Madrid Questions

• How much does the program cost?
• What credits can I receive?
• Are textbooks included in the program?
• What about housing and meals in Madrid?
• What are the rooming conditions?
• What kind of activities are there?
• Will I be able to travel the country?
• Can I get mail/phone calls?
• How do I do my laundry?
• Is there a swimming pool at the dorm?
• Will I be able to check my email?

Costa Rica Questions

• How much does the program cost?
• What credits can I receive?
• Are textbooks included in the program?
• What about housing and meals in San Jose?
• What kind of activities are there?
• Will I be able to travel the country?
• Can I get mail/phone calls?
• What do I expect when I arrive in San Jose?

General Questions

• When is the payment deadline?
• Are late applications accepted?
• What is the refund policy?
• Is transportation included?
• Do I need a passport?
• Do I need a visa?
• Do I need to get immunization shots before I leave?
• What should I take?
• Are credit cards accepted?
• How much money should I bring with me?
• Do I need insurance?

Madrid Questions:

• How much does the program cost?
  4 Week Program $2985 undergraduate, $3395 graduate
  3 Week Program $2485 undergraduate, $2710 graduate
  2 Week Program $1985 undergraduate, $2385 graduate

• What credits can I receive?
  Students can receive up to nine graduate or undergraduate credits during the summer program. The number of credits will depend on the number of weeks and hours the student participates.
• Are textbooks included in the program?
  Students will purchase all the textbooks the first day of classes in the University bookstore. Be sure to have extra money to purchase the books. The money you should set aside would be approximately $25-$30.
• What about housing and meals in Madrid?
  Students will be housed in the residences of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, called Colegios Mayores and located on the campus of the university near the subway and bus stops. It contains classrooms, study halls and library with air conditioning, television rooms, kitchen, laundry and sport facilities and a swimming pool. The rooms have a single bed, a desk and a closet, shower, toilet and a lavatory.
  All meals will be served at the dining room of the residence. Three meals a day are included; except dinner on Sundays and holidays, be aware that breakfast is continental, not American. Breakfast is served from 7:30 to 9:00AM. Lunch from 2:00 to 3:00PM and dinner from 9:30 to 10:00PM.
• What are the rooming conditions?
  All students will be placed in private rooms. Adults should be aware that they will not have any preference in the housing arrangements. Non-participants are forbidden to sleep anywhere in the dorm. Overnight visitors are not allowed.
• Each student will be given a key for the room. Keys should be left at the desk in the main lobby, whenever anyone leaves his/her room. This is very important; if the key is at the desk, you are out of residence and if somebody calls asking for you, we can tell them that you are out. If the key is not at the desk, it means you are in the residence and the administration can locate you in the residence. There is no curfew. Someone will be at the reception desk to let you in, whenever you return. Just keep in mind that people may be sleeping when you come in, so please be quiet and respectful of others.
• Towels and linens are provided by the university. You are responsible for the towels in your room. If you misplace or lose them you will pay for them. On the day of departure, be sure the towels are in the room. Bring your own towels for the swimming pool. Your towels and linen will be changed once a week (dates will be announced).
• What kind of activities are there?
  In the afternoon and weekends a number of FREE cultural activities such as lectures, movies, videos, visits to places of historical interest such as the Madrid of Austrias, Madrid of Borbones, Prado Museum, Reina Sofia museum will take place;to get to the museums, students need the UCM student I.D. and in some instances pay a minimum entrance student fee. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays videos are available.
• Will I be able to travel the country?
  While the program is in session, the university will organize optional trips to Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Ruta del Quijote, (around 20 euro dollars each) and, if enough students are interested, to Pamplona, Barcelona, and a three day tour to Cordoba, Sevilla and Granada (price to be established ). ALL EXCURSIONS ARE EXTRA AND NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE.
• Can I get mail/phone calls?
  Students can receive mail from their parents, relatives and friends, but they should know that it will take a week to ten days to reach them. This is very important thing to remember during the final two weeks. Students should call home as soon as they arrive in Spain to inform them that everything is OK, otherwise your relatives will worry about you. We advise not to call students, unless it is an emergency. Students are in Spain to learn the language and the less students use English the better. Besides, at the Colegio Mayor staff may not speak English, causing parents considerable frustration. If anything goes wrong, the Director of the Program will contact them.
• How do I do my laundry?
  There are washers and dryers in some Colegio Mayores , but they are expensive. Be ready to wait in line to wash your clothes. Other Colegio Mayores will do laundry for the students.
• Is there a swimming pool at the dorm?

The residences have a swimming pool for exclusive use of the students in the residence. Students are not allowed to bring any invited guests to swim. Bring your own towels for the swimming pool.
• Will I be able to check my email?
  All rooms have Internet connection. There is also a limited number of computers available to MLSA students in the residence and a larger number in the classroom building with free and limited Internet access. Many Internet cafes are also available near the university for Internet and email access for very reasonable prices. Students are encouraged to take their own laptop computers.

Costa Rica Questions:

• How much does the program cost?

The total price will be $1,685.
• What credits can I receive?

Students can receive up to 6 graduate or undergraduate credits during the summer program.
• Are textbooks included in the program?
  Students will purchase all the textbooks the first day of classes in the University bookstore or other bookstores indicated by the teachers. Be sure to have extra money to purchase the books. The money you should set aside would be approximately $25-$30.
• What about housing and meals in San Jose?
  Students will be housed in Costa Rican families in San Jose. Families provide two meals a day; breakfast and dinner. Laundry service. Students will be placed with families close to the university or near good transportation to the university. You can arrive at the family residence the morning of the scheduled date of arrival, and plan to leave before 7:00 PM on the scheduled date of departure. Don't plan to arrive to your family before the listed date. (NO EXCEPTIONS).
• What kind of activities are there?
  In the afternoon students are free but the program will organize some visits to museums and other activities for them.

• Will I be able to travel the country?
  While the program is in session, the university will organize optional trips to beaches and volcanoes, etc. Details, dates, schedules and prices will be sent to students before departure. Also, you will have two 3-day weekends to arrange your own travel. ALL EXCURSIONS ARE EXTRA AND NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE.
• Can I get mail/phone calls?
  Students can receive mail from their parents, relatives and friends, but they should know that it will take a week to ten days to reach them. This is very important thing to remember during the final two weeks. Students should call home as soon as they arrive in Costa Rica to inform that everything is OK, otherwise your relatives will worry about you.
• What to expect when I arrive in San Jose?
  When you land in San Jose's Juan Santamaria Airport, you will go through immigration to have your passport checked. Then you will proceed to baggage pickup and on through customs. When you exit the airport, busses will take the group to the University to meet your families if, you travel as part of a group from a specific university. If you arrive on your own, you can take one of the TAXIS UNIDOS (orange color and official taxis at the airport) directly to your family for about $20. Two weeks before departure you will have the name and address of your host family in Costa Rica. A representative with a MLSA sign should be outside the airport to assist you with taking a cab.
  • On Friday you will have a busy day. On Saturday , your family will take you to the university for academic orientation, lunch with the group, and a placement test, if your course requires one. The time frame will be roughly from 9:30 until 2:30. See Calendar.

  General Questions:

• When is the payment deadline?
  Application fee, when it is submitted ..........$100.00 (Non refundable, unless the applicant is not accepted. MLSA will confirm your acceptance.

Summer
A first payment on March 15th......................$500.00
Second payment on March 30th...................$500.00
Last payment due April 10th..........................Balance
Winter (Dec. 16, 2007-Jan. 11, 2008)
Two weeks after your acceptance..................$500.00
A first payment on October 30........................$500.00
Second payment November 1........................$500.00
Last payment November 15............................Balance

• If not paid in full by final deadline, a $100 late fee will be charged.
• Are late applications accepted?
  The deadline is April 10th (summer) and October 15 (winter), but we accept late applicants, provided we have space and we can make arrangements for them after the deadline. Applications received after the deadlines are accepted on a rolling basis until the program is filled. However, due to the extra administrative work ,a service charge of $100 per person will be assessed to students joining the program after the deadlines or participants who fall behind in their payment schedule. Students enrolling less than 75 days before departure must send full payment with application, plus the $100 late fee.
• What is the refund policy?
  Any cancellation from the program must be done in writing to MLSA, P.O. Box 548 FRANKFORT, IL 60423. Verbal cancellations will not be honored. The postmark of the US Postal Service will be the effective determining date for all cancellations. Students agree to accept the terms of the Refund Policy as outlined in the brochures and specified here. If participant withdraws more than 60 days before departure, he/she receives full refund, minus $400; if he/she withdraws 59 to 30 days before departure, he/she receives partial refund, but the amount withheld will be at least $900 and may be considerably more; 29 days or less prior to departure, participants will be refunded only 20% of total cost minus $100 nonrefundable Registration Fee. NO REFUNDS WILL BE MADE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OR ANY REASON for tuition, unused accommodations, meals, land transportation, hotels or other activities, once the trip has begun. No reduction or refunds will be made for services not used by the student and no substitutions will be allowed for services not used. Services cannot be transferred to another person. We recommend the purchase of Trip Cancellation Insurance.
• Is transportation included?
  Air transportation is provided, only to students traveling as a group to a specific university. A maximum of one large suitcase, or two medium size, and one small carryon bag are allowed per person. The carryon bag must fit and be placed under the seat in front of you. However, buses will be arranged to provide transportation to university/ families traveling as a group to a specific university at specific times throughout the day of arrival.A clearly identified MLSA representative will be at the airport to direct you. SEND US THE ITINERARY OF YOUR ARRIVAL including the name of the airline, flight number, the date and the time of arrival.
• Do I need a passport?
  Students are responsible for obtaining their own passports. To obtain a passport you can apply at the nearest central post office in your own town. We urge students to apply for the passport as soon as they are accepted in the program, to avoid delays. It may take 10-12 weeks or even more. We advise participants to make two extra passport photos and three copies of the inside first information page of the passport. With these extra documents, a quick replacement is easier to obtain if you should happen to lose your passport or it is stolen, preventing a delay in your trip and maybe serious problems.
• Do I need a visa?
  U.S. citizens don't need a visa to travel. Only students who are not American citizens will need it. Be sure to contact the closest Consulate to you of the countries you are planning to visit. Let us know if you are not a U.S. citizen.
• Do I need to get immunization shots before I leave?
  Europe and Central America do not require any inoculations. Please, check with your family doctor for additional confirmation or suggestions on your personal health needs.
• What should I take?
  It is difficult to provide a complete list of precisely what to pack. Make your list and eliminate all but the essentials. It is a good basic rule of thumb to pack as little as possible, the less you take, the less you have to keep track of! The less you have to carry, the happier you will be. Before departure, you will get a list of suggested items to pack. TOWELS AND LINENS ARE PROVIDED BY THE UNIVERSITY in Madrid (except for pool use). We recommend that you take two towels with you, one to be used in the pool in Madrid.
• Are credit cards accepted in Spain and/or Costa Rica?
  Well known credit cards are accepted. If you possibly can obtain a Visa or MasterCard, we recommend that you take one with you. They eliminate the need for handling large sums of cash. Don't take extra credit cards you don't need, like local charge cards or oil company cards. Many ATM machines are available in Madrid and San Jose, check with your bank to see about yours.
• How much money should I bring with me?
  We recommend a minimum of $100 or $150 per week for spending money. Basic costs are kept at a minimum and all meals are included; except dinners on Sundays and holidays so the only additional money would be for incidentals: refreshments, postage, shopping, public transportation, optional tours, laundry in Spain not Costa Rica, souvenirs, travel, etc.
• Do I need insurance?
  All participants in the program are required to have medical insurance. Additional insurance can be obtained to protect participants against cancellations and lost or damaged baggage. Cancellation insurance is a must to avoid disappointment of having to miss the program because of illness or other reasons. If you are forced to cancel your trip and have no cancellation insurance you can lose all your money. With our program you will have little flexibility, and if you miss your flight you will lose the flight and the money. We recommend you purchase inexpensive Trip Cancellation Insurance.