FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

- Arriving & Leaving - Contact - Accommodation - The School - Credits & Certificates - Free Time - Bookings & Payments - Visa - Help Finding the Right Program

Arriving & Leaving

When do I have to arrive and leave my accommodation?
When booking a Spanish language course in Spain with UniSpain you decide when to arrive and leave your study Spanish in Spain. This means you have the possibility to combine study Spanish in Spain vacation and studying, for example staying a week after finishing your Spanish language course. Normally we recommend arriving at least 2 days before your Spanish language course in Spain starts (to have time to see the town, get to know your host family or flat mates) and not to leave before 2 days after the Spanish language course in Spain finish (to have time for farewell parties/dinners).

Is it possible to extend my course or book a course in another town while I am there?
Normally yes, but it depends upon availability on the chosen Spanish language course in Spain and accommodation. You therefore have to let us know in advance if you wish to extend your Spanish language course.

Contact

If something unexpected happens who should I speak to?
Apart from our central study Spanish in Spain office in Spain you will have a number within UniSpain who you can contact 24-hours a day in an emergency.

How can my family get in contact with me while I am in Spain?
If you live with a Spanish host family they will have a phone where you can receive calls. There are, normally, no phones in shared flats, which means that the easiest way your family and friends can get in contact with you is by mobile phone. When you book your Spanish language course study Spanish in Spain through UniSpain for more than 5 months we provide you with a Spanish mobile you can use for free while you are in Spain (if you are staying for a shorter period you can either rent or buy a mobile phone, contact us for further information). We also provide all our study Spanish in Spain students with a free interenational Spanish call card, which means you can call abroad cheaper.

About UniSpain - on other websites:
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Accommodation

What kind of family or flat mates can I expect?
All families used by UniSpain have been inspected and have signed an agreement to offer clean and comfortable accommodation.

The shared apartments have all been inspected by UniSpain employees but they are still student flats and you cannot expect luxury. Regarding your flat mates you can make requests of gender and nationality but the students living together will be responsible of working out the daily routines.

If I have any special requests about the host family, my flat mates, the food, the house etc. Can you help me?
We offer all our study Spanish in Spain clients the possibility to make a number of requests that we do our best to complete. If you have any special issues (i.e. allergies, vegetarian) please note it in the registration form.

What is included in the price?
Costs as water, electricity and community fees are included in the UniSpain accommodation fee unless mentioned (i.e. for long-term stays in shared flats in Granada, Malaga or Salamanca University; fees are not included). Although costs are included we will only cover reasonable use of gas water and electricity and if the costs are higher than the average usage students will have to pay the difference.

Many flats in Spain work with gas on bottles and as these have to be ordered and paid directly by the students living in the flat the cost is not included for shared flats (approx. cost is 4-7€ per person per month). Normally there are washing machines in student flats and in some cases, a common washing area for the block.

There are few student flats in Spain that have a fixed phone line installed (landlords do not want to be economically responsible for calls made by the students renting the flat) and therefore no internet connection. Students who need this can normally get this installation, but they will have to pay and arrange it themselves.

Students are responsible for minor maintenance of the flat such as change of light bulbs / change of gas bottles.

If I'm not satisfied with my accommodation, can I change?
You can always contact us if you are not satisfied with your accommodation.

We will first do our best to resolve small issues, but if it's not possible for you to stay at the current accommodation and you have good reasons for complaining we will find alternative accommodation. If you are staying for your study Spanish in Spain projects for a longer period and you want to change accommodation let us know in advance and we will see what we can do to find what you are looking for.

The School

How old should I be to attend a program?
This depends upon the different study Spanish in Spain programs and Spanish language courses, but the students are normally required to be between 16 to 18 years old.

Do I need to have some Spanish language skills to attend a program?
No. All our study Spanish in Spain programs and Spanish language courses offer Spanish courses for complete beginners unless it is mentioned that you need a given level.

What can I expect the School and classes to be like?
Our study Spanish in Spain programs and Spanish language courses include different types of private Spanish language Schools and Spanish Universities. From small/medium private Spanish language schools, to big Spanish universities and the environment in each Spanish language course school is different (if you need help or recommendation to choose the right program go to Help Choosing).

Although the Spanish course schools are different the study Spanish in Spain classes contain many of the same elements. From day 1 of your Spanish study in Spain everything is done in Spanish and you benefit from having to discuss different themes in Spanish, watching Spanish movies or playing educative games in Spanish.

The Spanish language class size will normally be between 4-12 students in private Spanish language schools and about 12-20 students in public Spanish universities. Most study Spanish in Spain programs are of between 4-6 classes per day where one study Spanish in Spain class hour is typically 45-50Min.

Credits & Certificates

Is it possible to get US university credits for my studies in Spain?
At some study Spanish in Spain schools you can receive US Academic Credits for your studies, but not all Spanish language course programs offered by UniSpain give you this possibility. For more information see Useful Info.

Do I receive a certificate when finishing my course?
Yes you always receive a certificate from the Spanish language school. Furthermore most Spanish language schools offer you the possibility to take an international recognized Spanish language exam (i.e. DELE).

Free Time

How do students spend their free time?
You surely discover after arriving that your free time is completely filled up with different activities. Apart from all the attractions offered on your chosen destination, you can go on excursions arranged by UniSpain or your Spanish language course school to discover other parts of Spain. The majority of students travel alone so you should not worry about getting to know new people. Most Spanish language courses also arrange welcome parties and other activities. Furthermore you will have a local agent from UniSpain who can introduce you to new people and places, which foreign students normally don't get to know.

Bookings & Payments

When and how do I register and pay for the Spanish language course?
To insure your study Spanish in Spain registration in one of our study Spanish in Spain programs you have to submit a registration form including 200€ (Remember! this is a deposit and NOT A REGISTRATION FEE and will be DEDUCTED in your total amount. The deposit is used to pay the school deposit fee). Within 24 hours of receiving your study Spanish in Spain registration you will receive a response from UniSpain confirming that we are processing your request. 1-2 weeks later you will receive a study Spanish in Spain information package including the registration with the Spanish language course school, information about Spain and your chosen destination, tips on what to bring/remember before your departure etc.

You are thereafter due to pay the total cost of the study Spanish in Spain program and Spanish language course at least 4 weeks before your study Spanish in Spain starting date. When booking within 4 weeks of the starting date we will charge a late fee of 50€ to cover extra cost of finding accommodation, in some Spanish language schools you also have to pay a late fee (see specific Terms & Conditions for each school).

We accept bank checks, money order, personal checks or you can transfer the money directly.

Can I book a study Spanish in Spain program without giving out personal details on the internet?
We offer you many different ways of booking a Spanish language course with UniSpain. If you don't feel comfortable about giving away personal details online you can download a registration form and send it by mail or fax. (See Registration)

Visa

Do I need a Visa to go to Spain?
The following nationalities can stay for up to 3 months for a study Spanish in Spain project without a Visa:

EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, US, Andorra, Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep. of), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela.

For other nationalities or long term stays a visa is necesary apart from EU citizens who don't need a visa.

UniSpain can help you with obtaining the admission letters for the visa application, but only after having received a deposit (the amount of this deposit can vary depending on the school or University).

If you require any information regarding Visa, help in contacting Spanish embassies for your Spanish study in Spain, contact us.

Help Finding the Right Program

Can everybody participate in your study Spanish in Spain programs and a Spanish language course?
Yes, although the majority who joins our Spanish language programs are students, youngsters and professionals between 16 and 35 years old. If you are not sure which Spanish language course program fits you best, fill in our short questionnaire and you will receive a personalized response either by phone or email (Help Choosing).

I don't know which program to choose; can you help me?
Yes of course! We have designed a questionnaire to help our clients find the right Spanish language course or study Spanish in Spain program at the right location. You complete the questionnaire and we will give you a personalized response - Help Choosing.