Academics

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

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

• All students need to have completed Spanish 301 prior to studying abroad in León

• Certain classes in León 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 León, but be aware of any listed pre-requisites when registering. 

• All students are required to have a passport that is valid until 6 months after the planned date of return to León

• 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 León. 

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

• All students are required to remain in León until the end of the examination period, which is typically January for the fall semester and June for the spring semester. HC students are not allowed to submit special requests to sit exams early in order to return home for Christmas, start internships in the spring, or for any other reason. 

You can register for any classes offered at Universidad de León, but be aware that upper-level classes might require pre-requisites. To search classes at Universidad de Leon, click here, then click on 'grados' (ie major) and then click on 'Información Académica' followed by 'Plan de Estudios'. You won't register for classes until you are physically in León, so the idea is to research classes you might be interested, but to approach the experience with as much flexibility as possible!

Semester 1 (mid-September to mid-January)

Credit 1: Continuing Spanish for foreigners class in the Centro de Idiomas taught in Spanish

Credits 2, 3, & 4: Classes in the Facultades at Universidad de León taught in Spanish

Fall Semester students MUST be physically present during the examination period, which is typically in January

Semester 2 (mid-February to Late June)

Credit 1: Continuing Spanish for foreigners class in the Centro de Idiomas taught in Spanish

Credits 2, 3, & 4: Classes in the Facultades at Universidad de León taught in Spanish

Spring Semester & Academic Year students MUST be physically present during the examination period, which is typically in June

To search classes at Universidad de Leon, click here, then click on 'grados' (ie major) and then click on 'Información Académica' followed by 'Plan de Estudios'. Remember, you won't register for classes until you are physically in León, so the idea is to research classes you might be interested, but to approach the experience with as much flexibility as possible!

Class registration is not competitive at Universidad de León 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. 

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 Spain, you will receive an Email from Jared Chapman in the Registrar’s office with instructions for submitting Course Approval Forms (CAFS). You'll submit one CAF per class you are taking.

2. Once the Registrar's Office receives your CAFs, they will send classes you'd like to count towards your major(s) and minor(s) to the official Study Abroad Course Evaluators in the relevant department(s) for approval. The Registrar's office will manage the approval of common area requirements themselves. 

3. Once the office hears back from the relevant parties about all of your classes, you will receive an email detailing which classes have/have not been approved. (If you talk to your advisors before you leave and stay in touch during the course selection process, you should not receive any 'surprise' rejections). 

Courses that are 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! 

If you have any history of accommodations for learning disabilities or anything similar, you must let the Office of Study Abroad know so we can start making arrangements at Universidad de León 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. 

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!