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

UC3M was established in 1989 with a focus on research. UC3M's mission is to contribute to the improvement of society through teaching of the highest quality and cutting-edge research in line with stringent international guidelines. 

UC3M has 22,913 students, being similar in size to some of the major European universities, such as Paris II, Uppsala, Maastricht, Tilburg, Cambridge and Oxford (all of which have between 14,000 and 22,000 students). It has a wide diversity of Spanish students and international students.

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: Beginning of September to mid-December

Spring Semester Dates: End of January to mid-May

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.

Students can enroll in four courses at UC3M. Courses are offered in English and Spanish. 

Review course options through these links:

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

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.

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. 

MISTI typically encourages students to have closer to $3,000 for food ($20/day for lunch for 5 months) and extra spending for personal travel and entertainment. 

You will live with a Spanish family through a homestay managed by Accommadrid. This 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. 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

Alicia Goldstein Raun

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