Spain: Granada

In cooperation with the Independent Liberal Arts Colleges Abroad (ILACA) consortium, this program provides an opportunity to study language and culture in Granada, Spain.

Courses are taken at the University of Granada’s modern language center: El Centro de Lenguas Modernas (CLM), or at the ILACA center. The CLM provides Spanish language courses to students from around the world, taught by experienced professors in a beautiful and traditional facility. Each semester begins with a comprehensive orientation program followed by a month long intensive Spanish language course (Intensivo). After the Intensivo students choose from a variety of topics courses depending on language ability. During the Spring semester program participants can also choose to take a Spanish Literature course from the visiting faculty member from one of the ILACA institutions.

In Granada students will find themselves immersed in a city with a deep and interesting history, a modern flair, and old world beauty. At the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains Granada’s jewel, the Alhambra, watches over the city. During the day students will dive into the Spanish and Granada culture through courses, museums, cultural events and interactions with host families. Through the evening students will continue their cultural and language immersion as they chat with some of the many thousands of university students, relax in a café or tapas bar, or simply sleep and dream in Spanish.

To learn more about the student experience in Granada, check out this video, created by Willamette University. For an overview of the program, take a look at the program brochure.

Please note that the Granada program is limited to 15 students each semester.

Requirements Fulfilled:

General Education - This program fulfills the Global Perspectives general education requirement for students who successfully complete 8 or more semester credits.

Minor Requirements - This program fulfills the overseas study requirement for the Hispanic Studies minor. Please note that this program does not fulfill the overseas study requirement for the Latin American and Latino Studies minor. 

Credits: Credit earned varies based on courses completed, but students may earn up to 19 credits. Overloads are not permitted.

Curriculum: Each semester begins with a month long intensive Spanish language course (Intensivo). After the Intensivo students will choose from a variety of topics courses depending on language ability. A professor from one of the ILACA schools will teach a course during the spring semester. Internship and service learning course options are available among the CLM offerings.

The fall semester begins in late August and concludes mid-December. The intensive month of Spanish language ends at the beginning of October and students then choose from the topics courses. Students enroll in three mandatory courses and choose one Topics Course (students can choose up to two Topics Courses, but one is typical).

The spring semester begins in early January and concludes during late May. The intensive month of Spanish language ends at the beginning of February and students then choose from the Topics Courses listed below. Students enroll in three mandatory courses and choose one or two Topics Courses.

Spanish Language: All students agree to speak the target language at all times while in Spain, and accept that there is a direct correlation between the time dedicated to using Spanish and the fluency achieved. Students are required to take the Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) during their semester in Granada. This exam is Spain’s official accreditation of the degree of fluency of the Spanish language.

Housing: Students live with Spanish families or Señoras (host-mothers), usually within walking distance of the CLM. The ILACA students live in pairs with each family.

Cultural Activities: Every semester, the program offers various opportunities and activities for students including:

- A theater workshop
- Guided walking tours
- Regular musical recitals and flamenco shows
- Films in Spanish, French, English and the other languages taught at the CLM
- Sporting activities such as hiking, mountain biking, swimming, soccer and basketball

Intercambios: An easy way to meet Spaniards and improve conversational and colloquial Spanish is to participate in an intercambio, a language exchange with a Spanish-speaking students learning English.

Practical Experience: Students may choose, as one of the CLM electives, to complete a 45-hour practical experience in a professional internship, service learning or volunteer experience. The Programa de Prácticas includes opportunities in business, education, health care and social service agencies. Placement options may vary depending on language level.

To hear from host families and students who have participated in this program, check out these videos: one from the University of Portland, and another from the University of Puget Sound.

“Intercambios are a great way to get outside of the program/English-speaking bubble and meet local and international people. While I enjoyed my time spent with the people in my program, my most enriching experiences took place outside of that context, spending time with other people and participating in local activities.”

“My piece of advice would be to enter this experience with an open mind, embrace the culture shock, and make an effort to connect with your host family.”

“Although the gendered nature of the Spanish language meant that I was getting misgendered more than ever, paradoxically I felt safer and less hypervisible than I often do in the US.”

“I think that students preparing for this program should know that Spanish culture is quite different from American culture and that it’s going to be hard the first few weeks being in a completely new place with new people and a different language but in the end it is so worth it.”

2026-2027 Fee Breakdown*

Total Fee (includes Tuition, Program Fee, and Health & Wellness Fee): $44,791

Tuition: $35,329

Program Fee: $9,425

Health & Wellness Fee: $37**

Included in the program fee are room/housing, board/meals, and administrative fees. Not included are airfare, passport and visa expenses, primary insurance coverage, photographs, books, immunizations, and incidentals.

*Fees are updated every February for the following academic year.

**The Health & Wellness Fee supports the operations of Wellness Services staff in delivering pre-program orientation services, as well as in providing health-related consultation regarding participant health needs. All students in the College of Arts and Sciences pay a mandatory fee of $37 per semester.

Stipend: Students will receive a stipend to cover the cost of meals and transportation costs not covered by the program fee.

Estimated Airfare (Round Trip PDX to MAD): $800 - $1,500

Estimated Travel Document Fees: $160 - $190

Estimated Health Insurance Fee: $1,906

All students participating in overseas programs are automatically enrolled in iNext, a supplemental travel insurance program. The fee for iNext is covered in the program cost. However, students are also required to have comprehensive health insurance during their time abroad. All students participating in overseas programs, both abroad and domestic, are automatically enrolled in the College’s student health insurance program. Similar to a regular semester on-campus, students participating in overseas programs may waive enrollment in the student health insurance program if they have other comprehensive health insurance (e.g., through a parent, guardian or employer) that 1) provides coverage for them in the geographic region in which they will be studying and 2) includes mental health benefits. Find more information regarding health insurance & overseas programs.

Physical Requirements:

Before applying to this program, you should assess and determine if you are physically and/or emotionally able to participate in the following physical demands required by some of this program’s activities:

• Walking or hiking up to 5 miles in a day, sometimes for two or more days in a row, sometimes on hilly, uneven, or cobbled terrain
• Climbing and descending stairs
• Using public transportation, including sometimes crowded buses or trains
• Standing for long periods during tours and site visits
• Entering into older buildings with narrow and sometimes steep staircases, at times with limited or no access to elevators
• The possibility of warm/hot temperatures while residing in locations without air conditioning, and/or cold temperatures while residing in locations with a comfort for lower indoor temperatures
• The possibility of long, busy days with little downtime and infrequent days off from program activities

If you have questions or are concerned about these or any other program activities, please contact the Lewis & Clark College Overseas & Off-Campus Programs office (overseas@lclark.edu).

Application Process: Student must first submit a Lewis & Clark Application, which is due one year in advance. Once admitted by Lewis & Clark, the students will receive instructions for submitting their pre-departure materials to ILACA.

Learn more about our application process.

Travel: Students usually fly into the Granada airport (GRX), or they fly into the Madrid airport (MAD) and take a bus to Granada. Upon arrival, students make their way directly to the homes of their host families.

Visa: Students will be required to apply for a visa in order to participate in this program. Students will need to submit their visa application in person at a consulate. The nearest Spain consulate for the Portland, OR area is in San Francisco. More information will be provided upon admission to the program.

Country-Specific Health Information: View specific health information for people traveling to Spain.

State Department Country Information: Visit the State Department’s Spain page.