Study at the Universidad de Vigo!

The Universidad de Vigo is an amazing place to spend a semester or year abroad! It offers excellent service to international students, strong academic programs, several land and aquatic sports, and countless social activities. The city is a great size for an exchange student because it is big enough to have plenty of culture, entertainment, and recreation, yet small enough to manage.

"Vigo (and all of Galicia) is absolutely beautiful. You are so close to beautiful beaches, the islas cies and islas ons, and the port is always busy with people, new ships, and plenty of places to eat. I was at first worried about being confused with the languages because Castellano and Gallego are both spoken in Galicia, but it was hardly a problem for me. Vigo is the best!"
-Kandace Rimmer , an ISEP Exchange Student from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

About Universidad de Vigo

The Universidad de Vigo is a modern public university located in Galicia—one of Spain's autonomous regions. Established in 1990, the university is committed to the principles of equity, solidarity, democracy, and freedom. Last year, over 27,000 students enrolled from among 46 degree programs. While both Spanish and Galician are spoken in the city, about ninety percent of courses at the university are taught in Spanish.

Check out Laura Koeppel's Photo Essay documenting her experience at Universidad de Vigo.

Top 10 Things to Know About Universidad de Vigo

	Located just 15 minutes from pristine beaches, beautiful all year round!
	Excellent course options available for engineering majors, with specializations in industrial, electric, electronic, mining, telecommunications, and technical industrial engineering.
	Short distance from the Cies Islands including the Rodas beach on the island of Monteagudo! This beach has been called the “most beautiful in the world,” by The Guardian newspaper in the United Kingdom.
	Host family options available to ISEP students- one of the only ISEP Spain members that offers this option.
	A short train ride away from Portugal, and Santiago de Compostela, the third most important pilgrimage in Christendom.
	With a strong College of Languages, you can also take courses in English, Portuguese, German, Gallego and French.
	Apartment option- choose your own flat in Vigo! You can live with other international students or Spaniards.
	With weather comparable to the Pacific Northwest in the United States, Vigo has an enjoyable climate year round.
	*Enjoy live theater, concerts and art shows! The city publishes a monthly guide Guia del Ocio* listing the best entertainment options in town!**
	Incoming ISEP students will be paired with a “buddy” to pick them up from the airport and help them to find appropriate housing. ISEP students can also join the Erasmus Student Network at Vigo.

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Academic Information

Former ISEP students have been pleased with the professors at Vigo for their flexibility and sensitivity to the special needs of international students. ISEP students at Vigo most often take courses in Spanish literature (philology) and business. While Universidad de Vigo has three campuses, students must choose courses from the Vigo or Pontevedra campuses.

The Universidad de Vigo offers courses in the following colleges (faculdades):

Vigo Campus:

Pontevedra Campus:

Academic Calendar

Fall semester: Mid to late September to early February (exam period: late January to early February)
Spring semester: Mid-February to late June (exam period: June)

Students may request a semester or full-year placement, full-year placement being recommended. Students requesting to be placed for fall semester must note that the calendar may not be compatible with their home university calendar in order to return in time for spring semester courses.

Course Information

ISEP students may only register for undergraduate programs (licenciaturas and grados). Graduate programs (master and doctorado) are not open to ISEP students. The ISEP Coordinator will advise students of appropriate courses based on their academic needs.

To access course information about licenciaturas, go to Course Links

After the page loads, click on Planes de Estudios de 1° y 2° ciclo and then click on por campus. At the top of the page you will see all the departments listed.
Remember to only choose courses from the Vigo and Pontevedra campuses. Under each department, all the majors within it are listed. Click on the icon next to each major in order to see the list of courses.
Information on the new grades can be obtained by clicking here.
The ISEP coordinator will help students choose the best courses to meet their individual needs in either licenciatura or grao programs. Students will attend classes for 2 or 3 weeks before registering.

Language Requirement

Students will enroll in regular university courses with Spanish students. Students must be approaching fluency level in order to study in Vigo (6+ semesters of college level Spanish or the equivalent). Non-native speakers must be in their third year of college-level Spanish and preferably have successfully completed courses at the literature level before departure.

The language center at the Vigo campus offers courses in Galician, Portuguese, French, German, English and a number of foreign languages. A Spanish language course is included in the ISEP benefits, but requires a nominal enrollment fee. Other courses at the language center are not included in ISEP benefits; however, there are reduced fees for ISEP students.

"I emailed an ambassador who went to Vigo, so I decided to go to Vigo and it was the best decision for me. Vigo is a great city, not too big, not too small, with great shopping, a beach, a park, and people who really only speak Spanish. It is definitely not a tourist town, which was great to practice the language."
-Julia Fenton, an ISEP Exchange Student from University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Housing and Meals

Students live in shared apartments in the city center of Vigo or Pontevedra with other ISEP or international students. Students are given a combined housing and meal stipend.

Vigo: Apartments are in the city center, just a short walk from shopping, restaurants, and nightlife. Apartments are furnished and many have scenic views of Vigo's port.

Pontevedra: Apartments are also available to students taking courses at the Pontevedra campus. All faculties are within walking distance.

Support

The Oficina de Relaciones Internacionales (known on campus as the ORI) is the resource office for ISEP students and will assist students upon arrival. The ORI holds an orientation and official reception for international students. They organize visits to Santiago de Compostela, a Coruña, Ribeira Sacra, Portonovo, Santa María de Oia, and Valença do Minho in Portugal. They also plan excursions, parties and film screenings for international students.

Sports and Recreation

The university has its own sport facilities, which can be booked by university members. A fitness room can be found at the university sport hall in Vigo, along with a counseling sport service and an indoor swimming pool. The sport service at the university promotes and sponsors sport and leisure activities for the university community. More than 7,500 people register each year to participate in all different activities organized by this service including:

Classes
Swimming, dancing lessons, chess, yoga, horse riding, sport referees, tai-chi, five-a-side football or golf
Sport activities
Beginner or basic levels courses in areas such as aerobics, badminton, yoga, judo, karate, kick-boxing, fitness, squash, tae-kwon-do, tai-chi, tennis, archery and triathlon
Leisure and outdoor activities
These activities are carried out from March to June: mountain biking, archery, bungee jumping, golfing, horseback riding, climbing or rappelling. Hiking is popular and there are important cultural and natural sites in the area.
Water activities
Within a short bus ride, students can go to the seaside for rafting, sailing, surfing, body boarding, windsurfing, diving courses, and sea-kayak routes.
University leagues
There are university leagues for basketball, handball, football, five-a-side football, tennis, table tennis, and volley ball. Around 4,500 university members participate in different teams that play in all campuses. Competitions are held for tennis, squash, table tennis, badminton, and archery. Professional sports include badminton, rugby, chess, squash, triathlon, archery, tennis, basketball, table tennis, and water polo.

"I'm just very grateful to ISEP for this amazing and big opportunity. Studying abroad was always a big dream for me. And while I was studying abroad I traveled Europe and that was awesome. I'm very happy!!!
-Magdielis Gregory Rivera, an ISEP Exchange Student from University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez

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About Vigo, Spain!

Vigo, known as the “Gateway to the Atlantic,” is the largest city in northeastern Spain with a population of about 300,000. It is located on a 20 mile long estuary and boasts beautiful beaches and outstanding water sports facilities. Spring and summer are quite warm and sunny, while fall and winter are rainy. Major industries include fishing, shipbuilding, and the manufacture of Citroën cars.

Travel

Vigo is well connected to the rest of Spain via highway, air, and train. ISEP students usually arrive into Madrid and then take a plane, train, or bus to Vigo. There are frequent connections from Charles de Gaulle International Airport from Paris, France, and low cost-connections from London. For travel within Vigo, students rely on the dependable public bus system or taxis.

Pontevedra is also easily reached by public transportation, with buses and trains running regularly from both Santiago de Compostela and Vigo. Students will find that most things in are within walking distance.

Links About Vigo and Pontevedra

• Vigo - Wikipedia
• Pontevedra - Wikipedia
• History
• www.vigo.org
• www.vigonet.com

"I really enjoyed the part-time jobs offered by the university to teach English. I met so many people through this opportunity and even though I was teaching English, I learned a lot of Spanish...I loved being here, but I also loved traveling around and gaining independence in that aspect. My eyes have been opened to new cultures, new people, new perspectives, and new opportunities. This hasn't just been a study abroad experience but an 'ambassadorial' experience."
- Angela Markey, an ISEP Exchange Student from North Dakota State University

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