Carlos III University of Madrid (Spain)
From its beginnings in 1989, Carlos III University of Madrid (UC3M) was intended to be a relatively small, innovative, public university.
And as the first public Spanish university to teach in English, it also quickly became one of the most international.
In fact, 71 percent of its bachelor's degrees and 40 percent of its master's degrees are taught either completely in English or bilingual (50-50).
And its International Foundation Program is one of the best-known programs to help international students meet entry requirements to pursue a degree in Spain.
Here are some of the highlights from my visit!
City of Madrid
Nestled in the heart of Spain, Madrid welcomes visitors with its vibrant streets, rich history and dynamic cultural scene.
As the capital city, Madrid is a melting pot of tradition and modernity, where centuries-old landmarks stand tall alongside contemporary art galleries and trendy cafes.
It's also where many demonstrations take place, such as farmers protesting EU policies below.
With 3.4 million people, Madrid is one of Europe's most populous cities.
It's full of galleries, museums, cultural performances and more.
It's also considered Europe's sunniest capital city, despite my photos during winter!
Yes, it's true that Spaniards don't eat dinner until 9 or 10 p.m., but with the longest life expectancy in Europe, perhaps there's something to the Spanish way of life.
As the centre of international business for Spain, Madrid does have a faster pace to it than its rival, Barcelona.
But because it's located physically in the centre of Spain, it makes it super easy to visit all the other amazing destinations in the country for weekend trips or longer stays.
Campus and academics
UC3M has four campuses spread throughout Madrid; I was fortunate to visit Leganés in the south of Madrid (engineering) and Getafe (social science, law and humanities).
But there is also the Madrid-Puerta de Toledo campus, located in the heart of Madrid, which is the main venue for the UC3M Center of Postgraduate Studies.
And in the town of Colmenarejo in the northeast of Madrid, students can study humanities, engineering, social science and law.
At Leganés, there are a number of engineering degrees taught entirely in English, including aerospace, robotics, data science, energy and biomedical.
There is an enormous number of labs, and it's unusual for a university to have this much equipment available for students.
In fact, its bioengineering labs are said to be unlike those at any other universities and even some hospitals.
Over the summer, UC3M even welcomes students from Johns Hopkins University to conduct research.
In the 2023 QS World Rankings, UC3M was ranked #319 in the world, putting it on an equal playing field (rankings-wise) with the University of Notre Dame and Indiana University.
It has 20,000 students in total, 20 percent of whom are international.
At around €7,000 per year in tuition, it's also very affordable.
One amazing benefit is that through its exchange program, students can continue to pay UC3M tuition and spend up to two years studying in two different countries.
At least half their students do at least one international study experience.
The Getafe campus is also located in the south of Madrid and not too far from the Leganés campus.
Here, students can study a number of degrees completely in English, including International Studies, Management and Technology, Business Administration, Economics and Finance & Accounting.
However, you don't have to be a humanities student to study humanities, as all UC3M courses have humanities and professional skills courses embedded in their degrees.
The Getafe campus is also where the International Foundation Program (IFP) students study.
This is recommended for all international students, as it helps them adapt to the Spanish university system, facilitate the cultural transition and help them pick up Spanish language skills, too.
The level of math required for engineering programs in Spain is also higher than in other countries, so this can also help students boost their math skills prior.
The IFP is one year with tracks in humanities or engineering and is made up of subjects related to those degree areas and also Spanish classes.
Students who successfully complete the course and achieve a certain grade can be admitted to the UC3M degree programs (or elsewhere in Spain), and about 70 percent of IFP students do end up staying for this.
Currently, it's a diverse mix of students studying in the IFP with around 80 different nationalities.
And in terms of admission to both the IFP or a degree program, it's a rolling process that opens in mid-October, so it's best to apply early.
The IFP program admits about 100 students every year, and UC3M degree programs admit around 3,000 every year.
UC3M is also the only Spanish university currently on the Common App.
Lastly, if students don't want to gain admission to a degree, UC3M also offers a gap year program for 4 months, where students can build their soft skills in areas like leadership and entrepreneurship, learn Spain and take certified courses to boost employability and independence.
Summary: Carlos III University of Madrid
For students interested in studying in Spain, UC3M has to be amongst those considered -- for its place in the Spanish capital and also for its history of and experience with welcoming international students.
It's affordable, it's academically rigorous and it's not too big (which is the case for many public universities in Europe).
And as the first Spanish university to teach in English, it also continues to be one of the universities with the most English degrees available in the country.
Nevertheless, UC3M still supports and encourages students on these English programs to learn Spanish, and its foundation program, which helps facilitate this, is very highly rated by students.
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