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Free Mover Undergraduate

Estudiantes en Welcome Day a la salida de la universidad

This is an international mobility program for undergraduate students who want to spend a semester or a full year at UC3M. It is not necessary to have an agreement between UC3M and your home university.

The Student Free Movers program allows you to choose subjects of all the Degrees related to the area of knowledge of your studies with a great flexibility of schedules. At the end of your stay you will receive an academic certificate with the subjects you have passed.

Academic Offer

How is the academic year organized at UC3M

  • First semester: from September to mid-January (international students may finish in December).
  • Second semester: from late January to May.
  • Recovery exams for both semesters: June.

Academic Offer: Free Mover Program

Knowledge Area 1: Social Sciences and Humanities.

- Affiliated Degrees: Juridical, Economics, Business, Social Sciences, Humanities, Communication and Documentation
  Campus | Getafe

Knowledge Area 2. Engineering

- Associated Degrees: Engineering and related
  Campus | Leganés

Additional Academic Offer:

International Business Program

International Engineering Program

  • Database Fundamentals
    Mario Perez Enriquez I maripere@inf.uc3m.es
    Schedule: Tuesdaysand Thursdays from 17.00 to 19.00
     
  • Teoría de Autómatas y Lenguajes Formales
    Jose Antonio Iglesias  | jiglesia@inf.uc3m.es
    Diego Ruano | diruanom@inf.uc3m.es
    Schedule: Mondays from 13:00 to 15:00 and Thursdays from 19:00 to 21:00

Requirements

  • Be studying at a university or meet the requirements to access university studies in your country of origin.
  • Having, at least, the equivalent of a 6 out of 10 as the average grade in the academic record of the home university (the grade conversion is done at the time of application).
  • Enroll a minimum of 6 credits.
  • In case you need a visa to study in Spain, the Spanish Government requires that you must be a full-time student, and therefore you must take a minimum of 18 credits. 
  • You will be able to choose up to 2 areas of knowledge and you will be able to enroll in any subject of the Degrees attached to them.
  • We recommend a B2 level of English or Spanish. 

Deadlines & Prices

Deadlines

Application deadline for first quarter and full academic year

  • March 5 to May 21, 2024

Application deadline for the second quarter

  • Information available as of September 2024

Prices

Fee for 2nd semester 23/24: 230 € per credit

Application

Documentation

You must include a scanned copy of the following documents with your application:

The documents attached to the application must be submitted in Spanish or English. If not, they must be accompanied by the corresponding official translation, which can be done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Interpretation and Language Office, by UNESCO, or any official organization recognized by the Spanish State, by any official representation of the Spanish State abroad, by diplomatic or consular presentation in Spain from the country of origin, or by a duly authorized or registered sworn translator.

Apply Online

  1. Get your login password.

In order to access the application form for visiting students, you must register to obtain your access password.

If you have any problems registering, it may be because you have some kind of previous relationship with UC3M. If you have forgotten your password change it here: Change your password.

  1. Apply for a vacancy.

Access the application with your Passport or ID number and the password you have obtained in step 1. We recommend you to have the files with the documentation ready to upload them to the application. In order to access the application for visiting students, you must register to obtain the access password.

  1. Select the courses you wish to study.

Free Mover Degree. Social Sciences and Humanities

Free Mover Degree. Engineering

Reservation deposit, Admission and Resignation

Admission and Reservation Deposit

Admission will be communicated by email to which we will send you the admission letter in digital format. If you need to apply for a visa, we will send a new admission letter with the necessary information.

Admission is conditional upon payment of 300 € as a reservation fee which will be deducted from the total price at the time of enrollment. Payment will be made by credit card through the payment platform linked below.

Resignation

If, once admitted, you wish to withdraw from the program, you must notify us using the following form:

If you withdraw from the program for reasons beyond the control of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, the fees paid will not be refunded.

Enrollment

If you have received your admission letter and have reserved your place, the last step is to enroll. 

Complete all the steps to follow and practical information to plan your stay.

Guía del estudiante / Students guide

I. Activate your e-mail account

Check the following website for all the steps to activate it and to access the email:

Enrollment

1. Check the subjects from December 12th

Instructions for the enrollment of the first four-month period.

  • In this first phase, you will be able to see the offered subjects and the schedules.
  • The available places for each subject will be displayed on December 19th. 
  • We recommend taking advantage of this period to plan the semester.

Access to the registration of academic subjects. (Enter your student number and the password you chose for the e-mail). You must click on "Pre-enrollment Management".
Can't access the application? Send us an email to students.c3is@uc3m.es explaining in detail the problem.

2. Subject selection.

Deadline: From January 23rd to February 5th

  • Access the registration application to find out the day and time you can register for your courses.
  • You can select any group with free places at the moment you enter the application.
  • We recommend that you have previously prepared a schedule with alternative subjects and groups in case there are no free places in the ones you want to choose.

Access to enrollment of academic subjects. (Enter your student number and the password you chose for the e-mail). You must click on "Pre-enrollment Management".

3. Enrollment payment. From February 19th

  • You will receive an email when everything is ready to make the payment. 
  • The payment method will be by credit card through the Internet to the account provided by the university with the link that will take you to the secure payment portal.
  • You will have 10 days to pay the tuition fee starting from the date you receive the email.

Withdraw

The student's withdraw for reasons unrelated to the university will not lead to the refund of the fees paid.

Likewise, it will be considered a tacit withdraw for those students who have enrolled but have not paid the fees within the established period. As a consequence of this withdraw, the enrollment will be canceled.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

General Questions

  1. Do my university and UC3M need to have an agreement?
  • No agreement between universities is necessary.
  1. Can I access the Free Mover Program if I am not currently enrolled in any university?
  • Yes, you can, as the only requirement is that you are a university-level student.
    Admission is processed directly between the student and UC3M.
  1. When do the semesters start?
  • The academic year consists of 2 semesters.
    - September to January (international students can take their final exams in December to finish in that month)
    - February to June. (See the academic calendar)
  1. Can I study courses from multiple fields of knowledge?
     
  • There are 2 fields of knowledge. Each one encompasses a set of Bachelor's degree programs.
    When you enroll in the Free Mover program, you can combine courses from different Bachelor's degrees of your choice, depending on the available spots, and therefore enroll in 1 or 2 fields of knowledge.
    You will also have access to courses specific to the International Business Program or Engineering Program

Questions about Application/Admission and Enrollment

  1. What do I need to be admitted to this program?
  • Be a university-level student
  • Have a minimum level of B2 in the language in which you will take the subjects. If you don't have an official certificate, you can fill out the following language level self-declaration.
  1. How do I apply for the program? What if I haven't attached all the necessary documentation? Can I submit it later?
  • You must complete the online application following the steps in the "Application" paragraph. The documents we request must be official and in Spanish or English.
    The application period, published on the website, opens several months before the start of each semester.
  • You will be able to access your application again with your username and password as many times as you want to attach any required documents.
  1. How long will it take to know if I have been admitted?
  • The waiting time is approximately 3 weeks.
  • Once admitted, you will be notified by email and we will send you instructions to pay a reservation fee. This fee will be deducted from the total tuition fees.
  • Once we receive the payment of the reservation fee, we will send you the letter of admission.
  1. When can I choose and enroll in my subjects? How many credits can I enroll in? Is it guaranteed that I can enroll in all the courses I need?
  • The subject selection will be done online a few days before classes start. During the months leading up to the start of the course, you will be able to access the enrollment platform to see available subjects, places, groups, schedules, etc.
  • You can enroll in between 6 and 30 ECTS credits per semester.
  • You should have a flexible study plan and alternatives since, although there is a wide range of subjects and groups, there may be cases where some groups are full.
  • If you need to apply for a visa to study in Spain, the Spanish Government requires students to study full-time.
    For this reason, you must take a minimum of 18 ECTS credits per semester.
  1. Once my subjects are enrolled, can I make changes?
  • Yes, you can make changes, as the enrollment remains open for several days at the beginning of the semester.
    During that period, you can make changes, both adding and dropping subjects. After the deadline specified on the website, no changes can be made.

Questions about Payments and Prices 

  1. How much does the Free Mover program cost?
  • The price per enrolled ECTS credit is €230, both for European and non-European students.  The total cost of enrollment will vary based on the number of credits enrolled. For example, a subject with 6 credits would cost €1380. 
  • Tuition fees should be paid approximately 3 weeks after the semester starts.
    You will be informed of this via email.
  1. What are the accepted payment methods?
  • Payment is made through a single payment via a secure online TPV platform with a credit or debit card (Visa or Mastercard).
    If you have any issues paying online with a credit or debit card, you can pay the tuition fees in cash at any Banco Santander or Bankia / Caixabank office, using a document that we will provide you with.


     
  1. Are there any financial aid or scholarships available for international students?
  • UC3M currently does not provide any financial aid for this program.

    If I decide to cancel my Free Mover program, am I entitled to a refund of the reservation fee? Or the tuition fees?
  • Reservation fee: It is only refundable if the program cancellation is made by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
  • Tuition fees: They are non-refundable if the program cancellation is due to reasons beyond Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

Questions before your arrival. Accommodation / Health Insurance / Teaching Model

We recommend that you arrive at least one week before the start of classes to be well prepared and able to attend the welcome sessions organized by the Carlos III International School.

  1. Does the university provide accommodation? Is it included in the program price?
  • The university has three fully-equipped student residences near the campuses, where you can apply for a place. (See here)
  • Accommodation is not included in the program price.
  1. Do I need to get health insurance or does the university provide it?
  • European student: You will need the European Health Insurance Card for medical coverage.
  • Non-European student: It is essential that you purchase medical insurance from the company of your choice.
  1. What is the teaching model for classes?
  • The teaching model at UC3M is predominantly face-to-face, with the exception of some cross-disciplinary subjects offered in a hybrid or mixed format combining online and in-person teaching.


     
  1. What support will I have during my stay at UC3M?
  • Before your arrival, you can sign up for the Buddy Program and we will connect you with international and undergraduate students from UC3M.
  • For academic matters, you will have the support of our academic advisors for international students. (you can request tutorials from your professors)
  • For administrative matters, you will have the assistance of the staff at the Student Office of the Carlos III International School.
  1. Will I have a student ID card?
  • The university provides all students with the Intelligent University Card (TUI), which can be downloaded in digital version for mobile devices.

Questions once you have completed the program

  1. How can I validate the credits approved at my home university?
  • You should inquire about these procedures at your university.
    Usually, the transcript of records is sufficient for the recognition of completed credits.
  • If you need to provide the syllabus for each subject, you can find all the information available for download on the website.
  1. Can I change the dates of my final exams?
  • There is a possibility to change the exam date, exclusively if there is a clash of more than 1 exam on the same day.
    For that, the professor must be informed with sufficient notice.
  • First semester (autumn), international students can advance their final exams to December to finish in that month.
    Second semester (spring), there is no possibility to advance the exams.

     
  1. Can the exams be taken remotely?
  • No, the exams will be conducted exclusively in person.
    Your professors can address any questions you have regarding the assessment system.
  1. Will I receive any certificate upon completing my studies?
  • Yes, once the semester is completed, you will receive instructions to download the transcript of records with an electronic signature from the UC3M Electronic Headquarters.
  • If your Free Mover stay has been organized through a university with a Free Mover agreement, we will provide it directly to your university.
  1. Will this program help me gain admission to the university and complete my studies at UC3M?
  • The Free Mover program does not grant you the right to be admitted to the university upon completion.
  • If you wish to be admitted, you would have to follow the different admission channels for international students or apply for a transfer of academic records.

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