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As you are trying to decide which program is best
for you, don't forget to consider these things:
- Find out if your home institution will give
you credit. Make an appointment with your advisor and discuss
your plans. Depending of your major, advisors may be able to give
you a "pre-approved" course list or direct you online
to see classes that students have taken for credit in the past.
If you decide to do a program run by a different university than
your own, your school may need you to do something extra to get
credit. And even if you do get credit, your classes may not fulfill
your requirements for your major or minor. Find out before you
leave!
- Find out if your universities has a program,
member of APUNE, in Spain. Being an APUNE members guarantees that
your credits will be recognized:
- Take care of financial aid.
Find out whether your home institution will support you even if
you are not in a program they run. Ask your study abroad office
for information on scholarships and grants that are available.
You may be able to find some just for students studying in Spain.
Research what aid is out there at least six months before you
plan to go abroad.
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Once you have been accepted by a program
and are making travel plans, it's very important that you complete
the following:
- Make sure your passport is valid.
You must have a passport to enter Spain that will be valid for
at least six months after you arrive. If you need to renew your
passport or get one, expect the process to take up to a few
months.
- Find out if you need a visa.
A student visa is mandatory for any foreigner wishing to study
in Spain for three months or longer. To get one you need to
apply at the Spanish Consulate that corresponds to the state
where you live. You must obtain one before you leave the United
States because visas cannot be obtained in Spain, and they cannot
be sent to you. You cannot apply more than 90 days or fewer
than 15 days before you leave. You will need a valid passport
to apply for a visa. The visa process can be long and tedious,
so it is recommended to begin working on it as soon as possible.
Make sure to locate directions on exactly what you will need
to do to obtain a visa: this will include such things as clearing
police records, acquiring bank statements, and going to notaries.
Again, allot as much time for this as possible.
- Talk to your program about any special needs
you have.
If you have any physical needs, medical needs, or learning disabilities,
make sure that your program finds out about them, especially if
you will be living with a host family. Do not expect resources
to be as available in Spain. Be willing to work with your program
so that you can be accommodated.
- If you have any food allergies, require kosher
food, or have other dietary needs, these also need to be communicated
to your program. If you are a vegetarian, be clear about exactly
what you will and will not eat. For example, if you tell someone
in Spain that you do not eat meat, they will think that you
do not eat beef, but that you do eat chicken and seafood. For
example, tuna fish will often appear in salads even if there
is no mention of it on the menu.
- Check your insurance-Though there are more
exciting things to think about than whether your insurance will
cover you while you are in Spain, a lack of proper coverage
can cause serious problems during your stay abroad. It is very
important that you check that your insurance will take care
of you, not only in Spain but in other places that you plan
to visit. You should have an insurance plan with an annual deductible
of $250 or less for all covered expenses, at least 80% coverage
(after the deductible is met) of at least $50,000, and a coverage
period that extends from the start to the end of your program.
It should also include medical evacuation and repatriation costs.
Find out how to use your insurance while abroad, such as how
to make a claim.
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