Polytechnic University of Valencia
The Program
Nearly 40,000 students study at Polytechnic University of Valencia's 41 departments, which range from Mechanical Engineering to Architecture to Fine Arts.
The Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) campus is located on the northern side of the city, on the way to the Mediterranean city beaches. Centered around the “Agora,” it houses several sport facilities and is also one of the largest open air sculpture museums in Spain. Nearly 40,000 students study at its 41 departments, which range from Mechanical Engineering to Architecture to Fine Arts. While many of the courses are offered in Spanish, there is a broad array of English instructed courses in Biology, Math, Physics, Computer Science, various branches of Engineering, Chemistry, and Business. Avelino Corma, a chemist from the UPV, recently won the coveted Principe de Asturias award for his contributions in Material Chemistry. The most famous graduate of the UPV is world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, who designed the transport hub for Ground Zero in NYC. Its Language Center is home to the “American Space,” a cultural center funded by the US State Department.
Program Locations
Valencia
Spain's third-largest city, Valencia is a top destination for university exchange students. The city is famous throughout Spain, and beyond, for its Mediterranean climate, paella, ancient monuments and festivals. This last is most evident in the March festival of Las Fallas, when satirical sculptures are erected throughout the city, only to be burned on the night of March 19. Like neighboring Catalonia, Valencia is an autonomous region with a distinct culture and even its own language. As you walk about Valencia you’ll encounter Roman ruins, a stunning medieval city center, Art Deco buildings, and a masterpiece of 21st century architecture — the "City of Arts and Sciences". Open-air cafés abound, as do designer boutiques, clubs, and endless opportunities to enjoy art, theater, music, beach-life, and all manner of sporting events.
Academics
The Polytechnic University of Valencia is a major public research university. It offers courses in Spanish (& limited offerings in English). Courses range from: Engineering, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, to Computer Science, Architecture, Business and Economics. It is also home to the top-ranked Fine Arts school in Spain. In addition, you can take various foreign languages at their language center and different courses on Spanish literature and culture for foreigners. Student may access 2 "study abroad" courses (following the North American calendar & offered in English), in addition to their 2+ courses following the Spanish calendar (& likely in Spanish). In order to have an idea of what classes are available (following the North American calendar), you should visit: here. For courses that follow the Spanish calendar*, please visit: here. Students can search for courses by year, keywords, or language of instruction.
When looking for courses, be sure that you are looking at courses for undergraduate students only and that you are looking at classes in the correct term of study. The academic offerings for a given academic year will only be fully shown starting on July 1 of that year. Before this date, only courses approved at that moment will be displayed.
(Note: the schedule for the prior year provides a good idea of the courses that will be offered.)
You will need to be sure that you are registered as a full time student according to the Polytechnic University of Valencia and Rutgers University. That means you will need to take at least 24-30 ECTS credits (12-15 RU credits) each semester. Thus, most students take four to five classes a term at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. It is not possible to take classes as not-for-credit or pass/fail.
For information about Study Abroad credit transfer, registration, and transcripts please visit the Academics section of our website.
Housing and Meals
Students will be housed in private residence halls at the Colegio Mayor Ausias March. You will share your bedroom with another student, usually another Rutgers participant, or possibly a Spanish student. Some rooms in your residence hall are suite-style and the residents in the other bedrooms of your suite, who will also share a bathroom with you, are usually Spanish students. The residence hall is a 5 -10 minute walk from the main part of campus. Please note that smoking is permitted in the residence halls in Spain.
Meals, while the university is in session, are included as part of your program cost and are available at the student dining hall at the bottom of your residence hall. Please note: Although housing is covered during University holiday breaks, you are responsible for the cost of meals during that time. There are no kitchen facilities in the residence hall, and there are no refunds for meals not taken in the student cafeteria. If you have special dietary needs, please alert the residence hall staff and they will try their best to accommodate you.
For more information regarding Colegio Mayor Ausias March, please visit the Colegio Mayor Ausias March website. Do not directly contact or reserve housing with Colegio Mayor Ausias March, as your housing will be arranged by the program.