Partner Country of the Month: Spain
Spain is more than palm trees, beaches and sunshine. When studying abroad, you can get to know Spain's warm and friendly people, the great regional diversity in culture and landscapes, and our partner universities! TUD has cooperations with universities all over Spain, so you can experience everything from the metropolitan hustle and bustle of Madrid and Barcelona to the rugged beauty of the Canary Islands. Let us inspire you with this journey to the land of rabbits and planet sandwiches!
With the "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the wide diversity of countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that our students can explore during a semester abroad.
Table of contents
General facts and figures about Spain
Capital: Madrid
Population: 49.4 million (2025)
Official language: Spanish, supplemented by regional languages like Catalan and Basque
National holiday: Fiesta Nacional on October 12 (arrival of Columbus in the Americas)
Currency: Euro
You can find further facts, figures and information on Wikipedia or on the website of the German Federal Foreign Office. For travel info, see wikivoyage or spain.info.
Language matters
- Hello – Hola
- Good morning – ¡Buenos días!
- How are you? – ¿Qué tal? / ¿Cómo estás?
- My name is … – Me llamo …
- Nice to meet you – Encantado/a
- Thank you – Gracias
- See you – Hasta luego
99% of Spaniards speak Spanish, but it‘s by no means the only language native to Spain. To distinguish it from other local languages, Spanish is often called castellano after its home region of Castile. The largest regional languages are Catalan/Valencian along the east coast, Galician in the northwest close to Portugal, and Basque in the northeast. These languages play important roles in forming regional identities.
Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, following its spread from Spain to Latin America several centuries ago. Today, many regional variations exist – a specialty of Spain’s Spanish, for instance, is the pronunciation of c / z as th (instead of s). Colloquial expressions and terms for food and everyday objects often differ from country to country. Luckily, they are unlikely to cause major communication problems.
Our partner universities often offer courses in Spanish and English. Depending on your university of choice and target courses, you can study in Spanish, in both languages, or even completely in English. Please check the exact requirements before applying.
Learning Spanish is relatively easy and very helpful for immersing yourself more deeply in Spanish culture. In Dresden, TUDIAS offers Spanish courses (starting from German), with levels ranging from A1 courses to advanced Spanish profile courses meant to prepare for a stay abroad. A preparation course for a period abroad is also available for English.
Did you know that ....?
- the residents of La Gomera can hold entire conversations in whistles? The so-called silbo gomero is like a code for translating spoken language into whistles. “Speakers” of the silbo can communicate across distances of up to three kilometers, which came in very handy in the jagged mountains of this Canary Island. In order to preserve the cultural heritage, whistling is now a mandatory subject in Gomeran schools. Sometimes, it also serves as musical inspiration.
- Spain might have been named for its many rabbits? The name derives from ancient Phoenician i-span-im, which can be read as “land of many rabbits”. Ancient Rome went with this interpretation, as Roman coins show Hispania, personification of Spain, accompanied by a rabbit. European rabbits originated on the Iberian peninsula, where they play an important role in local ecosystems, serving as the main food supply of many predators.
- Spain and France have shared custody of a small island? Pheasant Island is located in the Bidasoa River, which forms the border between the two countries on the Atlantic coast. The island belongs to Spain from February to July, and to France from August to January, with two handover ceremonies held each year. In the past, Pheasant Island was often a neutral site for meetings between the two royal houses.
- Barcelona is a pioneer in sustainable urban planning? In 2017, the city started to transform into superblocks, each comprising nine regular blocks. Within a superblock, car traffic and road space give way to pedestrian and cycling areas, creating space for trees, playgrounds, plant beds, sitting areas and much more. Since then, many positive effects have been observed, including higher quality of life for the residents and thriving local businesses. The concept has inspired other cities around the world.
- the building of human towers is a typical Catalan sport? These castells often reach heights of nine or ten “stories”. A person’s place in the tower is determined by body structure. The heaviest and strongest people form the lower stories, while lighter and smaller people go higher up. Children climb to the very top. Castells are all about teamwork. They need a broad base called pinya for stability – and fittingly, fer pinya has become a Catalan idiom for working together towards a common goal.
- preparing our planet as a sandwich is possible in Spain, as one of only a few countries worldwide? The Iberian peninsula is the only region in Europe that lies antipodal to a bigger landmass, New Zealand. So far, there are two recorded preparations of earth sandwiches, with people in Spain and New Zealand coordinating to place bread in exactly antipodal locations.
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the Spanish system of organ donation is considered the worldwide gold standard? Spain has long been an international leader in organ transplantation, with the world’s highest deceased donor rate. This success can be traced to the opt-out system – everyone is an organ donor unless they have opted out – as well as high levels of trust in the system. This trust is a result of transparently organized structures in a solid legal framework, extensive public education, and good support for families of donors.
- in Spain, twelve grapes bring luck for the new year? At midnight in Madrid’s Puerta del Sol square, the new year is heralded with twelve bell chimes spaced three seconds apart. People from all over Spain follow the broadcast on television. Those who manage to eat one grape for each stroke of the bell can look forward to good luck in the new year.
Cooperation with universities in Spain
Spain is one of our most important cooperation partners. TUD currently has exchange agreements with 38 universities located all over Spain. You can even study on the Canary Islands or on Mallorca. Our cooperations cover 29 different fields of study, so chances are good that your field is represented as well.
You can find all cooperations of TU Dresden at Mobility Online. This database also contains questionnaires detailing the experiences of our previous exchange students. Professors at your faculty with direct contacts to your partner university of choice can also give you helpful advice.
Find out more about Erasmus+ at TU Dresden and the contact persons and application deadlines for your faculty. All cooperations with Spanish universities are organized via Erasmus+.
Don't miss...
The Alhambra in Granada may be the most important monument of al-Andalus, the Moorish period, when parts of Spain were under Muslim rule (711–1492). The magnificent combination of palaces, a castle, and sumptuous gardens full of waterways is supposed to evoke an earthly paradise. At its heart are the Nasrid Palaces, the former residence of the emirs of Granada. Its rooms are lavishly decorated with stalactite vaults, colorful tiles and intricate ornamental stone carvings. Visits are limited to specific time slots, so be sure to book in advance. Fun fact: al-Andalus left Spain not only its architectural heritage, but also many words of Arabic origin.
Las Médulas. This picturesque landscape of jagged reddish cliffs close to our partner city of León is actually the result of ancient Roman mining. When it became the site of the Roman Empire’s most important goldmine, whole mountains were worn down by ruina montium – being riddled with tunnels and flooded with a deluge of water. Today, nature has taken back the area. You can join a guided cave tour and go on a hike through deep chestnut forests to discover the most scenic lookout points.
In Bosque de Oma near our partner city Bilbao, you can explore an extraordinary work of art while going on a hike. Basque artist Agustín Ibarrola used nature as his canvas and backdrop, painting hundreds of trees. The colorful motifs range from human figures to animal shapes and geometric objects. Discovering the complete pictures is a little adventure in itself, as you have to find the right perspective. You can register your visit here (free of charge).
Fiesta de Gràcia in Barcelona. Every year in August, the residents of Barcelona’s Gràcia district compete for the title of best decorated street, resulting in a colorful chaos with themes ranging from Roman wrestling to the underwater world. The contest is accompanied by concerts, street food and lively Catalan shows including castells and correfocs (fire runs). Of course, Barcelona is always worth a visit. Don’t miss the playful architecture of Antoni Gaudí, with the colourful mosaics of Parque Güell, magnificent mansions, and Sagrada Familia. The famous cathedral is so monumental that its construction has been ongoing for 144 years. Make sure to visit when the sunlight shines through the stained glass windows, casting a rainbow of colors.
The Museums of Madrid. When arriving in Madrid from one of our other partner cities, you are already in for a treat – an impressive botanical garden of around 7,000 tropical plants fills one of Atocha Station’s great halls. Moving on to Madrid's museums, you will find great exhibitions and free admission for students. We highly recommend the Museo Arqueológico Nacional with its imposing collection of Ancient Iberian statues, the Museo de América, which showcases Spanish colonial history and many American civilizations, and of course the Museo del Prado, one of the world’s most important art museums.
Let's cook...
Tapas are a quintessential part of Spanish food culture. These appetizers accompany drinks, and might have originally served to cover the glasses. Tapas come in a huge variety of local specialties. The classics include tortilla, olives, dry-cured ham, patatas bravas (potatoes with spicy sauce), cheese, and croquetas. Usually, people go from bar to bar in a group, sharing the tapas. Afterwards, you might decide to go partying and need breakfast at the end of the night – a perfect occasion for chocolate con churros.
In Spain, mealtimes tend to be much later than in Central Europe. Lunch is served around 2 p.m., around 6 p.m. it’s time for a snack (merienda), and dinner starts from 9 p.m. onwards. In addition to the summer heat, these night owl-friendly times are due to Spain’s "wrong" time zone. After meals, people usually stay at the table for a long while and enjoy the conversations of sobremesa.
Olive oil is indispensable in Spanish cuisine, and not only for frying and drizzling. It forms the basis of many sauces and replaces butter as the accompaniment to bread. Other typical Spanish ingredients include garlic, paprika, peppers and tomatoes, legumes, and fish and seafood on the coastlines.
Recipe idea: Ajoblanco malagueño
Ajoblanco is the lesser-known, but more original cousin of gazpacho. Both are cold Andalusian soups, perfect for hot summers in southern Spain. While raw pureed vegetables form the base of gazpacho, ajoblanco is prepared from ground almonds and white bread, seasoned with a typical regional mixture of garlic and olive oil. The use of almonds suggests that the dish dates back to al-Andalus. A garnish of grapes or melon pieces creates a sweet contrast.
Ajoblanco is so popular that it even has its own festival – each year at Fiesta del Ajoblanco in Almáchar, dance and music accompany the serving of thousands of liters of soup. You can get a taste of Andalusia with this ajoblanco recipe.
Contact and other contact persons
Did you have a great time in Spain? Do you have any tips for places and experiences not to be missed? We would be happy to share your experiences - here, via social media or, if you feel like it, at information events with other TUD students. Get in touch with us:
© Sven Ellger/TUD
Advice on studying abroad
NameMs Federica Serra
Infocenter/ Study abroad; TUDworldwide: America
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).
Visiting address:
Fritz Foerster Bau, Office 161 Mommsenstraße 6
01069 Dresden
Postal address:
TUD Dresden University of Technology International Office
01062 Dresden
Office hours:
- Tuesday:
- 09:30 - 11:30
- 12:30 - 14:30
- Thursday:
- 09:30 - 11:30
Please register at the SCS (FOE, floor 0).
Would you like to get first-hand information?
Want to find out more about Spain? Ask the TU Dresden alumni ambassadors, who are active in many countries around the world. They will be happy to give you tips and advice for your stay.
Contacting them is easy: on the interactive world map, markers show the cities where the alumni ambassadors live. A short profile with contact information is provided for each person.
Partner countries archive
Did you miss a partner country? No problem, here we collect all the pages for you to read.
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Europe (Erasmus+) |
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Africa |
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America |
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Asia |
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Australia and Oceania |
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