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Salamanca Summer - Language & Culture (Session II)
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Academics
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences. That is why we partnered with Cursos Internacionales of Universidad de Salamanca. All courses are conducted in Spanish.
You enroll in a 3-credit Spanish language course, a 1-credit elective course, and a 1-credit conversation course. Courses are taught in Spanish.
Click the link below to view our IES Abroad Spanish conversation course options:
Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
USAL currently enrolls approximately 30,000 student annually, 700 of which are international students.
Location & Commute Time
USAL is five minutes away from Salamanca’s historic Plaza Mayor and the IES Abroad Center and has numerous departments and university schools spread out among the Salamanca campus.
Courses
If you are at the beginning Spanish level, you enroll in a required vocabulary course as your elective. All other students choose a thematic elective. Past electives have included:
- Build your Vocabulary
- Communicative Activities
- Language Laboratory
- Conversation and Composition
- Spanish History
- Contemporary Spanish History
- Spanish Culture
- Spanish for Business
- Spanish and Hispano-American Literature
- Contemporary Spanish Literature
- Oral Skills Practice
- Spanish Art
- Spanish and Latin American Cinema
- Written Skill Practice
Field Trips & Events
Even though your adventure starts in Salamanca, our field trips take you beyond the city to discover the culture and traditions of the Iberian Peninsula. Each trip is fully or partially subsidized by IES Abroad.
Cantabria: Santander, Comillas, and Santillana del Mar
3 days
Visit the beautiful coastal city of Santander. The visit includes a visit to Capricho de Gaudí, as well as a visit to the World Heritage site of Altamira caves, known for its pre-historic paintings, and the medieval town of Santillana del Mar.
IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities, and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.
Daily Life
Part of making you feel at home in Salamanca 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 the field trips that take you places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services.
Orientation
Our Comprehensive Orientation & Re-Entry Experience (CORE™) begins at home with our virtual orientation to help you prepare for your IES Abroad experience. Orientation continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on academic and cultural adjustment. Our orientation introduces you to the IES Abroad Salamanca staff, your fellow students, and the city of Salamanca. Detailed information about housing, public transportation, culture, health and safety, and other important topics are also covered.
Some activities will include a walking tour of the city, a scavenger hunt, and a salsa and flamenco dancing lesson.
Housing
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 Salamanca, it will feel like home.
Homestays – Live with a family or señora in Spanish homes throughout Salamanca in your own private room and receive three meals a day.
Residence Halls – All rooms are singles with private bathrooms and a shared kitchenette. The residence hall features a weight room, laundry facilities, computer lab, study area, and game room. IES Abroad provides you with 14 meals per week.
Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events
Take advantage of the cultural events we organize in Salamanca, such as:
- Local gastronomy outings
- Spanish cooking classes
- Flamenco dancing lessons
Get to Know Your New City
Spot the Frog at the University of Salamanca
Legend says that students who find the small frog at the entrance of the University among the heroes, legends, and coats of arms will pass their exams and get good grades easily!
Visit Plaza Mayor
Grab a café con leche and people watch in this enchanting public square.
Tour the Cathedrals of Salamanca
Plan to spend some time exploring these massive, architecturally impressive cathedrals. Be sure to do the Ieronimus tower tour to see spectacular views of the city.
Unwind at Casa de las Conchas
This architectural gem is also a public library! Come for a unique place to study, or just relax in the courtyard.
Explore Casa Lis (Art Nouveau & Art Deco Museum)
The building is just as beautiful as the extraordinary works of art inside.
Program Cost
Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.
Term | Tuition | Housing | Insurance | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer 2022 | $3,698 | $1,012 | $135 |
$4,845 |
Scholarships & Aid
Featured Scholarships
Summer Need-Based Financial Aid
Open to students who apply to and attend an IES Abroad or IES Internships summer program.
Criteria reviewed to determine award:
- Level of financial need as determined from infromation provided on the application. Priority is given to Pell Grant recipients.
- IES Abroad program location.
- IES Abroad membership status of home campus
Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Our Center
The IES Abroad Salamanca Center, housed in a modern building in the heart of the city, is just minutes away from the historic Plaza Mayor and the campuses of the Universidad de Salamanca and Universidad Pontificia.
Our Center is your connection point for all things IES Abroad.
- Take your IES Abroad courses in the Center’s classrooms
- Meet with staff in their offices
- Relax with friends in the student lounge
- Get work done in the library or study area
Other features include WiFi and a computer lab.
Our Staff

Barbara Liberatore
Center Director
Originally from the United States, Barbara Liberatore has been living and working in Salamanca for over 25 years. She is fluent in Spanish and Italian. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island, where she studied languages, and her Master’s degree in Italian Studies from Brown University, where she also held a teaching assistantship. Barbara brings to IES Abroad more than 25 years of experience in teaching, management and supervision in international education. She has taught a wide range of courses and languages to students of all ages. Barbara taught in Brown University’s Summer Intensive English Program, was the Assistant Director for the University of Rhode Island’s Summer Study Abroad Program in Salamanca, and directed other American study abroad programs in Salamanca before beginning with IES Abroad. She has held the position of Center Director at the IES Abroad Salamanca Center since 2008. As Center Director, Barbara is in charge of Center management, supervises both staff and faculty, and focuses on academics and curriculum development at the Center.
IES Abroad Salamanca Staff
María Ángeles Tabárez de Dios
Academic and Administrative Coordinator
David Artime Holgado
Student Affairs Coordinator
Jorge Silva Di Bella
Housing Coordinator & Student Affairs Manager
Health & Safety
With 70 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter what time zone you’re in.
In response to COVID-19, enhanced safety guidelines will be implemented this year—such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) in on-site classes, in-country field trips and travel only, and apartment or residence hall housing (no homestays) that ensures proper space should self-quarantining be necessary.
How We Support You
We plan for "what if" so that you don't have to. From international health insurance included in the cost of your program to highly-trained local staff who can connect you to English-speaking healthcare providers, we are working around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.
Learn more about the support you can expect to receive on our programs, including:
- International health insurance through CISI in the case you need to see a doctor or mental health professional
- 24/7 emergency support whether you encounter an issue while traveling or in your host city
- Location-specific health and safety information presented at orienation by on-site staff
- TripTracker system allowing you to share independent travel plans in case you need to be contacted swiftly in a crisis
- A mandatory cell phone policy so that you can be contacted locally and receive any emergency updates via call or text
- Crisis drills so that you feel prepared to respond to an emergency should one arise
- And more!
Health & Safety Resources
You safety begins with being accurately informed from the moment you're considering study abroad through to the day you return home.
Take note of ways you can maintain your health and stay safe abroad while reviewing our resources, including:
- IES Abroad MAP for Student Health, Safety & Crisis Management
- Study Abroad Safety Tips for Traveling
- IES Abroad Student Blogs on Safety and Mental Health
- And more!