Universidad de Navarra

By Gabrielle Wong

Exchange AY 18/19

1) Studio Experience / Academic Experience

a) How does the university teach architecture? Are there any specific studios you recommend? How different is it compared to NUS, and what are the benefits of studying there?

The arch students are split into 3 specialisations (menciones): creative, urban and technical. We were default enrolled into the creative specialisation because it was the only one conducted in English.

During our time in the creative specialisation, we had a joint studio with 2 visiting professors from a Berlin firm. Our project site was in Berlin, but the site visit has to be self-funded for the international students.

Since it was a joint studio, the project structure and pedagogical approach was unusual, as the mix of professors from different cultures had quite different approaches.

It’s hence very different from NUS, more so because we were exposed to two new approaches at once. The studio culture is also very different and the work-life balance is excellent.

b) What is the language of instruction? Are we eligible to take modules of a different language?

The modules are mostly taught in Spanish, and most of the professors and students do not speak English. English-speaking modules are subject to the availability of the professors for the semester. As a result it is very likely that you will have to enrol in a module that is equivalent to a lower or higher level than your current NUS level.

Yes, you are actually free to enrol in any module you want, language and timetable being the only barrier. There is an individual session with the university’s foreign student advisors before the semester to help you sort it out.

2) Travel tips

a) Any must go places while you are studying at the university?

It’s worth it to explore the cities all around Spain and its islands, because of the diverse language, culture and architecture in the different regions. The cities and historic towns are very charming, and the natural landscape is very diverse also, with beaches, forests, deserts and volcanoes. If you have the time, we recommend visiting Morocco as well. It’s only about a 2 hours flight from Madrid.

b) Travelling tips when leaving the city

Inter-Spain trains can be almost as expensive or more expensive than flying so it can be worth it to take a plane to save a lot of time. Buses are usually the more economic option if you can afford the time.

The airport from Pamplona serves very limited international flights (only Frankfurt and a couple of French airports if I’m not wrong), so if you want to travel out of the country, you have to factor in the additional cost and time of travelling to either Madrid or Barcelona airport to take your flight.

3) Living in the foreign place

a) Any accommodation tips? Which bank to use, discounts on travel deals etc.

The university accommodations are quite pricey, but there are many different apartment rental options, as a large percentage of the university students are foreign.

It’s most convenient to use a multi-currency card with your Singapore bank, or a YouTrip student card. The YouTrip wallet is linked to your Singapore bank account and you can use it as a debit card with good exchange rates. You can also use it to withdraw money at a low transaction fee even in Morocco.

b) Visa requirements

It can be difficult to book a visa appointment at the embassy and practically impossible on short notice, so try to book it at least 3 months in advance.

c) Insurance

We used the NUS exchange student coverage and we were not required by Spain or the university to purchase any additional insurance.