Spain: Alicante - Spanish, Linguistics, European, Gender Studies

I highly recommend this program for anyone interested in Summer study abroad in Spain. If you want to be immersed in the language, Alicante is a great place to be. Many people know English, but you obviously will be surrounded by Spanish everywhere you go.

I lived in a home stay, which I also recommend for students wishing to improve their Spanish. My host mom only spoke Spanish and was also one of the sweetest people I have ever met. I felt so welcome in her home from day one. She was very talkative, whether I understood what she was saying or not. This allowed for a lot of practice speaking and listening to Spanish.

The university program was also wonderful. The supervisors, as well as the teachers, were very helpful and approachable with any issue you may have. I learned so much in my Spanish classes that I never would have gotten at my home university. It is helpful to constantly be thinking about Spanish while taking these Spanish classes.

Alicante has a small, beach city feel, which I loved. We walked everywhere and I never felt unsafe. A perk of studying there in the summer is getting to experience their yearly five day long festival. It was such an authentic, Spanish experience that I will never forget!

Studying abroad in Europe was the best decision of my life. I spent a semester in Rome, Italy in the fall (which was incredible), but I wanted something smaller and more immersive during my second semester abroad. And so, I decided to go to Alicante, Spain through USAC. The program was cheap, the location was wonderful, and the courses offered were perfect for my academic interests and goals. I knew the smaller city would help me improve my Spanish language skills, and it would enable me to really understand the Spanish people and culture. I was fortunate enough to have an amazing host family who taught me so much, and I would even consider them my second family. I also made some wonderful friends, many whom I believe I will have for the rest of my life. The USAC program enabled me to study abroad for a second semester because it offered numerous courses that allowed me to finish college in 4 years with 3 majors and a minor. I majored in Spanish, Sociology, and Anthropology, and fortunately many of the sociology courses in Alicante were taught in Spanish, so my home university counted them for both majors! My Spanish communication skills improved immensely, and I truly believe I learned more during my semester in Spain than I had from the 9 years I spent learning Spanish it back in the states. I was also fortunate enough to have an exchange partner, and an internship in which I worked at the local museum. The USAC staff there made all of this possible, and they worked diligently to make sure I was happy and safe. They planned so many amazing field trips and activities, and made my second semester abroad spectacular. I loved every minute of my experience, and I wish I could go back everyday! USAC is an incredible program, and Alicante is a lovely city.

I went abroad with the intention of learning the Spanish language and appreciating a new culture, but I learned so much more than that. Having never traveled outside of the US (and having only been on a plane once) I was more than terrified to start my study abroad experience. I couldn't chosen a better program than USAC. They were there to greet us on day one and were available to help us from that point forward. I enjoyed my Spanish language classes (and I miss them dearly now that I'm back in the states) but also enjoyed exploring a different part of the world and meeting new people. Alicante is a small, but beautiful, town, and it was a great place to spend a semester in.

Studying in Alicante with USAC was an incredible experience! My apartment was very centrally located. I was able to walk EVERYWHERE. The open market and bus stop were two minutes away, the beach was 5 minutes away, and the nightlife scene was right on my street. There were great and affordable restaurants and tapas bars all over town as well.
I took language classes every morning Monday-Friday and learned more in one semester there than I have ever learned back home. The University campus is BEAUTIFUL. I also took a sailing class that was SO much fun! Aside from the USAC classes, we were given the opportunity to be partnered with a local student so that we could practice English and Spanish together. Not only was it a great learning experience, but it was a great way to make friends. The staff offered opportunities to volunteer and teach English at schools and in homes. It was definitely one of the highlights on my experience!
Some of the other highlights were the field trips we went on as a group. Alicante and the surrounding cities are gorgeous and offer many different aspects of nature. We went swimming in the Mediterranean, hiking and swimming in fresh water in Guadalest, and explored the city of Valencia. The staff always made sure we had plenty to do. They were truly amazing and were like a family away from home. I could not have asked for anything more.
It was the most amazing experience, I honestly have nothing bad to say. Even the small challenges I may have encountered were positives because they truly helped me learn and grow. I would absolutely recommend this program to anyone!

My semester in Alicante was one of the best semesters of my life. During my time there, I went from an intermediate Spanish level to an advanced Spanish level, and now I am actually majoring in Spanish. I loved being able to immediately apply what I was learning in the classroom to my life, and I was able to overcome a language barrier that was initially frustrating for me thanks to the incredible teaching of my professor in Alicante--one of the best professors that I've ever had. I also highly recommend living with a host family because it gave me a great insight into the culture and the day-to-day lifestyle of the Spaniards. My host mom would prepare delicious meals, and I also got to play board games with my host brothers. Alicante is a perfectly-sized city because there are lots of things to see and to do, and most things are within walking distance or easily accessible by public transit. The coastline is gorgeous, allowing for an abundance of outdoor activities from hiking in the mountains to swimming in the Mediterranean. Finally, the USAC staff are some of the nicest and most caring people that I've met in my entire life. Luis and Sylvain were always there to answer any questions or concerns, and they set up great activities and field trips for students. They even helped me get a job tutoring a doctor in English. The only sad part about my experience was that I had to leave!

Go out and try new things everyday. Meet new people. Travel. Play soccer.Experience the food. Go on the program trips because you don't see enough of all your friends in the program. Speak as much Spanish as you can. Enjoy every minute there.

Honestly, the semester that I spent in Alicante with USAC was more than I ever could have imagined. From the moment that I arrived in Alicante, to the moment I left, I felt at home. The on-site staff will go out of their way to do anything for you and they truly care about each individual student. They also provide so many opportunities for students to take advantage of and make the most out of their study abroad experience. I met several people studying in Alicante through other programs and their experience was not nearly as positive as mine and fellow students studying with USAC. The classes were taught by professors from the University of Alicante and they were GREAT! I also did an internship while I was in Alicante and the experience was incredible. The program directors continuously checked to make sure that everything was going well with classes, internships, my host family, and my experience overall. I chose to study with USAC at the last moment and I am so glad I switched and went through their program!

I have never in my life come across such amazing and helpful people. Since the moment I arrived in Spain, USAC directors have been there for me through each and every step. I managed to have the best experience of my life because of these people. I have always heard horrible stories from past students who have studied abroad through different programs but I am one of the luckiest ones who does not have a single complaint. Each and everyday has been the best days of my life in Alicante. I would do it all over again if I could. I miss Alicante and most of all the people who made it the most incredible experience of my life.