Academics

• All students must have a gpa of 3.0 or higher prior to studying abroad in Alicante

• Students cannot have any academic deficiencies before studying abroad in Alicante

• All students need to have completed Spanish 102 or the equivalent prior to studying abroad in Alicante.

• Certain classes in Alicante might require pre-requisites. For example, you probably can't take an upper-level math course without demonstrating prior knowledge in the area. You will register for classes once you are in Alicante, but be aware of any listed pre-requisites when registering. 

• All students are required to have a passport that is valid until 12 months after the planned date of return from Alicante

• All students are required to work with the office of study abroad to obtain a visa (our office will guide you, but it is ultimately your responsibility to obtain the visa) Students should therefore refrain from international travel during the 120 days prior to departure for Alicante . 

• All fall and academic year students are required to complete the pre-university language intensive course in Santander

• All students are required to remain in Alicante until the end of the examination period. HC students are not allowed to submit special requests to sit exams early in order to return home for Christmas, to start internships in the spring, or for any other reason. 

Students can take any class offered at the University of Alicante in either Spanish or English. Students will work with Spanish Studies Abroad (SSA) staff in Alicante to design an individual academic plan. All students are required to take a mandatory Spanish class at their level (the University will administer a language placement exam to determine levels). 

• Direct-enroll classes taught in Spanish

• Direct-enroll classes taught in English

• Intensive Spanish classes

• Content Classes in Spanish desiged for international students

Fall Semester Students

Pre-University Course: The pre university “language bootcamp” (month of August in Santander) is mandatory. This program does not count towards the year’s/semester’s course load and will appear as an overload on your transcript.  

Credit 1: Spanish Language & Culture class (mandatory) You will be given a placement test that will determine which level you will take.

Credits 2, 3, and 4: Content classes in either Spanish or English available at Universidad de Alicante

Fall Semester Students

Pre-University Course: The pre university “language bootcamp” is mandatory. This program does not count towards the year’s/semester’s course load and will appear as an overload on your transcript. It is a 3-week class at the CLM (first three weeks of the semester)  

Credit 1: Spanish Language & Culture class (mandatory) You will be given a placement test that will determine which level you will take.

Credits 2, 3, and 4: Content classes in either Spanish or English available at Universidad de Alicante

• Direct-enroll classes taught in Spanish

• Direct-enroll classes taught in English

• Intensive Spanish classes

• Content Classes in Spanish desiged for international students

Class registration is not competitive in Alicante like it is here at Holy Cross. Spanish students don't typically register for classes until just before the start of any given semester. Since you're going to Spain you will do as the Spanish do when it comes to registration! Don't worry- you'll have a chance to add/drop/change your selections during the first few weeks of the semester. 

You can still prepare in advance! You'll be able to submit class selections to Spanish Studies Abroad (SSA) well in advance of the semester. Be aware, however, that you may need to move things around and add/drop once you're on-site depending on how things "shake out" with your schedule. 

The key to success is flexibility when it comes to course selections!

One of the most common questions the Office of Study Abroad receives is whether or not a certain class abroad will count towards a student's major, minor, concentration, etc. The answer is...maybe! 

If you think a class might work for your major...

You need to talk to the Study Abroad Faculty Advisor (SAFA) in your major department. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the SAFA. They appreciate as much context as possible.

If you think a class might work for your minor...

You need to talk to the Study Abroad Faculty Advisor (SAFA) in your minor department. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting the SAFA. They appreciate as much context as possible.

If you think a class might work for a Common Area requirement...

You need to talk to the Registrar's Office. You can send an email to Jared Chapman (jchapman@holycross.edu) to gain clarity on Common Area requirements abroad. 

You should obtain a syllabus or some information about the class before contacting Jared. He appreciates as much context as possible.

The Holy Cross credit approval system works like this: 

1. After you arrive in your study abroad destination (or right before, depending on the program), you will receive an email from Jared Chapman in the Registrar’s Office with instructions for submitting Course Approval Forms (CAFs). Students must submit one CAF per class.

2. Once the Registrar's Office receives your CAFs, they will work with Study Abroad Faculty Advisors in the relevant department(s) to evaluate each course for approval. 

3. Shortly after you submit your CAFs, you'll receive an email from the Registrar's Office detailing which classes have/have not been approved. 

Note: If you talk to your advisors before leaving and stay in touch during the course selection process, you should not receive any 'surprise' course rejections. 

Courses not accepted for Holy Cross credit:

1. Online or hybrid (partially online) courses

2. Pre-professional, business, law, and marketing courses

3. Other non-liberal arts courses

4. Courses of similar content to those you have already taken

5. Any major courses required by your major department to be taken at Holy Cross

6. Courses taken without a letter grade (e.g. auditing, pass/no pass, etc.)

A class that carries at least 6 credits is equal to one HC course; 

ONE class that carries 4.5 credits is acceptable with explicit Registrar approval.

A class that carries 3 credits is NOT acceptable and WILL NOT count for Holy Cross credit. 

Grade conversions are as follows:

9.5-10 = A

8.5-9.4 = A-

7.5-8.4 = B+

7.0-7.4 = B

6.5-6.9 = B-

6.0-6.4 = C+

5.5-5.9 = C

5.0-5.4 = C-

4.1-4.9 = D

4.0 & Below = F

After you complete your study abroad term (whether a semester or year), the grades you earn are reported to Holy Cross. All classes taken abroad are listed by their course names on your Holy Cross transcript along with the letter grades you earned, just as they would after any semester on 'the hill'. The difference is that grades earned abroad do not factor into your cumulative GPA. 

Here’s an example: a student who leaves Holy Cross with a 4.0 GPA but earns all 'B's abroad will still have a cumulative 4.0 GPA upon return. This system is designed with students in mind. The College recognizes that opting to spend a semester or year studying in a new academic environment can pose novel challenges. The goal of this generous policy is to encourage students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester or year away might do to their GPA.

NO. You cannot and will not take any classes pass/fail abroad. This is one of those "study abroad myths" that for some unknown reason seems to be passed down from study abroad generation to study abroad generation!

Your HC transcript, after your study abroad semester or year, will reflect the grades that you earn abroad. What will NOT be affected is your gpa.

The grades you earn abroad will not factor into your cumulative gpa. This means if you leave for study abroad with a 4.0, and you get all 'B's when you are away, your cumulative gpa when you return to Holy Cross will still be a 4.0. The system is designed with you in mind! Opting to spend a semester or year studying in a completely different academic system is brave. We want to celebrate the work you do abroad by reflecting the letter grades you earn on your transcript. We also understand that it's normal to struggle in a new academic system, therefore we don't factor your grades into your overall gpa. The goal with this policy is to encourage more students to study abroad without fearing for what a semester or year away might do to their gpa! 

You can look forward to much more academic independence when you study abroad. In the Spanish system, there is frequently only one (sometimes two) assignments that account for your entire course grade. This puts a lot more pressure on that one assignment, but it means you are free from the myriad of smaller assignments you are accustomed to at Holy Cross. There are resources available if you feel you are struggling or would like extra help. You will need to take the initiative should you need assistance and let the on-site staff know! Here's what Alumni Ambassador Haley Welsh, class of '23, has to say about academics:

The biggest challenge I faced in Spain was adjusting to the academics. I was very used to academics at Holy Cross - the small classes, the relationship with professors - so it definitely took some adjusting to larger classes that were almost completely lectures with very little student discussion. 

If you receive academic accomodations at Holy Cross, you must let the Office of Study Abroad know so we can start making arrangements at Universidad de Alicante now. It is very important that you take personal ownership over your own experience. It's a good idea to think about the support you might need in advance so we can start planning ahead. In Spain, academic accommodations are not as common as they are in the United States, and may look a little different to what you are accustomed to at Holy Cross.