Nastic Sport Academy Madrid (GSA Madrid)

• Year of foundation: 1974,
• Location: Madrid, Spain,
• Age of students: 12+,
• Number of students: 1550+,
• Language of instruction: English, Spanish,
• Type of education: sports school.

GSA founded in the mid-1970s as an innovative project which combined the traditional format of academic education with intensive sports training for the first time in the history of independent education in Spain. In 1982, the Gredos San Diego cooperative was formed, dating back to the Gredos Cultural Center, which opened in the 1950s. De facto, they are a single multi-platform educational center with a common management model and mission, which occupies a leading position in the Spanish sports education market.

The school is a center for primary, secondary and vocational education and training, an International Baccalaureate school taught in Spanish as a foreign language (ELE); in addition, GSA offers several short-stay programs lasting from 1 to 4 weeks. All this makes GSA an excellent option for students who want not only to achieve high results in sports, but also to obtain an excellent classical education.

The campus is equipped with the latest technology and provides its pupils with exceptional opportunities, both in terms of sports and traditional school education.

The studying is conducted in English or Spanish. In order to study at the academy, a language level of at least A2 is required, applicants with a lower level of foreign language proficiency can enroll in preparatory courses.

The academy has developed a flexible and adaptive, innovative program for its students, both Spanish and international, allowing graduates to obtain up to three official qualifications at the same time, including the Spanish national and American high school diploma.

The invaluable experience of the American school in Spain will be an excellent experience for foreign students, as they are provided with the opportunity to learn a foreign language and obtain the high quality of academic preparation, to get acquainted with  American standards of secondary education in terms of multiculturalism and interethnic and intercultural dialogue.

The GSA Academy is aware of how difficult it can be to combine studying and sports and at the same time to achieve good results in both at once. That is why classes with all students are held according to an individual schedule, allowing you to adapt the curriculum to the training cycle.

The school's campus is located in the vicinity of the Spanish capital, 45 minutes from Madrid and half an hour from Barajas International Airport, on the territory of the Biosphere Reserve of the same name, one of the oldest in the country. By Spanish standards, the school has outstanding equipment for sports such as football and basketball, volleyball and athletics, paddle tennis, swimming and many others - in total, more than a dozen Olympic sports are available to students.

Its proximity to Madrid, the cultural, political and artistic capital of Spain, offers students excellent opportunities not only to study and practice sports, but also to explore this outstanding historical metropolis. Madrid is unique – popular with sports, art, music, entrepreneurs, and students, this city is bustling with life day and night. Modern and developed infrastructure and urban transport allow you to hold a variety of events, exhibitions, sports matches. The city is one of the centers of European football, where tennis, athletics and other sports are also tried. A magnificent modern airport, designed by the Briton Richard Rogers, connects the Spanish capital with all the important cities of the world, and the high-speed rail and road system allows you to reach any Spanish coast, France or Portugal, in a matter of hours.

But you don't want to leave here, quite the contrary - everyone wants to go to Madrid to pay tribute to the hundreds and even thousands of museums and attractions that are scattered around Madrid and its surroundings.

Finally, there are hospitable and tolerant residents and a diverse, multinational cuisine.

Students are accommodated in four-bed rooms: each athlete will have his own bed, a workplace for classes and a wardrobe for storing things and clothes. Each room is equipped with two full bathrooms. Meals are five times a day, balanced. If necessary (for a fee), halal, vegan or vegetarian menus, a diet that takes into account individual food preferences and intolerances can be agreed.

The campus building is equipped with modern classrooms, a gym, common rooms for recreation, reading and games, vending machines where you can buy snacks and drinks.

Students are supervised 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by "foster parents" – professional mentors assigned to a group of athletes who are responsible for academic performance, diligence and behavior and are always ready to help with various problems and difficulties. The campus is under security and round-the-clock video surveillance.

Studying at GSA in Madrid provides students with a number of advantages:

• Spanish League

Students of the school compete within the Spanish League system and play in friendly matches against LFP teams.

• First-class residence

An excellent residence provides incredibly wide opportunities near the Spanish capital. It is one of the best sports academies in Spain. Most of the sports and recreational facilities are located near the campus or are connected to it by a convenient network of public transport routes or shuttle buses.

• Football pitches according to UEFA standards

The campus has an excellent field with natural grass, stands and an electronic scoreboard which meets UEFA standards.

• College Admissions Support

The GSA Academy has a special department, whose employees help high school students enter universities in their chosen direction - they offer consultations, conduct fairs and presentations of universities and colleges. There is a psychological support service for applicants.

• Excellent international education

In addition to outstanding athletic training opportunities, students have access to an excellent academic education with one or more academic qualifications, both national and international. A GSA diploma opens the doors of any university and will be an excellent addition to the resume of a young athlete.

• Affordable prices

Compared to the of other European (especially American and British) sports academies, the GSA price tag is very attractive - depending on the program, the difference can reach 20-25%. The same can be said about the cost of living: all other things being equal, the cost of renting housing, eating in cafes, restaurants and canteens, and even public transport in Madrid is lower than in London or Berlin.

• No barriers

Teaching at the academy is conducted in English, so students do not need to study, in addition to their native language or English, also Spanish (however, no one forbids doing this in an informal setting or at school, under the supervision of a highly qualified teacher).

On campus there are:

• Gym;
• A training camp organized in strict accordance with UEFA standards;
• An indoor swimming pool with 25-meter long lanes;
• Restaurant and cafeteria;
• A snack bar and vending machines with snacks and drinks;
• 3 conference rooms and a video room;
• Classrooms equipped with interactive whiteboards, projectors and modern personal computers;
• Library and media library;
• Rooms for games and recreation;
• Physiotherapy room;
• A medical center in which a nurse is constantly on duty.

Prospective students wishing to study at GSA in Madrid must take the following steps:

• Filling out the application

After filling out the application in electronic form, a representative of the admissions committee will contact the applicant for the first acquaintance. He will provide the applicant and/or his family members with all the necessary information about the course and conduct an initial interview to understand whether the level of English of the potential student is sufficient to study at the academy. In case of a positive decision, the applicant will receive a letter describing the actions necessary to receive financial assistance.

• Scholarship Application and Submission of Documents

You can send an application for a scholarship and all other documents according to the list provided by the admissions committee by e-mail, use the services of a transport company or during a personal visit to the school.

• Invitation

The number of places is limited. If there are any, the school will send the applicant an offer of admission in response to the letter with the application and a package of documents. To accept such an offer, you need to pay a deposit (this is how you will book a place at the academy). Then the school representatives will contact the applicant and provide the necessary assistance in obtaining a visa.

To enroll a child in school, it is necessary to meet a number of requirements, the main of which is knowledge of English at a sufficient level for mastering the program and barrier-free communication during sport activities (as a rule, B1 or at least A2).

After completing the application, one of the members of the admissions committee will contact the applicant for a place and conduct an interview with him in order to find out if the candidate meets the minimum requirements.

In addition, a traditional interview is held with applicants, giving the school the opportunity to get a holistic idea of its future student. It is necessary to submit 2 letters of recommendation from the school or club where the applicant is currently studying.

The school offers students a number of scholarships with partial coverage of tuition fees: in some cases, school provides about a 50-60% discount, although usually its amount is smaller, making up 10-20%. If you are in need of financial assistance, you are required to attach a scholarship application when applying.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision