Vermont Academy's Trimester in Spain program allows VA students to spend a trimester living and learning in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. During this trimester-long program, students continue their Vermont Academy curriculum while exploring education on a whole new level.  Students spend their time continuing their core academic courses while also furthering their knowledge of Spain and Europe through the Spain Campus curriculum.  This European curriculum is aided through experiential learning with trips to Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Florence, and areas of the Galician region.  By the end of the trip, the VA Spain students come away with knowledge of European and Spanish history, increased fluency in Spanish, and a priceless understanding of the ever-expanding globalized world.

Location: Santiago de Compostela is a UNESCO World Heritage site built over 2,000 years ago.  As one the three most important cities in the Christian religion, along with Rome and Jerusalem, it is rich in religious and cultural history.  The VA Spain Campus is located in the heart of the historic streets of Santiago.  The campus is in the San Martin Pinario Monastery just across the courtyard from the famous Cathedral of St. James.  The Cathedral marks the end point of the pilgrimage known as El Camino, or The Way of St. James.  This pilgrimage has unified Europe throughout history.  Also within this city is the prestigious University of Santiago de Compostela, which was founded over 500 years ago and is home to over 30,000 students.  The central location of the campus allows the VA Spain students to explore the Old City during free time while mingling with Spanish and other international students. The city is rich in cultural influences ranging from its world famous cuisine to its literature and Celtic-influenced music. The city hosts many museums, art galleries,  and concert halls which students are encouraged to explore. 

Trips: The VA Spain Program builds on the rich cultural offerings of Santiago by traveling to many locations within the Galician region and Europe.  Within Galicia, students travel the route of the Benedictine Romanesque monasteries, explore the towns of Vigo and Ourense, and on occasion, relax on the white sand beaches of Ribera.  The program also travels to Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, and Florence.  In each of these locations, the group’s time is spent exploring the rich and unique history each place has to offer.  Through tour bus adventures, visits to world-famous museums like the Prado and the Vatican Museum, and sight-seeing trips to places like the Colosseum, the VA Spain students receive a complete education in each of these cities.  The VA Spain Campus curriculum is specifically designed to coincide with these trips, resulting in an experiential learning environment that has few comparisons in the independent school world.

A VA Spain Education: A VA Spain education is everything a Vermont Academy education has to offer, and so much more.  VA Spain students finish their trimester with a global perspective few college students ever experience.  The program is completely unique amongst college preparatory schools and far surpasses the international programs of many universities.  Many summer programs claim to have similar offerings, but none compare to the opportunity to study abroad while continuing the intense and rewarding curriculum of Vermont Academy.  VA understands this program is crucial to the education of our students and only requires a nominal fee from the participants be a part of this program. In an ever-smaller global society, students with international skills are becoming more and more desirable.  With a semester on the VA Spain Campus, students add immeasurable value to their college resumés and learn skills which they will carry with them to the college or university of their choice, and beyond.