Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is a public university located in Getafe, located thirteen kilometers about 20 minutes by the Renfe Cercanias train from downtown Madrid. UC3M is known for its international focus and its extensive number of degree programs and courses taught entirely in English. Students have the opportunity to live in Getafe, the most populated and industralized city in the Madrid metropolitan area or directly in Madrid, a welcoming, cosmopolitan city with a pleasant climate and internationally renowned cultural and artistic sites.
Click
here to see the brochure page for the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Direct Enrollment program. There are subtle differences between the course options for these two programs as well and it is recommended you look at both to find the best program for you.
Application cycles are open one semester at a time. Applications for the fall/academic year will open around December 1 of the year prior and applications for spring/calendar year will open around July 1 of the year prior.
Click through the brochure tabs to learn more about this program.
Eligibility
In order to participate in this program, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Students must have completed at least 45 credits at the time of departure.
- For students applying for fall or academic year programs, this total does not include summer coursework that has yet to be completed.
- Students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA at the time of application and departure.
- Students planning to study abroad in the last semester of their senior year should discuss this with their GEO program administrator and major advisor as this may affect their ability to graduate on time.
- Recent transfer students cannot study abroad their first semester (not including summer) at Mason.
Courses Available
Exchange students can enroll in any undergraduate course offered by UC3M. Courses are available in English, Spanish, or both.
There are two options for language courses. Intensive "Pre-semester" course or "Semester" Course. Spanish language courses taken at the language center are not included in tuition costs and must be paid for separately.
Course Equivalency and Plan of Study
The Global Education Office has a
Course Evaluation and Registration System (CERS), which you will use to complete the steps needed to evaluate your courses abroad, and see how they will count at Mason. This database is accessible whether you have already applied, or are just beginning to think about studying abroad. Look at the courses in the database. You are by no means limited to these courses. The database shows courses that have already been evaluated. You can request equivalency for any course not yet evaluated, through CERS.
You are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to look at this institution’s courses ahead of time to see how they will match up to your Mason degree requirements. Talk to your academic advisor about what courses you will need to receive credit for during your time abroad to stay on-track for your degree. When looking at courses keep in mind that course schedules can change. We recommend having twice as many courses approved as necessary.
Academic Calendar
The UC3M fall semester is from September - January. The university offers a final exam period in December for fall semester international students. Academic year students are expected to take their exams during the January final exam period.
Course Registration
Course registration takes places through an online system that opens for a couple of days before the beginning of the semester. Students then go to classes for the first week and decide if they want to stay in those courses or change some of them (they can also change the language of instruction from Spanish to English section or vice versa). After the first week of classes the online system will reopen for two more days so that students can make changes to their schedule.
Credit Conversion
Students are expected to take a full-time course load during their time at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. A full-time course load is 30 ECTS units. A typical course is worth 6 ECTS credits.
This will allow you to transfer between 12-16 credits back to Mason per semester.
Grade Conversion
When transferring courses back to Mason, the credits will transfer but the grade will not. However, you must receive the equivalent of a "C" or above in order to transfer your credit back. Refer to the table below regarding how grades are converted at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
| Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Grade |
Mason Grade |
| 9 - 10 (sobresaliente) |
A |
| 7 - 8.99 (notable) |
B+ |
| 6 - 6.99 (Bien) |
B |
| 5 - 5.99 (Aprobado) |
C |
| 0 - 4.99 (suspenso) |
F |
Spanish professors rarely award a 10; students generally receive grades between 6 and 8. Spanish universities are severe in their grading in comparison to the United States.
Global Understanding
Students participating in this study abroad program will automatically fulfill the Mason Global Understanding core requirement.
Program Cost
This is a Bilateral Exchange Program. Students are enrolled as regular students at the partner university, pay Mason tuition to Mason, and pay room and board abroad. Students can use the budget sheets located at the top of this page to see what GEO estimates as expenses.
Program Payments
As this is a Bilateral Exchange Program, students will pay for their tuition as they normally do in PatriotWeb.
Application Fee: A non-refundable application fee of $200 for Mason students. This fee is paid online through the MasonAbroad application system.
Administrative Fee: A non-refundable administrative fee of $300 (for semester length programs) or $500 (for year-long programs) must be received in order to confirm your enrollment in the program. This fee is paid online through the MasonAbroad application system.
Financial Aid: Students using financial aid are encouraged to talk to their counselor regarding how their financial aid can transfer to their program.
Scholarships
GEO offers a number of need- and merit-based scholarships. All Mason students are welcome to apply:
Scholarships
Application Deadline:
Fall/Academic Year: Early April*
Spring/Calendar Year: Early-Mid October*
*See the bottom of this page for the exact deadlines for the upcoming term(s).Spring 2019 & Calendar Year 2019: October 8, 2018
Visa Information
Once accepted into a program, it will be your responsibility to apply for a student visa and/or residence permit (if required, based on your citizenship). You will receive details on this with your acceptance letter. Do not apply for a visa until after you have been officially accepted.
Application requirements:*
Application fee: $200 for Mason students.
Official Transcripts: An official copy of your Mason transcript is required as well as copies of official transcripts from any other college or university you have attended.
Passport Status: If you do not have a valid passport, you should begin applying for one now.
Signature Documents: Read and electronically "sign" the documents.
Questionnaires: Read and complete the documents according to the instructions.
*Additional paperwork may be required for this program and can be viewed inside your application.
Application instructions: