Seth McLaughlin

Hello, my name's Seth McLaughlin and I'm a fifth-year undergraduate studying Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Anthropological Archaeology. I studied at Carlos III University of Madrid through UCEAP in the Fall of 2022, where I took mainly engineering classes that contributed toward my major requirements. I fell in love with the city of Madrid and spent nearly every weekend exploring other cities, and occasionally other parts of Europe. Some of the highlights of my trip were an overnight backpacking trip to the Picos de Europa, attending an international aerospace conference in Paris, and participating in a study tour in Brussels as part of a delegation of Gilman Scholars.

Here’s some rapid fire advice for students considering study abroad:

If you’re doing UCEAP, try to do a homestay. Your program might offer to set one up for you, or you might need to ask around. It’s absolutely worth it to experience the cultural and language immersion that comes with living with a local family, plus you will often get most of your meals included.

Don’t let the fear of being unable to find classes that satisfy your major requirements be a deterrent to studying abroad. Aerospace Engineering is one of the more obscure majors, so if I was able to figure it out, you can too! In my case, it actually helped me by narrowing my choices down to a select few universities that offered the courses I needed.

That being said…STEM gang, I’d advise against taking more than two STEM-heavy classes while abroad. I took three and although there was no homework, the material was more demanding than back in the US. I wish I had given myself more time to relax and explore the city!

Apply to the Gilman Scholarship if you are eligible! And stay on top of other study abroad scholarships offered through UCSD– there are a few different sources and applications to keep track of, but it’s worth it.