Location
  • Spain
    • Alicante
Term
Academic Year, Fall, J-Term, Spring, Summer
Subject Areas
Anthropology Cultural Studies European Studies Food Science and Nutrition Gender Studies History Linguistics Women's Studies
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Housing
Apartment Host Family
Language
English
Oct 04, 2023
Feb 15, 2024
44 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Study abroad at the University of Alicante in Spain! Coursework concentrates on Spanish, European and Women's/Gender Studies, as well as many options to help students improve their Spanish language skills.

Alicante is a beautiful Spanish city located right on the Mediterranean. Its consistent temperatures and sandy beaches make it a prime destination for students interested in relaxing outdoors and on the coast.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

LGBTQIA+ Support

There are LGBTQIA+ friends, colleagues, and allies throughout the world. However, cultural understanding of gender identity and sexuality does vary from country to country. USAC has compiled a lot of resources to help you through that learning process.

Accessibility Support

USAC is dedicated to working closely with students with disabilities to ensure the best study abroad experience possible. You may request reasonable accommodations after your initial application is complete. We routinely receive requests for scheduling, material, and environmental accommodations for the classroom setting, which may include assistive technology, scribes and readers, printed material, and interpretation.

Impact

Sustainability

Environmentally-conscious students choose USAC because many of our programs are held in some of the most sustainable countries in the world. There are options to take coursework in sustainability and the environment, as well as field trips and studies where students can leave a lasting impact on their host country.

Program Highlights

  • Study at one of the most beautiful campuses in Spain with gorgeous landscaping, modern architecture, and a modern sports center, indoor swimming pool, and other facilities
  • Immerse yourself in Spanish culture with volunteering opportunities, internships, direct enrollment at the university, workshops, conversation partner program, and excursions
  • Enjoy sunny weather and lovely beaches by the Mediterranean Sea with many opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking, rowing, sailing, and windsurfing
  • Join in local celebrations, open air markets, and the lively atmosphere of the Mediterranean lifestyle

Scholarships

USAC logo

USAC Scholarships and Financial Aid

USAC awards over $2 million in scholarships and discounts each year to assist students with their study abroad expenses.

Value
$500 - $5,000

Program Reviews

4.99 Rating
based on 82 reviews
  • 5 rating 98.78%
  • 4 rating 1.22%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.2
  • Support 4.95
  • Fun 4.95
  • Housing 4.9
  • Safety 4.95
Showing 25 - 32 of 82 reviews
Default avatar
Liridian
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Alacant

I was unsure about the whole studying abroad experience, however when I came across Alicante, Spain I was sold. I saw that this city offered a service-learning experience in which students get the opportunity to volunteer with a local non-profit organization.
This was the one reason I chose this location. I didn't know what was in store but I was in for a surprise. It was definitely more than I expected!
The university is great and only a tram ride away! The onsite staff is amazing and it shows that they care for the students and enjoy their job. I also participated in the teaching assistant program and in tutoring which was a great way to learn more about the beautiful country of Spain! Aside from that Alicante is such a small and beautiful city that has a home feel. Definitely recommend studying here!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The most surprising thing I saw was the view of Alicante from the Castillo of Santa Barbara!
85 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Allyson
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best semester

I had the most memorable, fun, and unique semester here in Alicante! I am so happy that I got the chance to study and explore this beautiful Mediterranean city. The USAC Alicante staff are so welcoming and caring to the students. Choose Alicante, Spain!! I am so grateful that I had the opportunity and support to study abroad in Alicante, Spain. I fell in love with the language, people, classes, city, beach, public transportation, local cuisine, and traveling. This experience had been so much more meaningful to me that I had anticipated. In my time abroad I’ve seen so many European historical sites, gained incredible memories, and discovered different perspectives through my classes and friends. I had done some traveling with my family before, but actually living in a different country and assimilating to the culture and ways of doing things has definitely had a greater effect on me. To immerse myself more in the culture I started tutoring kids in english twice a week. I also have an intercambio, that I meet up with to talk in spanish and in english. I had gotten a lot more confident and enthusiastic about speaking spanish since I have been here. I have noticed my progression of becoming more independent since being abroad. Through traveling and having to be on top of things with boarding passes, packing, metro systems, hostels, and safety, I feel like I have come a long way and gained a lot of knowledge! Some of my ideas about what are important and worth stressing about have also shifted for the better I believe. During my time abroad I met so many open minded, special individuals that I couldn’t imagine life without. My semester in Alicante flew by faster than any other. If I could give one piece of advice to a prospective study abroad student, it would be to be present in where you are in the world and enjoy every moment of it! Living and studying in a different country is such an extraordinary journey that is unique for everyone.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Go into it with an open mind and excitement for new and unique experiences! Eat local Spanish cuisine, chat up the spaniards, enjoy the beach, hike the castle, get used to public transportation, indulge in gelato, and hop on planes and trains to visit other Spanish cities or other EU countries on the weekends!
81 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Erika
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I'd Do it All Again

As someone who has experienced the ups and downs and in bet-weens of study abroad, I am here to tell you to do it. Go abroad. Go overseas. See another part of the world and experience another culture.Before I went abroad, I was really nervous. I had a lot of anxiety about everything from finances to finding all my classes. I knew that it was going to be a challenge but I also knew that I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t go abroad. So I talked with my advisers and applied for scholarships and read like 50 different blog posts on packing for going abroad; I was also terrified that I would forget something and be hopeless. But I said my goodbyes and boarded my plane and I can honestly say that it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
I felt like I was in a dream. A really cold dream because it was January in Spain but nevertheless a wonderful dream. Spain had so much to teach me about Spanish culture and the language but also about myself. I had deemed myself fairly independent going away to college in another state but being in a foreign country where they spoke another language was a different kind of independence all together. And I found my pace and got into a rhythm and before I knew it I was living in Spain, taking public transit to school, studying and exploring my beautiful host country and Spain as whole. Was I lonely sometimes, yes. This experience but a lot of things into perspective for me. I was able to experience and learn about multiple different cultures, each with their own similarities and differences on what the value the most and how they structure their lives.
While abroad, I traveled from city to city trying new foods and variations depending on the region. I learned different dialects and heard languages being spoken that I’d never heard before.I explored with new friends and even traveled by myself to different countries, safely and with situational awareness of course. Through study abroad and my specific program I was able to take Spanish and Latin dance classes as well as a sailing class where I learned to sail on the Mediterranean Sea. I was also able to travel to Morocco for a week with my study abroad program. There are so many unique and inspiring adventures that await abroad. I never knew there were so many things that I could do and get academic credit for while I was abroad. If you’re a prospective student reading this, I as you this. Where will your next adventure take you?

78 people found this review helpful.
Jack
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Best Decision I Made in College

Making the opportunity to study abroad with USAC may have been the all time best decision I made during my college career. Alicante is a wonderful city, from the scenery to the rich culture there was never a dull moment during my time there. The locals are friendly when you take the time to learn about their culture and go out of your way to learn the language and speak with them. There were so many places near by to explore along the Mediterranean Sea and living like a Spaniard could not have been a cooler experience. The USAC staff were wonderful and always there to help, they would never judge your circumstance and no problem was big enough for them to help you through. I learned so much about the language and culture in my four months living there you would have thought I had studied for years back home! I also met people in my program that are now some of my closest friends, we all shared the desire to get out of our comfort zone and immerse ourselves in Spanish culture together. My only regret is I wish I had the opportunity to study over there for a full year. I would recommend anyone thinking about studying abroad to do it, there's a great deal of opportunity for financial help to do so if you research. And I fully recommend looking into Alicante because at the end of my experience I feel as though it will always be a home away from home for me!

What would you improve about this program?
More opportunities to meet local students at the University in order to help USAC students integrate into the local culture. More opportunities to join local groups for language and extracurricular learning to also help immerse.
66 people found this review helpful.
Dante
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

USAC Alicante, Spain

The greatest experience of my life. Universidad de Alicante had great professors, my apartment was perfectly located near the beach, I made some of the greatest friends of my life, all while indulging in Spanish culture. I will remember this experience for the rest of my life. I loved all the field trips that we went on, the courses I took were very interesting, and USAC was always there to help me with whatever I needed.

What would you improve about this program?
It was perfect the way it was.
69 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Levi
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Learning Spanish, and

Such an amazing way to learn Spanish, and to experience a new culture. I went into the program knowing little to no Spanish, and left being able to hold pretty reasonable conversations with almost anyone I met. Having class in Spanish every single day and living with only spanish-speaking roommates was the key to learning so much so quickly. I have to say, that the dialect spoken around Alicante (Valencian) was much harder to understand, though. When I visited places in Spain that spoke Castillian spanish, I found I could speak and understand much more. I think that if I had studied in Madrid, for example, where they speak a little more clearly, I would have been able to learn even more Spanish than I did in Alicante.

What would you improve about this program?
Touring in smaller groups would give us a more genuine experience when visiting places outside of Alicante as a group. When you show up in a tour bus with 50 people, you're already off on a bad foot with being able to interact genuinely with locals. Smaller groups of 10-15 would be better.
46 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Heidi
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Awesome experience

I went to Alicante in Fall 2016. I met amazing new friends from all over the U.S. and even some who happen to go to Cal Poly, my home university. I lived with a host family, mainly just a host mom whose daughters, aged mid 30's, came to visit every Sunday. I also had an American living with me in my host family as well. I became great friends with my American roommate. We both loved our host mom and her daughters. We learned a great deal of Spanish because our host family spoke zero English. We took the tram or bus to school everyday. I really liked that because it made me feel more a part of the community there. I also signed up for a program where I gave private lessons to Spanish girls wanting to learn English. The girls were ages 7 and 11. I adored them and they loved me too. I was able to explore all parts of the city while I was there and Alicante really gained a special part in my heart after this experience. I am glad to feel connected to another part of the world now. Coming back to the states, I feel like I really learned so much by living in Spain, but I didn't realize it until I came back and noticed all the changes. Overall, I think everyone in the states needs to study abroad because I can't think of one negative thing about it.

What would you improve about this program?
The only thing that could be improved about this program is a real, and better estimate of the money you will be spending. I spent a lot more than expected.
49 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Caroline
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Go to Alicante!

I loved my semester in Alicante. I would recommend living with a host family. It really helped me improve my Spanish and get to know the city. If you want to live with a host family but you're nervous, just go for it! You'll learn so much The staff at USAC were superb and they also made my trip great. They were always very helpful when we had questions. They also brought us on amazing field trips to Granada and to Morocco. The trip to Morocco was my favorite trip from my entire semester abroad. Alicante itself was a beautiful seaside city that I would recommend to any traveler!

What would you improve about this program?
N/a
48 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Hi Jorja, No, knowing Spanish is not required to study abroad on this program, or any of our programs. You can choose to take Spanish language courses which would be taught in Spanish, all other courses are taught in English. Thank you!

Hi Mackenzie, thank you for your question and I apologize for the delayed response. Yes, during the summer session the Elementary Spanish class will most likely be five days a week!

Hi Allison, Most track 1 students can expect to be in class 5 days a week, but it will depend on where you are studying abroad. You will get your class schedule during orientation. Thank you!

We have some pictures on our website below. Thank you! -Sara