Overseas university spotlight: St. Louis University Madrid (Spain)
St. Louis University (SLU) Madrid was founded in 1967 as the first European branch campus of a U.S. university.
The word 'branch' is key; it considers itself one university with two campuses.
Located in a quiet residential neighborhood near two other universities north of the city centre, the SLU Madrid campus also offers the added benefit of tuition that's half the cost of the main campus.
Nowadays, SLU Madrid is home to 1,200 students and 18 possible degrees.
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
Like its main campus, SLU Madrid is a Jesuit university focused on education of the 'whole person' -- promoting academic excellence, service and self-reflection.
There are lots of opportunities to participate in community service, such as a program where students make bocadillo sandwiches, bring them to the homeless and spend time chatting with them.
Students are viewed as learners, and faculty are viewed as facilitators (collaborative inquiry).
They're taught several ways of thinking and how to care and respect others, achieved through seminars, non-academic requirements and lots of reflective papers (i.e., how did this class help me grow).
For example, in the Ignite First-Year Seminar, students learn from faculty who teach something they're passionate about outside of their main discipline (i.e., an English professor teaching music).
For Reflection in Action, students participate in internships; every Monday they get an email from Career Services about opportunities.
And for Collaborative Inquiry, students practice real-world problem-solving and take a class unrelated to their major (i.e., a business student taking engineering).
Here, the student experience is halfway between the completely on-campus U.S. college experience and a very independent off-campus experience at a European university.
The campus is small but mighty; the average class size is 16, and the student to faculty ratio is 12-to-1.
In 2023, SLU welcomed 200 new freshmen to its diverse student body of 65+ nationalities.
American and Spanish students do still dominate the population (43 percent and 14 percent, respectively).
Uniquely, 20 percent of students have two or more nationalities.
It's also worth mentioning that half of the study body is made up of students on a study abroad semester.
One degree student highlighted that students are 'accidentally divided' because degree students and study abroad students -- mostly because study abroad students travel a lot on weekends to make the most of their time.
They are, however, in class together and all participate in the same clubs.
In terms of its actual degrees, SLU Madrid was ranked number one for Health Law, number eight for international relations and number 17 for international business (U.S. News and World Report, 2023).
Nursing is the most selective, and students spend two years in Madrid and then two years at the main campus in St. Louis (which is also the case for engineering).
In all programs, professors use Madrid as the classroom; for example, the marketing professor takes students on a shopping trip to analyze product placement on shelves, etc.
SLU Madrid students can choose to live in the Yugo residences (most expensive), with a host family (second most expensive) or in a private apartment (least expensive).
Ready to apply?
SLU Madrid is test-optional with an acceptance rate of 67 percent.
The application for this particular campus is separate from the main campus, so students interested in both would need to make two applications.
And unlike most universities in Europe, students can apply undecided.
With a Liberal Arts curriculum, students can figure out what they're really interested in as they go.
Although the tuition is much lower at SLU Madrid than the main campus, 77 percent of enrolled students were still awarded a merit-based scholarship.
Two students demonstrating outstanding merit and leadership will gain a full scholarship, and others may receive between seven to 40 percent off.
Below are some of the other facilities on campus.
There is also a cafeteria and U.S.-style student services, with a 24-hour emergency and counseling line.
Around the corner is the hospital where students go if need be, and with Sanitas private health insurance, students are always met with an English-speaking doctor.
Summary: St. Louis University Madrid
Students who choose to study at SLU Madrid get an American education with a global focus, set in an incredibly dynamic European capital.
Its liberal arts curriculum graduates students with well-rounded profiles, and it comes with tuition that's half that of its main campus.
Students are well-looked after, with much more student support and student services than many European institutions.
And in many majors, students can choose to spend two years in Madrid and return to the U.S. for the remaining two.
Back in St. Louis, the Billiken is the mascot of the campus, a symbol of good luck that represents happiness and the way things ought to be -- and for the Billikeños of SLU Madrid, life is pretty good, too.
