Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) Direct Enroll

More Information on the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) Direct Enroll Program

University Charles III of Madrid (Spanish: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid or UC3M) is a public university in the Community of Madrid, Spain. Established in 1989, UC3M is an institution with a distinctly international profile. It offers a broad range of master’s and bachelor’s degree programs in English, and nearly 20% of the student body is made up of international students. The university has a particularly strong reputation in business subjects, especially in Economics.

UC3M has four Campuses divided into the following Schools and Centers:

Getafe Campus: School of Law and Social Sciences and the School of Humanities, Communication and Documentation.
Leganés Campus: School of Engineering.
Colmenarejo Campus: Degree programs from different Schools are offered on this campus.
Madrid-Puerta de Toledo Campus: Center for Graduate Studies.

A virtual tour can be found here.

MIT students on the exchange can study at UC3M for the Fall, Spring, or Academic Year.

Fall Semester Dates: early September to mid-December

Spanish Intensive Course - begins mid to late August

Spring Semester Dates: mid-/end of January to early June

Spanish Intensive Course - begins early to mid-January

We recommend verifying program start and end dates directly with UC3M: UC3M Academic Calendar

Important Calendar Notes:

Students are required to participate in orientation. Students cannot miss orientation or arrive late.
Due to the academic calendar, students studying abroad for the Spring semester will not be able to commit to an IAP program as they must participate in orientation.
On-site registration is confirmed at orientation. Study abroad students are given priority during orientation to confirm registration.

Applicants for MIT Madrid need to be:

Some previous Spanish language required
Have a GPA of 4.0 or above
In good academic standing
In good judicial standing
Up to date with the Communication Requirement
Up to date with HASS courses

Contact MISTI if you have questions about your particular situation.

Complete your application for UC3M through the MISTI Portal. Once your application is complete, it will be reviewed by MISTI. You may be invited to a ~30 minute informal interview. Following the interview, you will receive a decision on your application and be given two weeks to confirm your space on the program.

Study Options

Students can enroll in four courses at UC3M. Courses are offered in English and Spanish. Students can choose any course that is listed through the links below, but need to meet any prerequisites and, if the course is taught in Spanish, take a placement test to ensure their language level is adequate.

Review course options through these links:

Engineering, Science, Business, Social Science & Humanities:
Spanish language courses
- Spanish Language classes and levels listed under "Academic Information" here along with curriculum tracks in Spanish or English

MIT undergraduates can take undergrad courses at UC3M. They are not eligible for graduate courses.

Spanish Intensive

Spanish Intensive in January (in-person) and August (online) - This course is not for advanced or fluent speakers.

MISTI highly recommends that students, who are still learning Spanish, enroll in the Spanish Intensive program before the UC3M semester starts. It begins in early to mid January. It is a great opportunity for students to improve their Spanish skills and meet new friends. Find more information here.

Students studying abroad in the Fall can participate in a similar course online that starts in mid to late August. Find more information here.

Transfer Credit

Information on the transfer credit process at MIT can be found here.

Grades are released after the examination period of each semester: late January for the first semester (fall) and July for the second semester (spring).

For this program, you will pay for tuition, accommodation, and other living expenses directly to UC3M and Accommadrid (homestay provider) and not to MIT.

A few months before departure, SFS and MISTI will share with the students and the most up-to-date budget for the participation on the Exchange based on an agreement with the host institution.

MIT financial aid is portable for this program. Admitted students who receive financial aid should make an appointment with the financial aid representative to whom they are assigned to discuss the details.

You will live in an apartment or with a Spanish family through a homestay managed by Accommadrid. A homestay family is the best way to learn the language and culture of Spain!

You will have a single room. Breakfast and dinner will be provided daily (kitchens are not available to students other than some fridge space), and a laundry will be available.

Madrid is a large city. Apartments and homestays can be located about an hour away from UC3M by public transportation.

Students need a visa for Spain to study at UC3M.

MISTI will assist you in securing a visa from the Spanish Consulate in Boston. Make sure to review the visa information provided by the Spanish Consulate of Boston.

Meet Your Program Manager

Get in touch with Alicia Goldstein Raun, Managing Director for MIT-Spain, to get your questions answered.

Meet Your Program Assistant

Get in touch with Gabriela Díaz Quiñones to get your questions answered.

My semester abroad at UC3M made me a more well rounded and understanding person. It offered me opportunities to experience European cultures and to continue to work towards my degree at MIT without needing to add an additional semester or year.
Haley Sanchez ‘25