Universidad Pontificia Comillas
Madrid, SPAIN

University Info   |   School of Engineering Info

Fast Facts

• GRADUATION: tailored-made US pre-approved courses and a wide-range of courses in English which guarantee no delays
• CALENDAR: semesters and summer term totally US-compatible
• INTEGRATION: buddy system, language and culture courses
• RESEARCH: laboratory opportunities under tutored supervision
• HOUSING: assistance service and varied accommodation opportunities within walking distance
• EXPERIENCE: urban campus in the safe and vibrant city of Madrid, which offers countless leisure, sports and culture offerings, such as the “El Prado” National Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Queen Sofia Center for the Arts”

Introduction

The Universidad Pontificia Comillas was founded in 1890 and is directed by the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. It is one of the 90 Universities which the Jesuits possess around the world, along with another 500 secondary education institutions. Located in Madrid, it offers students an excellent opportunity for personal, professional and social development.

The University has a style of its own, backed by a rich humanistic and educational tradition, and is characterized by the search for excellence in both pedagogical methods and the final results obtained. Students at COMILLAS study and learn in an environment of mutual respect, with high and demanding standards, close inter-personal relations, a deep understanding of the study materials and a desire for personal improvement, which enables them to become active members of our society.

Besides the courses available in pursuit of a degree, a wide range of opportunities to develop a spirit of constructive criticism is offered: through debates, cultural groups, meetings with students with a variety of professional interests and through a productive, enriching international environment at both a human and cultural level.

At COMILLAS, university work is understood not only as a transmission of knowledge, but also as a search for a way to understand existence itself and the manner in which professional skills can help and serve society. We aim to help students develop their potential as persons, in the hope that each individual will form his or her own independent critical approach to issues and develop a sense of solidarity with society and other people.

Terms of Exchange

Study Level

• Undergraduate students: Accepted
• Graduate students: Accepted
• Research students: Accepted
• Computer Science students: Accepted

Eligibility Requirements

• No GPA restrictions apply. We rely on partner discretion and/or criteria.
• Students must be at least Sophomores during their exchange at COMILLAS. 
• AP-Freshmen requiring Sophomore courses could be considered.

Language of Instruction 

Students should have basic "survival" knowledge of Spanish, unless they do decide to take some courses in Spanish, which would require sufficient knowledge, besides all those we offer in English as well.

Study Period  

• Semester: either Fall, Spring or extended Spring (includes Summer term)
• Full Academic Year (Fall + Spring)

Academic Calendar   |   Semester Dates (including exam period)

First semester (Fall Term)

Academic Information

Disciplines Available

• Industrial Engineering Program (4-year B.Sc. & 2-year M.Sc.)
  • B.Sc. in Industrial Technologies Engineering
    • Mechanical Engineering major
    • Electrical Engineering major
    • Industrial Electronics Engineering major
    • Management Engineering major (Dual version with BBA)
  • M.Sc. Industrial Engineering
    • Dual version with MBA
    • Dual version with MEPI (Electric Power Industry)
    • Dual version with MIC (Smart Industry)
• Telecommunications Engineering Program (4-year B.Sc. & 2-year M.Sc.)
  • B.Sc. Telecommunication Technologies Engineering
    • Dual version with BBA
    • Dual version with Business Analytics
  • M.Sc. Telecommunications Engineering

Fall, Spring and Summer COMILLAS all-English SAPIENS Programs

All-English SAPIENS program is offered to all of our Global E3 partners.

The “Fundamental Engineering Courses” are those that the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Boston University, University of Maryland, University of Florida, and UMICH (summer-only) have asked us to host, based on their very own syllabi, and being these subjects common to most of their Engineering majors in their Sophomore Spring semester (several juniors too). The “Technological Courses” are the ones we ourselves offer as technical electives in English to our very own seniors and the rest of our inbound exchange students. The “Culture and Language” courses are a perfect complement to any combination of the previous courses, and other foreign languages (i.e. German, French, etc.) are fully available to any student participating in our SAPIENS program.

If you need more information (i.e. subjects’ syllabi, etc.), you can contact Alberto Zanmatti at international.icai@comillas.edu. All of these subjects/courses have their brief descriptors (just click on the little [+] at the bottom of each chart).

Students do not need to limit their choices to our SAPIENS, since they are welcome to sign up for our standard engineering subjects taught in English and Spanish (several of which are taught in English as well) if they deem their command of Spanish is sufficient enough.

The major difference between this SAPIENS we are offering and other “typical” study-abroad programs, is that students from all over the US, other English-speaking countries, and our very own local students with proper command of English will get to interact with each other, thus creating a wonderful multi-cultural environment and learn from one another's experiences.

Restricted Disciplines and Courses

• Students must preferably be at least Juniors for consideration in graduate-level courses.
• Students must preferably be Seniors for consideration in MBA-level courses.

Course Contents

Enrollment Requirements

Courses should be selected from within the offering of the School of Engineering. Other courses are not guaranteed and are beyond our control.

Workload per Semester

The Spanish Educational System:

Standard full-time is 20 contact hours/week (30 ECTS/semester or 60 ECTS/year).

Additional Application Materials

Students nominated by IIE to COMILLAS will be contacted to complete the COMILLAS online application and provide additional materials.

Recommendation letter from a professor or academic staff:

• NOT Required

Acceptance letters for visa-requiring students are issued and airmailed within a month of the student’s nomination to COMILLAS.

Housing

COMILLAS does not have its own on-campus lodging, rather, it does have several official outsourced companies which are very efficient and reliable.

The three most common housing options:

1. Living with a family (Homestay)
2. Living in a private hall of residence (Student dorm)
3. Living in a flat or apartment (shared or alone)

Contact

Office Responsible for International Engineering Exchange Students 

Comillas Pontifical University
Emergency Number: +34-654-349-436

ICAI School of Engineering: international.icai@comillas.edu
International Relations Coordinator: Alberto Zanmatti – azanmatti@comillas.edu
Incoming Officer: Ela Daineaunu – eladaineanu@comillas.edu

Mailing Address:
Alberto Zanmatti
ICAI – U. P. Comillas
c/ Alberto Aguilera 25
28015 – Madrid (SPAIN)

Phone: +34-91-542-2800
Fax: +34-91-559-6569

City Info

Madrid, the capital of Spain, is a cosmopolitan city with more than four million inhabitants. It is the site of the Spanish government and is the most important financial and cultural center in the country. The cultural, leisure and sports offering is rich and varied. It has countless theaters and museums, such as the "El Prado" National Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Queen Sofía Center for the Arts. Monuments, exhibits, and concert halls dot the city. Moreover, in Madrid, over 43 parks and emblematic green areas such as the Retiro Park, the "Casa de Campo" Recreational Park or the Sabatini Gardens can be enjoyed.