For any inquiries about the program, please contact the director, Susan Sánchez Casal, at susan.sanchez@tufts-skidmore.es

Program Center

M-Th    9:00-19:00
F            9:00-17:00

Program Center Telephone: +34 91 702 4513 (office)

Director, Susan Sánchez Casal's email: susan.sanchez@tufts-skidmore.es

Yes! In fact, our students often say that the home stay was one of the best parts of their experience. All of our host families are thoroughly vetted and most have been with the program for years. They are experienced in hosting our diverse student body, which includes Students of Color, LGTBQ+ and students with disabilities. We also have host families who can accommodate students with severe allergies and gluten intolerance and/or celiac disease. Hosts are 100% dedicated to the health and wellbeing of your child. We will send detailed information about the host family selected for your child at least one month prior to his/her arrival (over email), including the family’s address, email and contact phone numbers.

It will be easy for you to stay in contact with your child while s/he is in Spain by Skype or by calling his or her cell phone (students either bring their unlocked cell phone from the States or buy a cell phone once they’re here). In Spain cell phone customers are not charged for incoming calls, so it’s much cheaper for you to call your son/daughter than for him/her to call you. If you and your child have smart phones, you can chat and phone for free via “whatsapp.” You may also call your child on the host family’s landline. Remember that there is a six-hour time difference between Spain and Eastern Standard Time (7, 8 and 9 hours respectively in the other U.S. time zones). Please do not call the host family after 10pm or before 9am local time.

Yes, the program sponsors 3 cultural excursions each semester. These optional excursions are fully paid for by the program. Past excursions have included El Escorial, Segovia, Andalucía, Toledo, Bilbao-Logroño, Valencia, Extremadura.

• SPANISH MEDICAL INSURANCE POLICY WITH ADESLAS, FULL COVERAGE, NO CO-PAYS
• MONTHLY TRANSPORTATION PASS (City trains, buses, subway)
• MEAL STIPEND (11€ a day for the one meal a day not taken in the homestay)
• EXTRACURRICULAR REIMBURSEMENT (300€ per semester to cover gym fees, or classes or other activities offered at private studios or businesses (dance, music, ceramics, yoga, cooking)
• TRAVEL MONEY (170€ per semester to help with independent student travel in Spain)
• CULTURAL ACTIVITIES REIMBURSEMENT (Unlimited reimbursement for museums, Spanish language movies (including dubbed movies), plays, dance performances, art exhibits, and other cultural activities)

Yes! Our program center has internet and wifi and is equipped with iMacs, printers and scanners for student use. Host families also have wifi.

You can use the Program address to send letters or packages at the beginning of the semester (until you receive the host family’s address). It is advisable to describe the contents of the package as "used personal items" and to list a value under 20€, so that your package will not be stopped by customs. Also, please don’t send your child direct-from-the-manufacturer items unless they are ordered from within the EU, or from a store that has an EU distributor.

Your Child's Name
℅ Tufts-Skidmore in Spain
c/ Fuencarral nº 123,  3º
28010, Madrid
Spain

You can use the Program address to send letters or packages at the beginning of the semester (until you receive the host family’s address).

c/ Fuencarral nº 123,  3º
28010 Madrid
Spain

The program offers all students, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, a full coverage Spanish medical insurance policy with the Spanish carrier ADESLAS. All care, emergency, hospitalization and out-patient is covered 100% by the policy. Students will have to pay for medications, but the costs are much lower here than in the US. Additionally, Tufts students are covered for all medical costs including mental health and repatriation by International SOS, and Skidmore students, along with students who apply through Skidmore, are covered for all medical costs including mental health and repatriation through ON CALL INTERNATIONAL.

If your child has an existing medical condition, please encourage them to contact the program director so that care in Spain can be arranged ahead of time.

We suggest that you plan your trip for the end of the semester, or during academic breaks. We discourage visits at the beginning of the semester or during the regular academic session as it can be disruptive to your child.

Spain has a low incidence of crime in general, the second lowest in Europe and a much lower per-capita rate than any similar mid-sized city in the United States (violent crime and hate crimes are rare). However, non-violent petty theft can be an issue (mostly iPhones), so our program goes to great lengths to teach students how to best protect themselves from this type of crime and to remind them of safety practices throughout the semester/year. Young women need to exercise the same caution that they would anywhere in the United States, or elsewhere in the world, but you should also be aware that the per-capita incidence of reported sexual violence in Spain is much lower than in the U.S.

Without doubt, the greatest threat to your child’s safety while abroad is the excessive use of alcohol. The program has your child sign an Alcohol Awareness Guidelines sheet at the beginning of the semester, and orientation includes clear directives about responsible drinking in Spain. Although your child is of age to consume alcohol in Spain, irresponsible drinking may result in a student being separated from the program.

You can help us provide the best care possible for your student by talking to your son or daughter about responsible and safe behavior while abroad, especially in terms of the use of alcohol and drugs. While we have guidelines, rules, regulations and policies that help us to keep our students safe, ultimately, students themselves are responsible for their safety and well-being while in Spain, just as they are on their home campuses. Please have a candid discussion with your student about respecting themselves and program guidelines in relation to alcohol and safety.

In Madrid, students can live well and happily without a ton of money as the sidewalk café culture is relatively inexpensive and the program provides significant free access to cultural resources. We recommend that if possible, a student have 1000-1500€ available to cover extra expenses while they are here (mostly for travel).

The most convenient way for your son or daughter to get money in euros, if the bank fees are reasonable, is by withdrawing cash from an ATM here. For purchases, U.S. credit cards are accepted everywhere, but you should check on bank fees for international transactions. Students should not bring checks to Spain (travelers or personal). If your son or daughter needs money urgently and lacks other means, the program will be happy to make an emergency loan. Parents can also transfer money to their child's Sabadell bank account via international wire transfer.

Yes! Definitely! The program includes a Global Internship placement service offering internships in a diverse array of professional fields, among them: community health, women’s advocacy, international relations, human rights, journalism, diplomacy, education, environmental studies, scientific research, marketing, and finance.

Yes! Our program is a leader in Intercultural Education that begins in orientation and extends throughout the semester or year.

Yes! Definitely! Our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter feeds are very active, and populated by the program and also by our student social media team. Please follow us! You will be able to read about program activities and see photos of the students enjoying all kinds of new experiences. Additionally, we have a program Blog with exciting posts about activities, happenings in Spain, and upcoming events.

Most students look forward to traveling during their time abroad and we support that. However, we strongly recommend that students take only short trips on the weekends or during breaks and that they avoid travel outside the country while classes are in session.

We have a wonderful, diverse pool of host families and we do our very best to place students in a compatible and supportive host family situation. We have a rigorous selection procedure for host families and the director and assistant director visit and inspect host family homes each year. Additionally, the extensive housing questionnaire that students fill out, and the on-campus interview conducted by the director before student departure for Spain help to ensure a successful placement. We make every effort to get this right. However, the system is not foolproof and each year 1 or 2 students request a host-family change. Student requests to change families are always honored by the program.

The program makes it clear to students that if any perceived problem arises with their host family they should inform the director immediately. The director will discuss and assess the situation with the student, and will determine what steps need to be taken. Your student should also feel free to discuss the situation directly with his or her host family, but we recommend that the student first raise the issue with us, so that we can mediate in the process.

There are program protocols in place to deal with any issues that may arise with the host family, so please feel reassured. The most important thing is that your child communicate with the program director in a timely fashion.

Our students has the unquestionable right to request a change of host family, and although the program endeavors to mediate problems as a first recourse, we will always respect a student's right to request a change of host family.