Program Overview

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Spain: Disability in a Global Context

Graduate Study Abroad

This course explores the implications of disability in global contexts with varying types of health care and education systems for individuals with disabilities. It examines how local public and private sectors, including schools, hospitals, or transportation systems, affect the lives of people with disabilities in Madrid. The students will explore and identify cultural and historical factors, which may influence a community's view of disability. Students will gain knowledge of different professions through interactions with faculty, students, and community visits to develop inter-professional team-building skills. This course utilizes the reflective teaching model and experiential learning to enrich students' understandings of the impact of context, including enablers and barriers to participation in daily life especially for people with disabilities. Students will learn about socialized health care, education, access and public transportation, and social welfare for individuals with disabilities in Madrid.

Location:

Madrid, Spain

Program Dates:

May 25 - June 7, 2026 (tentative; subject to change)

Faculty:

• Tsu-Hsin Howe, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy.
• Wen K. Ling, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy.

Application Deadlines:

• Priority Deadline: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 (admissions continue following the priority round deadline on a space-available and rolling basis)
• Regular Deadline: Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Eligibility & Application Process

Who can participate:

• NYU graduate students
• NYU undergraduate students who have:
  • 96+ earned credits by course start date
  • related coursework
  • approval from the faculty director as well as their advisor
• Non-NYU graduate students and professionals who both:
  • Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents
  • Currently hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States

Related areas of study:

• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Special Education
• Social Work
• Teaching and Learning
  • This is not a complete list. We value diverse perspectives in our programs and encourage students from other majors and professions.

Academics

Occupational Therapy and all other non-Doctor of Physical Therapy students register for a total of 3 credits and take the following course:

• OT-GE 2174, Section 099 (Class #4104)- Disability in a Global Context (3 credits)
  • Offered through the Department of Occupational Therapy.

Doctor of Physical Therapy students register for the course below only after receiving approval from the program faculty leader. Otherwise, please register for the above Occupational Therapy course:

• PT-GE 2300, Section 099 (Class #4053) - Independent Study: Disability in a Global Context
  • Offered through the Department of Physical Therapy.

Important Note: All program applicants are encouraged to meet with their academic adviser to determine if and how these course options may be applied towards their program requirements and degree completion.

Costs & Scholarships

Direct Costs Billed by NYU

Participants will be billed for the cost of the graduate course following the standard per-credit rate for NYU Steinhardt Graduate Study Tuition and Fees, with the exception of OTD and DPT students. For OTD and DPT students, tuition and registration/service fees are included in the OTD flat-rate tuition/DPT secured-rate tuition.

In addition, study abroad courses have a supplemental Program Fee that covers the cost of housing abroad, program activities and visits, group transportation in-country, and international health insurance. Students can expect to be billed:

• For students enrolled in the "Disability in a Global Context" (OT-GE 2174) course:
  • Steinhardt Graduate Tuition (3 credits) - $6,816
  • Steinhardt Graduate Registration and Services Fees - $730
  • Program Fee - $1,800
  • International Health Insurance - Included
  • Estimated Direct Cost Total - $9,346
• For OTD students with flat-rate tuition: Tuition and registration and services fees are included in the OTD flat-rate tuition. OTD students will only be charged the Program Fee.
• For Doctor of Physical Therapy students enrolled in the "Independent Study: Disability in a Global Context" (PT-GE 2300) course:
  • Steinhardt PTPS-DPT Secured-Rate Tuition. See Graduate Study Tuition and Fees page for more details.
  • Program Fee - $1,800
  • GeoBlue International Health Insurance - Included
  • Estimated Direct Cost Total - Program Fee ($1,800) + Steinhardt PTPS-DPT Secured-Rate Tuition

Out-of-Pocket Costs

Students are responsible for purchasing flights to and from the program location. In addition to airfare, participants should budget for other out-of-pocket costs, including:

• Daily meals (except for included welcome and farewell meals)
• Transportation to and from the airport
• Passport and/or visa fees (if applicable)
• Vaccination costs (if applicable)
• Other personal incidentals
  • These costs will vary depending on individual students' budgets, preferences, and choices. Students are encouraged to research potential costs by using online budgeting tools.

Scholarships

NYU Steinhardt offers several graduate study abroad scholarships and maintains a list of additional external funding opportunities.

Program Housing & Travel Logistics

Housing Accommodations

Students stay in shared-occupancy housing arranged by the Office of Global Affairs. Your accommodation arrangements are included in your Housing and Activity Fees. Group accommodation dates correspond with the program dates listed above.

Flight, Travel, and Visa Information

• Flight: Students book their own travel to coincide with program dates. Please keep in mind that flights arriving in Spain typically depart New York a day in advance. All participants are strongly encouraged to purchase refundable flights.
• Passport: All program participants are required to have a valid passport, which must be valid at least six months beyond the program end date.
• Visa: Review visa information for this destination.

Resources & Policies

Pre-Departure Resources

Visit the study abroad resources website and get a head start on preparing for your study abroad program experience.

Policies

All applicants should review the Office of Global Affairs policies page prior to applying to study abroad.