple of Debod is a cool place to take photos as well - it's full of columns donated from Egypt. Tapas in Spain is also an essential experience; there are tapas bars where you can enjoy a series of small appetizers, usually with a drink included. One to check out would be Los 100 montaditos, which offers a wide selection of tapas for 1 euro each. In Spain, the general rule is that you don’t tip unless the restaurant/bar gives you tapas, or you just round up to the nearest euro."

Is there a language or orientation program?

UC3M's Welcome Days are mandatory for students, but offer a host of welcome activities and mixers for students.  offers pre-semester Spanish Intensive Courses in January and September at Getafe campus for an additional cost (roughly 250 euros). The courses span 10 days with 40 hours of instruction; at completion, students will receive 4 ECTS credits and a certificate from the institution. The credit earned may be extra-to-degree or may count towards it, depending on the assessment of your UCalgary academic advisor. 

Student Tips: "It was easy to function with basic Spanish skills at UC3M. Even on the trains, the stops are first in Spanish, then in English, and at UC3M the international advisors also speak English."

What accessibility or supports does UC3M offer?

UC3M offers programs for those that may need accessibility supports or use adaptive technology, which allows customized support for specific needs. For information on accessibility and support services of campuses across Europe, please check out Inclusive Mobility. For city-specific services and places in Europe, the Jaccede interactive platform (website and/or smartphone app - both Android and iOS) also provides a searchable user-built database to identify important accessibility information of public places and locations.

For those that may need counselling supports for depression or mental illness, or even if you feel homesick while abroad, UC3M also offers counselling that is confidential and free. 

How do I apply for a visa?

You need to be accepted before you can apply for your study visa. UC3M provides some information on their page --> click on pdf Immigration procedures in the right side bar. The Spanish Consulate in Toronto is the best resource for visa information.  


The exchange advisor for this program is: Stacey McGregor

How to Apply

Download the application guide

This PDF contains information on how to complete your application and what to do after you have applied.

Application guide

Identify three programs of interest

We recommend applying for your top three programs for the priority application deadline, as placement may be competitive. We will assess your applications in ranked order.

Check requirements and deadlines

These may vary by program, so check the individual program pages and make sure that you are aware of any different application deadlines or eligibility requirements.

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.

APPLY NOW

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.