Most people stick to their native country when they decide to further their education, maybe jump a few kilometers away to get a good university. Other people take a year off, maybe two, to work or to travel a little before coming back to study. Why not be little different? Why not do both, at the same time?

It’s very possible today to fly across to the other side of world and study, through school exchanges, scholarships or by your own accord. There are many reasons why you should go, and probably some reasons not to, and if you do decide it’s an option, where should you go?

Spain is a great option, why? For starters, the location. Due to the ease of traveling around Europe, you have the very accessible neighbors or Portugal, France, and Morocco, while a little further out there’s France, Italy, Germany and the UK. That’s not to say you wont find yourself stuck inside the country with all they have to offer — Ibiza, Barcelona, Madrid and more.

I need not mention the culture — I’m sure you’re already aware of their crazed football fanatics, world famous and often replicated cuisine, bulls running through streets and exotic music played to the beat of a beautiful dancer — I guess I did just mention it, but it should be noted that Spain has a so much history that it pours through the streets and the people, it’ll be hard to miss.

Now to the actual schooling, which is Spain, is good. When ranked by CSIC, Spain claimed fifth place in the world; the New York Times gave the University of Navarra the 34th place of 50 best universities in the world. In total there are 74 universities in Spain, many of which are considered some of the world’s best — so when you’re looking for the best one for you, you’ll have plenty of choices.

It will pay to do your research before jumping head first into the idea, there’s no centralized application system for Spanish universities, so each one will require something a little different from you — Maybe you have to past a test, maybe the cost changes, find the class you want and look into it further.

Spain is one of the most popular tourist destinations out there, many people go there to study and immerse themselves in all the culture and beauty there is to offer — but if you’re anything like me, you’re going to want to know your way around a conversation, it’s not going to be as enjoyable if you can’t speak with people and socialize with the locals. Consider taking a few classes before your big move, get that Español level up to where it should be, or make an inquiry if you’ve got any questions.