Program Reviews

It has been two years since my time at UAH, and I still can't believe how lucky I was to be involved with this program. The classes were interesting, challenging but not impossible, and used relevant information to enrich our experiences in Spain. The faculty not only were a great resource academically, but also genuinely cared about our well-being during our time abroad. They understood that it was not always easy, and were constantly available to help us in any way they could. The program was also great because they coordinated trips for us that were extremely well thought out. During the trips, there was a great balance of allowing us space to be young adults and giving us educational experiences. I can't recommend this program enough for how much it improved my Spanish-speaking skills and my outlook on life as a whole.

The Teach & Learn program is an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to expand his or her perspective on what it is like to live in a foreign country. Many students have the opportunity to study abroad in a foreign country and tend to return to their home country with the cliched phrase "life-changing experience" on the tips of their tongues. The T&L program allows for a deeper and arguably more "life-changing" experience. I have come to realize that one doesn't really understand what it is like to live in another country until one works in that country. The process of gather paperwork for the visa, finding a place to live, worrying about finances, feeling stressed at times, and meeting Spaniards is all part of what makes the program so transformative.

Part of what makes this experience possible is the support of the Instituto Franklin staff. One feels at home here. Staff work to ensure that your time in Spain is as good as it can possibly be and that you feel supported. Any issue that I ever had was either resolved proactively or taken care of with a simple meeting with Instituto Franklin staff.

The Master in Teaching program at Instituto Franklin-UAH provided practical and theoretical knowledge for teaching in an ESL classroom. The classes were insightful, and the professors were very knowledgable in their fields of bilingual and international education. I especially enjoyed learning about comparative education systems. Developing communicative lessons for the classroom was another highlight of this program. The feedback from the professors and my classmates helped me to develop and improve my teaching skills. The Master in Teaching program helped me to reach my professional goals once back in the United States. This experience impressed employers, and it helped me to land my dream career of working with adult English Language Learners in Chicago.

I loved studying in La UAH and living in Alcalá so much so that I am planning on returning back to Alcalá to get my masters! My home institute is The College of New Jersey but I consider this study abroad program to be the peak of my collegiate experience. I learned about the Spanish culture, litertuare, and linguistics. My favorite memory was going on a class trip to La Alhambra and being able to appreciate the architecture in a newfound way. I would recommend traveling with students from other universities and visiting the city with your classmates, locals, or other vagabonds yearning to interact with this world and one another. Or just stay in Alcalá the whole semester and trek the beautiful landscape and become a regular at a restaurant! I’m so excited to go back and enjoy more of what Miguel de Cervante’s birthtown has to offer.

I studied at Instituto Franklin - UAH in Alcalá de Henares, (Madrid), Spain, during the spring semester of my sophomore year. It was the greatest language learning experience of my life. I think the three best things about Study Abroad at Instituto Franklin are the homestay program, the university classes, and the university-organized trips throughout Madrid and Spain. My Spanish host family was patient, caring, and radically hospitable. We still keep in touch to this day. Alcalá de Henares is a fairly large city within the Madrid metropolitan area. Despite its sizeable population, Alcalá still manages to have the feel of a small town. In fact, it's historic center is arguably one of the most beautiful in Spain, all the while being well communicated with public transport to the center of Madrid by train and by bus.

At the university, I studied some of Cervantes' masterworks. The professors at Instituto Franklin are experts not only in the content of their courses, but also at teaching Spanish to English speakers. One memorable trip we took was to visit the windmills at Consuegra. There our class reenacted one of our favorite scenes from El Quijote in Spanish, using a script that we collaborated to write.

In the past, I've told people that I lucked out with my study abroad experience, but really no luck comes into play once you choose to travel to Alcala de Henares... The entire area is everything you hope to find in a study abroad experience, host families who become your own family, teachers who are there to help and support you and an incredibly group of students who are all in the program for the right reasons.

With everything being so close to Madrid, you get the best of both worlds. Humble and honest living in Alcala and the big city online a train ride away. It also makes it very easy and affordable to travel to other cities in Spain as well as to different countries.

Classes are great, there are options that allow you to really challenge yourself, as well as classes that help you brush up on your basic skills. The entrance test is nothing to worry about it, it measures your level of Spanish and very accurately places you in classes you should be in. I took a dance and music class, Spanish history, Spanish geography and Don Quixote. I loved every single one for various reasons but especially because the learning wasn't limited to the classroom, the field trips and excursions we went on were the cherry on top.

I have nothing but great things to say about the program at Instituto Franklin and that is telling you the complete truth. I would suggest anybody who is considering this program, search people who attended Universidad de Alcala - Instituto Franklin on Facebook and send them a quick message.

I could not recommend this program more enthusiastically. First, the staff are welcoming and warm people who will help you navigate the various challenges of being abroad. I got sick while I was there and one of the professors went with me to the doctor to make sure I was okay. Second, the host family experience is a challenging and rewarding component. My host parents were so generous and supportive throughout my time in Spain. It is a great way to learn the language and the culture day in and day out. During meals, we would talk about local politics (per my own interests) and the differences between our cultures and opinions. Third, you truly cannot beat the location. Alcala is a medium-sized town that revolves around the large university. There is plenty to do and lots of people from all ages. The Don Quixote festival is the fall cannot be missed- it is gorgeous and the food is amazing. It is the largest Medieval festival in Europe! Then, you're a 40 minute train ride from Madrid, which is full of amazing museums, food, the list goes on. Plus, Madrid has a major airport to travel all over Europe! Because of this awesome location, you get an extra special classroom experience. We learned about Picasso in the classroom, then we took a field trip and saw his work in person at museums in Madrid. The program also invites students from all classes to attend the class field trips. So maybe one class is going to a museum, and you're interested but not in the class, you're welcome to attend! This program helped me expand my view of the world and soak up every second of my time abroad. All I have to say is GO!

I completed my masters in Teaching in Institute De Franklin, in June 2016. I really enjoyed my time in Spain and was placed in a secondary bilingual school along side completing my masters. It was a challenge and I met some amazing people on the course. The lecturers were very helpful and encouraging. I continued to work another year in the school in IES Complutense as a teaching assistant. I returned to Ireland to work for 6 months and now I am starting work in Naples Italy in a school.
The masters was challenging at times but I found myself enjoying and rising to the challenge. We were given the tools to help us teach. We received great support from the staff of the university and have made some wonderful friends who also completed the course. I highley recommend doing this Masters in Teaching and loved my time in Spain.

In general I had a great experience. The program itself was well set up and the staff was very helpful. I found that most of my classes were applicable to the things I was teaching at my school. I learned a great deal, and all of my classes helped me to better serve my students in the Spanish education system. Although there was a lot of work to be done, I feel that the amount of schoolwork/ homework was compatible with the amount of hours I had to work during the week. It was a lot of work but definitely doable.
Something I loved was, the trouble free way that they go about helping you obtain your short-term visa. The Spanish bureaucracy can be difficult to navigate and their help with this process made things much easier.
As an alumna I keep in touch with the Instituto Franklin and find that it is a great networking tool.
Overall, the program served me well, I enjoyed my time there and I would definitely recommend this program for anyone who is passionate about the education system and who would like to learn about a different education system while getting hands-on experience.

I graduated class of 2017 and got my degree in Bilingual Education. There is a lot of support from staff members and they are very helpful. Although the classes are helpful and give you insight on how to prepare, plan, and manage classes, it is 5 hours every Friday. Which can be exhausting after working a four hour day and then later commuting to Alcala. Luckily many of the teachers are flexible and understanding to our situation and are always willing to help. This program can open up many opportunities for ESL teaching, at the moment I'm teaching and working in Vietnam because of it. There are also guidelines to getting the degree accredited in the states. I would recommend this program and especially to people who want to stay another year in Madrid and further their education.