Spain: University of Oviedo (LCDLL)

‌Oviedo is a small city that is very homey and you can get everywhere by foot or by bus, yet there is so much to do and see it feels like a bigger city. The University's La Casa de las Lenguas (LCDLL) is quite small and has around 100-200 students per semester. Classes students take at LCDLL transfer back very well with UNI’s courses. Students live with a host family, which is a great way to get to the know the local Asturian culture.

Dates & Deadlines

Term: Spring 2024
App Deadline: Sunday, October 1, 2023
Program Dates: Sunday, January 7 to Friday, May 17, 2024

Term: Summer 2024
App Deadline: Friday, March 1, 2024
Program Dates: May 20 to June 21, 2024 or July 1 to July 26, 2024

‌Apply Now

Learn More about Oviedo

Location

The Asturias region capital, Oviedo, has been placed in the category of "Cleanest Cities of Europe" by the European Union. The city, with the population of approximately 250,000, is located less than a 30-minute bus ride to the northern coast of Spain. Asturias is renowned for it breath-taking physical beauty (rugged sea coast and the Picos de Europa -- the second highest mountain range in Europe after the Alps), its historical significance (the Christian re-conquest of Spain from the Moors started here), and its rich cultural heritage.

Oviedo is on the main north-south train and bus lines in Spain, and is located about 30 minutes from the international airport of Asturias, that is served by Spain's major airlines. There are several flights daily to and from Madrid and other Spanish cities.

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Academics

The University of Oviedo was founded in 1608. Currently, more than 28,000 students attend the university. La Casa de las Lenguas, the university's language center, is quite small and probably has about 100-200 students per semester. The prestige of the university is well-known, due to its teaching and research in different fields: humanities, social and legal sciences, experimental sciences, medicine, technology and business. The University of Oviedo has long-standing and strong academic ties with UNI and other U.S. universities.

This language program has been housed at the University of Oviedo since 1998. You can earn 12-18 credits toward a Spanish major or minor. You’ll be immersed in Spanish language and culture and will increase your proficiency and cultural competency like never before!

While in Spain students typically enroll in courses designed to meet the needs of UNI Spanish majors and minors. Following a placement exam at University of Oviedo on the first day of the program, all participants are assigned to one of two levels for the duration of the semester: Intermedio or Avanzado. Students have access to courses in Spanish language, literature, culture, history, translation, phonetics, and Non-Western culture and Visual Perceptions. All courses focus on increasing proficiency in Spanish language and awareness of Spanish culture.

UNI students need to seek academic approval from the Department of Languages & Literature prior to departure to ensure that all credits will transfer back to UNI. Work with the Study Abroad Center to get the direct contact.

Credits and Grades: Oviedo is a great place to study abroad and receive a sufficient amount of credits. 1 Oviedo credit = .5 US credit so 24 Oviedo credits = 12 US credits. Grades are also calculated differently. Be sure to discuss the grading scale with your study abroad advisor to make sure you understand how grades will be calculated. This is also included in your arrival guide.

Fall semester is typically October to December (3 months) and students complete 4-5 courses on average and spring semester is usually January to May (4.5 months) with 5-6 courses completed during the semester.

Participant Info

Important information to review:

Review the roles of the Advisee and the Advisor under the main menu Get Started

Entry and Exit Requirements

Review and follow the travel recommendations of the U.S. State Department for travel to Spain.

Immigration Information

Students studying abroad for more than 90 days will need to apply for a student visa at the nearest consulate (located in Chicago). This typically impacts Spring semester students and usually Fall and Summer applicants do not need a visa. Apply for or renew your US passport as soon as possible so that when the time comes, you can apply for your visa. The Study Abroad Center will work with you after you are accepted to apply for the visa. Information on the visa process for Spain can be found in the Spain Visa Guide PDF.

Housing & Meals

Housing will be with local host families in Oviedo, coordinated by the University of Oviedo. Students will list preferences of allergies, children and pets, food likes/dislikes in the housing application. In most cases there will one student per family, but there may be exceptions. Usually there is wi-fi connection, single rooms, and laundry once per week in an apartment style residence.

Note: The University of Oviedo to not assign families until a few weeks before students depart to Oviedo. UNI will pass along basic information about the host families to the UNI students (names, addresses, or phone numbers). We have been assured by the officials at University of Oviedo that their relationship with the host families is a long-standing and successful policy. We ask that students and parents/guardians acknowledge and accept this policy and understand the UNI position in relation to it. We urge students to communicate with parents upon arrival in Oviedo and to relay information on their Spanish families' addresses and phone numbers as soon as they know them.

During any vacation periods or other times that students leave town, they may leave their possessions with their host family. Under no circumstances will students receive a refund for days that they do not stay with the family nor eat meals. These are room and board "packages," prearranged by University of Oviedo and cannot be altered. After finishing the course, students will have the opportunity to complete a survey in which they can assess their treatment in the family.

Summer School

The summer courses at the University of Oviedo have a team of motivated and experienced teachers. Courses consist of 20 hours of class per week and are complemented by an extensive program of cultural activities and excursions to places of historical interest in Asturias, León and Cantabria. Summer classes are held in two language levels: Intermediate (A2-B1.2) and Advanced (B2-C1). The first day of the course students will take a test for distribution to the proper level according to the level of language proficiency.

There is an intensive program in May-June and July, along with programs with professional Spanish (business, health, academic). See the links below for additional program information:

Oviedo Cost Estimate May-June 2023 (PDF)

Program Costs

Estimated Program Cost: $10,307*

*estimated total cost of participation, actual amount depends on type of housing accommodation selected, actual airfare purchase price, personal spending habits, and other factors

Estimated Total Program Cost	$10,307
Estimated U-bill Charges	$7,323
Estimated Out-of-Pocket Costs	$2,985

Oviedo Cost Estimate Spring 2024 (PDF)

Cost of Studying On Campus at UNI*

*per semester, estimated, will vary per person

Tuition & Fees	$4,864
Room & Board	$4,824
Books	$400
Personal Expenses	$887
Transportation	$350
Total	$11,325

Source: https://admissions.uni.edu/cost-aid

‌Eligibility Requirements to Study Abroad

The Study Abroad Center reserves the right to determine participants' eligibility to Study Abroad. Students must have a completed study abroad application, including supportive recommendation form(s). Additionally, students must meet all of the following in order to be eligible to Study Abroad:

Have a cumulative 2.5 GPA or higher at the time of application and maintain this cumulative GPA prior to departure and throughout the study abroad process
If your cumulative GPA is lower than 2.5, submit the following to the Study Abroad Center (103 East Bartlett):
- Letters of reference from two academic contacts (e.g. academic advisor and former or current professor) supporting your pursuit of study abroad. If you are attending a faculty-led study abroad program, one of the letters must be from a course leader. However, if the program has two course leaders, only one of the letters can be from one of the course leaders.

Must be over the age of 18 years old
Must meet the course prerequisites (participation in the program is dependent upon meeting these)
Must be in good standing with the University
UNI's partner institutions may require additional eligibility requirements to be met, these vary from institution to institution. Please consult with the Study Abroad Center staff to discuss these additional requirements, if applicable.
Applicants traveling to a region of a country or a country with an overall Travel Advisory Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel) will not be eligible.