Study Abroad in Spain: Semester and Summer Programs

I really enjoyed my time abroad in Seville and especially at UPO! My host mother was wonderful and Seville is a fantastic place to live. Everything is within walking distance or easily accessible by the metro, and it's very safe (even at night). There are a couple of things I wish I had known before coming, though - international students typically don't take classes with Spanish students and are actually on a different semester schedule, so although there is the opportunity for language exchange partners, it was a lot harder to actually be immersed in Spanish than I expected. Additionally, the add/drop dates for classes are very short, only 1-2 days of class, so it's hard to switch Spanish classes if you end up in the wrong level. That being said, all of my professors were wonderful and we also had Fridays off every week, which meant we were able to travel much more easily!

Adelante did give us the wrong semester dates during the summer, which meant I had to switch my flights after coming to Spain, but they did send me a refund for those additional costs. However, they also recommended that students not apply for visas after the semester dates had been extended, which I was uncomfortable with given that we stayed past the 90 days allowed for tourists. I ended up getting a student visa regardless and am glad that I did (and would also recommend future students to do so)! It's also worth noting that a couple of things advertised on Adelante's website or in the orientation packet didn't end up happening, like the first-week meeting with the on-site director.

A couple of other things to note are that the 2 meals provided are usually either breakfast and lunch or breakfast and dinner, so I would definitely recommend bringing a container or two for lunch and some packable utensils. Meals at the cafeterias are around $5, so although they're decently cheap on occasion, they're less affordable on a daily basis. Seville also does get cold, so I would recommend packing warmer clothes! It stays a lot warmer than most of the US, but because a lot of buildings and home stays don't have much indoor heating, it can still be really cold indoors. Also, everything outdoors is built to channel wind so it stays cool enough during the summer - which is great, but means the fall/winter can be freezing if you're outside!

I loved Spain! Adelante made it affordable and easy to study abroad, they were very accommodating and helpful. Great experience even with covid cutting it short!! If you can study abroad do it!! And if you want a cheap program that still delivers a good experience, go with adelante. I can't wait to go back and visit spain as soon as possible. I had so many adventures and made friends and memories I will never forget....

Great time, great food, great music, beautiful city, good classes, lots of helpful people.. My Spanish is so much better!!!

I originally chose this program with Adelante because it was by far the cheapest one available. The price is reasonable and includes meals and housing-- both of which turned out great. I loved my host and the meals she made for me. I felt at home there. Also, Sevilla in general is a beautiful city that is very safe, colourful, and walkable.
The university (UPO) is not within walking distance but has its own metro stop so getting to class is easy and convenient. The courses required some work but were not overly stressful.
Adelante was helpful as well with connecting me with a local study abroad program and continuing to check up on me through email throughout my stay.
I will say that the program works best for students that are independent, as Adelante representatives will tell you. Many other programs are so expensive because they have some trips bundled in the cost-- this is not the case with Adelante. So, if you are interested in planning your own trips and activities around Spain/Europe with more flexibility, this program may be a good fit. You also may want to consider how willing you are to meet new people and try solo travel for the times when the schedules of other students who have more boxed-in programs don't align with your travel plans. These aspects worked for me and I got to travel a lot with the money I saved by choosing this program-- also, there are many student/erasmus travel programs for the weekend like We Love Spain which I also would recommend.
Sevilla is a beautiful city and I had an awesome time there. I gained a lot of confidence in myself during my stay there and would highly recommend it!

I can honestly say that i have enjoyed myself in Seville, Spain. I made the difficult but beneficial decision to come to Spain alone. It was my first time ever going to another country so you can imagine my fears, but I decided to try something new and experience a culture unlike my own. When I first came to Seville I was in awe of its beauty and wonders. Of course I experienced home sickness and for that wanted to return to Michigan because I was so accustomed to everything there. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity i had and explore Sevilla. As the weeks passed I became acquainted with so many genuine people here and have improved my Spanish level also. I have visited many different places within Spain such as Cordoba, Cadiz, Carmona, and Jerez, which are all beautiful places as well. Now it’s time for me to return home and I am definitely dreading that, because Seville has become my home. I love the people here, the culture, the food, and the fiestas. I am so happy that I made the most difficult decision which in the end changed me in a way. It has opened my eyes to the world around me. I hope to return again to my home away from home in Seville!!!!!!

I studied abroad in Seville, Spain with Adelante this past semester. It was a wonderful experience to be able to live and study in beautiful and historic Southern Spain. Throughout my stay there my Spanish improved tremendously, written and oral.Also, when compared to other programs, this program has a really good price, and I had the support of Adelante staff and local partners throughout the entire program.

Great life experience!

Sasha

Thanks to Adelante Abroad, I spent a fantastic semester in Seville. From the application process to my arrival in Spain and even throughout my time there, I felt very well taken care of and able to concentrate on the most important things: improving my Spanish, experiencing the culture, and getting to know Spain and the Spaniards. My housing was ideal and comfortable. I was fed very well, and I've come to think of my dear hostess as my Spanish grandma. As for the university, not only was it easily accessible, but it had a great campus and was an awesome place to hang out between classes. Because the teachers were all so friendly, respectful, and knowledgeable, I enjoyed each and every class and was sad when they ended. Thank you, Adelante!

Overall I had a great experience. The city was beautifull, the people were friendly, and the school was great. I studied at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide and my professors were really cool. They understood that we were not studying abroad to do loads of homework so the work they gave was reasonable. I had a lot of time to travel to other countries in Europe as well. The night life in Sevilla was great. There are a lot of fun clubs and bars around the city, especially on Calle Betis (I'm sure you'll hear this name plenty of times when you go). The city is also pretty safe. My friends and I were never harrased or anything and never felt unsafe walking around at night.

The food took some getting used to--they use A LOT of olive oil for everything.

The program itself is pretty good. It was much smaller than the other ones and you are expected to be more independent. You have an Adelante staff member in Sevilla in case you have any problems and other then that you pretty much do your own thing. I chose this program because is was the cheapest--while many of the other programs organized trips and sometimes different events for their students, they also cost much more $$. I prefered saving a few thousand dollars and planning my own trips to the places that I wanted to see. And you will always find people at UPO who are ready to travel with you.

I would reccomend this program to anybody who is independent, ready for a huge growing experience, and doesnt mind not having their hand held while being abroad.

I absolutely loved this program! I live with a wonderful family that called me "hija" which means daughter, and that is just how I was treated. They lived closed to public transportation and the city center. I set up my schedule so that I had class only two days a week, which was awesome and not difficult to do!! The program left me free to explore the city and Europe as I wished. Seville itself is a wonderful city with good weather and amazing churches, plazas, and clubs to explore. The nightlife is absolutely amazing!! There was a lot of amazing things to see, and there was tons of fun to be had! The program coordinator was super helpful and emailed out fun events to go to in the area. To this day, if I need anything the people who run Adelante are there to help me out. I would definitely reccommend this program!