What if I don't have a passport? Students must secure a passport on their own. Students in Lubbock can make use of
the Passport Application Acceptance Office located in the International Cultural Center
or you may book appointments at your local facilities found here.
What is a visa? Students who will study in Spain for longer than 90 days must obtain a Spanish Student
Visa. The Sevilla Administrator will help with the required application during a visa
workshop.
When can I book flights? For semester students, our Sevilla Administrator would let you know when you can start
booking your flight. This is usually done during the first workshop (the Visa Workshop)
after the commitment deadline. For summer students, it is important to wait until
your faculty leader gives the OK, and certain programs have different preferences
of group travel.
Will my Texas Tech student ID card work in Spain? Your Texas Tech student ID card works in Spain. You can use it for discounts on some
of the cultural visits that you may do.
Program
Are there any accreditation issues with course credit? Courses offered are regular Texas Tech catalog classes taught by Texas Tech faculty.
Students receive a letter grade posted onto their Texas Tech transcript, and all add/drop
dates follow the general academic calendar used in Lubbock. Course offerings may change semester-to-semester, depending on the faculty teaching
at the Sevilla Center.
What does the program fee include? The program fees include your housing (room & board), all the program excursions that
you will do during your time in Spain, the Sevilla in-country orientation, health
insurance (Sanitas & On Call), one bus pass, and Sevilla Center and Study Abroad Fees. The program fee does not include Airfare or day-to-day personal expenses.
When do I need to arrive in Sevilla? Students must arrive in Sevilla in time to begin the in-country orientation. Hotel
will be booked for the night the program begins but if a student chooses to arrive
early, they must find their own accommodation till then. Each student is responsible
for making individual flight arrangements.
Can I bring a family member or friend on the group excursions? During semester programs, family are welcome to join us on the Friends & Family week*
which is a trip that starts in Sevilla and goes through Central Spain finishing in
Madrid, helping families that want to return to the U.S. from Madrid. Our staff will let students know when the registration dates for this event will be
so their families can sign up for this trip. Payment could be made via transfer or
upon arrival in cash at the Center. *This is offered only for Spanish program.
Can I arrive later than my program started? You should not be arriving later than your program starts since you will miss the
in-country orientation. If there is any major reason that you have to arrive later
than the program start date, you will have to contact your professor and the staff
from the TTU Center in Sevilla.
Can I stay after the program ends? If you want to stay at your host families after the program has ended, you will have
to arrange your stay with them. Your host family may have plans after the program
has ended or may have students coming from a new program. Once the term is over, your
accommodation is up to you!
Housing
Can I request a host family/roommate? After you have been accepted to the program, on your application you have a questionnaire
to fill out about Housing. You can request there a roommate or a host family that
you would like to live with. Our housing coordinator will do their best to fulfill
your wishes.
What happens if I don’t like my housing situation? If there are issues with your housing situation, you will contact the Housing Coordinator
and explain your situation. They will evaluate your situation and work with you to
find an adequate solution.
When do I know about my housing situation? You will find out about host family assignments during the in-country orientation,
as there could be last-minute changes.
Can I opt out of housing? Housing is an integral part of the program, as it is how students are immersed in
the culture. Students that have health concerns may be able to opt out of housing
if they have approval. All requests to opt out of housing must go to the Director
of Study Abroad for approval.
How are the host families screened or vetted? Our staff interviews all potential host families in their homes to make sure they
are suitable for accommodating our students and routinely visits all approved host
families. The interview process involves assessing hospitality, cleanliness, safety,
general accommodations, and ability to comply with food and laundry duties. Students
are also prompted several times during the semester to complete housing evaluations
and are encouraged to discuss any housing issues as they arise with the housing coordinator.
Can I request to live alone? When you are accepted to the program, you will be able to fill out the housing form.
There is a question that you can answer that asks if you are willing to live alone.
If you answer yes, there is a possibility that you may be placed by yourself with
a host family. If you have a strong preference for living alone, please include that
in the comments of the housing questionnaire. Please be mindful that not all housing requests may be granted, given the housing
available.
Can I walk from my host family to the TTU Center? Sevilla is a very walkable city. A requirement for the host family is that the host
family’s house is around 30 minute commute (walking or on public transportation) from
your host family to the Sevilla Center. Public transportation is a very good way to
get around Sevilla and to get to the Center.
Does my host family speak English? The host families that work with the Center vary in ages and knowledge of the English
language. Usually, older generation of host families do not speak English, but they
look into ways so you and the family can communicate, and they will help you out with
any Spanish questions.
Heatlh and Safety
How can I obtain international health insurance? Group health and accident insurance is provided as part of the program fees.
What does health insurance cover? The local health insurance covers all doctor visits and some specialized appointments.
The health insurance does not cover the pharmacy visit for medicine or antibiotics.
But most prices are lower compared to the United States.
Can I bring medication abroad with me? You can bring your medication to Sevilla. We recommend that you have it on your carry
on with you while you travel in case your suitcases are misplaced by the airline. If the student does not bring enough prescribed medicine for the whole time that they
are in Sevilla, we can schedule an appointment with the doctor so they can give them
an equivalent.
What happens if there is an emergency on site? The local staff has emergency protocols in place if anything happens at the Center.
Students are familiarized at the in-country orientation with these protocols, including
safety protocols if an emergency happens if they are in Sevilla or traveling. Local
staff will contact the students through the app used for communication them and let
them know what else to do. In case of a medical emergency, local staff will accompany the student to the hospital
and help them with any paperwork or translation that students may need at that moment.
What happens if I get homesick? Feeling homesick is very common, as you are in a new country and culture for several
weeks, months or a full year. We encourage our students to stay connected with their
loved ones back at home, but if that doesn’t help, the local staff can direct students
to resources to help with homesickness.
City
What is the weather like in Sevilla? The weather in Sevilla is a Mediterranean climate with an average of 65º, which makes
Sevilla one of the warmest cities in Europe. Winters are cool, being January the coldest
month in the city, with the average the minimum about 50º. Summers in Sevilla are
very hot, reaching 110º, with the end of June, July and August the hottest months.
Is Sevilla walkable? Sevilla is a very walkable city. The Texas Tech Sevilla Center is near the downtown
area, and you can arrive to the Setas/Plaza de la Encarnación in under 15 minutes.
The neighborhood of Nervión, which is a more modern city hub, is also a close walkable
in about 15 minutes. But also, Sevilla has great means of transportation, as it has buses, trams, metro
and city bicycles.
Miscellaneous
Is there any age cap? You must be at least 18 years old to study abroad, but there is no age maximum.
What should I pack for studying in Sevilla? Packing varies per season! See the packing lists here.
Will my credit/debit card work in Spain? Visa and MasterCard are widely used in Spain. American Express works some places but
not everywhere. Discover does not work many places in Spain. Students should notify
bank and credit card companies prior to departure that they will be in Spain. Failure
to do this could cause the credit card company to assume someone has stolen the card
and delay transactions. ATMs in Spain are widely available. Students should make certain
their bank card is in the Pulse or Cirrus network. A reasonable fee is assessed for
each withdrawal. Students are advised to plan withdrawals so they minimize fees. Consider
applying for a credit card with no foreign transaction fee.
What is the current dollar to euro exchange rate? Students should monitor the fluctuation of the $US and the €Euro. For current rates
log onto www.xe.com.
Do I need a Spanish cell phone? What are my Spanish cell phone options? We highly recommend having a Spanish SIM card. If you are participating in an internship,
you may have to use a Spanish SIM card to clock in and out of your internship location.
Although Wi-Fi is good to communicate back home, there are times when you need to
have a Spanish number to communicate locally, especially in the case of an emergency. Use your U.S. smartphone with a Spanish SIM card. To do so your phone must be unlocked.
Check with your provider for more information on unlocking your smartphone. These
are some Spanish providers that can give you offers for an international plan Vodafone Orange Lebara Whenever you ask for a Spanish Sim card, you will have to take your passport with
you.
Where can I work out? There are several gyms near the Sevilla Center that students often go to, and GoFit
is one of the biggest gyms in the city and it is only a 10-minute walk from the Center.
It costs around 45€ per month.
