TCU-In Madrid

Students participating in the TCU-In Madrid program are able to take courses at Universidad Carlos III (UC3M) and TCU-taught courses at the Accent Center.

Students select four or five courses for a total of 12 or 15 TCU credits from the courses available at the Accent Center and UC3M.

For the Spring 2025 semester, these are the planned TCU-taught courses, subject to change:

• INSC 30313 Supply Chain Management
• BUSI 30383 Global Business through an Ethical Lens
• MARK 30153 Marketing Management

At UC3M, there are two categories of courses available for TCU-In Madrid students.

1. Hispanic Studies (EH):

• • These are courses designed exclusively for study abroad students. Hispanic Studies has two tracks: Track in English (Beginner Spanish and English-taught Culture Classes) and Track in Spanish (Intermediate/Advanced Spanish and Spanish-taught Culture Classes)

2. Grado Courses:

• • These are UC3M’s undergraduate courses and are academically rigorous. If students are requesting courses from this catalog for major/minor/core, they should consider selecting no more than 3.
  • Grado Courses include advanced courses across a variety of disciplines taught in English or Spanish.
    • Browse by selecting a major, referred to as a “Bachelor’s Degree,”
    • Then select “Program” from the menu,
    • Refer to Semester 1 for Fall and Semester 2 for Spring,
    • Flags indicate language of instruction (English, Spanish, or both)

Notes:
Two months before the beginning of each semester, UC3M publishes an updated schedule of classes for EH offerings.

Finals will not be moved, so plan to leave Madrid at the published end date for your semester. If you finish early, you may rebook your flight home.

As part of the application, students must have their Madrid courses pre-approved through the credit approval process. This process is changing for the Spring 2025 semester and instructions will be updated soon.

While you are abroad, you are enrolled in 12 hours of coursework (identified as SABD) as a placeholder. Your classes will not be posted to your TCU recorded until 8 – 10 weeks after the semester ends, when the transcript from UC3M is sent. Once the Registrar receives your transcript, they will record the courses using the department codes on your Credit Approvals (i.e., MARK, HIST) and a generic course code. Your dean’s office will apply these to your major / minor / electives / core as approved.

All coursework, regardless of program type, counts for grades and will be included in your TCU GPA.

For more information about how credits work, see our Study Abroad Basics page.

Group advising will be available to explain course options and the credit approval process.

Students are required to live in housing provided through TCU and may request one TCU roommate. A single bedroom may be requested for an additional cost, but is not guaranteed. Housing options may include students from other universities supervised by ACCENT Madrid. Students in Madrid live in residence halls.

Students will share a furnished double room with an ensuite bathroom and a kitchenette. Students will have a meal plan through the residence hall cafeteria for at least two meals a day, seven days a week. The residence hall offers a fitness center, study rooms, common/game rooms, onsite washers and dryers, and 24-hour security, and is located in a student-friendly neighborhood, Moncloa, within close walking distance of the Guzmán El Bueno metro stop. Their commute to UC3M will be approximately 55-65 minutes.

Any damages to housing will be posted to the student’s TCU account after they return.

Semester Costs for 2024-25

1. Madrid Program Fee: Spring 2025 – $10,500
   Pay $500 Non-Refundable Deposit to confirm your spot in the program after admission
   Program Fee is billed to your TCU Student Account before the semester begins ($500 deposit applied as a credit)
   This includes:
   — Housing
   — At least 2 meals a day
   — Local transportation card
   — One-day and three-day excursions in Spain, plus cultural activities
   — TCU Sash
2. TCU Tuition: $30,825
3. Spanish Health Insurance: estimated at $160 and billed to student account
   — Actual cost will reflect invoiced amount by insurance company.
4. Estimated Additional Expenses: For other outside expenses not included in the program fee. Individual budgets are highly variable. This may include:
   — Airfare: $1,400
   — Spanish Visa Fees: $220
   — Books: $200
   — Class Excursions: $300
   — Personal Expenses: $1,000
   — Travel Expenses: Highly variable

Visit the Scholarships & Aid page to learn about study abroad scholarships, through TCU and other organizations. In particular, TCU-In Madrid applicants should look at the:

• TCU International Studies Award

Financial penalties are assessed on a sliding scale, based on withdrawal date.

• To withdraw from a program, you must notify TCU Global (studyabroad@tcu.edu) in writing. Study abroad scholarships and aid will be rescinded and cannot be used towards penalty amounts.
• In the case that TCU must cancel the program, the program fee (including deposit) and tuition will be fully refunded. Study abroad scholarships and aid will be rescinded.
• Financial penalties will be billed to your student account.
• TCU Tuition refunds are subject to TCU policies :(See TCU Undergraduate Catalog: http://catalog.tcu.edu/undergraduate/, Bachelor’s Degree, Definitions and Regulations.)

• Minimum 2.8 GPA; petitions may be considered
• At least two semesters at TCU by the start of the program
• No prior Spanish language required
• Good academic and disciplinary standing
• A valid passport (valid for at least 6 months after the program ends) by the application deadline to allow enough time to obtain a Spanish visa

• Fall Programs
  • Priority Deadline: March 22
  • Regular Deadline: March 29, if space available
• Spring Programs
  • Priority Deadline: September 12
  • Regular Deadline: September 25, if space available

If applications exceed enrollment maximums, a lottery system will determine admission. Consideration will be given to those majoring/minoring in Spanish.

1. Complete the Global TCU Study Abroad Forms (already started an application? Login here to finish it).
   • This step includes completing a course approval process for your courses abroad.

TCU encourages all students, including students with disabilities, to actively participate in the Study Abroad programs offered by the University. In partnership with TCU Global, TCU Student Access & Accommodation helps to ensure the best possible study abroad experience for students with registered disabilities by providing reasonable and necessary accommodations during their time abroad.

Study Abroad programs include field components that require the ability to perform tasks beyond what is required in a typical classroom. Among other things, many programs require extensive walking and/or the ability to stand for extended periods of time; the ability to independently use public transportation; and/or sleeping in shared quarters. Program activities may take place in extreme temperatures (including excessive heat or cold). Housing facilities may lack central heat and air-conditioning, elevators, and other conveniences. In all cases, students should expect to transport and manage their own luggage through airports and public transportation centers. Prior to applying to specific Study Abroad programs, students should review the physical requirements for each program to ascertain whether they will be able to participate in all activities of the program. Students needing accommodations should follow the process outlined by Student Access & Accommodation.

Students requiring an accommodation to meet these or other program essential eligibility requirements must request any accommodation through TCU Student Access and Accommodation well in advance (suggest a minimum of 3 months) of the program departure following university procedures. TCU Student Access and Accommodation, located in The Harrison, Suite 1200, strongly recommends that students notify both Student Access and Accommodation as well as TCU Global early on to initiate the process of securing reasonable accommodations. If TCU determines that you do not, with reasonable accommodations approved through TCU Student Access and Accommodation, meet the essential eligibility requirements of the program, then you may not participate in the program. Each student’s request for accommodation will be looked at on an individualized, case by case basis, taking into consideration student documentation and the essential eligibility requirements of the program.

Managing your health and safety is an important component in having a positive experience abroad. TCU provides you with a number of resources to assist you:

1. Prior to departure, you will need to attend the mandatory orientation which covers specific health, safety, logistical, and cultural information.
2. Upon arrival, you will have an orientation to reiterate health, safety, logistical, and cultural information.
3. TCU provides you membership to On Call International, a premier Global Assistance program. You can call On Call for any kind of travel, health, safety, or emergency issues, including:

• help replacing a lost passpor help translating and interpreting
• help with lost luggage, along with reimbursement for items needed while luggage is lost
• assistance finding general and specialty health care
• assistance with emergency refills of prescription
• health insurance for your time abroad.

For more information, please see Health & Safety

Spanish Visas

Spain requires a visa for all TCU-In Madrid students. The Spanish Consulate prefers that TCU act on behalf of students applying for visas. You will be given visa paperwork to submit to TCU.

Do not plan to travel outside the U.S. during the three months prior to your semester abroad because you must surrender your passport when you apply for a visa. Visa processing can take 8 – 10 weeks.

You will not need your round-trip flight itinerary before you apply for a visa, but you MUST have a round-trip ticket prior to departure for your program abroad.

Before Departure

You must attend the mandatory TCU-In Madrid orientation. You should also review the TCU-In Madrid Handbook and Know Before You Go page.

Arrival and On-Site Information

Students begin each semester with an extensive onsite orientation facilitated by TCU’s logistical provider ACCENT, including a welcome dinner, city tours, and survival Spanish classes. During the semester, students participate in a one-day excursion to Toledo or a similar city, and a 3 day/2 night excursion to Seville/Granada/Cordoba or similar. A transportation card, a writing/tutoring center, and free/inexpensive activities are available throughout the semester.

Because you are not enrolled in TCU classes, the TCU system will show 12 hours of coursework as a placeholder while you are abroad. Your classes will not transfer back to TCU until 8 – 10 weeks after the semester ends. At that time, the correct credit hours will be posted to your TCU record.