<p>I want to study abroad in spain sometime. Ideally I'd like to do a semester (can't do a full year because I'm a bio major), however I'm in an accelerated 7 year dental program and thus I would be spending one more year at school and 60,000 dollars more in dental school tuition. Would a summer study abroad session (at most 2 months) be a viable alternative? Is the experience going to be that much different? I know a lot of summer study abroad aren't really full immersion programs where you live with a host families and take classes at a real university with actual local students.</p>
<p>It would enhance your Spanish skills and it would be fun. It might be a great experience.</p>
<p>No way! Summer study is totally great! And if you’re going to Spain, the summer months are the high season. The majority of the courses ARE immersion courses.</p>
<p>Are there differences? Yes. If you go to a “lively, student town” during the summer (like Salamanca) it’s not going to be so lively and it’s not going to be so “studenty” cause all the Spaniards are gonna be home/on vacation, and there are a lot more foreign students there during the summer. I experienced this in Siena, Italy, where the change from summer to fall had a subtle, but dramatic effect on “what Siena was”.</p>
<p>Go for it. You’ll have tons of fun and you will learn a lot. I would recommend Madrid or Barcelona (I like Madrid better, but that’s me) if you want a big city. If you want a more summer environment and some ocean air, check out cities like Malaga or Cadiz.</p>
<p>If I had a penny for every time I posted a link to this darn site, I’d be rich. Anyway, best website I’ve found for language schools. Doesn’t include universities, but they also have programs for foreigners who want to learn Spanish:</p>
<p>[Language</a> School Links.com Learn Spanish in Spain at a Spanish langauge school or Spanish university program for foreigners.](<a href=“http://languageschoollinks.com/spain/index.html]Language”>http://languageschoollinks.com/spain/index.html)</p>
<p>Some university programs you could look at: University of Salamanca, University of Granada, Universidad de Nebrija, Universidad de Sevilla…</p>
<p>I have a friend who was in dental school. He always wanted to travel a lot, but was lucky if he could travel a little. It was a major bummer for him. So if I were you, I would totally do it. Europe, and especially Mediterranean countries like Spain, comes alive in the summer. You’ll have a great time and learn a lot. I think you’ll be impressed and happy you went.</p>
<p>Seems every single person who goes to Spain to study LOVES,LOVES,LOVES It!</p>
<p>Spain is cool. I’d recommend picking a good city, though. There are a lot of places also that you just don’t want to be. Barcelona is awesome.</p>
<p>My D’s school has a program at Universidad de Deusto in Bilbao. She will have to study abroad during the summer to be able to graduate in 4 years with both a Lit and Spanish major plus a certification in Education.
Does anyone have experience with this area of Spain? It is best she attend this program so the courses can count for her major and not just elective courses.</p>
<p>Bilbao would be a great place to do study abroad. She won’t find many American tourists there, so she’ll have to use her Spanish. It is a beautiful part of Spain, known as Green Spain. The coastline, the mountains and villages, the history, architecture, festivals…fantastic. Highly recommended, she will love it. She needs to give herself at least a few weeks to travel in Spain before and/or after. Go visit while she’s there!</p>
<p>sopranomom92- thanks for the feedback.</p>