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Spain: Camino de Santiago

Dates: 1 May–24 June 2023
Application Deadline: 2 February 2023

A PILGRIM'S JOURNEY: DISCOVERING THE DIVINE SELF

According to tradition, the Apostle James (Santiago in Spanish) evangelized Spain and later was buried in northwestern Spain at what is now Santiago de Compostela. For a thousand years, pilgrims have made their way along various routes from across Europe to venerate the remains of the saint. Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (el Cid) made the journey, as did St. Francis of Assisi, Isabel and Ferdinand, and hundreds of thousands of others throughout the Middle Ages. They shared stories, songs, architectural designs, religious feelings, and language, and for many it was on the Camino that the ideal of European identity and unity was forged. Over the centuries cities were built on the road, cemeteries filled with pilgrims who died en route, and churches provided spiritual and temporal sustenance. Those who now walk the Camino each year experience an unparalleled sequence of historical, architectural, and artistic landmarks that tell the story of Spain and of Europe.

But the Camino is also a spiritual journey: a journey of self-discovery, of penance, of service and of brotherhood. Modern-day pilgrims learn about themselves as they enter into the conversation of mankind by learning about those who have for centuries walked the same roads and doing so in company with modern pilgrims from around the world.

We will walk the 790 kms of the road known as the Camino Francés from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela. On rest days, we will bus to locations like the Monasteries of Suso and Yuso (the cradle of the Spanish language), Oviedo with its pre-Romanesque buildings, the Cantabrian caves decorated with Paleolithic cave art, the the famed cloister and chanting monks at Santo Domingo de Silos—in the process coming to know two millennia of Spanish history and culture. Arriving in Santiago we will present our credentials and receive the compostelana, the certificate awarded to those who complete the pilgrimage.

Click here to apply today!

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Contact Us

Lin Sherman
3165 JFSB
(801) 422-3107
alvin_sherman@byu.edu

PDF

Program Flyer

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
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More Information

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Courses

Students will register for 6 credit hours during the program from the following courses:

SPAN 447R—Special Topics in Iberian Culture (3 credit hours)
SPAN 449—Special Topics in Spanish Literature (3 credit hours)

Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
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Cost

$4,200–4,600

Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduates and non–Latter-day Saint students), housing, transportation within Spain, admissions, and international health insurance coverage.

Does not include meals and personal expenses.
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Funding Sources

Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.

Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.

Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants.

Limited scholarships are available to Humanities majors.

Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
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Preparation

Prerequisite: Spanish 321. All students must provide certification from a licensed physician indicating that they are in excellent health and able to withstand the rigors of walking for a month across northern Spain. Students must commit to a minimum training regimen in order to be prepared for the physical demands of the trip.

Accepted students are required to participate in an international, cross-cultural preparation course (IAS 201R, 1 credit hour) during the second block of winters semester 2023.

Accompanying spouses must be accepted on their own merits and fully participate in the program.

Students must meet all country- and program-specific COVID and health requirements for travel.
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Housing

During our initial week in Madrid (Alcalá de Henares), we will stay in the Residencia de Lope de Vega, a new student residence in the heart of the University of Alcalá campus. Once on the Camino, we will stay in modest hotels, hostels and albergues.
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Travel

Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.

BYU Travel
280 HRCB
(801) 422-6293
travel@byu.edu
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Application Process

Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Complete the online application here. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required; applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.

Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program. The first payment is due upon acceptance; please refer to the Payment Information document.

Application Deadline: 2 February 2023
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Program Adjustments

International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost.

If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account.

ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.
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Faculty

Lin Sherman is a professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

3165 JFSB
(801) 422-3107
alvin_sherman@byu.edu

Doug Weatherford is a professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.

3169 JFSB
(801) 422-4941
douglas_weatherford@byu.edu
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Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
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ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.
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Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.