Spanish Language & Culture

Madrid, Spain

Summer '25 Applications Open

Language & Culture

Select a Term...

Dates

Jun 8 - Jul 5, 2025

4 weeks

Costs

$7,400

Application Deadline

January 15, 2025

Request Information

Dates

Jul 6 - Aug 2, 2025

4 weeks

Costs

$7,400

Application Deadline

January 15, 2025

Request Information

Perfect your Spanish skills in Spain’s sun-soaked, stunning capital.

Four weeks in Madrid, the vibrant capital of Spain, will add a whole new dimension to your Spanish. Outside of language classes, engage in conversations with locals as you explore artsy, avant-garde neighborhoods, like Malasaña and El Barrio de las Letras, and learn about the artistic heritage of Spain. At the Reina Sofía Art Museum, marvel at world-renowned masterpieces, such as Picasso's Guernica and Dalí’s Figure at the Window. Beat the heat as you relax in green spaces around the city, like Madrid’s Río park, an urban oasis along the Manzanares River transformed from an eight-lane highway.

Experience the Spanish way of life at your homestay and watch your Spanish soar during meals and heated ��ú�ٲ��Ǳ� debates. Weekend excursions take you to picturesque Segovia, with its ancient Roman aqueduct and Alcázar castle, and to the seaside city of Valencia, where you’ll swim and play beach volleyball along the Mediterranean Sea. In and out of Madrid, you’ll soak up culture all around you, taste tantalizing tapas, and go where ��ñ�ǲ� go.

The Take-Aways

Language Growth and Cultural Competence

Come home with a higher level of Spanish and a greater understanding of Spanish culture. Use your STAMP 4S language proficiency pre- and post-test scores to demonstrate your language growth and help you earn a Seal of Biliteracy. 

College Credits

Choose to earn 4 college credits toward your future college degree. Take advantage of the credits to stand out on your college applications or to satisfy college language requirements.

Lifelong Skills and Friendships

Return with greater self-confidence, independence, and adaptability. Enjoy a broader worldview and diverse friendships from across the U.S. 

60

Hours Of Instruction With A Native Spanish Teacher

4

College Credits

1

Life-changing Experience

The Destination

Welcome to Madrid, a cultural hub for art, fashion, food, and sports.

With world-famous museums and soccer clubs, Madrid opens its arms to visitors of all kinds. In the exciting capital of Spain, stunning architecture, exquisite art, and historic sites will inspire you. The 9th-century Moorish Palacio Real, with its 3,148 rooms, is the largest royal palace in Western Europe. The famous 18th-century Museo del Prado has over 8,000 paintings, including works by Spanish greats Velazquez and Goya. El Retiro, the lung of Madrid, is a massive, peaceful green park in the heart of the city—row around the lake with your friends and go inside the Glass Palace sparkling in the sun!

Spain’s vibrant culture is on display all around, from the shops and markets, like the open-air market El Rastro, which sells anything and everything, to the cafés of its charming neighborhoods. Here, tasty food options abound. Madrid is considered a melting pot of cuisines from all over Spain. Fried squid sandwiches and churros con chocolate are student favorites. There are also tapas for every taste!

Cultural Awareness

��911wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local ��911staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Madrid.

Daily Life

�ѴǲԻ岹��–F��岹�� &�Բ��;

Each day offers a balance between interactive instruction and cultural activities with time on your own, too. Morning classes and afternoon activities may swap places. 

Breakfast at your homestay 
Out and about for authentic conversations in the community and a cultural Activity
Bagged lunch with your fellow Global Navigators at the ��911center
Engaging Spanish classes with expert language instructors, all native speakers  
Dinner and evening discussions at your homestay

�±��Ի�� �į&�Բ��;

Overnight or day excursions to top sites 
Quality time with friends and everyone your host family

Check out the blog posts to discover more about daily life and excursions on program.

Housing

Carefully-screened homestay

24/7 Support

1 Program Leader for every 12 students and support from local staff

Weekly Learning Goals

In ��911classes, Level 1 is for students acquiring basic Spanish, Level 2 is for those who can carry on everyday conversations, and Level 3 is for those who can participate in discussions on social and academic topics. In the spring before you depart, you’ll take a language proficiency test and when you arrive on site, you’ll participate in an oral interview. How you do on the test and in the interview will identify the level that is right for you.

Each week, you’ll explore a Theme and create a Project. Each day in class, you’ll learn Spanish through engaging activities and then, in the community, try out your new Spanish in conversations with locals.

Week 1: Settle in and meet your classmates as you explore the Identity Theme. Ask and answer questions, give information, describe your favorite things and your family at home and in Spain. For your Project, create and present a Personal Profile.

Week 2: Take in the local scene as you explore the Community Theme. Describe places, attractions, and events in Madrid. Tell what you want to buy in shops, and express your likes and dislikes in food and fashion. For your Project, create a Photo Gallery of Life in Madrid and share it in a conversation.

Week 3: Continue improving your Spanish as you delve into the Discovery Theme and, for your Project, create and present a Travel Flyer for a destination in Spain. Give and follow directions, give details of a trip itinerary day-by-day, and describe the destination, the weather, and what to do there.

Week 4: Consider the impact of your summer in this week’s Personal Growth Theme. Tell what you experienced in Spain, make cultural comparisons, and participate in study abroad interviews. For your Project, create a Study Abroad Album and share it in a panel discussion.

Week 1: Settle in and meet your classmates as you explore the Discovery Theme. Ask about and describe family members, discover and describe exciting things to do in Madrid, and compare daily routines and customs in Spain and the USA. For your Project, create and present a Memory Book of Your Life in Madrid.

Week 2: Explore Spanish culture during this week’s Creativity Theme. Compare musical performances, express opinions on art, tell what happened in movies, and persuade a classmate to attend a cultural event. For your Project, create a Photo Gallery on Spanish Culture and share it in a conversation.

Week 3: Delve into Madrid in this week’s Community Theme. For your Project, create and present a Neighborhood Tour in Madrid. Describe the city and what happens there. Role play scenes in a market and a restaurant. Report on Madrid’s past and future.

Week 4: Consider the impact of your summer during the Personal Growth Theme. Tell what happened in memorable moments and how you felt about it. Make cultural comparisons and persuade a friend to study abroad. For your Project, create a Study Abroad Album and share it in a panel discussion.

Week 1: Settle in and meet your classmates during the Cultural Encounters Theme. Tell what happened on a first encounter abroad. Summarize past and current events in Madrid. Express your opinions as you compare cultural norms and stereotypes. For your Project, create and present a Field Report on Madrid.

Week 2: Explore Spanish culture in this week’s Creativity Theme. Describe street art and profile artists, express opinions on magazines and movies, and compare musical performances. For your Project, create an Arts & Culture Magazine and share it in a conversation.

Week 3: Continue advancing your Spanish as you delve into the Discovery Theme. For your Project, create and present an Awareness Campaign about a global threat. Give information on its causes and effects, explain solutions, and persuade others in debates, justifying your arguments.

Week 4: Consider the impact of your summer in this week’s Personal Growth Theme. Conduct a class survey on experiences in Spain and make cultural comparisons. Tell an original story about a memorable moment and speculate on what’s next for you. For your Project, create a Study Abroad Album and share it in a panel discussion.

Sample Activities

High school summer group excursion in Madrid

Just imagine all the fun you’ll have!

Row a boat at Retiro Park or bike along the Manzanares River where ��ñ�ǲ� find tranquility from the bustle of the city.
Wander from room to room at the house-museum of impressionist painter Joaquín Sorolla, known for colorful landscapes inspired by his Valencian roots.
Take a day trip to Segovia with its incredible 1st-century Roman aqueduct, and visit the castle that inspired Disney, the Alcázar de Segovia.
Waltz and count your steps as you practice dancing sevillanas, a traditional flamenco folk dance. Challenge your coordination with castanets!
In Valencia, taste traditional paella at a restaurant surrounded by rice fields and hop on a boat to tour L’Albufera Lake.

Please note activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience. 

What Students Are Saying

"I had such a good time studying in Madrid. I was able to practice/improve my Spanish 10x over and I met some of the best people ever!"

Jack C., Global Navigator Alum
"My trip to Madrid was phenomenal. Loved the friendly staff, my homestay, the meals, the activities... Everything went according to plan and I had a memorable experience."

Arturo S., Global Navigator Alum
"The program really helped me with my Spanish and all the activities were very fun! I met so many new people and have become much more independent."

Nicole K., Global Navigator Alum
"Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime experience and it really impacts your life for the better. Learning is so much better outside of a classroom. Also, this program gives you a chance to meet new people and see new things."

Shivani D., Global Navigator Alum

From CIEE

Scavenging Madrid

By Clare Duckworth at CIEE

As session two comes to a close and the students are feeling confident about their Spanish-speaking abilities and navigation skills, we sent them out on a scavenger hunt (Gymkhana) throughout... keep reading

Language and Culture students in front of the famous Segovia Acqueduct

From CIEE

A Weekend Excursion in Segovia

By Bethany Hansen at CIEE

During our last full weekend in Spain, we got the opportunity to spend some quality time with our friends exploring a new city: Segovia! After leaving early Saturday morning on... keep reading

Madrid
Spain

students in the Atlético de Madrid Museum

From CIEE

¡Enamorados del Atleti!

By Chassidy Simmons at CIEE

Madrid Session 2 students tour Civitas Metropolitano Stadium.

Eligibility

Participants must be 14 years old and above.
Program open to all current high school students—Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors—who have completed at least one year of high school Spanish. Students who have completed at least two years of high school Spanish may qualify for the Honors Language & Culture program in Madrid or Seville.
For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our scholarship page.

For more information, refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.

Dates & Fees

Application Fee

$25

Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. More details about tuition inclusions can be found here.

Optional College Credit Fee

$150

Learn more about how to get college credit for your future college degree.

Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.

More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us!

Program	Application Due	Start Date	End Date	Costs
Program Summer Session I 2025 4 weeks	January 15, 2025	Start Date June 8, 2025	End Date July 5, 2025	Costs $7,400
Program Summer Session II 2025 4 weeks	January 15, 2025	Start Date July 6, 2025	End Date August 2, 2025	Costs $7,400

Ready to change your life?

What’s Included

Interactive Classes

Housing

3 Meals/Day

(Dietary Needs Accommodated)

All Ground Transportation

(Once In-country)

Optional Flight Chaperone

(Flight Cost Not Included)

Pre-departure Advice and Orientation

Access to WIFI

(No international data plan or SIM card included)

All Cultural Activities and Excursions

Comprehensive Medical and 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...