Location
  • Spain
    • Malaga
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer
Subject Areas
Art History Business Communications Cultural Studies Economics Film Gender Studies Global Studies Hispanic Studies History Humanities International Relations Language Studies Literature Political Science Psychology Religious Studies +7
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Housing
Apartment Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

Price Details
What's Included:
• Comprehensive Advising and Support
• Tuition at the Host University
• Official Transcript from Host University with ISA Cover Letter
• Housing
• Meals and Laundry Services
• Bridging Cultures Program
• Full-Time Resident Staff
• On-Site ISA Offices
• Computer and Internet Access
• Excursions
• The ISA Discovery Model
• Cultural Activities
• Medical Insurance
• Comprehensive Health, Safety and Security Support
• Airport Reception
• Visa Support
• Tutoring
• The Professional Development Toolbox
• Scholarship Opportunities
Jun 20, 2024
Aug 20, 2024
17 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Looking for a new and exciting study abroad program? Why not join ISA and study abroad in Málaga, Spain! Located on the southern coast of Spain, Málaga is considered to be the gateway to the Costa del Sol, one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. It boasts some of the best fish and seafood cafes in Europe (not to mention amazing weather year-round). Málaga is a bustling place that is full of life and has something to offer every study abroad student.

ISA has partnered with the University of Málaga to offer students a number of study abroad program options. These programs are focused on intensive Spanish language and cultural immersion, and are offered throughout the year. Housing options include a home-stay with a local Spanish family to maximize student's cultural experience.

Please visit our website to learn more about our study abroad program at the University of Málaga, and to apply directly online!

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

Our team at ISA is committed to providing exceptional support through identity-focused advising and resources for students, university partners, and ISA staff. We have developed our ISA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to help serve all students and stakeholders, particularly the needs of underrepresented student populations. Our country-specific diversity pages offer information about the societies and cultural history of ISA destinations. This information can be used to start your reflection about how your intersecting identities relate to the host community context.
Our team at ISA is committed to providing exceptional support through identity-focused advising and resources for students, university partners, and ISA staff. We have developed our ISA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to help serve all students and stakeholders. Our country-specific diversity pages offer information about the societies and cultural history of ISA destinations. This information can be used to start your reflection about how your intersecting identities relate to the host community context.
ISA is committed to facilitating quality programming to students with varying levels of neurodivergence. Our Health & Safety team is available to answer questions about insurance and medication, as well as provide students with materials on overseas access to support.
ISA is committed to facilitating quality programming to students with varying levels of accessibility. With our wide portfolio of program types and locations we’re confident there is a suitable and accessible program for each student. Accommodations abroad can be complex and take time, so those with accessibility needs should inform ISA of any accommodations requests as early as possible in the advising process. Please contact accessibilityteam@studiesabroad.com with questions or for more information.

Impact

We have partnered with Fill it Forward to engage team members and program participants in waste reduction practices. The goal is to encourage the elimination of single-use waste. Every QR code scan shows the impact of reusable bottles and unlocks a donation to environmental impact groups.
WorldStrides, a global organization, is committed to educate and serve communities worldwide. Our commitment is fueled by the passion of our team members and partners to make experiential learning accessible, while also being socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible. Together, we accomplish this by investing in initiatives to promote inclusion, diversity, and sustainability.

Program Highlights

  • Malaga is a medium-sized city, easy to walk, not too populated or polluted, but also not too small, with more than 40 museums and an amazing bus system.
  • The UMA offers courses in Spanish language and culture to international students.
  • Located five minutes from the beach in the El Palo neighborhood.
  • Spanish language and culture courses for all levels of Spanish.
  • Students can choose to incorporate an additional intensive month before or after this program at no additional cost.

Popular Programs

Malaga, Spain

The Universidad de Málaga (UMA), founded in 1972, attracts students from all over the world, including Asia, Europe, and the United States. The UMA offers courses in Spanish language and culture to international students at its Centro Internacional de Español, located five minutes from the beach in the beautiful El Palo neighborhood. Courses with local Spanish students are held at the Teatinos campus in the northwestern part of the city, about 15-20 minutes from downtown.

Program Reviews

4.93 Rating
based on 14 reviews
  • 5 rating 92.86%
  • 4 rating 7.14%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.1
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.8
  • Housing 4.75
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 8 of 14 reviews
Default avatar
Alexandra
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Before Barcelona & Madrid — Consider Malaga!!

I could not be more thankful for my 4 weeks spent in Malaga Spain. Malaga is a very calm and beach city, my student residencia was located directly in the city center around many shops and restaurants. As a Black girl from Maryland I was weary of study abroad, as i’ve never been a minority in my community—Malaga was immensely welcoming and fun. I settled on Malaga because I wanted to be near the beach, and I am very happy I did. The center of the University where I took my classes was right on the beach, everyday I took the bus to class, went to the beach afterschool with my friends, then went a a restaurant for dinner and then the club at night. The ISA program took us to Sevilla, Cordoba, and Grenada. My friends and I also bought a $60 round trip ticket to Madrid for the weekend. Chose Malaga if you want to have a very relaxed yet impactful experience, you will be able to travel around Spain regardless but throughout all the cities I visited Malaga was like a story book town, the people were friendly, the weather was amazing, and the food was delicious. (Not the case for Madrid.) I took an international relations course during the Spanish elections and learned things that had never even crossed my mind. Malaga is also the home to Picasso and his museum which was a nice gem. Despite the fact I went on the journey alone, I left with life long friends because of the many adventures we went on during our time together. Overall I had an amazing experience, my professor was one of the best professors I’d had, she took us on a field trip around the Andalusia region. Malaga is a beautiful city, on the Mediterranean Sea, the food was excellent and I was able to experience it to the fullest without feeling overwhelmed and homesick…I highly recommend this place for anyone who many be a little overstimulated at times, this environment was very easy, incredibly fun, and welcoming.

What was your funniest moment?
My funniest moment was definitely the boat ride my friends and I book from Puerto Banus Marbella, they gave sangria and wine, we saw dolphins and went snorkeling, we tried to do flips off the boat and i’ll just say it was very funny.
Pros
  • On the Beach
  • Very Walkable/Busable
  • Great museums, and food
Cons
  • Mosquitos
  • Lack of Personal Space
  • Program Communication could’ve been better
12 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Isabella
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Experience of a Lifetime!

Studying in Malaga was truly an unforgettable experience. In the 'Summer 1' program I met extraordinary people and visited the most beautiful places in Spain. Malaga is a beautiful city. The city center offers amazing food, shopping, social life, and more. Additionally, outside the city center, the rest of Malaga is beautiful. Near UMA, El Palo beach was the best. My professor was amazing! Overall, I think this program was 100% worth it in every aspect, and I HIGHLY recommend taking up this opportunity if it's possible.

19 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Emma
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Once in a Lifetime Experience!

Studying abroad in Málaga, Spain was an unforgettable experience filled with endless memories! I knew I always wanted to take advantage of a study abroad opportunity during my time in college but I found it difficult to find the right program for me. Once I was introduced to ISA and the programs they offered I was hooked! They offered an endless amount of support before, during, and after my time abroad. The program allowed me to immerse myself in the culture, people, and endless activities that the city, and country, had to offer. From walking the endless beaches, meeting students from various corners of Europe, and building lifelong memories and relationships with fellow students in my program, the experience was one to remember! Every day brought new discoveries and adventures, shaping an experience that I will cherish for a lifetime. Although I was only there for a month, Málaga truly opened my eyes to the opportunities that exist outside of the US and helped me in determining my future career path.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
In the US, many Americans think of a tortilla as a thin flatbread made of either corn or flour; however, in Spain, that is not the case. While trying to find an affordable and easy place to get lunch after class our program director recommended we go to a lunch spot owned by a local couple. When we first went, I was surprised at how many options were similar to an American lunch spot but one thing stood out to me, the tortilla. A tortilla in Spain takes on an quiche-like shape and consistency. At first, I was scared to try it because it seemed very foreign to me, but once I took the first bite, it became one of my go-to meals.
Pros
  • Easy and affordable public transit
  • Beautiful beaches and boardwalks
  • Plenty of food options
Cons
  • School was a bit far from our housing
31 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer 2 in Malaga

I think about the month I spent in Malaga this summer with ISA almost every day. It was such a beautiful experience. I stayed in a residencia right in the city center and could walk to shops, amazing restaurants, parks, and beaches. I had 11 roomates from all over the world, some of whom were in the same program. Prior to the trip though, we were given pictures of a different apartment, however, and told that we would only be staying with ISA students which turned out to be untrue. This wasn’t an issue, just a discrepancy. Some of my roommates struggled to sleep because our residencia was right above a popular club but i had no issue with noise in my room. ISA staff was very helpful with the move in process and getting me connected with the landlord. We took weekend trips to Granada, Seville, and Cordoba that were included in the program cost which was really nice. However there was no information prior to the trip on these so it was it was a nice surprise when I got there. I also took a weekend trip to Morocco with friends from the program which was amazing and very convenient because there is a full international airport in the city. The academics were engaging but the not too overwhelming and the professors were understanding at UNAM. I got to meet a lot of other international students which was really fun. Our group leader Iker was awesome. He helped us settle in and organized excursions every week in the city, and was always there to answer any questions or offer support. These excursions included tours of local monuments and a flamenco dance class. Overall I think Malaga is very underrated as a study abroad city. It is big enough to be exciting but not overwhelming, it is not too touristy but a lot of people do speak english in the city center shops, and it has close proximity to other places to travel. It is such a beautiful, charming city and I would highly recommend it.

Pros
  • beach
  • safe city
  • food
Cons
  • class extremely early- hard to go out at night
45 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Brynlee
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Month

I spent a little over a month in Málaga, Spain this past June and it was the best decision of my life! My ISA group had the very best guide named Iker who was a Málaga native & taught us Spanish while taking us on tours all over the city! He watched out for our safety by teaching us all about societal norms and how they differed from what we were used to. We went on phenomenal excursions including Sevilla, Córdoba, and the Alhambra in Granada! It was amazing to see different cities in Southern Spain and how they differed. I loved getting to live like a local and even participate in a local holiday celebration! I will never forget all of the wonderful people I met and everything Spain taught me.

54 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Katie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Supportive staff and great experiences

I happened to break my ankle while studying abroad and the staff was wonderful and supportive in helping me with my situation. I had a great experience in Malaga and built lasting friendships. This experience led me to travel after college graduation and then pursue a Masters in International Education Management. I would love to go back and relive all my experiences and visit with the family that hosted me!

113 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Meagan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Perfect Location

Where to begin. I cannot rave enough about my experience in Malaga. I loved absolutely everything about it, from ISAs friendly and helpful staff to long afternoons spent on the beach, sunbathing and eating gelato. The climate is perfect: warm and sunny, and it barely ever rains (at least in the fall). The host family I lived with was absolutely phenomenal - even though they didn't speak any English, they were kind and understanding, and living with them helped me improve my Spanish by leaps and bounds. A normal day consisted of going to Spanish class for a few hours, and one or two classes later in the day. I usually went home to eat lunch with my host family (which gave me great access to the local cuisine,) and would spend the rest of the afternoon either on the beach or hanging out with friends. Because of the airport, train, and bus stations in Malaga, it's very easy to travel, nationally or internationally.

Essentially, I loved everything about the ISA program in Malaga. I would go back in a heartbeat if I could, and treasure every memory I have from my phenomenal semester.

What would you improve about this program?
I wish we would have had classes with local students. We did, however, have classes with other Erasmus students which was very cool and helped me to meet a ton of awesome people!
109 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Leah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Living in Malaga

My favorite part of living in Malaga was the people I encountered while living there. My host family was wonderful and so willing to help with anything. Same with the ISA Malaga staff. However, beyond that, so many of the locals I met were wonderful as well. I met so many lifelong friends while in Malaga and I think that is because it is such a social culture. I went to multiple intercambios and met so many wonderful people there who I continued to spend time with while I was in Spain and even now that I am home we still talk. The people and culture are so welcoming and friendly!

What would you improve about this program?
I think it would have been better if we could have gone to school with locals. However, it was awesome taking classes with people from all over the world, it would have been cool to be in classes with locals.
108 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers