Office of International Programs

Hendrix-in-Madrid (Spain)

An immersive and intensive month studying Spanish literature in Spain's capital city.

Hendrix-in-Madrid is a Hendrix-Murphy Foundation program coordinated by Spanish professors Jose Vilahomat and Irmina Fabricio. The program is intended for students interested in Spanish, although not necessarily majors or minors, and consists 4 weeks in Madrid, where students take Spanish literature courses. At the end of the program students passing all classes receive two Hendrix elective credits. 

The application process consists of two phases: (a) application to Hendrix College, and (b) application to the program site in Madrid. Consequently you will need to sign and date a number of forms and waivers in both applications. The application process will start in early October and run until early November.  The selection process will identify a cohort of approximately 12 students according to GPA, references, and conduct. These students will receive a scholarship from the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation that will cover room, board, and tuition.

The Universidad Complutense de Madrid

La Universidad Complutense was founded in 1499, although its first origin can be traced back to the Middle Ages when King Sancho IV of Castile created the Studium Generale. It was first located in the Roman city of Complutum, today Alcala de Henares, the birth place of the author of Don Quixote de la Mancha, Miguel de Cervantes y Saavedra. It next moved to Madrid in 1836. It is the oldest and most prestigious university in the Spanish-speaking world; it has about 100,000 students and grants approximately seventy-eight different diplomas.

The university is now situated in the cosmopolitan city of Madrid, the capital of Spain with a population of four million. It offers an ideal atmosphere of historic, artistic and intellectual tradition from the time of Roman Empire till today.

Courses

All courses are taught by prestigious faculty members from universities in Madrid. Students will have the Hendrix coordinators of the program as full-time academic advisors. There will be Complutense registrar staff on hand, as well as a program assistant to help students with transcript requests and issues that arise in daily living.

Hendrix-in-Madrid is a total immersion program in July, where students take eight literary topics and visit places of historical and cultural interest in Spain. This Hendrix-Murphy Foundation program includes excursions to Madrid’s museums, as well as weekend trips to Toledo, Segovia, Granada, and Asturias. In preparation for the program, students attend meetings at Hendrix Campus and do presentations based on content and language.

Program Overview

  • Bus transfer to and from the airport to the university campus.
  • Room and three meals daily in a Colegio Mayor of the UCM.
  • Full-time administrative staff in the residence.
  • Full-time administrative staff at the university.
  • Full-time academic advisor from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
  • Full-time American advisor.
  • Orientation at the beginning of the program.
  • Two Hendrix elective credits.
  • Official transcript from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
  • All courses are taught by faculty members from the Universidad Complutense.
  • Movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; videos on Fridays.
  • Cultural visits (Madrid de los Borbones, Madrid de los Austrias, Prado Museum, Reina Sofia Museum).
  • Lectures, movies, and videos of historical interest every day in the afternoon.
  • Saturdays excursions to Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial and La Ruta del Quixote (approximately $25 each and paid by the students).

Language Skills

Participants should have completed SPAN 210/220, or have tested out of the 200-level in the placement exam. This summer program is open for all interested students, regardless of major.

Grades/Credits

Grades will not appear on the Hendrix transcript and do NOT figure into the cumulative GPA. Students must earn the equivalent of a "C" or better in all courses, to earn two elective credits good for the Spanish major, minor, or to fulfil graduation requirements. Students may also earn an Odyssey Global Awareness credit (upon completion of the normal Odyssey requirements). 

Lodging/Meals

Full room and board (all meals included) offered in Colegio Mayor Fundacion SEPI

Estimated Costs

This estimate includes international airfare, as well as some of the excursions, meals, night outings, ground transportation, etc. It may also be helpful to speak with past program participants in gauging costs.

  • Participation fee: $550
  • Round-trip airfare: approximately $1,800
  • Pocket money: $400-$600
  • Travel to/from the U.S. airport
  • Passport costs

The Hendrix-Murphy Foundation has a small discretionary fund to help students with financial need meet the expected costs of Summer Language Programs. As a rule of thumb, if you are Pell-grant eligible you may qualify for assistance. To request assistance, please contact Sarah Engeler-Young at the Hendrix-Murphy Foundation after you are selected for the program. 

How to Apply

  1. Students interested in the Hendrix-in-Madrid program should apply in CampusWeb by the internal deadline for all summer 2025 programs: Monday, November 4, 2024.

  2. Once approved by the Hendrix International/Intercultural Studies Committee, students will be contacted Professor Vilahomat or Professor Fabricio with instructions for applying to Hendrix-in-Madrid. Each student will be asked to present a letter of intention, three reference forms filled out by three professors, and grades of Spanish classes taken at the college level.

  3. Once the student is selected to participate in Hendrix-in-Madrid, they should apply to the program site in Madrid (instructions will be provided by Professor Vilahomat or Professor Fabricio).