Pre-University Summer Courses

About

PreUni is a distinctive program for students aged 16–18 who are already considering their university studies, offering the chance to broaden their horizons by attending classes with world‑class university professors. Students who are 15 and will turn 16 in 2026 are also eligible to apply.

PreUni includes two courses, each running for two weeks:

1. Skills course: Speaking and Writing Skills for Academic and Career Success (workload equivalent to 6 ECTS credits).

2. Academic content course: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Climate Change (workload equivalent to 6 ECTS credits).

The content course is an exclusive two‑week, English‑taught program that delivers a high‑quality multidisciplinary curriculum. It is taught by leading professors across many areas—Art, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Economics, Engineering, Geography, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology—as well as top practitioners from the business world.

This course is aimed at students seeking academic enrichment not only within their prospective field but also across other disciplines through a multidisciplinary exploration of Climate Change. If you have not yet chosen your university path, the course will help you clarify your interests and make an informed decision.

The skills course is a two‑week, English‑taught program focused on the essential abilities students need to thrive at university: effective listening and reading, confident presentation delivery, and academic paper writing. You will also collaborate in small teams to prepare and deliver a presentation to the wider group.

You will study alongside peers like you, as well as international and local university students. The program is further enriched with social and cultural activities and academic field trips.

Course leader

See each syllabus for a complete list of professors and their biographies.

Target group

At the time of the start of the Pre-University Summer School, students applying for this program must have no more than 2 years of their preuniversity studies pending or may have completed their preuniversity studies. Therefore, the typical student applying for the program would be between the ages of 16 and 18, including 15-year-old students who turn 16 in the current year. There are no specific criteria in terms of subjects already studied in their preuniversity studies, but they must be a passionate and enthusiastic student.

Course aim

Objectives of the skills course:

A) Introduction

The SWSACS course is a two‑week, English‑taught program where students focus on core competencies essential for success at university: active listening, efficient reading, delivering presentations, and academic paper writing. Learners will also collaborate in small teams to prepare and present to the wider group, while strengthening their writing through guided practice.

B) Objectives

Training in public speaking and presentation equips our students to deliver memorable, high‑impact talks. They will explore communication strategies and techniques to connect effectively with their audience. Likewise, the writing component is designed to help students produce excellent academic papers, covering planning, drafting, and proofreading; sentence‑level techniques (information structuring, register); cohesion and coherence (organizing, presenting, and linking ideas); and document design.

In particular, the objectives are:

• Develop the knowledge and skills needed to create compelling and successful oral and written presentations.
• Build the abilities required for clear, efficient, and fluent communication with audiences and readers.

Objectives of the climate change course:

A) Introduction

Climate change stands as the foremost global environmental challenge and a major economic and social issue facing humanity. Public perception increasingly reflects this reality: for example, the latest Eurobarometer (June 2025, European Commission) reports that 85% of EU citizens consider climate change a serious problem for the world, and it ranks as the top concern in several Member States and among the top three in most others.

At the same time, climate change is inherently multidimensional and must be examined through multiple disciplines. Yet typical curricula rarely provide multi‑ or interdisciplinary coverage. Moreover, despite widespread concern, there is a notable knowledge gap about its nature, impacts, plausible scenarios, policies, and societal responses.

B) Objectives

The principal aim of this course is to address curricular gaps and the knowledge shortfall noted above. To this end, it offers a rigorous, multidisciplinary examination of climate change, delivered by experts in each field. While grounded in university‑level scholarship, sessions are adapted to an introductory level appropriate for a heterogeneous student cohort.

In addition to the main objective, the course pursues several secondary goals:

• Provide first exposure to introductory university‑level courses across multiple disciplines, helping students make informed decisions about their future studies.

• For non‑native English speakers, reinforce academic skills in English to build readiness for studying university courses taught in English.

• For students not residing in Spain, offer a rich study‑abroad experience, with the academic, cultural, and personal benefits such programs provide.

Fee info