The Madrid program welcomed it's first group during Winter Quarter 2007-08 and officially celebrated its opening with Inauguration Ceremonies on May 30, 2008. Through the Madrid program, Stanford undergraduates have the opportunity to take academic courses, live with Spanish families, study the Spanish language, and engage in cultural activities in Europe's third-largest city. The program is available during Autumn, Winter and Spring Quarters.
The Stanford-run program is located at the International Institute in Madrid, a place with a rich history of promoting cultural exchanges between Spain and the United States as well as playing a key role in providing educational and cultural programming to students studying abroad. Students have access to the Institute's library, an impressive collection specifically designed to serve international students studying in Spain.
The unique focus of the Madrid program combines linguistic rigor, cultural authenticity, academic discipline, and personal attention. The program introduces students to the richness and diversity of the Iberian Peninsula through first-hand theoretical and practical experiences. It seeks to familiarize students with the nuances of language, artistic expression, political culture, and environment that characterize the region. In conjunction with this goal, the Madrid program follows a "Spanish Only" rule. Students are expected to speak in Spanish at all times during their enrollment in the program. Prior to enrollment, all students sign a Spanish-only pledge.

The program offers courses in Iberian Studies, political science, economics, history, Spanish language and literature, among other disciplines.