English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are offered regularly throughout the year at universities, community colleges (local institutions that tend to be less expensive) and language academies. A common option is Intensive English Programs (IEPs), intensive programs that prepare students for university study in English.
You can search for programs using any of the resources on the EducationUSA website – English language programs such as:
American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP) – Find a Program
College Navigator Programs/majors: English as a Second Language, Level of award: Certificates
There are a wide variety of summer programs, both pre-college programs for students ages 15-17, as well as programs for undergraduate or graduate students, or even continuing education non-degree programs.
To find summer programs that interest you, you can use the Summer Study in the USA search engine to filter programs at all levels based on your interest, or the TeenLife website for pre-college opportunities.
You can also search for universities that belong to associations such as NAASS and AUSS, which specialize in summer courses and programs. Search under Membership in the links above for membership listings to identify which colleges are known to have good quality summer programs. Once you find a few, check their websites directly to learn more about each one’s academic offerings.
EducationUSA offers its own pre-college programs in partnership with several universities. You can check out the options on the EducationUSA Academy website.
It is possible to pursue non-degree studies in a wide variety of fields at community colleges (local institutions that tend to be less expensive) and universities, both through individual colleges and their Extension School or Continuing Education areas.
You can search for these types of programs by using College Navigator and selecting “Certificate” under Level of Award and selecting your field under Programs/Majors in the filters. You can also check the offerings of specific universities by consulting their Extension School, School of Professional Studies or Continuing Education areas, where the courses offered will be sorted by field of study.
In addition to programs offered by universities and colleges, depending on your current level of study, the U.S. Department of State’s J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program offers a variety of teaching, study, research, or internship opportunities.
U.S. universities welcome visiting scholars from around the world to conduct research stays, collaborate directly with the institution’s faculty, take on teaching roles or otherwise contribute to the university community, and, of course, gain access to the university’s research facilities, laboratories, archives, and libraries.
This type of stay requires communicating directly with the faculty and the person you want to work with to begin the process of obtaining a letter of invitation. When identifying institutions, research groups, mentors or collaborators aligned with your work, we recommend that you start reaching out to your network of academic contacts to see what contacts they may have in the U.S. In addition, it is also helpful to track which universities or groups in the U.S. the scholars, professors and researchers you are using in your own research and/or work belong to. Contact us for more information on finding institutions or supervisors and obtaining the letter of invitation.
As for the financing of research stays, there are different options. The Fulbright Commission in Spain offers several types of grants, depending on the level of studies, which cover a large part of the expenses for this type of stay. See the Scholarships for Spanish Students page for more information on the potential options.
