Location
  • Spain
    • Granada
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Dormitory Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

Price Details
Contact IES Abroad or see website for details.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities Classes Wifi
What's Not Included
Airfare Visa
Dec 05, 2024
Oct 28, 2024
43 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Many travelers who visit Granada insist it's the must-see city in all of Spain. With one of the clearest windows into Spain's unique historical symbiosis of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, the IES Abroad curriculum takes full advantage of Andalusia and all southern Spain has to offer including cultural excursions

Two semesters of college-level Spanish are required to enroll in the Intermediate Program and four semesters are required to enroll in the Advanced Program. Both Intermediate and Advanced students are required to take a Spanish language course alongside English taught area studies courses. All majors are welcome to apply. Students can immerse themselves in Spanish language and culture by living with a local family in a homestay, or meet other international and local students in a residence hall and Colegios Mayores.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion 💙

At IES Abroad, we believe that studying and interning abroad is not just for a specific type of student, it is for everyone, no matter how they identify. We're excited that you've already taken the first step and started looking into your study abroad options, but we know that as a student of color, or as a non-American student, you may have a few other concerns. What is it like being a Black student Abroad? An Asian student abroad? A Latinx student abroad? A non-American student on a majority-American student program? We've got you!
Today, and every day, we celebrate who you are and who you will become. We take pride in simply getting to know you, and look forward to adventuring through this incredible world with you.

Studying abroad as part of the LGBTQIA+ community can present unique opportunities and challenges in exploring a new culture, so we have compiled resources to help prepare you and support you along the way.
Going abroad, whether this is your first time or your umpteenth, can be a trip both literally and figuratively. Seeing something new or being someplace unfamiliar has its own challenges, especially when it comes to mental health. With IES Abroad, you won't handle these concerns on your own.

We have not only compiled resources on mental health and self-care to help prepare you and support you along the way, but we also have a dedicated Student Affairs staff that are available for you to contact from the United States and once in your host country.
We understand the complexities of navigating a new city when physical accessibility feels uncertain. With IES Abroad, you won't handle these concerns on your own—we have a dedicated Student Affairs staff that are available for you to contact from the United States and once in your host country so you can prepare for the adventure of a lifetime and live it to the fullest once you’re abroad.

Impact 🌎

As part of IES Abroad's Global Good Commitment, IES Abroad employs sustainability measures in the following ways:
- Moving toward more sustainable Headquarters and Centers abroad
- Producing printed materials on 100% recycled paper with soy-based ink and in fewer quantities
- Hosting events and conferences in LEED-certified buildings
- Purchasing carbon offsets for staff air travel
- The formation of the IES Abroad Sustainability Team—a dedicated group of volunteers responsible for implementing sustainable practices across our organization. The team comprises of members across our Centers, departments, teams. It is truly a global effort, and we are better for it.

Program Highlights

  • The IES Abroad Center gives students the space to study on the terrace or in the library with high speed internet and printer access
  • IES Abroad offers students the chance to expand their study abroad experience by taking an internship
  • All elective courses center around Spanish culture, heritage, arts, and society
  • Students that stay in Colegios Mayores in the fall semester will spend their first month of the program staying with a local host family
  • Past cultural excursions have been to Morocco, Gibraltar, Seville, and Cabo de Gata, among other locations

Popular Programs

three students smiling with stone buildings and palm trees behind them
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Program Reviews

4.93 Rating
based on 84 reviews
  • 5 rating 92.86%
  • 4 rating 7.14%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.4
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.85
  • Housing 4.9
  • Safety 4.9
Showing 41 - 48 of 84 reviews
Default avatar
Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Una ciudad espectacular

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101 people found this review helpful.
Hanna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Granada: un sueño verdadero

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108 people found this review helpful.
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Kensey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Granada 2016

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What would you improve about this program?
We had a lot of "busy work," which wasn't very useful and took a lot of time. I would have had more time to explore the city and be spontaneous if the classes had been structured more like the Spanish system than the American education system. That's to say I'd have liked the classes to have been more about independent study than constantly turning in assignments that inevitably became low quality work.
99 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Julia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Te Amo, Granada

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89 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Emmet
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Granada: Five transformative months

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95 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Exploring Granada

My semester abroad in Granada was an unforgettable experience. It gave me an opportunity to learn more about the language, culture, and the importance of a siesta. I met amazing people and saw beautiful sites. It was the perfect city for me. It was small, easy to navigate, beautiful and full of culture. I was able to improve my Spanish and study flamenco and had the opportunity to learn about Spanish architecture by visiting the Alhambra, walking in the Albayzín, and other historic sites throughout the city. I enjoyed the challenge of having to rely on a new language. It was great exploring the city and the surrounding area, studying in cafés, eating free tapas every night, and seeing the Alhambra daily from the roof of the IES center. The program staff were also extremely supportive and always around to help you with any problems. Being in Granada was one of the most enriching experiences I have ever had.

94 people found this review helpful.
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Megan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

No Pasa Nada

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What would you improve about this program?
I would love it if the program could be 6 months instead of 4. I would have loved to spend more time in Granada, everything went by too fast!!
91 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Casey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Granada, te echo de menos

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What would you improve about this program?
If I had to change one thing about this program it would be the required seminar course that went along with doing an internship. I absolutely loved my internship (it was in occupational therapy at a local senior residence home), but I found the seminar to be not quite the right use of my time. While it was helpful in understanding the work environment in Granada, it did not pertain specifically to my internship.
88 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hi Giselle, I think they can. However, I would not recommend it actually. Classes at the university are taught completely in Spanish and also at the level for native speakers and would be very difficult to keep up with if you are not near fluency. Regarding what section you are placed in, I know with my program, IES, you take one placement test before you arrive and two more after you get there...

Most people walk to the IES Center from their homestays, and most people's commutes were under 30 minutes. Only a few more around 40 minutes, and a lucky few were less than 10 minutes away. As far as public transit, Granada only has a bus system, and while it can be helpful (especially for getting to the larger bus station or the University of Granada, if you decide to take a class there), a lot...

There are many ways that you can meet Spanish people without taking classes at the University. IES sets each student up with an "intercambio", a Spanish student that also wants American friends. You can get in touch with each other and hang out as much as you want. You will also meet many Spanish people when you go out to tapas, bars, salsa clubs, etc... I would definitely recommend living with a...