Many travelers who visit Granada insist it’s the must-see city in all of Spain. With one of the clearest windows into Spain’s unique historical symbiosis of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, Granada is also a youthful city with a vibrant student life that will make meeting new friends even easier—Granada awaits!
Our curriculum takes full advantage of Andalusia and all southern Spain has to offer. The program offers two unique program options that are designed to improve your Spanish proficiency: the Intermediate Spanish Program and Advanced Spanish Program.
Students placed in the Intermediate Program take IES Abroad courses in both English and Spanish. The Advanced Program courses are conducted entirely in Spanish, including study at the Universidad de Granada. Both options introduce you to Spain’s Moorish heritage and Jewish past, and its continuing links to North Africa through Islamic and Contemporary North African Studies. Advanced students can also experience Arabic language courses of all levels, at the Universidad de Granada. You can also add international work experience to your résumé while earning credit by participating in an internship placement and accompanying academic seminar.
Granada will also be your classroom. Explore the last capital of Moorish Spain: visit the Alhambra, a Moorish citadel and palace, and the Generalife, an impressive garden just nearby. When you’re not learning about the history of this fascinating city, enjoy tapas with new friends, visit the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains for a ski trip and observe Granada’s treasured Spanish-Muslim art.
We want you to feel at home in Granada, so we will do everything we can to help you integrate into life in the city. From housing to cultural events, our job is to make sure you have the most authentic study abroad experience possible.
After you are admitted, refer to the Travel Dates section of the Predeparture Information in your MyIESabroad account before booking travel.
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible— which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences. We offer a variety of courses that help you explore and better understand Spanish language, history, and culture, through an in-depth and hands-on approach. World-class professors and course options at the prestigious Universidad de Granada enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives each day in class. Meet one of these professors, Hala Jadid al Kash, in this faculty spotlight interview.
While in Granada, you take 15–19 credits per semester, and all courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise specified. Craft your own academic experience according to the program in which you enroll by selecting from the following required and optional components:
Intermediate Program (2 semesters of college-level Spanish)
Advanced Program (4 semesters of college-level Spanish)
This is a list of planned course offerings. A final list of course offerings will be made available to you in your MyIESabroad account.
To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication.
About Universidad de Granada www.ugr.es The Universidad de Granada is the third largest university in Spain. It was founded by Charles V in the early 16th century and evolved from the Quaramic Madrasah, founded in 1349. It is a dynamic and forward-thinking institution, offering diverse opportunities that attract the highest number of exchange students from universities all over Europe. The new Campus de la Salud, created by the Andalusian government and the Universidad de Granada, brings together the private sector and university faculties for health care research. The university sponsors many programs, sports clubs, and cultural activities, such as concerts and film series.
Courses All IES Abroad Granada students are registered as students of the Universidad de Granada. If you enroll in the advanced program, you are strongly encouraged to take at least one course there. Course offerings vary from semester to semester.
Courses are available in the following disciplines.
To get an idea of what courses may be available, search courses by facultad (college) on the University's Facultades site.
Location and Commute Time The UGR has seven campuses; the Central Campus, The Health Campus and the Campuses of Cartuja, Fuentenueva, and Aynadamar in Granada. There are two additional campuses in the North African cities of Ceuta and Melilla. All local Granada campuses are 10-15 minutes walking from the IES Abroad Granada Center, except the Cartuja Campus (15 minutes away by bus).
Interning abroad as part of your study abroad experience will help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive market. It’s an exhilarating challenge, and we’re here to help guide you in securing your placement and succeeding in your internship.
Participating in an internship abroad helps you:
All of our internships are supervised and earn IES Abroad credit. You participate in a seminar to complement the practical experience you gain during the internship.
Available Fields: Past students have interned in the following fields. Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Abroad Advisor—new internships are always being added.
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Granada, it will feel like home.
Homestays – Live in a Spanish home and eat two meals a day with your hosts while your program is in session. In some cases, more than one IES Abroad student may be placed in each home.
Dorm houses – Dorm houses include 18 meals (Monday through Saturday), with no meals on Sundays and holidays. This housing option is suitable for independent-minded students with a high level of Spanish language, who are comfortable being proactive when meeting Spanish students and integrating into local student culture. Placements are limited.
Colegios Mayores – Each Colegio Mayor has its own unique social and academic environment. This housing option includes up to 18 meals per week in student cafeterias. It is ideal for outgoing students with a high level of Spanish language who want to integrate into local student culture, participate in Colegio activities, and are willing to abide by the rules and curfews of the Colegio. Placements are limited.
Part of making you feel at home in Granada is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is well-located and comfortable, or field trips that take you places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
The program begins with a mandatory 10-day orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad Granada staff, your fellow students, and the city of Granada. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered during this time.
Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.
The IES Abroad Granada Center staff organizes local museum tours around the city. In addition, you may spend two days in Malaga, take a 1-day trips to an Andalusian National Park, and a two-day field trip to Ronda and Seville. During this time, you will also receive intensive Spanish language instruction.
Redefine the way you live and learn in Granada through our cultural activities, such as:
University Clubs & Events The University of Granada sponsors many programs, sports clubs, and cultural activities, such as concerts and film series. All IES Granada students, even those who do not register for courses at the University, receive a Universidad de Granada student identity card. This entitles you not only to enroll in courses at the University, but also allows you to participate in university clubs and sports programs, and all other activities appropriate to your period of study in Spain.
Cabo de Gata1-2 Days | Fall & SpringHike through this gorgeous national park, characterized by its volcanic rock formations and beaches
Córdoba1 Day | Fall & SpringVisit the great Mosque of Córdoba, the House of Sepharad, and other local sites.
Seville and Ronda2 Days | Fall & SpringVisit the Cathedral, the Alcazares, and the historic quarter in Seville. Ronda is a quaint city perched above the cliffs with a breathtaking view of the Guadalerín River.
La Alpujarra1 Day | Fall & SpringHike in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and their unspoiled Medieval villages.
Morocco5 Days | Fall & SpringCross the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco. Travel to Tangier, Assilah, Rabat, the Rif Mountains, and Chefchaouen. While in Morocco, you will truly experience Moroccan culture by staying with local families and interacting with local university students and professors.
About the Center
The IES Abroad Granada Center is ideally located in the heart of Granada on Plaza Nueva. It has a spectacular view of the Alhambra and is close to several schools of the Universidad de Granada. Features include:
faculty-spotlight-rev3-black resized.png Read our interview with Hala Jadid al Kash!
Dr. Javier Martínez de Velasco has been the Director of the Granada Program since 2005. He received his doctorate in Hispanic Literature from the University of Kansas with a concentration in International Theater, and his Bachelor’s in English Philology from Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. He was a professor at Central Washington University, including the William O. Douglas Honors College, from 1994 to 2002, teaching Hispanic and Latin American Literature and Spanish. He developed a Spanish language program for Spanish Speakers at CWU and directed CWU’s Summer Program with the University of La Coruña in Galicia, Spain. As a complement to his academic work, he is an accomplished theater director.
IES Abroad Staff
Natalia García CaballosCoordinator of Student Affairs and Internships
Eva Martín GarcíaOffice Manager
Patricia Molina MolinaStudent Life Advisor
Elvira Rosales EscabiasAcademic Coordinator
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