About the Program

This program offers flexible four-, six- or eight-week options based at Estudio Sampere in Spain. Students in the four-week program study in Madrid, while those choosing six or eight weeks begin in Madrid and then continue at a second Sampere site — either Alicante on the Mediterranean coast or Salamanca, home to Spain’s oldest university. Each location provides a unique cultural experience: Madrid’s vibrant city life and world-class museums, Alicante’s beaches and Mediterranean charm and Salamanca’s historic streets and lively student atmosphere.

Start and End Dates

June 1–26, 2026 or June 29–July 24, 2026* (four-week options)

June 1–July 10, 2026* (six-week option)

June 1–July 24, 2026* (eight-week option)

*Please note that the dates listed are for class sessions only. All sessions begin on a Monday, and students must arrive in Madrid the day before, on Sunday (e.g.,  May 31 for a June 1 start date). Classes conclude on a Friday, and students should plan to depart the following Saturday (e.g., June 27 for a session ending June 26.)

Duration

Four, six or eight weeks

Prerequisites

This program is open to all — no prior knowledge of Spanish is required. However, students should consult with the program director to discuss placement and course selection. To ensure proper placement, students will take a placement exam prior to the start of the program and will be evaluated again in person on the first day of classes.

Course Information

Students may receive 18 units of transfer credit while in Madrid, and an additional 6 or 9 units for the Alicante or Salamanca segment, depending on length of program.

All students will take:

• a Spanish language course, after an initial placement test upon arrival
  • Advanced level classes may include: Business Spanish, Spanish for the Professions, Contemporary Spain: Civilization and Culture, Introduction to Spanish Literature, Introduction to Translation, Readings in Literary Genres and more
• one additional course

Extracurricular Activities

As part of the program fee, all students will participate in museum visits in Madrid and full-day excursions to sites near Madrid  — e.g., Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial and Valle de los Caídos. Additional visits to museums, historical sites and monuments in Madrid are also included, as well as walking tours within the city, a cooking class and Flamenco class.

Travel & Transportation

Students are responsible for their airfare to/from Madrid.

The program fee includes transit between Madrid’s international airport and the program site, as well as transportation for all required excursions. Students should arrive the day before the start of classes, and leave the day after. Please carefully review dates before booking your flights!

Accommodations

Participants have the added advantage of being placed with Spanish families during their course of study. Estudio Sampere is very centrally located in the Barrio de Salamanca — an older, residential section of Madrid a few blocks from Retiro Park and the Prado Museum. Host families live throughout the city, and while some homes may be in walking distance, some will require use of pubic transportation.

If students participate in the six- or eight-week programs, they will live with host families in either Alicante or Salamanca, and will resume their studies at the point where they stopped in Madrid.

Program Cost

$4,325* (four-week options)

$6,190* (six-week option)

$7,705 (eight-week option)

The program fee includes tuition, room and board, required cultural activities and excursions, health insurance for the duration of the program, airport pick-up upon arrival and transportation from Madrid to/from second host city (if opting for the six or eight week programs).

Airfare to/from Madrid, optional activities or excursions, local transportation within host city and incidental expenses of a personal nature are not included in the program fee.

Scholarships & Funding

Our department, the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Office of International Education offer study abroad scholarships for semester, full-year or summer programs. All LCAL declared majors and Arabic Studies minors in good academic standing with CMU are guaranteed a scholarship from LCAL. Scholarships can be applied to tuition, room and board, airfare and/or book expenses for any accredited study abroad program. Learn more about funding your study abroad experience.