FAQs for Advisors
We already have study-abroad programs in Spain. How is USpain different?
USpain offers all the advantages of major study-abroad programs:
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Like a faculty-led program, we are academics who hold PhDs in Spanish and have experience in Spanish and American systems of higher education.
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Like a university-sponsored program, we offer college-level advising, coursework, instruction and tutoring on a Spanish university campus.
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Like a private provider, we relieve the student's home campus of administrative, housing and/or programming tasks and responsibilities.
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At the same time, USpain is unique in that:
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We collaborate with home campus departments in terms of learning objectives, course equivalencies and credit transfers.
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We partner with home campus study-abroad offices to facilitate all administrative issues related to student enrollment, travel and well-being while abroad.
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We mentor students as their term advisers, course instructors, academic tutors and on-site program coordinators.
Is USpain an ideal option for my institution?
USpain is ideal for study-abroad offices that seek to:
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Expand their study-abroad offerings in Spain;
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Provide a lower-cost alternative to their existing programs;
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Offer students a small-scale, more personalized program.
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USpain is ideal for faculty that want a study-abroad program with:
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Academics who understand the needs of an American college language department;
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Courses that are equivalent and complementary to their own advanced or Honors curriculum;
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Options to tailor the program to their own departmental and/or curricular needs.
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USpain is ideal for students who are looking for:
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An affordable alternative to existing study-abroad programs in Spain;
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Academic coursework and programming led by award-winning teachers and experts;
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The opportunity to begin or pursue an individual learning project while abroad.
Are USpain's courses equivalent to US courses in depth and rigor?
All of USpain's courses are taught on the campus of and in partnership with the University of Valencia, an internationally-renown institution of higher education that maintains consortium agreements and credit-transfer arrangements with hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.
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All USpain courses are taught by University of Valencia faculty and/or USpain's academic director, Dr. Pablo Ancos, a graduate of the University of Valencia and former Associate Professor with tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In addition to an established research record in medieval Spanish literature, Dr. Ancos has also served as a thesis director, graduate student adviser, residence director and study-abroad adviser.
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Dr. Ancos is happy to consult with your institution to provide a complete list of courses and their syllabi available to USpain students; demonstrate the academic rigor, depth and breadth of our curriculum; to indicate which USpain courses are equivalent to those taught on your university's campus; and to determine the number of courses and credits which will be pre-approved for transfer once students return to campus.
How does USpain partner with US college language departments?
As a former faculty member and study-abroad adviser, Dr. Pablo Ancos is familiar with the particular needs of language departments: how programs are structured; how courses are designed; how credits are calculated; how instruction is assigned; and how enrollment numbers impact all of the above determinations.
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For these reasons, Dr. Ancos can communicate with campus faculty to determine how USpain's program will best serve their department. Faculty may determine the number of University of Valencia credits eligible for transfer; select which courses best correspond to their own offerings; suggest courses to broaden their own curriculum; and provide important input as regards candidates, advising, and back-to-campus plans.
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In all cases, faculty can be sure that all advising, instruction and tutoring provided by USpain will serve to enhance their own program, complement existing course offerings, maintain the same academic standards and requirements, and encourage students to continue their Spanish studies upon returning to campus.
What measures does USpain take to ensure student safety?
We are committed to our students before, during and after their participation in USpain and take specific measures to ensure their safety and well-being:
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We advise students regarding their pre-travel preparations, from enrolling in specific courses to obtaining a US Passport and/or Spanish student visa.
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We encourage frequent communication among USpain, home campus advisers and student families before, during and after the student's term in Spain.
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We consult with students and their families on the availability and affordability of travel insurance, study-abroad insurance and health insurance options while abroad.
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We consult with advisers, work with families assist students with specific individual accommodations.
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We visit all housing options with on-site property managers to ensure accessibility, cleanliness and safety before we offer specific sites to students.
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We suggest best travel-budget practices on everything from discounted city metro passes to affordable and reliable cell-phone plans.
We spend time with our students in class, during tutoring sessions and at local events and activities to foster a sense of faculty involvement and community support over the course of the term.
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We are available 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to student and/or family questions, concerns or suggestions regarding health, safety and well-being, and we are committed to open communication on our part with students and families.
Does USpain accept students who receive financial aid?
USpain accepts deferred payment for students who rely on financial aid to pay for their participation in our program. However, students are responsible for ensuring that their financial aid package permits them to apply disbursement towards their participation in USpain.
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If a student's financial aid package is permitted for use to pay for fees and expenses incurred in the USpain program, s/he can request a deferment on payment to USpain payment until his/her financial aid is disbursed.
In this case, we request a signed letter from the student's financial aid officer to guarantee disbursement and provide a disbursement date for payment.
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If a student's financial aid package is not permitted for use to pay for USpain fees and expenses, the student is still eligible to enroll in our program if s/he meets all other eligibility requirements; however, the student is responsible for all fees and expenses in full at the time of enrollment. In this case, we will request a notarized letter from an authorized co-signer to guarantee payment of the student's fees and expenses incurred during the USpain program.
Does USpain partner or affiliate with US colleges and universities?
We always seek to strengthen our relationship with students' home institutions. Affiliations facilitate students' travel abroad, expand US institutional collaborations with international universities and improve foreign curricula for US students with home campus faculty input and consultation.
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As a small-scale program, USpain is able to work with each institution on an individual basis to formulate an affiliation agreement that is most beneficial for study-abroad offices, department faculty and students.
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If you are interested in an affiliation with USpain, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@uspain.online or by completing the contact form below.
Who is the main institutional contact for USpain?
Both Dr. Pablo Ancos and Dr. Kristin Neumayer are available to answer your questions, receive your suggestions and communicate with you about any aspect of the USpain program. To get in touch, feel free to send an e-mail to info@uspain.online or fill out the contact form below: