Fall & Spring Semester

Group Flight Info:

If you’re attending SIS during the fall or spring semesters and you opt for the group flight, you and your nervous but excited classmates will meet in Chicago at O’Hare Airport. Together you’ll board a flight operated by Iberia Airlines, a partner of American Airlines, and arrive eight hours later in Madrid, Spain. You’ll be able to stretch your legs with your new friends during a layover in Madrid before climbing aboard the 50-minute flight to Seville.

By this time you’ll be exhausted and relieved to see the smiling Spanish staff waiting for you at the airport. You’ll be happy that your tired self won’t need to rely on Spanish signs, and instead you’ll gladly follow the staff to a huge bus infinitely more comfortable than your in-flight seat.

As the staff points out all the exciting things out the window, the bus will drop you off in pairs in front of your new homes. Your warm-hearted senoras will be eager to fill your jet-lagged body with yummy food before sending you straight to bed.

Our group flights are arranged through Witte Travel in Grand Rapids, MI. SIS will give you a Flight Application form that you can send to Witte Travel along with payment for your flight. If you don’t live near Chicago, but traveling with the group sounds less terrifying than flying to a foreign country by yourself, Witte Travel can arrange flight connections to route you to Chicago from your home city.

Traveling Independently:

It’s no problem if you’d prefer to make your own travel arrangements. Before you depart for Spain, we’ll give you the name and address of your host family as well as the name of your roommate. When you arrive in Seville, just show the address to a taxi driver, and he or she will take you to your new Spanish home. Please plan to arrive and depart on the same day as the rest of the group.

Summer Terms

We don’t arrange a group flight for the summer terms, but fear not! You come from a long line of students who have made it to Spain successfully on their own. Simply plan your travel arrangements so that you’ll arrive and depart on the days that are indicated in our summer term information and newsletters. Check out the summer calendar for more details.

Before you depart for Spain, we’ll give you the name and address of your host family as well as the name of your roommate. When you arrive at the Seville airport, just show the address to a taxi driver, and he or she will take you to your new Spanish home.

You’ll be responsible for getting to the airport in Seville for your return home. Don’t worry—that sounds more intimidating than it actually will be. All you’ll need to do is call a taxi the day before, and by that time, speaking to a Spaniard will be no big deal. For the sake of space, we recommend asking for a minivan taxi if you’ll be riding to the airport with your roommate.

You’ll need a passport in hand approximately three months before you depart for Spain. Right now it can take as long as eight weeks to receive a passport, so apply right away. You can find all the application information you need at the U.S. State Department’s website.

If you already have a passport, make sure it won’t expire before you return from Spain. It must be valid for at least six months after the end of the term.

If you’ll be attending SIS during the fall or spring semesters, you’ll also need a student visa issued by the Spanish Consulate. We’ll help you through the process of applying for the visa. It can take as long as eight weeks to receive your visa, so it’s very important to have your passport available at least three months prior to your departure for Seville since a passport is needed for the student visa application.

You won’t need a visa for the summer term unless you’re not a U.S. or EU citizen

What is the best form of currency to bring: traveler’s checks, ATM cards, or credit cards?
ATM cards are probably the most convenient way to get funds while abroad. Before you depart, find out what fees your bank will charge for taking out cash as well as which account (checking or savings) the money will be withdrawn from. It’s also a good idea to have a credit card in your own name.  Traveler’s checks are a thing of the past and are difficult to cash.

How much money will I need?
SIS students say they spend about $150 per week on travel, magazines/newspapers, coffee, tapas, cinema, snacks, etc.

Does Spain have the same voltage as the United States?
Spain uses 220 volts as opposed to 125 volts in the States. Most small appliances, like hairdryers, have a button to change the voltage and you will only need a small plug adapter to use them, as the prongs are different. If you have a small appliance that does not have a button to change the voltage, you will need a transformer (usually quite heavy and expensive) to use the appliance in Spain. It might be cheaper and easier to buy what you need once you arrive in Seville. Department stores such as El Corte Inglés carry hairdryers, curling irons, flat irons, electric razors, and more.

What’s the weather like?
It’s HOT at the end of the spring semester, during the summer terms, and at the beginning of the fall semester. Don’t be surprised if temperatures climb to over 100°. Yet it’s cooler from late November to mid February than many students expect, with daytime temperatures in the 50s. The biggest adjustment, though, is to the climate in the Spanish home. Most homes don’t have central heat or air conditioning. Their floors are marble and their walls are block or cement, so it’s cooler in the homes during the winter and warmer in the summer than most students are used to. Plan to dress in layers. 

What clothes should I bring?
Spaniards tend to dress up a little more than you might be used to. You won’t see many people wearing college sweatshirts, baseball hats, shorts, or running shoes on a daily basis. It might be a good idea to pack basics such as jeans and comfortable shoes and then buy your trendier clothes when you’re in Spain. A lot of students tell us that they prefer to do it this way, as they love the clothes there and find them very affordable. It certainly helps you blend in! During summer and in January there are very good sales which you may want to take advantage of, so leave some space in your luggage.

Should I bring my laptop?
Connecting to the Internet from your home in Spain probably isn’t possible, but our computer room at school has a wireless Internet connection, so you’re welcome to use your laptop at school. Most laptops are equipped with a voltage converter, so you’ll only need an adaptor to plug yours into the wall. If you don’t have a laptop or choose not to bring it, you’ll have access to the computer room at school and to cybercafés all over the city.

Can I come early and/or leave later?
Absolutely! We can only provide housing for the time you are enrolled in the program, but you are more than welcome to schedule your own flights and travel before or after your semester in Spain. Be sure to make accommodations, though, because your host home can only accommodate you during the semester dates.