Bienvenido a Madrid!
I am studying in the 5th semester economics. During my studies in Germany, I was able to take advantage of subject-specific foreign language training in English and Spanish. After I was able to complete my first semester abroad in the United States, I decided to start another semester abroad towards the end of my studies in order to improve my Spanish.
First, I began to fight my way through the unmanageable number of partner universities at my university, only to discover with a sobering sensation that the application deadline had expired about 6 months before the actual start. But to be completely honest: I would only have expected a huge bureaucratic effort and in the end probably not even a place at one of the universities of my choice.
So I decided to go through MicroEDU. A good reputation precedes the organization. After I had found out about possible universities for a semester abroad in Spanish-speaking countries on the homepage, I contacted MicroEDU and got some initial information. I have to say that I received great help at all times and that I always got an answer promptly. MicroEDU quickly sent me all the necessary application documents. The application effort was really limited and only a few forms had to be filled out.
After I knew about some possible courses before applying, I had the syllabi of some courses sent to me immediately after I was accepted at Nebrija. In this way, I was able to clarify with my professors in Germany in advance whether the subjects I wanted to take in Spain could be credited. I was lucky with some professors and less with others, but in the end I got credit for most of the courses I took in Spain.
In Madrid itself it was unfortunately a bit more complicated. The organizational skills of the Spaniards were not always perfect. But you are not in Germany. The problem was that some courses overlapped in time. In addition, the Nebrija Universidad has a campus in Madrid and one just outside Madrid. Some courses were therefore offered in Madrid, others on campus outside Madrid. So it could happen that you didn’t make it to the other campus in time (travel time about 45 minutes) and had to forego one or the other lecture. The agreement between the two Nebrija campuses is not particularly good, so you should find out where and when which courses are taking place beforehand.
Otherwise, you should just assume that you have to be a bit flexible in your choice of course and, if necessary, a bit persistent. The Nebrija employees are always super nice and do their best
In the end I took 2 Spanish courses, International Relations, International Trade and International Business. Since Nebrija is a private university, everything is much smaller than at a German state university. But that has many positive aspects. There is a family atmosphere and the professor / student ratio is very balanced. The professors try very hard to make the lectures clear and really have an understanding of the subject. There is often a lot of discussion in the lectures, so it is seldom boring. The final grade also benefits from active participation in the lectures, as the participation makes up a not insignificant part. A total of,I found all of the subjects I took very exciting and, for the most part, also demanding.
The university premises were very nice and the facilities were excellent. The university outside of Madrid (Berzossa) was in a very beautiful villa and was in a park-like complex. However, you should be aware that it takes a while to get from the center of Madrid to Berzossa and that this can be very annoying in the long run. Fortunately, although the campus was very nice there, I only had one lecture there.
What I found very nice about the Nebrija was that every Thursday you could go to the Intercambio in a bar and get in contact with other foreign students and Spaniards. There was always a lot of laughing and speaking in various languages, and most of the time the party continued until dawn. In addition, the university offered excursions with the Spanish teachers to places of interest in Madrid almost every week.
Regarding the city, I have to say that Madrid is really a very beautiful, but also noisy city and has something to offer for everyone. But I think that I don’t have to write a lot about this, because everyone can find out about it for themselves. In any case, there are dozens of bars, restaurants, clubs and of every conceivable type and for every taste.
In my opinion, it is best to find an apartment first on site. If you are flexible you can find something quickly and if you don’t have to live in the absolute center, the prices are also acceptable. However, you shouldn’t need more than 30 minutes to get to the center by metro, otherwise it gets annoying in the long run. I took it easy myself and didn’t arrive two weeks in advance. It is best to arrive a few days before the start of your studies. Then I just started from the hostel, did a few tours through Madrid and looked up the Internet. However, you should find out about prices, districts and the location of the university in Germany in advance. I finally found my apartment on the Aluni.net website and had very good experiences.
In conclusion, I have to say that Madrid is a great city and studying abroad there was the best experience!
