Spain: IE University | UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

IE University is a private university owned by the Instituto de Empresa S.L. Designed by the top-ranked IE Business School, the Bachelor in Business Administration program is offered on the Madrid and Segovia campuses. The Segovia campus offers more core Business course options, while the Madrid campus offers more upper-level Business elective courses. Both campuses offer a vibrant student life, with clubs and sports facilities open to visiting business exchange students.

IE University’s Campus Life organizes extracurricular activities and helps you integrate into the community. You are encouraged to get involved on campus and to participate in the many IEU clubs and sports programs.

Madrid: As the political and economic capital of Spain, Madrid gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in Spanish culture and learn about this important and dynamic country. Madrid is an ideal city for improving your Spanish language skills. As an historic and cultural center, Madrid offers many world-class museums as well as the grand Palacio Real and many beautiful churches. With its many green spaces and the Parque Retiro, Madrid is a great city for outdoor enthusiasts. Modern-day Madrid has much to offer in the way of sports, shopping, nightlife, and delicious cuisine.

Segovia: Famous for its well-preserved Roman aqueduct, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Segovia is a picturesque, old and relatively small city located in the beautiful countryside of the Castile-Leon region of Spain. In Segovia you will have ample opportunity to enhance your Spanish language skills, learn about the city’s rich history and immerse yourself in the culture of the region. Segovia is a quick 30-minute high-speed train ride to busy Madrid, where you can easily travel to the rest of Spain and Western Europe.

Quick Facts & Links

GPA Requirement: 3.00
Program Options: Exchange, Direct Enroll
- You will participate on this program as either an exchange or direct enroll student. The limited number of available exchange spaces are reserved for in-state students. If you are a selected out-of-state student or a selected in-state student who did not receive an exchange place, you will be nominated as a direct enroll student. The primary difference between these two enrollment types is the cost. Please see the budget information on this page for further details.
Language of Instruction: English, Spanish
Program Dates:
- Fall: September 2nd to December 18th, 2024 (Mandatory orientation and exams dates included)
- Spring: January 7th to May 30th, 2025 (Mandatory orientation and exam dates included)
Visit the Exchange Students at IEU website for more information
Meet program alumni
Accessibility Resources

Application Information

	This Program’s Level of Competitiveness = 1 (Direct Enroll), 3 (Exchange) Level of Competitiveness (1 = least, 3 = most)
1	*Chance of acceptance is probable if students meet the minimum requirements.*
2	Most students are typically accepted.
3	This is one of the most competitive programs. We recommend having a back-up option in mind.

Apply for a Kenan-Flagler Global Program and Global Programs scholarship through the same application system using your Kenan-Flagler credentials. Click the Apply Now button below to learn more about application deadlines, requirements, and to start your application!

Apply Now

Program Logistics

Academics

Please visit Global Academic Procedures for detailed credit and other academic information.

60% of your coursework taken at IE must be in their business curriculum. You will take business core and elective courses at IE University that will transfer for the undergraduate business major or minor. You are required by our office to take at least one course taught in Spanish during your time at IE. You can either take a Spanish language course or another course (business or otherwise) taught in Spanish.

Courses taken at IE University will transfer back to UNC Pass (IE grade of 5 and above)/Fail (IE grade below 5). Pass grades do not affect your UNC GPA. Fail grades transfer back to UNC as Fs, which will affect your UNC GPA. Please note that IE University has a strict attendance policy – students are expected to attend 100% of their classes in person on campus. Though transfer credit for this program is Pass/Fail, future employers and graduate schools will also look at the IE transcript, so grades are important.

For students studying abroad in Spring of 2024, you will transfer back .6 UNC credits for every 1 ECTS credit.

For students looking to study at IE in the Fall of 2024 and beyond, view the ‘Credit Hour Conversions’ accordion on the ‘Academics Procedures‘ page for more information on credit hour conversion from IE to UNC as the above guidance is for the Academic Year 2023-2024, and the credit hour conversion is slightly shifting starting Fall 2024.

This program also fulfills the Experiential Education requirement or the High Impact Experience requirement (if you are under the new IDEAs curriculum). Full-time enrollment in this program is defined as a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Language Prerequisite: no prior Spanish language experience required; we require students to take at least 1 course in Spanish (language and/or Business courses) during their semester abroad

Language of Instruction: English/Spanish*

*Students can choose to take a Spanish language course or a BUSI course taught in Spanish. The program offers courses in both English and Spanish; you may enroll in a course taught in Spanish if you fulfill the minimum language prerequisite for that specific course. If you plan to take a course learning the Spanish language, you will need to take a placement test ahead of your semester at IE to determine the course level to be placed in. IE will send accepted students details on this placement test.

Housing

Living in Madrid or Segovia: You are advised to start your accommodation search as soon as you know which campus you are nominated to. While IE University does not have dormitories for local or international students, there is a housing service at the university that provides guidance on available options. On this program, you may choose to live with a host family, share an apartment with other students, or reserve a room at a student residence in Madrid. Learn more about housing on IE University’s accommodation page.

Program Cost

We suggest you create your global program budget using our budget worksheet (xlsx) to help you think about your costs on this program:

Populate the figures from the tables below into the left side costs of attendance
Input your financial resources on the right

Your customized budget sheet can help determine your current financial status, and help you understand what additional funding you may need to help make this an affordable program option.

Cashier Billed Expenses*
Expense	Estimated Amount
UNC Tuition and Fees (IN-STATE ONLY)	Use the amount on the Tuition and Fees line and divide by 2 to get your cost
IE University Tuition (DIRECT ENROLL ONLY)	$14,045 (direct enroll ONLY)**
Fee UG Business Major/Minor***	Based on major/minor enrollment
Global Programs Administrative Fee	$700
GeoBlue International Medical Insurance	$200

*Cashier Billed Expenses are those charges billed directly to your UNC ConnectCarolina account.

**The direct enroll tuition at IE Madrid is €12,500. The amount above is in US dollars, and reflects the exchange rate as of July 2023

***The Undergraduate Major/Minor Fee is only applicable for those studying abroad as an exchange student. If a student studies abroad as a direct enroll student, they will not be charged this fee.

Out of Pocket Estimates**
Expense	Estimated Amount
International Airfare	$1,650
Housing	$3,960
Meals	$2,200
Immigration Visa/Residence Permit	$160
Passport Application Fee	$165
Course Materials	$200
International Cell Phone Plan	$350
Personal Expenses
Travel Insurance	$400
Local Transportation	$250
Miscellaneous	$2,000


Other Personal Expenses***

Total Estimated Expenses (In-State):	$17,738
Total Estimated Expenses (Direct Enroll):	$26,280

Withdrawal Policy: Once a student accepts their offer/enrolls on a study abroad program, the spot will be considered filled and will not be offered to another student. Students who withdraw from UBP Global are responsible for non-recoverable costs including the Global Programs Administrative Fee. Your student account will be assessed charges to cover any/all amounts that Kenan-Flagler UBP Global programs has committed or paid on your behalf and are non-recoverable at the time of withdrawal. Such costs include, housing, meals, transportation and any expenses that may be associated with faculty and support participation on your program (if applicable).

**Out of Pocket Estimates are based on the cost of the program, which is determined by combining the average costs our previous students have spent in each of these categories, along with the costs our partner provides to us as their averages. These estimates are subject to change based on exchange rate fluctuations, bank fees, and individual variances in costs of living.

***Other Expenses: our budget worksheet (xlsx) also has a place for you to input other expenses outside of the out-of-pocket estimates that you may incur, such as attending concerts or sporting events.

Funding your global program

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Travel Documents

Do you have a valid passport? If yes, check your passport’s expiration date to ensure that your passport is valid at least 6 months after your program’s scheduled end date. If not, you’ll need to submit a passport renewal application.

Do you need to apply for a passport (first time or renew)? If yes, we recommend that you get started on your passport application right away as you’ll need time to collect documents like your birth certificate to include as part of your application. For complete instructions click here.

Will I need immigration documents? If you are accepted into this program you will need to travel to a Spanish consulate/embassy in the United States to obtain a visa permitting you to study in Spain. For this appointment, you will need your passport in hand along with other documentation from our office and the host university office. Please set up an appointment with your Global Programs Advisor to discuss.

Meet with an Advisor

UBP students can schedule a meeting to learn more about this and other programs by clicking on the “Schedule Appointment” link below.

Schedule Appointment

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