Mexico: Guadalajara Summer

Program Overview

Guadalajara, capital of the state of Jalisco, is Mexico's second-largest city. Founded in 1542 by Spanish conquistadors, it maintains ties to its rich cultural past, priding itself on being Mexico's most traditional large city. Sombreros, mariachis, and tequila all have their origins here. At the same time, Guadalajara is a modern city and home to Mexico's high-tech sector. This blend of traditional and modern makes Guadalajara a perfect place to study Spanish language while gaining an appreciation of the complexities of today's Mexico.

Students participating in the CCIS Guadalajara, Mexico Program will study at Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG) one of the country's top five institutions for higher education. Summer programs offer options for beginning and advanced Spanish speakers.

The Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in Guadalajara

Established in 1935, the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG) is the oldest private university in Mexico and is often ranked as one of the country's top five institutions of higher education. Its nearly 20,000 students represent all states of Mexico and 35 countries, many attracted by UAG's well-known medical school. Surrounded by parks and residential neighborhoods, UAG is only minutes away from downtown Guadalajara, easily accessible by public transportation.

Course Offerings

Eligibility Requirements

Minimum GPA of 2.5

Good judicial standing (no major disciplinary violations in the past 12 months)

Program Dates and Costs

Costs Included

Tuition, medical insurance, and a Lonely Planet travel guide

Costs Not Included

Application fee ($50), passport ($130), airfare ($500), airport pickup fee ($20), homestay with three meals per day (shared: $375; single: $425), homestay placement fee ($20), books and supplies ($25), local transportation ($75), personal expenses ($200), and optional study tour of Mexico City ($250)

Related Links

• Wikipedia Guadalajara, Jalisco

Student Life

Participants are encouraged to immerse themselves in the local culture through extracurricular activities at the university. International students also have the option of participating in a monthly excursion to a historically or culturally significant location in and around Guadalajara. (The costs associated with these optional excursions are not included in the program fee.)
Student activities and clubs at UAG are also open to international students. Participants are encouraged to take part in the North American Students Association, which promotes intercultural understanding between study abroad and Mexican students.

Housing

Living with a host family provides students with valuable insights into Mexican life and culture. Students are placed with local families in a private or shared room, and are provided three meals per day. Homes are typically located in residential areas convenient to campus; students generally walk or take a short bus ride to class.

Alumni Feedback

"Studying abroad is the best decision I have ever made, I am so grateful I took advantage of this opportunity. This experience will stay with me for the rest of my life, I have learned so many new things I could never learn at home and made lifelong friends. Mexico is so incredible I extended my stay!"
- Margi Garrison, Central Washington University

"The program has been a life changing experience for me. I was only going to study for 8 weeks at the University but after the first 2 weeks I knew I wanted to stay and study longer because of the atmosphere and people. I have met life long friends, I have learned life long experiences, and I have recieved a good education. The culture is very diverse and I have enjoyed many aspects of the Mexican culture. The people are very friendly and welcoming, the food is wonderful, and the weather is awesome. The classes have been great because they are very small . I am very glad I made the decision to study in Guadalajara and look forward to coming back to visit or even study here again."
- Scott Alexander, Central Washington University

"I really like Guadalajara because the big-city life does not drown out the typical Mexican traditions. An added bonus is that there are several small municipalities and towns on the outskirts of the city where a large number of artisans make and sell their products. My favorite cultural experiences so far have been seeing mariachis perform in a variety of places and going to the Ballet Folcl—rico (Folkloric Ballet) that takes place every Sun

CCIS Mexico Application Checklist

1. CCIS Application - Students must obtain their advisor's signature on the application.

2. Statement of Purpose 

3. Two Letters of Recommendation - Letter must be from a professor or assistant instructor that you have had in the past or have currently. One recommendation should be from a language professor.

4. Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara Application

5. Homestay Application

6. Official Transcript - You may have your registrar send this directly to CWU, or include it with your application.

7. Passport-sized photo (2" x 2")

8. Disciplinary Clearance Form

9. $50.00 Application Fee - Include a check or money order made payable to Central Washington University. This fee is non-refundable.

Submit Application Materials To:

Ray Bates, Study Abroad Advisor
Study Abroad & Exchange Programs
Central Washington University
400 East University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7407

batesr@cwu.edu
(509) 963-3621
(509) 963-1558 (Fax)
CCIS Mexico Facebook Group

All costs, fees, and dates are subject to change without notification. Please contact the appropriate individual to verify all costs, fees, and dates for this program.

CCIS Guadalajara, Mexico Summer Study Program Sponsor:
Central Washington University
Larry Laffrey,
Director, Study Abroad & Exchange Programs

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Phone 800-453-6956 or 202-223-0330
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