UNA EUROPA BACHELOR OF ARTS IN EUROPEAN STUDIES

The Bachelor of Arts in European Studies is the first joint degree organized by nine Una Europa universities. In these FAQs we answer the most commonly asked questions about the program, admission, enrolment, etc.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Where can I find general information about the Bachelor of Arts in European Studies (BAES)?

• Check general BAES information at the Una Europa alliance website.
• Visit the specific website for BAES at KU Leuven, coordinating university for the program.
• Find out how to study BAES at UCM: General information / Access / Program
• Kolja Raube, a professor at KU Leuven and the academic coordinator of BAES, explains all the relevant details of this pioneering joint degree in this video.

BAES lasts three years, while in Spain, bachelor's degrees are normally four years long. Will it be recognized as a regular degree in Spain?

The new regulation of university education (Royal Decree 822/2021) allows three-year degrees if they are offered by an Alliance of European Universities. This is our case, as the Complutense University of Madrid belongs to the Una Europa Alliance, and within this context, this joint degree is offered by four of the universities that make up the alliance.

The degree will be recognized in Spain and abroad, giving access to the labour market and/or to one- or two-year master's degree programmes in any university (not only in those that are part of the One Europe alliance).

What does it mean to be a "start university" and a "mobility partner"?

Your "start university" is where you will complete the first year of your studies.
It has to be one of the four degree-awarding Universities:

• KU Leuven in Belgium
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain
• Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna in Italy
• Uniwersytet Jagiellónski w Krakowie in Poland

The program features a mandatory mobility of at least three semesters (read the "mobility" section for more information). You will be able to carry out this mobility in another "start university" or in a "mobility partner", universities that also participate in the program:

• The University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom
• Helsingin Yliopisto in Finland
• Freie Universität Berlin in Germany
• Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne in France
• Universität Zürich in Switzerland

 

Can I choose any “start university”, regardless of where I live or where I have studied High School?

Yes, you can begin BAES at any of the four universities that grant the degree. However, you must keep in mind that you will always go through the initial admission process at the coordinating university, KU Leuven. If you choose the Complutense as your “start university”, you will also have to go through our university's specific admission process, just like any other student applying for other UCM undergraduate degrees. (Please read the "admission" section for more information.)

As this is an interdisciplinary degree, does it offer any specialization?

Yes, after completing the mandatory courses ("Truncus Communis") for all BAES students, you will have to choose two specializations: a "Major" and a "Minor".  You can find more information about the programme on the coordinating university's website: KU Leuven.

Will classes always be in person?

The majority of the programme is offered in person. The only courses taught online are the "Common Courses," where students from the four universities will be together. However, some of these "common courses" also have in-person seminars.

 

BAES - UCM as the "start university"

Where are UCM's in-person classes held?

During the first year, UCM's on-site classes will be held at the Faculty of Law on the Complutense´s Moncloa Campus.  The classes for the different specializations ("Major" and "Minor") will be held in other faculties, depending on your choices.

Is the fee the same at all "start universities"?

Yes, international joint programs leading to an official degree will have a fixed fee agreed upon by the consortium. In addition, the BAES enrolment process begins at KU Leuven, where the fees will be paid.

Are accommodation expenses included in the tuition fee?

No, they are not. Each student is responsible for finding and managing their accommodation for each mobility period. Starting from the second year (third semester), students can apply for Erasmus scholarships at the "start university" to help with living and accommodation expenses. Additionally, UCM students can apply for the UCM Residential Colleges scholarship.

If I enrol in BAES, can I apply for UCM, the Universities Ministry, or other institution’s scholarships?

If your "start university" is UCM, as a student of an official degree, you can apply for any of these scholarships, just like other Complutense students, provided you meet the necessary requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPECIFIC ADMISSION PROCESS FOR UCM

Is the admission process for BAES different if I want to start at the Complutense?

Admission to BAES is centralised at the coordinating university: KU Leuven. When filling in your admission application form, you will have to select three "Start Universities" in order of preference. If you are conditionally admitted to the program at UCM as your "Start University," you will need to go through the pre-admission process with us.

PLEASE NOTE In all cases, you must fill in the pre-enrolment form of KU Leuven, the coordinating university, independently and in a complementary manner, and choose the Complutense University as your first choice university (you must indicate up to three preferences of starting university). Only if you have completed this procedure before KU Leuven closes the pre-enrolment period, you will be able to activate the possibility of enrolling and starting the BAES in another of the universities of Una Europa that grant the degree, if you do not finally achieve to enter the first option in the Complutense.

I am a Spanish student, but I have completed the International Baccalaureate. Do I have to take the university entrance exams to access BAES at UCM?

To access BAES, you will need to come from studies that give access to the university, such as the International Baccalaureate. However, if you want UCM to be your "Start University," you will have to apply for admission to KU Leuven, as well as to pre-enrol in “the Distrito Único de Madrid”, where access is assessed with up to 14 points, so we recommend that you submit at least two subject grades that are relevant to our program.

I am a foreign student with a European baccalaureate, and I want to access BAES at UCM. Do I have to take the specific competency exams of UNED (PCE)?

If your family lives in Spain you will be in the same situation as in the previous question.

If your family does not live in Spain, you can go through the admission process at the coordinating university, KU Leuven, and once conditionally admitted to UCM as your "Start University," you will have to follow the specific pre-admission process for international students: "early admission."

I am a non-EU student, and I want to access BAES at UCM. Do I have to obtain official recognition of my qualifications and take the specific competency exams of UNED (PCE)?

You will need to complete the pre-registration at KU Leuven, and once conditionally admitted to UCM as your "Start University," you will go through the pre-admission process with us through "early admission."

I am interested in enrolling in BAES, but I have already started another degree programme. Can I have some credits recognised?

Yes, but first, you will need to complete the admission application at KU Leuven, and once admitted, you can request the recognition of credits, as long as they are eligible for validation at your “Start University”.

Is there a specific GPA requested to access to the Bachelor of Arts in European Studies at Complutense?

Yes, there is. Check it out here.

Should my GPA not qualify for the UCM, can I still access the BAES by choosing another “Start University?

Yes. In your application for admission to KU Leuven, you must indicate up to three "Start Universities." If your GPA does not allow you to access UCM, you may be offered a place in one of the other indicated options.

LANGUAGES

What level of English proficiency do I need to enrol in BAES?

You must have at least a B2 level of English. The accepted certificates can be found here.

As a foreign student, is a B2 level of Spanish required to begin BAES at UCM?

No, a B2 level of Spanish is not required for foreign students to enrol in this program since the language of instruction is English.

Will classes always be in English?

The entire program can be completed in English, specifically, all mandatory courses will be in English. As for the elective courses (“Major” and “Minor”) taken during mobility periods, most are offered in English, although some may be taught exceptionally in another language.

MOBILITY

In which countries/universities can I study during the mobility semesters?

You can find the answer here. Note that the availability of places at the "mobility partners" is limited.

When do the mobility periods start in this programme?

Mobility is compulsory in the fourth and fifth semesters of the degree, during which you will have to complete your "Major" specialization. Additionally, you will need to choose at least one more semester outside your "Start University", it can be the third and/or sixth semester.

Can I apply for Erasmus grants for the mobility periods of BAES?

Yes, you can. As a guideline, you can consult the Erasmus study grants amounts and the corresponding country groups at the following link (info in Spanish). Please note that these amounts are updated every year. The deadlines, requirements, and conditions for future Erasmus grants will be specified in the applicable Erasmus call for the academic year in which you want to apply for mobility. In that call, you will also find information about compatible scholarships and available funding.