Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM)
Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM)
Founded in 1968 by the Spanish government, the Autonomous University of Madrid, or in Spanish Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM), is one of Spain’s most prestigious institutions. Its politically engaged student population continue many of its traditions from its early political years, which include festivals held during the spring months to raise money for local causes.
Academic Highlights
UAM has eight faculties, six university hospitals and 10 research institutes. The University’s schools include Arts and Philosophy, Teacher Training and Education, Economics and Business Studies, Sciences, Law, Psychology and Medicine, and the Polytechnic.
Location
The main campus of UAM is situated in the northern outskirts of Madrid in the rural area of Cantoblanco. Spread over more than two square kilometres with almost one-third comprising garden, it was designed as a self-sufficient university town. It has good transport links from Madrid.
Did you know?
The main campus was purposefully built outside Madrid as to tactic keep the dissenting student population away from the administrative centre of the Francoist dictatorship.
Language of Instruction | English (limited in some areas), Spanish | |||||
Program Duration | 1 semester, 2 semesters | |||||
Academic Level | Undergraduate, Postgraduate | |||||
Minimum Result Required | 60% WAM | |||||
| Previous Round Cut-off (WAM (%) or GPA) | 61% WAM | |||||
| Additional Requirements | Must be able to study in Spanish (B2 or intermediate proficiency or higher) | |||||
Anticipated Places in Semester 2, 2027 | 5-6 places | |||||
Green | ||||||
Eligible Monash Campus | Monash Australia | |||||
Agreement Scope | All Faculties | |||||
Handbook/Catalogue
To read the page in English, at the top right of the screen is a drop down option to change the screen from English to Español and back.
Click on the name of the faculty in which your discipline is found, e.g. Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. Scroll down to Degrees and Double Degrees. Choose the discipline area that interests you, such as Degree in Art History. This will take you to the degree page. Scroll down and click on Academic offer. Download the PDF at the top of the section. This will list the course outline. You can click on the code of a unit in which you are interested and the syllabus will open. It includes the credit value, language of instruction and other useful information about the unit.
For master's studies, on the relevant faculty page found above, scroll down to the Official Master’s Degree link and, once opened, use the instructions above for this link.
Study programs taught in English
On this page, Before Arriving, scroll down and expand the section Contrato de estudios/Learning Agreement. In that section scroll down to Registration Restrictions. You will find useful information about enrolment limitations and the offerings available in English.
Note
Exchange students studying at UAM are not permitted to take first-year undergraduate units.
At least half of your units must be studied in one faculty.
Full-time Credit Load Equivalents
Semester | |
|---|---|
Min. 18 Monash points | Max. 24 Monash points |
22.5 ECTS* | 30 ECTS |
Year | |
|---|---|
Min. 36 Monash points | Max. 48 Monash points |
45 ECTS | 60 ECTS |
ECTS - European Credit Transfer System
*If your study load cannot exactly equate to 22.5 ECTS, then you will need to complete a study load as close to 22.5 ECTS without going under in order to receive 18 Monash credit points.
Academic Calendar
UAM Autumn Semester (Monash Semester 2): early September - late January
UAM Spring semester: (Monash Semester 1): late January - late May
UAM's Academic Calendars
Accounting | Ancient cultures | Anthropology | Banking and finance |
Biological sciences | Biomedical sciences | Business law and taxation | Chemistry |
Econometrics and business statistics | Economics | Education - early childhood | Education - primary schooling |
History | Human geography | Information technology | Law |
Linguistics | Literary studies | Management | Marketing |
Mathematical sciences | MBA program | Music performance and composition | Philosophy |
Physics and astronomy | Politics and international relations | Psychological sciences | Science |
Spanish and Latin American languages & culture studies | Social work | Sociology | Translation studies |
Note
- The listed disciplines are not necessarily exhaustive and other fields of study might also be available at the institution.
- Approval to study particular subjects at any institution is always at the discretion of the departmental/discipline and faculty advisers in your managing faculty(ies) and subject to available places at the host.
Accommodation
UAM offers on-campus and off-campus accommodation. There is the Residence Erasmo Hall on-campus, which is open to all international students at the Cantoblanco Campus of UAM. Close to campus is accommodation at the Colegio Mayor Juan Luis Vives.
For those students who wish to live in the city centre, sharing an apartment or on their own, the University has signed a collaboration agreement with the company Aluni.NET.
Visas
Students studying four to up to six months must apply for a long-term visa at the local Spanish consulate. Students studying for more than six months will also have to apply for a foreign student residency card (the Spanish acronym is TIE) within a month of arriving in Spain at the local immigration office. There is a Consulate of Spain in Melbourne.
UAM offers further guidance on obtaining a visas and vistor permits.
Health and insurance
Students must take out medical insurance at to cover the entire period to be spent at UAM. This means purchasing adequate private health insurance with a Spanish provider. This is required to apply for the visa. UAM provides additional guidance on medical insurance.
When travelling on a Monash Abroad approved program, you are automatically covered under the Monash University Student Travel Insurance policy. This will provide cover to and from your exchange.
Orientation and extra-curricular
UAM organises a mandatory welcome meeting the week before classes commence.
UAM also offers a buddy program which pairs an exchange student with a local student (registration required).
UAM also has a Spanish for exchange students language course at a subsidised rate. Places are limited, and registration is required.
Cost of living
Madrid on the Expatistan site (this is a website external to the University and intended to be indicative only)
Funding
For information about funding available to support study on exchange overseas, see the Financial Information page on the Monash Abroad website.
Students studying Spanish language units may be eligible for the Walter Mangold Study Abroad Scholarship.
Important notes
The majority of units open to exchange students at UAM are taught in Spanish. All students who apply to UAM must demonstrate proficiency of Spanish at B2 or intermediate level or higher as part of your Monash Abroad application and be prepared to study all of their units in Spanish. Master's students and students studying units in the Faculty of Law at UAM must have an official certification of their language ability.
If you elect to study Español como lengua extranjera (Spanish as a foreign language) units, these are not covered as part of the exchange agreement and you will need to pay tuition fees upfront. For this reason they are considered to be study abroad and do not count towards your minimum full-time exchange semester load at UAM. Places are limited.
To begin your application and study plan, click the button below.
Have you been to the Autonomous University of Madrid and want to share your experience? If you'd be willing to write a testimonial, email us at monashabroad.enquiries@monash.edu.