Studying in Spain during COVID-19

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You may be wondering if studying in Spain is a good idea due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

SOME GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION IN SPAIN

If you have been following the Spanish news closely, you have probably seen that the health situation in Spain is very similar to that in France.

How is the COVID-19 lived in Spain?

We live in Spain and we can assure you that in general, the measures of wearing masks, distancing, meetings in small groups, closing bars and restaurants from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and all the others are very well respected.

The virus is the same in Spain as in France. The risk is therefore the same and the precautions to take are exactly the same.

The Spanish authorities, under the control of the central government and the regions, are reviewing their protocols every week in an attempt to lower contagion rates. In the community of Madrid, the first to have taken strong containment measures in certain neighborhoods and cities, the results are being felt and the transmission of the virus is decreasing.

But as everywhere in Europe, the fight against the coronavirus will be long and we have no certainty about a possible return to "life as it was before" in a short time.

Therefore, as in France, we must learn to live with the COVID-19 virus.

Being away from family and friends is compensated by the creation of a new family with the new friends met at the university. Strong bonds are created which allow us to face these particular moments together.

THE COURSE OF THE COURSE IN COVID-19 TIME

Once the doubts about the situation in Spain have been cleared up, the question of the training itself arises.

If you study in uone of the private universities FEEDUC has selected for yourest assured. All the universities were quick to react in the spring, and during the summer of 2020 set up videoconferencing systems to reduce group sizes and enable sick or confined students to continue their courses without difficulty.

Whether it is for dental, veterinary, physical therapy, architecture, business or any other training in Spain, the theoretical courses are usually carried out partially online and the more practical courses are maintained in half groups.

Class attendance, whether on campus or virtual, is always mandatory.

The UEM, Nebrija, UEV, UAX, CEU, UEC, UFV, UCJC, ESADE, ESIC, etc., all have made these choices of courses in hybrid mode which allows to comply with the Ministry of Health. You will find all the measures of compliance of the campuses on the presentations of the universities on this link.

The teachers have been trained in these new technologies. They know how to get the most out of them.

The student who takes the course from home can intervene at any time, as if he were in the classroom with his peers.

The courses are held normally and depending on the university, the presence on campus alternates every other week, or depends on the day of the week or simply changes depending on whether it is a practical course (on campus) or a theoretical one (compulsory presence but at a distance).

STUDENTS TESTIFY

Yaëlle -^1st year dental student at UAX

"At UAX, as everywhere else in Spain, masks are mandatory and hydroalcoholic gel is available. Since the beginning of the year, class sizes have been reduced by half to try to maintain the recommended distances. As for the classes, they are held in 3 forms: face-to-face, online, but also in the hybrid form, in other words, one group of the class goes to the university and the other group follows the course live, but at home, and the following week we exchange. We also have to go in person every two weeks to some "seminario" (practice classes). The practice classes are also in person, but for my part in the first year, there are not many of them. We then go to the university about 3 days each week, and the rest of the time our classes are online. (Afterwards the university warned us that they were ready to give all the classes online, since, like everywhere else, it's not clear how the situation will evolve because of the health crisis) "

Caroline -^3rd year student at EMU in physical therapy in Spanish

"So the college has adapted very well to the current situation. We can choose whether we prefer face-to-face or online classes (we can book what suits us each week). Thanks to the cameras and the new screens installed in the classrooms, the students who are at home can follow the course and interact with the class without worries, whether it is through the chat or the microphone. For the practice classes, we all wear masks and visors, we have hydro-alcoholic gel and disinfectants for each table to clean the practice tables although they are also cleaned by the maintenance staff every morning, noon and evening. This allows us to follow the practical courses without any worries!

Martin - Student in^3rd year of physiotherapy at the UEV

"At the VU, our courses are organized either face-to-face or virtually. The practical courses are always in the classroom, respecting all the barrier gestures, different outfits from the outside, ffp2 mask and plastic "over-gown", cleaning of the tables each time and protective paper. The other courses, not practical, can be virtual or face-to-face, it is up to the student to choose each week on a site if he wants to be virtual or face-to-face. Personally, I prefer to be face-to-face all the time to follow better. So in the end, other than the strict measures that need to be followed, I keep the same pace of work, I go to class the same way."

Amaury - Student in^1st year of physiotherapy at UFV

"So you have to know that at UFV, they have chosen to do the courses one week out of 2 at a distance, in order to maintain a sufficient number of practices. I find this very good because following the courses at a distance is more complicated, so alternating is a good solution. On the other hand, the university has made available before each class dispensers of hydro-alcoholic gel, which helps to limit the spread of the virus within the classes. Finally, for the practices, we keep one and the same partner throughout the semester in order to limit the contact with too many people. If we add the distancing measures taken in the university restaurants as well as in the revision rooms, we find a University that in my opinion has adapted very well to the emergency situation created by the COVID."

Clara -^3rd year veterinary student at UAX

"So my classes are mostly online, but it's well organized so it goes very well
And I have one day at the university with face-to-face classes, we are each on a table, with masks, it's the "seminar" classes so we are in half groups
The exams are scheduled online for the moment unless something changes!"

Jules - Student in^3rd year of physiotherapy at UCJC

"So far, all our classes have been held normally in the university, no video conferencing or distance learning! To ensure that students do not cross paths too much and thus avoid any risk of spreading the virus, the class times between each course are different. Some start at 8:30am, others at 9am etc... Wearing a mask is mandatory everywhere inside the university except when sitting in the cafeteria to eat. In the classroom, in order to respect social distancing, seats are only available every other seat, it is not possible to sit directly next to a classmate. In case a student is a potential carrier of the virus, in order to avoid any risk of propagation, he/she will stay at home but will still be able to follow the lessons by videoconference (each teacher provides an online channel to follow the lesson live). Overall, Covid has not made studying more difficult, only wearing a mask can sometimes be restrictive, but that's the same outside the university!

Maina -^4th year physical therapy student at UAX

"As far as the courses are concerned, we have the lectures on video, the seminars and practical courses are in person (2 days a week) with mandatory temperature taking and mask. Then, the clinics are more complicated because it depends on the centers. The public universities have priority, so there is not much room for private universities, so it's up to us to find our internships and we have the possibility to do them wherever we want (Spain or France, even if it's also complicated to find because the same rule applies to French establishments).

Pauline -^1st year physiotherapy student at UFV

"The classes are super interesting, I really like them. We are every other week in person. During the first two or three weeks online it was a bit complicated because it's hard to stay attentive and concentrated. Moreover there were small problems of connection, but now the quality of the visios is really good, and the majority of the professors are interested in those at distance so it is much better! Otherwise, the Spanish people are really nice! I must admit that I didn't imagine the integration and the beginning of the student life like this, but it's the same for everyone! Nevertheless I'm lucky because every day I see people because I'm in the Colegio Mayor, so it's less depressing etc.! "

Clément - 1st year physiotherapy student at UEC

"So, we have a virtual campus and on this campus we have our schedule. Every week we have to reserve our place to be in person at the university, or else in virtual (except for practice where there are groups and it is obligatory in person). Often it is 1 week out of 2 so that everyone can go. Then, when you arrive at the university, you have to disinfect your hands and take your temperature before entering. Then afterwards, the classes are normal, the teacher puts his slide on the virtual board in addition to the camera, so that the online students can see the course and follow it. And in practice we have our physiotherapist's gown + FFP2 mask + visor (which the university provides). Even in the classroom, you have to have your computer because nothing is done on paper.

Amandine -^2nd year veterinary student at UAX

"I'm doing a little recap, knowing that I'm in my 3rd year so it's not quite the same for each year (the first years have less visio for example). They are quite well organized. They put us on video on Mondays and Fridays, where they condensed all the theoretical courses that are normally done in whole classes. On Wednesdays, when we normally have full classes, we have a hybrid system (one week a half group goes to class and the other half group is in video, we can follow the course thanks to the cameras in the rooms). Otherwise the practices/laboratories are done on Tuesdays and Thursdays in small groups. The exams will be done online in the same way as last semester."