Program Reviews

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.

I went to Alcala University to get a Masters of Bilingual and Multicultural Education in 2016/2017. I had a positive experience, where the tuition (in comparison with the US) was very low, and the benefits were high. The program coordinators go out of their way to help you and you study with the same group of people for every class so you become quite close. This particular masters that I studied is really aiming towards teaching ESL. Be ready to work a full time schedule in a school and take classes on Friday for 5 hours, as well as completing homework. As this is a masters overseas, make sure that the accreditation is valid in your home state. If you are planning to do a Phd after completing this masters, make sure to research that this masters will help you on your road there, as this is a one year masters called a masters propio in Spain. I moved to Vietnam after completing this Masters and with a recommendation from my program coordinator, I was hired in an International School here (I am also a certified teacher in the States). I highly recommend this program if you are interested in a career in Education.

Some of the instructors we had were excellent. I was really academically challenged in several of my classes, and intrigued with the material. I have used and will continue to use a lot of what I learned in some of my classes. Although I would have rather had a separate year for a teaching practicum, doing the masters and teaching concurrently assured that I could directly apply what I learned in the program into the classrooms I was working it.

I knew I was going to be busy, but I truly had no idea what I was getting myself into. This program necessitates constant time management, and I was ALWAYS working, planning, or studying. This is definitely not the program for you if you're looking to spend a lot of time traveling throughout the duration of the program, and it's a very experience from a study abroad.

That being said, I am glad I pushed myself through the program. I grew as a student and also as an educator. I continue to stay in touch with many of my classmates, who were perhaps the best resource I had during the program.

I had a great experience with the Teach and Learn program. A majority of the classes were useful and very applicable to my teaching experience. I was able to learn a great deal about the Spanish education system. I also made great friendships from my cohort. Learning about this system helped me with my teaching experience in Spain. I felt that the workload from the classes was doable and compatible with the amount of teaching. It wasn't easy, but it was doable.
I know from others in my cohort that each experience is different. That's something that should be expected since there are so many different schools who are partnered with the program.
Overall my experience was a positive one, and I highly recommend the Teach and Learn program.

I had worked at a bilingual school for two years prior to doing the masters program at Instituto Franklin. Even so, I learned a lot about different practices to use at different age groups as well as plenty of practical advice from the professors. While I definitely enjoyed some classes more than others, all had a lot to offer and really solidified my love of teaching. The staff is really supportive and the professors are all very knowledgeable in their fields. The experience will vary on what you make of it, but I personally really enjoyed it.