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Do I need to speak Spanish to attend the Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus?
No, the language of instruction on the Madrid Campus is English. However, we encourage students to take advantage of their surroundings and to immerse themselves in the Spanish culture.
While the language of instruction is English—students whose first language is Spanish, or those who want the extra challenge, can take selected classes in various disciplines that are taught in Spanish.
Do all non-native English speaking applicants have to submit proof of English language proficiency?
Yes. On our Madrid Campus, most courses are taught in English. If your first language is not English, you must provide evidence of your ability to study in English prior to the start of classes by submitting one of the following:
- A score of 71 or higher on the internet-based TOEFL (minimum 19 reading and 17 writing).
A score of 197 or higher on the computer-based TOEFL and a TWE score of at least 4.0.
A score of 530 or higher on the paper-based TOEFL and a TWE score of at least 4.0.
- Minimum scores of 500 in both the Critical Reading and the Writing sections of the SAT.
- An IB score of 4 or higher for English A1 or A2.
- An A-level exam (in the humanities) with a minimum grade of "C."
- An IELTS minimum band score of 6.0.
Please note: Because Saint Louis University, Madrid has an extensive English as a Second Language (ESL) program, English proficiency is NOT a requirement for application and admission.
Students who cannot present one of the above mentioned credentials, but who are otherwise eligible for admission, will be required to take an Institutional TOEFL exam on campus during the orientation week prior to the beginning of the semester. The results of this exam will determine the applicant’s exemption from or placement in ESL classes.
Do you award Advanced Standing Credit for AP and SAT II exams? What are the scores required for credit?
Yes. Please see the following link to our Saint Louis University Advanced Placement Chart: slu_ap_chart_06_07.pdf
If I have completed the IB Diploma Program, will I be eligible for advanced placement?
Yes. Please see the following link to our Saint Louis University Advanced Placement Chart: slu_ap_chart_06_07.pdf
Do you accept A levels? If so, how many completed courses are required for admission and do you award credit?
For admission consideration, we require that an applicant submit three Cambridge A levels or two A levels and one AS level. In terms of awarding university credit, we determine this on a case by case basis. Please contact your admission counselor for further information. If you are presenting only O-level results, you will be required to also submit an SAT score report.
If I am not studying at an American school do I still have to take the SAT or ACT?
No. Since we receive student applications from all over the world, our requirements for general admission are flexible enough to account for differences in secondary school education systems. We ask that all students follow one of the four admission options listed below:
- Adhere to the traditional admission standards of U.S. universities, which include the submission of a completed secondary school transcript and an SAT (code 2586) or ACT (code 5291) score.
- Adhere to the admissions requirements of the British education system which are: the submission of either three “A”-level exam results or an Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE). If you are taking non-UK university sponsored “A”-level exams or are only presenting the “O”-level exam results, you should also submit SAT scores.
- Complete the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma and submit academic transcripts and final IB grades. If you have not completed all of your IB exams, please send us your latest transcript and projected IB scores. If admitted, we’ll ask you to forward us your final IB results as they become available.
- In some cases, we allow you to follow the university admissions requirements of your secondary school’s sponsoring country. We apply this norm primarily to non-English-speaking countries with solid secondary school programs. We allow students, for example, coming from secondary schools in Spain to substitute the Selectividad, Spain’s national entrance exam, for the SAT exam. Students coming from Germany may substitute their Abitur exam scores; French system applicants, their French Baccalauréat; and so on. We do not allow this substitution, however, for students coming from secondary school programs where the language of instruction is English. Please contact our Office of Admissions for more details.
Is Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus accredited?
Saint Louis University’s primary accreditation is with the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and our university has been ranked among the top 100 national research and teaching universities in the U.S. by U.S. News and World Report. The University is also accredited by the appropriate professional bodies for specific programs: the International Association for Management Education (AACSB), for our School of Business and Administration; the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET), for Parks College of Engineering and Aviation; the National League for Nursing, for our School of Nursing; and by various other accrediting agencies for the programs offered in the School of Allied Health Professions.
In addition to the University's primary U.S. accreditation, the Madrid Campus is also recognized by the Consejería de Educación y Cultura, Madrid's provincial authority responsible for all colleges and universities in the region. This recognition guarantees that all courses taken at our campus in Madrid are valid in Spain, should students desire to have their diplomas recognized here. (Native Spanish students beginning their studies at our campus in Madrid, after finishing their undergraduate courses, do validate their degrees in Spain.) Our Spanish recognition also assures students that our campus meets all of the higher education standards applicable to other public and private universities in Spain. These criteria include minimums for building space, the ratio of terminally qualified faculty per students, financial viability, and so on.
What kind of financial aid and scholarships does Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus offer?
Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus tuition fees are highly competitive – some 33 to 50 percent lower than you’ll find at comparable universities in North America. As we work to assure that the cost of obtaining a university education is affordable to qualified students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, we offer a variety of financial aid opportunities to deserving students.
Merit-Based Scholarships
All new degree-seeking and transfer students who apply to the Madrid Campus of Saint Louis University are automatically considered for Madrid merit-based scholarships. The scholarship awards are based on a student’s academic credentials as demonstrated by high school transcripts, standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), performance on national university entrance exams (Abitur, Selectividad, Baccalaureat, etc.) and on the individual’s potential to enhance the academic and extracurricular environment of the University. The renewable, merit-based awards range from 10% to 50% annual tuition discounts and are awarded on an academic year basis. We assign scholarships to worthy candidates in order of completion of applications, so we encourage you to apply for admission as soon as possible. Renewal of scholarship awards depends on academic performance.
Need-Based Financial Aid
U.S. students also have access to federal financial aid (grants and loans) available through the U.S. government (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Visiting/study abroad students who already have financial aid from their home universities may be eligible to transfer that aid to the Madrid Campus. Please contact the Visiting Student Coordinator in the Department of Admissions for more information.
Work-Study Campus Jobs
Each semester the University makes available a limited number of work-study campus jobs. Students work in departments throughout the University for up to ten hours a week in exchange for a reduction in their tuition fees. Work-study opportunities include positions in the library, bookstore, administrative offices, cafeteria, or computer labs.
Should I apply for a Spanish student visa before or after my arrival to Spain?
If you are not a citizen of the European Union, you must apply for a Spanish student visa in your home country BEFORE arriving in Spain.
Spanish consulates around the world have somewhat variable guidelines for granting visas. You should check with the consulate for your region to determine the specific documents you’ll need to present. You should be aware of the following guidelines prior to submitting your visa application.
- The visa application must normally be made through the Spanish Embassy or Consulate in the applicant’s country of permanent residence. Applicants may be required to have a personal interview.
- Upon receipt of the requisite payment of fees, the University will provide the student with a letter of registration verifying the duration/nature of studies and that all fees have been paid in full.
- In order for us to certify to the Spanish authorities that students from some countries have the financial means to support themselves during their studies, we may request that the student pay in full the first semester’s tuition and housing three months prior to the beginning of the semester.
- Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus does not process visa applications.
Under normal conditions, it takes approximately six to eight weeks to obtain a student visa to come to Spain. Students are strongly encouraged to contact their Spanish consulate as soon as they are accepted in order to begin the process.
I am a non-EU citizen, but I have legal residency in a country that is part of the European Union. Do I still need a Spanish student visa?
No. If you are a legal resident of the European Union, you do not need a student visa to study in Spain.
Do I have to complete all four years on the Madrid Campus?
No. Typically students who are not pursuing a degree in International Business, Economics, International Communication, International Nursing, International Relations, Spanish, or English will only spend their first two years in Madrid. To complete any other degree, they will complete their last two years on the home campus in Saint Louis, Missouri or at any other U.S. university of their choosing.
If I transfer to the Saint Louis, Missouri Campus from Madrid, will all of my credits received on the Madrid Campus automatically transfer? What about my scholarships?
In Madrid, you’re also on our home campus. This means that when you decide to pursue a degree program on the Madrid Campus, you fulfill the exact same requirements for majors, minors, and certificates offered on the Missouri Campus and you also graduate with the same prestigious Saint Louis University degree. You have the option to transfer to our home campus or another U.S. university at any time to finish your degree program.
If you decide to transfer to our Missouri Campus, any scholarships you are awarded on our Madrid Campus will be automatically transferred with you.
Would other universities accept my Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus credits if I transfer?
The Madrid Campus is designed to offer the first two years of all majors in the American university curriculum. Since the credits earned while in Madrid are equal to those earned on our home campus in St. Louis, your credits are fully transferable to any major American university. The question is how those credits will fit into your final degree program. We recommend that students planning to ultimately transfer to another university try to follow the degree requirements of that university. Core curriculum courses (freshman English, psychology, accounting, chemistry, etc.) are common to all U.S. university degree programs and should transfer without problem. Specialty courses, such as an economics class on the European Union or a history class on the Inquisition, would transfer as electives and there are only so many electives that can fit into a set degree program.
Do you accept transfer students and credits from other universities?
Students may be considered for transfer to Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus, if they have completed at least one year in good academic standing at an accredited college or university and have not been dismissed. You must submit the same documents as those required for general admission, as well as a current transcript from each college/university in which you have studied.
Saint Louis University may award transfer credits for courses taken at the university level in other accredited institutions. To have your credits evaluated for transfer, you must submit the following in addition to the regular application:
- Official transcript(s) sent directly from the colleges/universities where the courses were taken.
- Detailed syllabi and course descriptions from the colleges/ universities for each course.
Does the Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus offer graduate programs?
Yes. We currently offer two graduate programs here on our Madrid Campus.
MA in English
Saint Louis University and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid offer the first Master’s degree in English recognized by both a Spanish and an American university. Students completing the two-year program will earn a Master of Arts in English from Saint Louis University and a Máster de Literatura y Cultura Anglonorteamericanas from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Our program is designed for holders of a B.A./Licenciatura in English or a related field, high school teachers, literary scholars and translators, and others who want to explore masterpieces of literature in English. Our program offers a disciplined study of texts drawn from the full experience of English and American literature from the Middle Ages to the present day.
For further information regarding the MA in English, please refer to the following link on our website: ac_gradcour_ma_eng_intro.html
MA in Spanish
Saint Louis University, Madrid also offers a literature-based graduate program in Spanish. Our program offers courses in peninsular and Hispano-American literature, culture, and civilization, as well as linguistics and teaching methodology. With a mix of rigor and cultural enhancements, our program prepares you for a career in business or education, as well as for doctoral studies in Spanish language and literature.
In addition to offering an M.A. in Spanish, Saint Louis University, Madrid Campus also offers Cursos de Perfeccionamiento. Designed for secondary school teachers of Spanish, our five-week in-service language and literature program allows you to earn from two to eight credits by taking from one to four enrichment courses. You’ll improve your oral and written communication skills and broaden your knowledge of Spanish literature and culture as you study with our Ph.D. faculty, all of whom are native Spaniards.
For further information regarding our M.A. in Spanish or our Cursos de Perfeccionamiento , please refer to the following link on our website: ac_gradcour_ma_spa_intro.html
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