Studying Abroad at San Jorge University

Nowadays many young people choose to study in Spain. This academic course San Jorge has more than 100 foreign students who have come to study a degree. There are 38 Erasmus students in the School of Communication; according to the International Relations Department and 60 French students in the Physiotherapy degree programme.

Although this year the Health Science Faculty does not have any Erasmus students, last year two Greek students came to USJ to study Physiotherapy. Pablo Herrero, director of Physiotherapy says, “They adapt very well to the class and I think that it was a good experience to get to know another university, to know another culture, another language.” These students started the Erasmus program in the Health Science Faculty, even though the conversations with International Relations Department began three years ago.

But Erasmus students are not the only foreign students at San Jorge University. There are also students with other characteristics. For example, this year, 60 students have come from France. Why did they choose to come here? They use their European citizenship and their French high school diploma to enter Spanish Universities. But the number of registrations is restricted by the Education Ministry which is one of the reasons French Physiotherapy students decided to come to USJ. “The first year of this degree, only one student was French. The second year, the same student spread the word and the next year, 30 students came from France and this year there are 60 French students,” said Herrero.

In San Jorge University, the Physiotherapy degree adapts to the European Higher Studies Education Area. This program includes many obligatory subjects that are shared with other universities but each campus has the opportunity to design part of its subjects and make a degree with different specialities, Herrero explained.

What will the future be like for students of the Physiotherapy degree? The director of the degree said: “On one hand, the students who come from France will have a lot of work and will be well paid. On the other hand, Spanish students can work here because they have opportunities but they also have to adapt to the global market and go to other countries.”

Escrito por: Jorge Zorraquín

Fotografía: Jorge Roy