Ruairi – Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
Semester 1, 2024
Bachelor of Business (Economics) / Law (Honours)
My study abroad destination in Semester 1, 2024 was Madrid, Spain. Studying abroad in Madrid was possibly the best decision of my life, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Preparatory Steps for Exchange
Before leaving, there are three things I would recommend:
- Arrange all your necessary paperwork for the trip. The last thing you want to be doing overseas is trying to organise things back home.
- Pack right and try to pack light; you’ll probably buy clothes or souvenirs, so always leave a bit of room.
- Try to arrange anything you’ll need at your destination beforehand. Getting transport cards online can be far easier when the language isn’t English.
First Impressions
I’d been told Madrid got hot, but it was anything but when I arrived in late January. The first few days were a little frantic, mostly involving rushing around doing household chores, but the beautiful streets of Madrid immediately blew me away. Spain is known as the latest culture in the world; still, seeing the city bustling with families until at least 1 AM was difficult to get used to coming from Australia. The language was the biggest obstacle. I thought my Spanish was okay, yet the speed at which locals spoke humbled me very quickly.
On my first weekend in Spain, I was off to Valencia on Friday with ten Americans I’d never met and my roommate, who I’d only met on the Monday prior. That was a lot of what my exchange experience involved: spontaneous trips to places all around Europe. It turned out I got on well with the group, and they became my friends for all my time in Madrid.
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid
I enrolled in four units in Spain, having done a QUT unit over the summer to avoid the maximum workload of five units while overseas. If possible, I’d recommend doing the same and choosing the easiest units you can in your exchange university. Adjusting to the Spanish university proved a little challenging. I made a last-minute switch in one of my classes because the maths was beyond that which I’d studied in my Economics degree at QUT, and the negative marking in one of my units gave me the lowest mark in my academic career for an early assessment piece. Still, I soon learned that my final enrolment was manageable with only a little study, especially since I only needed to pass.
Why I’d Recommend Madrid
Madrid is a European city with incredible football, superb nightlife, cheap rail connections to explore Spain itself, and relatively affordable flights to destinations further afield (RyanAir is excellent if you do it right), all topped off by its rich history and stunning architecture and beauty. Nearly every day, the sky is clear blue, and it remains far more affordable than many other European locations. The city is also a leading destination for American students; there probably wasn’t a day I didn’t hear one of their various accents. So, it’s a great place to foster connections with Europeans and the North American continent. Spanish is also arguably the best European language to learn, with the number of native speakers worldwide.
Overall Experience
From Madrid, I visited eight countries with various friends: Portugal, the Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Morocco, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. I also got to explore the beautiful country of Spain from top to bottom; living in the capital, positioned right in the centre, was perfect for this. QUT and studying in Australia are great for numerous reasons, but the kind of experience and travelling opportunities I got while on exchange is just something Australia can’t give you. I would also say that going on an exchange boosts your personal confidence significantly, and many sources even suggest that it improves employability. The main obstacle remains cost, but beyond that, I would say it is an opportunity everyone should try to make use of.
Find out more on how you can apply: Student Exchange
