CIEE Madrid: Open Campus Program

My experience with CIEE's Madrid Open Campus program has been fantastic. All the staff are super helpful and care about not only helping students but getting to know them as well. They really encourage students to explore Spain and get out of thei comfort zones. All of the classes included excursions that related to the class content and helped solidify what we learned in class. The teachers are interesting and willing to work with students. The program also offered lots of cool activities that could appeal to everyone's interests. If at anytime I had a question I knew someone with in the CIEE Madrid office would help me find the answer. The connections and skills that I've developed in this program will benefit me for years to come. Overall a great program that I highly recommend!

From the day you get accepted (along with the application process,) you have support from program staff members both in the US and in Spain that help you through every step of the process. Upon arrival, you are immediately met with helpful people and other students from the program. They really want you to get to know each other and have a good experience, and they foster community from the moment you land. During orientation, staff members are open and honest with you about the ups and downs that come with study abroad, which was helpful for students who have never done it before. The classes are amazing, and they are both informative about the subject matter and Spanish culture and society. The teachers
are engaged and kind, and they are just as helpful outside of the classroom as inside the classroom if you need it. The program has a great balance of challenging you to be independent but also give support whenever you need. You have a lot of options that the program gives you about different events to go to (most of which are paid for by the program if you sign up with them,) which help your engagement not just with Madrid but other students.

I had the best semester of my life in Madrid. It's a great city, especially for students. Madrid isn't Spain's top tourist destination, but it is the heart of the country. I visited most regions in Spain, and 12 countries, and I would not have chosen to study anywhere else. There's no reason to leave on the weekends, but cheap transportation (domestic and international) is abundant if you wish to travel elsewhere on the weekends. The CIEE Staff went above and beyond to support the students. Occasionally, I stopped by the CIEE Study Center just to say hi to them because they foster such a friendly, welcoming community. I made many lifelong friends from other universities during my time here, including my host family. I would absolutely recommend this program.