The ISA program cost includes items such as tuition and fees, housing, insurance, and more. To view what is included in your program price, please visit the "What's Included" section of the ISA Valencia program page.

The "Additional Estimated Expenses" sheet in the "Accepted Students" section of the ISA website has the following estimated expenses listed:

• Airfare
• Books & Supplies
• Meals (if applicable)
• Visas/Passports
• Passport (new/renewal)
• Student Visa (if applicable)
• Personal Travel

What is the Euro worth compared to the dollar? With the Euro in constant flux, please see www.oanda.com for up-to-date exchange rates. While traveling, it may be helpful to carry a portable currency converter (found at travel stores). Sometimes in the form of a key-chain, this is a handy gadget (like a calculator) into which you enter the exchange rate (depending on the exchange rate at the time and the country in which you are located) save, and then simply enter prices and the device converts the amounts into dollars.

While Valencia can be expensive to the untrained traveler, there are many ways to live comfortably on a budget, if you pay attention to what you spend and look out for different deals and events offered throughout the city. The ISA Valencia office also has several books and other resources (including locals, themselves!) that can help you get by living in Sevilla while still taking advantage of what the great city has to offer.

A few important things to keep in mind when planning for your trip:

Budgeting
Former students have given us some idea of what you should expect to spend per week while in Spain. Due to the change in exchange rates and vast differences in individual spending habits, we can only give you estimated figures. However, most students seem to spend around $100-$200 per week. This figure does not include extra traveling, heavy shopping, or frequent restaurant dining. Please keep in mind that some students spend less and others spend more.When budgeting, keep in mind that it is always better to overestimate than to underestimate. To give you an idea of common approximate expenses and commodities a typical student will to incur, please see the brief list below.

• Coffee: 1-1,5 €
• Coca-Cola: 1,5-2 €
• Beverage and tapa: 2.5 €
• Entertainment: 20-40€ / week (varies greatly per student)
• Souvenirs: 5-20€ per item
• Restaurant/cafés: 10-15€ (moderately priced restaurant)

The Euro is the official currency of Spain, and of most European Union member states, excluding the UK and the Czech Republic, among others. The Euro, symbolized by a "€," has been in public circulation since January, 2002. The peseta, the former official currency of Spain, is no longer accepted, however, you may see that some price tags in Spain give the price both in Euro and in pesetas, to help those who still think in terms of pesetas.

There are 8 different Euro coin denominations and 7 different Euro bill denominations in circulation. Coins are denominated in 2 and 1 Euro, then 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Each member state decorated their own coins, but all coins are interchangeable within the countries. Bills are denominated in 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 and they vary in color and size.

With the Euro in constant flux, please see www.oanda.com for up-to-date exchange rates.

NIGHTLIFE: The nightlife in Spain is very expensive, especially in larger cities. So if you are someone who likes to go out every night to clubs and stay out until 5 a.m., then you are going to spend much more than someone who prefers spending their time reading at a small neighborhood café.

CASH ECONOMY: Most businesses and restaurants in Spain will only accept cash as a method of payment, so be prepared and have some cash on hand before heading out.

ATMS: ATM's are readily available in Spain and are a very convenient way to obtain money from your U.S. bank account. We recommend that you inform your bank of your studies abroad before your departure to inquire about conversion fees you will receive while abroad, etc. Please note that some banks will place a hold on your account if they believe there is fraudulent activity, so err on the safe side and inform your bank that you are studying abroad PRIOR to departure.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Public transportation is not included in the ISA program cost. For certain cities, this will not have much of a monetary impact. But for larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, this is something that will come into play every single day. Barcelona and Madrid are very spread out, so you will most likely need to use public transportation to get from your homestay to school, from school to the ISA office, etc. Students in Barcelona and Madrid can expect to spend between $50-100 per month on (basic) public transportation. This is not included in the $100-200 range mentioned above. To read more about public transportation in Valencia, click here.

It is recommended that students to look into purchasing an ISIC card for their studies in Spain. The ISIC card is an internationally recognized student ID card that gives students thousands of discounts worldwide from travel to cinema, meals and more. While you will likely have a student ID from your host university abroad, it may not grant you discounts that an ISIC card could. You will likely be able to purchase an ISIC card abroad, but it is most convenient to purchase this card BEFORE you arrive, as it may grant you travel discounts, and you won't have to deal with the hassle of international delivery. To find out how to get an ISIC card, visit www.isic.org. Once there, you can find information on discounts in Spain, and what is needed to obtain an ISIC card.