Bing Overseas Studies Program

Madrid Language Prerequisite

All courses offered in Madrid are conducted in Spanish, with the exception of the courses taught by the faculty-in-residence, who may choose to teach in English or Spanish. In addition to content courses, students normally continue their language studies while participating in the program. All students are required to enroll in the one-unit course "Introduction to Spanish Culture" and to sign a Spanish-Only language pledge.

Madrid Prerequisites

Participants must have completed first-year Spanish (SPANLANG 3 or SPANLANG 2A) AND 1st quarter of 2nd year Spanish (SPANLANG 11 or 21B) or, in the absence of the required courses, have taken a placement test with results placing them above first-quarter 2nd year Spanish. Any placement test must have been taken within the past 10 months.  

  • Students who have not YET completed the second-year language sequence via Stanford coursework or placement test must enroll in either OSPMADRD 12M (Accelerated Second-Year Spanish I) or OSPMADRD 13M (Accelerated Second-Year Spanish II) while in Madrid.  Course enrollment will be determined according to students' placement level or previous course work. Both courses are offered in Autumn, Winter and Spring. 
  • Students who have ALREADY completed the second-year language sequence via Stanford coursework or placement test have the option to enroll in OSPMADRD 102M (Composition & Writing Workshop), although it is not required. Placement is decided by the Stanford Language Center.  
    • This course is offered in Autumn, Winter and Spring. OSPMADRD 102 is WAYS-certified for “Aesthetic and Interpretive Inquiry” and may count towards the major or minor in Spanish or ILAC, or towards the minor in Modern Languages or Translation Studies (please contact your academic advisor for further information).
  • Preference will be given to students with additional language study.  In the case of having only completed the minimum prerequisite for studying in Madrid (SPANLANG 11), preference will be given to students who completed this course within the last two quarters (six months) prior to arriving in Madrid.

Stanford Language Center

All students, including native speakers, are expected to demonstrate their level of language ability (writing, verbal and reading) by providing results of a recent language placement test or previous coursework. Students who have already begun SPANLANG coursework at Stanford should not take the placement test.  If you need to take a language test, click here for the updated schedule. For students who need to take a placement test, please complete the written exam before the time of your oral interview. If qualified via coursework, students will be placed according to the last SPANLANG class completed. For any questions, please contact the Language Center (languagecenter@stanford.edu) with "BOSP" specified in the subject line.