​Summer Programs

USD School of Law Summer Study Abroad Program welcomes you if you are current law student in good academic standing.

Additionally, you must possess a valid passport with at least six months of validity beyond the program's end date. We invite you to connect with Graduate and International Programs to identify any additional eligibility requirements.

The cost of this program depends on the city where the program is offered—in Summer 2026, the host city is Madrid.

The non-refundable application fee is $250. The separate Madrid program fee is TBD $400-$450 and includes cultural activities, course activities, and insurance. These fees will be charged to your student's account upon acceptance.

Beyond program fees, additional expenses to consider as you immerse yourself in the global legal landscape include housing (approximately $1000 for the entire month), food, airfare, local transportation, books, supplies, and personal expenses. The estimated total cost for the Madrid program is $5,140.

Please note that tuition is billed at $4050 for 1 course or $8100 for 2 courses.

USD School of Law is dedicated to supporting you as you expand your horizons with financial aid options such as scholarship funds through the International Study Abroad Scholarship program and federal student loans through the completion of the FAFSA form. Tuition payments can be made through your student's MySanDiego account or from a United States checking account using routing numbers. If you're an international student, you may pay via wire transfer using Flywire. Discover more about the financial aspects of our Summer Study Abroad Program by visiting our tuition, fees, and financial aid page.

USD School of Law normally welcomes approximately 15 to 20 students in the Summer Study Abroad Program each year.

In order to be eligible for our Summer Study Abroad Program, you must submit an application by the deadline. The typical application deadline is in mid-February (for Summer 2026, the application period runs from February 4-11, 2026). We encourage you to apply as early as possible to ensure the greatest chance of being accepted into your program. Explore our Application Deadline and Program Policy page to view detailed information about the host city and respective deadline.

As a student of USD School of Law, we invite you to embark on a transformative academic journey, delving into diverse cultures and subjects while attaining valuable knowledge and experience through our Summer Study Abroad Program's array of dynamic and innovative courses.

You can earn up to six credits in our Madrid program, which runs from mid-May to mid-June. This program includes two dynamic courses: 1) Courts, AI, Speech and International Internet, led by a highly-respected federal Judge and 2) International Deals and Global Crises, taught by one of our esteemed faculty.

Yes - USD School of Law is committed to empowering you as you embark on transformative international learning experiences by providing access to financial and scholarship opportunities.

As a USD law student, you must be enrolled at least half-time—equivalent to three credits for our Summer Study Abroad Program—to be eligible for federal financial aid.

If you are a US citizen, there is no visa required to participate in our Summer Study Abroad Program. If you are an international student, we advise you to check with your consulate to determine if a visa is required. As an international student, it is your responsibility to secure any necessary travel documents, including visas and passports. Both international students and US citizens must possess a valid passport with at least six months of validity beyond the program's end date.

USD School of Law understands that unforeseen circumstances may arise and may require you to withdraw from the program. Our policies are designed to accommodate your needs. The following refund policy is in place for those who need to cancel or withdraw from the program:

• All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing.
• Tuition payments, other than the non-refundable $250 application fee, will be returned if the cancellation is made prior to the program's tuition and fee deadline.
• Partial refunds after the deadline will only be considered in the event of a significant medical and/or family emergency as verified by supporting documentation.
• Students who fail to secure entry into the host country or desire to pursue employment or any other prohibited activity will not be eligible to receive a refund.
• If a student borrows a federal loan and withdraws from the Summer Study Abroad Program, federal regulations may require that all or a portion of the funds are returned to the lender.
• In the event of program cancellation, termination or withdrawal by the refund deadline, eligible students will receive a refund within twenty (20) days.
• Students may change their course enrollment from credit-seeking to auditor status during a Summer Study Abroad Program but will be assessed the full program tuition and fees. These requests should be sent to Graduate and International Programs.

We reserve the right to make changes to these cancellation and refund policies. Should significant changes occur, you will be notified and offered the option to withdraw with a full refund. To learn more about the program cancellation and refund policy, you may visit our Application Deadlines and Program Policy page.

Yes, you can earn academic credit for courses taken as part of the Summer Study Abroad Program. As a USD law student, you can accumulate a maximum of ten (10) credits during the summer term, whether they are taken in San Diego or abroad.

The Summer Study Abroad Program does not require specific prerequisite courses, allowing you the freedom to explore new areas of interest. However, we advise you to review individual course descriptions to determine if there are any prerequisites for your selected course(s) to ensure a seamless and enriching learning experience.

USD School of Law takes pride in offering dynamic and diverse Summer Study Abroad Program, designed to enrich your academic and global perspectives. While there is plenty of time outside of class to explore the local culture and engage in extracurricular activities, class attendance is mandatory and considered a vital component of the journey. As such, you are expected to be physically present in the classroom and actively participate in your scheduled classes.

In alignment with USD Law's commitment to academic excellence, our Summer Study Abroad courses adhere to a letter-graded basis. This grading policy reflects the high standards and rigor of the program, ensuring that your study abroad experience is both rewarding and meaningful. You may visit our grading policy page to learn more about this policy.

The Summer Study Abroad Program does not impose any language requirements. All program courses are taught in English by USD law faculty. Many students who have joined the program in the past chose to embrace the global adventure by exploring language learning opportunities in the host country. This approach ensures that you can concentrate on your coursework while immersing yourself in captivating legal and cultural experiences without language barriers.

Housing options vary across our different Summer Study Abroad programs, offering you a unique and authentic experience in each location. For the Madrid program, housing is available for a very reasonable fee of about $1100, with a comfortable single room with own bathroom and access to shared living spaces, including a kitchenette. Each house hosts 16 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. As Madrid is a bustling city and popular destination, you are encouraged to secure housing as early as possible.

USD School of Law is dedicated to providing an immersive and engaging program that fosters personalized attention and support from faculty, empowering you to fully embrace your global academic journey. With a typical student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1 in our Summer Study Abroad Program, we cultivate a collaborative and supportive environment where you can confidently ask questions, actively participate in discussions and receive substantive feedback.

The Summer Study Abroad Program goes beyond the classroom, offering a vibrant array of extracurricular activities to enrich your educational, personal, and professional lives. Exploring the local area, joining city tours or attending cultural events with faculty members provides you with the opportunity to immerse yourself in the host country's culture and forge lasting connections with your peers. These experiences form an integral part of the international journey, creating memories that last a lifetime.

The USD School of Law is dedicated to providing an inclusive and supportive environment for every student, regardless of their abilities. If you are a student who requires accommodations, you should contact Graduate and International programs immediately upon acceptance into the program.

It is essential to recognize that accessibility standards vary across countries. While USD School of Law makes every reasonable effort to provide appropriate accommodations and access, you should review the US Department of State information on traveling with disabilities prior to participating in a Summer Study Abroad Program.

USD School of Law places the safety and well-being of our students at the forefront of our priorities. We advise you to visit the U.S. Department of State website to stay informed of any current travel warnings in place for your chosen destination. The State Department also provides general information about our program's location in Spain.

USD School of Law is dedicated to providing an enriching and immersive program that is accessible to all students with good academic standing. We are honored to welcome those who are eager to gain practical experience and broaden their horizons of diverse cultures, legal systems, and perspectives from around the world. Typically, we receive an average of 20 to 25 applications per program per year, and we accept 10 to 15 students to ensure an efficient student-to-faculty ratio and a collaborative learning environment.

If you're interested in applying for our Summer Study Abroad Program, you may learn more about the process and apply by visiting our Application Instructions page.