Sponsored by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M)
Among the best-known universities in Spain, Madrid-based Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M)is a world-class institution, ranked joint 280th in the QS World University Rankings® 2016-2017 and 20th in the QS Top 50 Under 50 2016-2017.
Alongside the university’s state-of-the-art facilities and research, UC3M students benefit from 4,800 agreements with leading enterprises providing access to internships and networking opportunities, plus high employability rates… and la vida dulce of the Spanish capital.
Madrid’s status as one of the best study destinations in Europe has been confirmed by the release of the QS Best Student Cities 2017 – a ranking of the world’s top 100 cities for students. If you’re still trying to decide where to go, you’ll find there’s plenty to enjoy about studying in the fantastic city of Madrid, as anyone currently studying at UC3M will tell you. If you are already studying abroad in Madrid, see how many of these 15 things you can tick off your bucket list.
1. You relish your morning Mediterranean breakfast...
What better way to start the day than with a healthy breakfast at one of Madrid’s lovely café terraces?
2. You've spent weekends in Barcelona, Toledo, Granada and Valencia
Madrid’s only a couple of hours away from several other great Spanish cities and holiday destinations. If you’re studying abroad in Madrid, you’ve almost definitely spent vacations and weekends sampling some of the best attractions Spain has to offer, including Barcelona’s beaches and Gaudi creations, Toledo’s Moorish architecture, Valencia’s coastline or Granada’s astonishing Alhambra.
3. You've learned Spanish (or told your folks that you have)
“Hablo Español? Sí. Un poco.”
4. You are now an authority on art
Madrid’s the Spanish city for art aficionados. Bursting at the seams with museums, galleries, theater and dance performances, as well as world-famous institutions like the Prado and the Reina Sofia, Madrid is one of Europe’s most vibrant art destinations.
5. You know someone who can actually build a robot
Depending on which of the universities in Spain you’re enrolled in, you’re probably pretty used to innovation. Whether your field is engineering, humanities, business or communication, your professors are engaging in world-leading research and being published in leading journals.
6. You expect free bar "tapas" with every drink
Most bars in Madrid serve Mediterranean snacks to nibble on with your beverage. Since Spanish bars are an around-the-clock affair serving up your morning café, evening digestive and everything in between, you’ve probably had plenty of time to enjoy your favorite hangouts and the delights of Spanish haute cuisine. It’s no surprise Spain has been touted as the world’s new foodie paradise!
7. You feel very strongly about Real Madrid
Whether you’re actually into football or – dare we say it – used to support FC Barcelona, you can’t study in Madrid for long without realizing that the madrileño team is not an optional extra…
8. Your sleeping and eating schedule is...Spanish
While most countries follow a nine to five schedule at work, Spain remains the country of siestas, 10pm dinners and 2-2.30pm lunches. While studying in Madrid, you learn to join in with the local rhythms.
9. You have friends from all corners of the world...
…thanks to the Erasmus Students Network which encompasses most universities in Spain and Europe, and also other international student associations at your university. If you’re a student at UC3M, you have probably been able to meet international students through their buddy program, which matches new recruits with exchange students to show them around the university and help them acclimatize.
10. Studying here has given you a global network of contacts
Because it’s not just what you know that matters, but who you know, darling!
11. You're used to life in a 24-hour city...
12. And you know how much you'll miss street life in Madrid...
13. Especially during festival season!
Madrileños take festival season very seriously. The months between June and September see the streets of Madrid fill with food trucks, music, theater and color. Big summer festivals in the capital include Veranos de la Villa at the Sabatini Gardens, Mulafest, Gay Pride, San Lorenzo and many others.
14. You'll be sad to leave...
15. But you know you'll be back
So many feels…
