Business + Culture
Unique Experiences
Gain Insights From Madrid-Based Entrepreneurs
through visits to local businesses and startups
Visit Famous Landmarks
like Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace, and the El Prado Museum
Take in the Sights
by walking through El Retiro Park
44
Museums Featuring World-Famous Art Collections
2nd
Best Startup Ecosystem in Spain
6 M
Population of Madrid Metropolitan Area
Your Destination
Madrid’s influence in politics, education, science, entertainment, media, fashion, and arts makes it an important international metropolis, and a major hub in southern Europe. Spain’s capital city is also its largest, boasting a historic center dating back to the Hapsburg Empire and world-renowned art museums. A huge variety of tapas bars, dance shows, concerts, outdoor parks, soccer matches, ethnic neighborhoods, and contemporary theater and cinema make it a lively place to live and learn.
Only steps away from the historic Puerta del Sol, CIEE Madrid is located in the heart of downtown and its vibrant cultural offering. The UAN main campus is a 10-minute commute by train or bus from the CIEE center. The UC3M Getafe campus is a 40- to 60-minute commute by train to the south end of Madrid.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Madrid.
The Culture
Excursions & Activities
- Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the medieval city of Alcalá de Henares, or hike the trails in the Guadarrama Mountains, on a CIEE-organized day trip
- Discover the flavors of Spain while trying out some typical tapas, such as croquetas, Spanish tortillas, and spicy potatoes
- Soak up Spanish culture with museum visits, dance classes, urban art and graffiti tours, and popular neighborhood visits to Lavapiés, Malasaña, or La Latina
- Savor downtime with other students while you play basketball, frisbee, hike, kayak, swim, or catch a theater, dance, or music performance
Projects
Internship: An internship in Spanish allows students the opportunity to gain practical work experience in a local company within a variety of industry sectors (startups, tourism, digital industries, marketing, etc.). In addition to the on-site business experience, students participating in an internship program have a weekly classroom seminar component, which provides academic support to their practical experience. Students must have a student visa to be able to comply with local labor laws.
Directed Independent Research is for qualified students who have demonstrated academic rigor and curiosity toward a particular research topic. Independent research topics will be approved by the CIEE Madrid Director and must reflect a topic that is relevant to Madrid or Spain. To be considered for this course, students must submit a structured proposal with the topic of exploration and the significance of the research topic. Upon research completion, students will present their findings to a panel of academics.
Program Blogs
My Top 3 Favorite Lunch Spots in Madrid
By: Lillian Clark One of my favorite parts of the school days are in between classes when I get to go to lunch with my friends! Madrid has amazing and... keep reading
What Subjects Can You Study Abroad: Top 10 [2024]
While you excitedly explore CIEE Study Abroad locations and specific program options, don’t forget to look for study abroad courses in specific areas of study, too! Being in the classroom... keep reading
Housing & Meals
Housing
CIEE Madrid offers diverse housing options to maximize your study abroad experience, including homestays, student residence halls, or shared apartments in several city districts. All housing options are located near supermarkets, restaurants, gyms, and public transport and provide the convenience of urban living in one of Europe´s largest cosmopolitan city settings.
Student housing in Madrid typically looks different than what you may be used to in the U.S. Unlike most college campuses, CIEE does not own or manage student housing in Madrid. We work within local housing networks to carefully identify housing partners, vendors, and homestay hosts that can offer students a safe and culturally active living experience. All Madrid housing sizes, layouts, room designs, and amenities will vary and will have their own distinct features. Living in Madrid may mean downsizing for the duration of your stay as student housing space and location are at a premium (for example, living space, kitchen, washing machines or bedroom size may be smaller than what you´re used to at home).
Standard Housing: Includes a single room at a homestay or a double room at a shared apartment or student dorm located with easy transport access and within a 70-minute commute from Madrid’s city center.
Homestays offer socially active hosts who allow for a lot of student independence, no curfew, kitchen access for food storage, a living room, Wi-Fi, weekly laundry, and a bathroom shared with the host. Hosts provide two meals a day during the week.
Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring fewer amenities with basic furniture, laundry facilities, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen. Meals are not included in the dorms or apartments.
Student dorms are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically have an individual or shared kitchen.
Select Housing: Includes a guaranteed single room at a shared apartment or residence hall with a commute time and within 70 minutes from Madrid’s city center. Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring a few amenities with basic furniture, a laundry machine, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen. Meals are not included in the dorms or apartments. Student residence halls are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically house students in single bedrooms with an individual or shared kitchen. Select housing requires an additional fee. Please note that you may be placed in housing where you will share common spaces in your accommodations with other CIEE students who opted for a different housing category.
Select Housing Plus: Limited available option that includes a guaranteed single room at a shared apartment or residence hall with an average commute time of 30 minutes to Madrid’s city center. Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring a few amenities with basic furniture, a laundry machine, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen. Meals are not included in the dorms or apartments. Student Dorms are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically have an individual or shared kitchen. Select Plus housing requires an additional fee. Please note that you may be placed in housing where you will share common spaces in your accommodations with other CIEE students who opted for a different housing category.
A note: The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive.
Meals
Homestays: Students have breakfast and dinner with their host families, and they are responsible for lunch. Students do not typically have access to use the kitchen at the host family home.
Residence Halls/Shared Apartments: Meals are not included. Residence halls and apartments have direct access to supermarkets, restaurants, public transport, and independent dining halls. Students can purchase dining hall meal plans on their own if offered by the residence hall management.
Academics
The CIEE Business and Culture program offers students the opportunity to study Business in Madrid by choosing courses from one of CIEE’s partner institutions in Madrid (UC3M and UAN) as well as CIEE course electives, including the CIEE internship seminar.
As you start planning for your time abroad in Spain, it’s helpful to consider how your academic experience at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) or Universidad Antonio Nebrija (UAN) may differ from what you’re used to on your US college campus, and how this enhances your scholastic learning. How will your learning preference adapt to a teacher-lecture method that emphasizes independent study? What challenges and opportunities do you anticipate with a different grading system using a 1-10 grade scale? Think about any changes in your study habits when you register for direct enroll coursework at UC3M where nearly half your grade is based on only final assessment. Consider how your academic accommodation may require earlier and more frequent communication with CIEE staff before your arrival in Madrid. What home school course requirements can be replaced with alternate course electives offered at the Spanish host university?
Attending the CIEE pre-departure online orientation is important as we review the steps for your successful course registration. CIEE collaborates closely with the local host institutions to advise students during the in-country registration add/drop period. One of the indirect benefits of host institution classes is that CIEE students can learn how to collaborate with students from different cultural backgrounds, while expanding their own international job career network, and gaining insight into the professional workings of a cross-cultural collaboration.
Universidad Antonio Nebrija (UAN) is a private university that hosts hundreds of international students each year. Known for its focus on Spanish language learning, UAN also offers CIEE students a wide range of business and culture courses through its International Program or Center for Hispanic Studies. These courses are taught in Spanish and English at its city center Madrid campus.
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) was established in 1989 and is recognized as Spain’s most prestigious public institution of higher education. It follows a U.S. academic calendar system for US visiting college students and has one of the highest percentages of full-time and tenured female faculty in Spain. CIEE students take classes on the Getafe campus, which is the main UC3M campus, located 25-40 minutes outside of downtown Madrid via efficient and modern public transit. Depending on your housing location, your commute time to campus can vary from 40 to 70 minutes on public transportation because UC3M classrooms are located outside of Madrid’s city center.
Arizona State University: Enhance your international academic coursework with optional online courses that best align with your degree requirements and interests. ASU offers thousands of online courses in asynchronous sessions that fit within the CIEE academic calendar, so you can study abroad with CIEE while continuing to meet all your academic goals.
Course Information
Academic Projects
Languages and Cultural Studies
Visual and Performing Arts
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Social Sciences
History, Philosophy, Religion
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Natural Resources, Conservation, and the Environment
Academic Projects
Visual and Performing Arts
Business, Economics, Management, and Marketing
Communication, Journalism, and Media
Social Sciences
Natural Resources, Conservation, and the Environment
SAMPLE COURSES IN ENGLISH AT UNIVERSIDAD ANTONIO NEBRIJA (UAN)
- Consumer Behavior
- Corporate Psychology
- European Cinema: A Reflection on European Identity Cinema
- European Union: Culture, History, and Institutions
- Fundamental Aspects of Spanish Art
- Global Skills for International Business Environments
- Intercultural Communication
- International Business
- International Finance
- International Management
- International Relations
- International Trade Marketing
- Online Marketing in the Digital Era
- Spanish Civilization and Culture
- Spanish for Business (Intermediate and Advanced-level sections)
- Sports Industry and its role in European Identity
- Trends of the Global Economy
- Women's Roles in Present-Day Spain
Sample courses in English at UC3M
FALL SEMESTER
- Advanced Big Data Analysis
- Antitrust Law
- Bank Management
- Big Data and Business Analytics
- Consumer Behavior
- Data Analytical Techniques for Business
- Data Design for Sense Making
- Digital Business
- Digital Entrepreneurship
- Digital Marketing
- Digital Supply Chain
- Digital Product Development
- E-Branding
- E-Commerce
- Economic Growth
- Economics of Law
- Econometric Techniques
- Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
- Financial Systems and Institutions
- Game Theory
- Human Resources Management
- International Accounting
- International Trade
- Introduction to Data Mining for Business Intelligence
- Labor Economics
- Machine Learning for Business Decision Making
- Management Accounting
- Mathematics of Economics I
- Marketing and Sales Management
- Methods for Quality Control
- Organizational Design
- Origins of the Modern Firm
- Public Economics
- Quantitative Microeconomics
- Regional and Urban Economics
SPRING SEMESTER
- Analysis of Dynamic Data
- Applied Economics
- Artificial Intelligence in Business
- Asset Valuation
- Big Data for Business
- Business Model and Design Thinking
- Commercial Law
- Cybersecurity and Data Protection
- Digital Finances
- Econometrics
- Economic Development
- Economics of Education
- Economic History
- Financial Economics
- Financial Management
- Financial Statement Analysis
- Health Economics
- Interactive Ecosystems
- Integrated Information Systems
- Industrial Organization
- Innovation and Technological Change
- International Business Management
- International Finance
- Markets Research
- Mathematics for Economics II
- Monetary and Financial Economics
- Optimization and Simulation for Business
- Organizational Behavior
- Planning and Control Management
- Positive Accounting Theory
- Quantitative Macroeconomics
- Supply Chain Management
- Technology Management
- The Engines of Growth: Innovation, Institutions and Human Capital
SAMPLE COURSES IN ENGLISH-TRACK AT UC3M INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
FALL AND SPRING
- Cervantes and His World: Exemplary Novels
- Cultural Studies: Spanish Cultures from 1940 to the Present
- Gender Perspectives in Contemporary European and Spanish Literature
- Latin America in a Post-Colonial Perspective and its Relationship with Spain
- Sociology of Migrations: The Context of Spain and the European Union
- Spain in Progress: Spanish Society Today
- Spain and the European Union: Political and Economic Issues
- Spanish Art Masters in Madrid Museums
- Spanish Language (all levels)
CIEE proudly partners with ASU to deliver asynchronous, online coursework that aligns with your degree requirements from anywhere you study abroad.
CIEE and ASU offer courses online per program eligibility, at no additional charge. Be sure to review online courses with your home school advisor.
Check the CIEE Program Dates and ASU start dates below to maximize course options within your program!
Search ASU Online Courses BROWSE FAQs for more INFO
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
- MSI Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application.
Dates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Spring 2025 19 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $21,450 |
| Program Fall 2025 16 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | Fees & Housing $21,450 | |
| Program Fall 2024 16 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $20,950 |
| Program Academic year 2024-2025 39 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Fees & Housing $41,325 |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $15,256**
Housing = $5,700***
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $21,450Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,330†
International Airfare = $1,200††
Local Transportation = $125†††
Books & Supplies = $50
Visa Fees = $160††††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500†††††
Personal expenses = $300††††††
Total Costs = $3,665Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee. Housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis; however, other factors may also be considered.
Select Housing Fee = $750
Select Plus Housing Fee = $2,500
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable fee
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***Housing fees listed are for financial aid purposes only and should not be considered a basis for calculation of refunds.
†The listed estimated cost is for students in homestays. Families provide 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) and students purchase lunch (there isn’t usually access to a kitchen). For students in apartments, you should budget approx. $260 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††The youth public transportation card for under 24 years old offers a significant discount on local bus metro travel
††††Students staying a full semester in Madrid require a visa
†††††If no consulate in your home area
††††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $15,256**
Housing = $5,700***
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $21,450Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,190†
International Airfare = $1,200††
Local Transportation = $125†††
Books & Supplies = $50
Visa Fees = $160††††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500†††††
Personal expenses = $260††††††
Total Costs = $3,485Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable fee
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***Housing fees listed are for financial aid purposes only and should not be considered a basis for calculation of refunds.
†The listed estimated cost is for students in homestays. Families provide 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) and students purchase lunch (there isn’t usually access to a kitchen). For students in apartments, you should budget approx. $260 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††The youth public transportation card for under 24 years old offers a significant discount on local bus metro travel
††††Students staying a full semester in Madrid require a visa
†††††If no consulate in your home area
††††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $14,456**
Housing = $6,000***
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $20,950Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,190†
International Airfare = $1,200††
Local Transportation = $125†††
Books & Supplies = $50
Visa Fees = $160††††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500†††††
Personal expenses = $260††††††
Total Costs = $3,485Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee. Housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis; however, other factors may also be considered.
Select Housing Fee = $750
Select Plus Housing Fee = $1,500
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable fee
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***Housing fees listed are for financial aid purposes only and should not be considered a basis for calculation of refunds.
†The listed estimated cost is for students in homestays. Families provide 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) and students purchase lunch (there isn’t usually access to a kitchen). For students in apartments, you should budget approx. $260 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††The youth public transportation card for under 24 years old offers a significant discount on local bus metro travel
††††Students staying a full semester in Madrid require a visa
†††††If no consulate in your home area
††††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
Program Fees
CIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel protection with benefits.
Participation Confirmation = $300*
Educational Costs = $29,131**
Housing = $11,700***
Insurance = $194
Total Fees = $41,325Estimated Costs
Students are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration.
Meals not included in program fee = $1,190†
International Airfare = $1,200††
Local Transportation = $125†††
Books & Supplies = $50
Visa Fees = $160††††
Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500†††††
Personal expenses = $260††††††
Total Costs = $3,485Optional Housing
CIEE accommodation options are detailed in the Housing section. Based on availability, Select or Select Plus Housing can be chosen during the application process for an additional fee. Housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis; however, other factors may also be considered.
Select Housing Fee = $750
Select Plus Housing Fee = $1,500
Financial Aid
CIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants.
*non-refundable fee
**direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
***Housing fees listed are for financial aid purposes only and should not be considered a basis for calculation of refunds.
†The listed estimated cost is for students in homestays. Families provide 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) and students purchase lunch (there isn’t usually access to a kitchen). For students in apartments, you should budget approx. $260 per month for groceries if you plan on making your own meals, and more if you plan on eating out regularly.
††round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
†††The youth public transportation card for under 24 years old offers a significant discount on local bus metro travel
††††Students staying a full semester in Madrid require a visa
†††††If no consulate in your home area
††††††$100 emergency fund + cell phone expense + toiletries
What's Included
Tuition
Housing
Pre-departure Advising
Advising before you depart to set goals and answer questions
Optional on-site airport meet-and-greet
Orientation
Introduction to your program plus practical information about living in your host city
On-site Staff
Full-time program leadership and support in your city
Cultural and/or Co-curricular Activities
Excursions and/or Study Tours
Travel Protection
CIEE iNext travel protection
24/7 emergency on-site support
Our Staff
Eero Jesurun
Center Director
Eero Jesurun, Ph.D. completed his B.S. and M.A degrees from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Eero studied at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid where he obtained a Ph.D...
Get Started
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Connect With Your Campus Study Abroad Office
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad.
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Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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