Placement Notes: Spanish-Language Sites

For information about language requirements and offerings, please see the Spanish Language Advising Chart on page 47 of the US Student Catalog.

SPAIN

Students must have five to six semesters of Spanish language courses at the university-level (or the equivalent) before departure to participate on exchange in Spain. For placement on the ISEP-Direct Spanish Language and Culture program in Murcia, a minimum of four semesters of Spanish must be completed prior to departure.

The first semester at Spanish universities ends in February. Students who participate in an exchange for SM1 will be expected to adapt their stay to the Spanish Academic calendar. Early examinations and/or arrangements for early return to begin SM2 at the home university cannot be guaranteed. Full-year or spring-semester placements are more compatible with the US academic calendar.

Note: The ISEP-Direct Spanish Language and Culture Program at Murcia, if only taken for one semester, follows the US academic calendar. Fall language program may be combined with spring-semester (ISEP-Exchange or ISEP-Direct) immersion in a regular academic program. The ISEP-Direct Regular Courses Program at Murcia follows the regular Spanish academic calendar.

ISEP-Direct Spanish Language Bridge Program at Navarra is an intensive three-week (90 hour) pre-session language program offered at Navarra in January and in August . It is designed for students who have three semesters of college-level Spanish and want to gain two semesters of Spanish credit in a short time in order to prepare for an exchange placement in Spain. Students must have a minimum of three semesters of university-level Spanish or the equivalent in order to apply

Chance of Placement

ISEP-Exchange:

Vigo: Excellent
Navarra, Murcia: Good
Compostela, Balearic Islands, Alfonso X El Sabio: Fair
Málaga, Almería: Limited
Complutense: Very Limited

ISEP-Direct:

Murcia (Language & Culture), Navarra (Bridge): Excellent
Murcia (Regular Courses): Fair

ISEP-Direct Summer Program

Almeria (Language & Culture): Excellent. One month summer program with courses offered at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Two semesters of university level Spanish or the equivalent are required to apply. For more information click here.

LATIN AMERICA

All institutions except those in Mexico follow the Southern Hemisphere calendar: SM1 begins in February/March; SM2 begins in July/August and ends in November/December.

Argentina

Blas Pascal:

ISEP-Exchange: Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester)
ISEP-Direct: Excellent
4 SM of University-level Spanish required for SM / FY regular programs.
ISEP-Direct semester: Special Courses Taught in English + Beginner Spanish Language Courses Offered August-November ONLY – for students with 1 to 3 SM of University-level Spanish
ISEP-Direct Summer program for two levels: students with 2 SM Spanish (beginner level) will study for 6 weeks; students with 3+ SM Spanish (intermediate and advanced levels) will study for 4 weeks. Summer Program may be combined with SM1.
Sophomores can apply for all programs.

Córdoba:

ISEP-Exchange: Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester).
ISEP-Direct: Excellent
5 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.
They will not accept sophomores.

Palermo:

ISEP-Exchange: Very Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester).
ISEP-Direct: Excellent
5 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.
They will not accept sophomores.

Salvador:

ISEP-Exchange: Very Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester).
ISEP-Direct: Excellent
5 semesters of university-level Spanish (including one Literature course).
ISEP-Direct Cultural Immersion Program (PIC): students must be at the beginner level, with 1 to 3 SM of University-level Spanish.. If students complete PIC, then they can stay for the next semester in the regular program.
Sophomores can apply for PIC only, but not for the regular university semester.

Chile

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

ISEP-Exchange: Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester).
ISEP-Direct: Excellent
5 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.
ISEP-Direct semester: Contemporary Latin American Studies Program for Advanced Speakers of Spanish Offered August - December ONLY – 6 SM of Spanish required
ISEP-Direct semester: Culture Courses Taught in English + Beginner Spanish Language Courses – 0 to 2 SM of Spanish required
ISEP-Direct Summer program offers classes for beginner (pre-requisite: 2 semesters of Spanish), intermediate, and advanced students; may be combined with SM1.
Sophomores can apply for Summer program and Courses in English/Beginner Spanish programs ONLY.

Universidad Católica del Norte

ISEP-Exchange: Good
4 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.

Columbia

Universidad Icesi

ISEP-Exchange: Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester).
4 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.
They will not accept Sophomores

Costa Rica

Universidad Nacional

ISEP-Exchange: Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester).
ISEP-Direct: Excellent
4 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.
ISEP-Direct Summer program offers classes for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students; may be combined with SM1. (Minimum 2 SM of University-level Spanish required)
Sophomores can apply.

Mexico

UDEM (Universidad de Monterrey):

Excellent chance of placement on ISEP-Exchange for semester and full-year placements.
No prior knowledge of Spanish required; a growing number of courses taught in English with Spanish as a Second Language included in ISEP benefits.
Summer ISEP-Direct Spanish Language, Mexican Culture, and Community Service Learning program also has an Excellent chance of placement.

Universidad Regiomontana:

Excellent chance of placement on ISEP-Exchange for semester and full-year placements.
2+ semesters of Spanish required; a growing number of courses taught in English with Spanish as a Second Language included in ISEP benefits.

ITESM (Tecnológico de Monterrey):

Excellent chance of placement on ISEP-Exchange for semester and full-year placements.
No prior knowledge of Spanish required;, large number of courses taught in English with Spanish as a Second Language included in ISEP benefits.
Summer ISEP-Exchange program also has an Excellent chance of placement.

UPAEP (Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla):

Excellent chance of placement on ISEP-Exchange for semester and full-year placements.
No prior knowledge of Spanish required; a growing number of courses taught in English with Spanish as a Second Language included in ISEP benefits.

Universidad La Salle:

Excellent change of placement on ISEP-Exchange for semester and full-year placements.
4+ semesters of Spanish required.

(ITESO) Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente:

Good chance of placement on ISEP-Exchange for semester and full-year placements.
No prior knowledge of Spanish required; a growing number of courses taught in English with Spanish as a Second Language included in ISEP benefits.

Universidad de Guanajuato:

Excellent chance of placement on ISEP-Exchange for semester and full-year placements.
2+ semesters of Spanish required for full year placements and 4+ semesters of Spanish required for semester placements.

Nicaragua

Universidad Americana:

Good chance of placement on ISEP-Exchange.

4+ semesters of university-level Spanish or the equivalent are required.
Courses available in English in Business Administration and Arts & Sciences.

Excellent chance of placement on ISEP-Direct

2+ semesters of university-level Spanish or the equivalent are required. Spanish as a Second Language included in ISEP Benefits. Courses available in English in Business Administration and Arts & Sciences.

Puerto Rico

University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez

ISEP-Exchange: Excellent
4 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.

University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras

ISEP-Exchange: Excellent
4 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.

Uruguay

UC Uruguay

ISEP-Exchange: Very Limited (please nominate only one student for one semester).
ISEP-Direct: Excellent
5 SM of university-level Spanish required for SM / FY programs.
They will not accept sophomores.