A guide for Cypriot students to study in Spain

1. Aula School – Study in Spain
Simple Guide
Prepared by Angels Serra – School Director
School Year 2010‐ 2011

2. Why study in Spain?
Spain, one of the most prominent countries of the European Union, offers
international students from a wide variety of academic and national
backgrounds outstanding higher education opportunities. When compared with
other destinations, the great advantages of Spain for the foreign student visitor
are:
1. Educational opportunities of the highest standards.
Spain's education system offers a wide range of
college and university studies at all levels, as well
as internationally renowned business studies at
prestigious schools. The educational system is
well organized and brimming with opportunities for personal growth and
academic achievement for international students.
The higher education system has undergone
significant changes and extraordinary growth over the
past 25 years, which allowed Spain to dramatically
increase the number of university places available. In
addition to progress in many other areas, this
facilitated university access to thousands of young people through the creation
of numerous new and well-equipped universities.
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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3. This availability of better resources in the universities has been responsible for
an unprecedented growth in the quantity and quality of academic, scientific
and technological research.
The past two decades have also witnessed the founding of a large number of
private universities and business schools that have rapidly become
internationally recognized centres of excellence.
Spain is now the second most popular European
destination for international university students from
Europe and the American continent, after England.
Almost 36% of foreign students come from the
American continent and, of these, 31% are Latin
American.
As a result, Spain has developed a diverse, multicultural student population
which, over time, has made the Spanish education system one of the most
attractive in Europe, thanks to its cultural diversity.
There are more than 70 universities throughout Spain, more that 50 are public
and the rest, more than 20, are private. They are distributed throughout the
country. All Spanish universities welcome the admission of foreign students to a
wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs.
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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4. 2. Spain’s higher education System.
Since 1999, Spain has been immersed in a
transformation of its higher education system, along
with more than 30 European countries, with the aim of
creating a European Higher Education Space (EHES).
This process will culminate in 2010 and its objectives are:
To harmonize degree systems through an academic qualification framework,
the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), a credit system for measuring
academic achievement.
To guarantee the standards and recognition of qualifications, in order to
increase student mobility and facilitate the integration of graduates into the
single European labour market.
Spain has implemented the legal measures for the
adoption of the European credit and qualifications system,
as well as the European qualification supplements. This
facilitates the recognition of official Spanish qualifications
in over 30 countries participating in the "European Higher
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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5. Education Space" (EHES) project, as well as the official recognition of Spanish
qualifications in other countries outside the European framework, such as the
United States, Asia and Latin America.
This allows students to begin studies that can be continued in other European
countries, or continue studies that were started in another country, something
which makes the Spanish higher education system even more attractive for
students from countries inside and outside the European Union.
3. Competitive cost of living and studying.
The cost of living and studying in Spain is considerably
cheaper than that of other European and Western
countries.
For a university student, the comparative advantage of
studying in Spain is considerable in financial terms, as can
be seen in the table below. The average cost of tuition fees charged by
universities in the United States (30,000 dollars) would cover the entire cost of
living in Spain for a year (a university residence in Madrid, including
accommodation and meals, costs less than 800 Euros per month, and average
tuition fees in a private university are around 6,000 Euros).
The tuition fees at public universities are established by the government for
every school year. To give you an idea the tuition fees for 2008-2009 were from
13.25 to 21.30 € for each bachelor degree credit. So, the whole bachelor
degree – from its first to its last year- would have a total cost that would range
from 3180 to 4620 €.
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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6. The table below compares the cost of an MBA in Paris, London and Madrid.
University/ Institution/ Degree Tuition Fees Cost of Living Total
INSEAD/ París/ MBA 43.500 € 22.000 € 65.500 €
London School of Economics/ London / Master
11.598 € 17.119 € 28.717 €
of Laws
Universidad Carlos III / Madrid/ Master in
7.200 € 5.310 € 12.510 €
European Law
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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7. 4. Easy access to Spanish Universities for Cypriot students.
Students from the EU countries access Spanish universities
with the same requirements they would access universities
in their countries. In the case of Cyprus, for instance,
students do not need to take any exams in Spain; they only
need their Lyceum certificate (“apolytirio”) and the grade
of their university entrance exams in Cyprus.
5. Attractive lifestyle and varied cultural opportunities.
Spain experiences all four seasons and has a generally
temperate climate. Its location makes it is one of the
warmest countries in Europe and in winter
temperatures are generally mild. Even in winter, when
temperatures are low, Madrid generally enjoys cloudless blue skies and glorious
sunshine. Temperatures can reach 15ºC (59ºF) at midday during the winter
months.
The landscape is extraordinarily varied, ranging from desert-like areas to lush,
green pastures, where mountains, valleys, rivers and beaches produce a wide
variety of microclimates, which also contributes to its extraordinary beauty.
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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8. Spain's main crops are typical of the countries bordering the Mediterranean.
These have always included cereals, olives and grapes, which are the mainstay
of the Mediterranean cuisine and diet.
6. A universal language and a richly diverse culture
Spanish is the mother tongue of more than 450
million people around the world and it is the
official language of 20 countries. In addition to
Spain, Spanish is the official language of
Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica,
Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay
and Venezuela. It is also widely spoken in other countries including Canada,
Morocco, the Philippines and the United States, as well as Brazil, where it is
the second official language.
Sharing a common language has, without doubt, made Spain a particularly
attractive destination for Latin American and Hispanic and Spanish-speaking
students from the United States, who clearly understand the benefits of
studying within a competitive education system that offers the highest
standards of quality, without the need to invest time in learning a new
language.
Spain is also one of the most popular destinations for learning Spanish as a
foreign language, particularly in the case of English speakers from the United
States and Asia who want to learn Spanish, and students from other European
Union countries.
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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9. Many of Spain's cities, and even little-known enclaves well
off the beaten track, are home to monuments of great
historic and architectural interest, not to mention the
extraordinary landscapes to be found throughout the Iberian
Peninsula.
There are few societies like Spain's that can boast a culture so down to earth
and in touch with reality while at the same time remaining deeply rooted in
popular tradition, even after experiencing a revitalization and modernization
without precedent in Europe. The great names in Spanish art have been bold
and innovative in their fields: Goya, Velazquez, Picasso in painting; Cervantes,
Quevedo, Galdós in literature; Falla, Albéniz, Turina in music; Buñuel,
Almodóvar, Amenabar in cinema, etc.
Spain's unique culture is, however, the product of a heritage enriched by the
many external influences to which it has been subjected over the course of its
long history. The geographic location of the Iberian Peninsula makes it a
natural bridge between the cultures of the north and south of Europe, America,
Africa and the East. The vicissitudes of history have made it a meeting point for
many different cultures, creating a rich and diverse cultural legacy in which an
intense past is evident.
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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10. How can Aula School help you?
At Aula School we provide foreign students with
expert and personalized advice, and related
services, about opportunities to study in Spain’s
universities, providing them with information on
all their academic enquiries and managing
applications and enrolment.
We advise on the different kinds of studies they are interested in pursuing in
Spain and on those universities best suited to their academic interests and
needs.
Our services include:
Academic Counselling:
Evaluation of the type of undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral studies that
match the client's academic profile and interests to study in Spain. Specific
information on the requirements for applying to the chosen area of study and
the eligibility of the student to pursue it.
Application, enrolment or matriculation:
Enrolment management and required documentation for the student’s
academic record at the chosen university (payment of tuition fees and other
charges not included).
Accommodation
Aula can also help you with your accommodation arrangements.
Aula School of Spanish -Zappeiou 1 – P.O.Box 60379 – 8102 – Pafos – Cyprus – T:+35726948003 F:+357 26937888
www.aulaschool.com e: info@spanishinpafos.com
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