Private plan · IE Madrid · for Martha

IE Master in Digital Marketing

Interactive tracker: dated timeline, IE vs Sheffield vs UNSW, steps, budget, Spanish student visa (Mexican passport + Canadian PR), ieGAT or GMAT/GRE, alumni, links. Progress saves on this device.

Overview

10 mo
Full-time Madrid
€37k*
Tuition + €1.2k foundation
Sept 2027
Next realistic intake
ieGAT or GMAT/GRE
ieGAT is 1 attempt. GMAT/GRE are retakeable. Confirmed on the IE admissions-fees page, 31 Oct 2026.
AI is real here: Gen AI Lab, Next-Gen SEO AI & LLM, AI Agents for Marketing, optional End-to-End AI Lab. Brochure alone undersells it — use the study plan.

Passport path: Mexican passport + Canadian PR. Apply for the Spanish study visa from the consulate that covers her province in Canada.

English, from the IE admissions-fees page (31 Oct 2026): a certificate is not required if she is a native speaker, or she completed an undergraduate degree in English, or she has worked and lived for more than two years in an English speaking country, or she has extensive professional experience in English. The Admissions Committee may still request a certificate. Accepted tests on that page: TOEFL 100 (105 recommended), IELTS 7 (7.5 recommended), Duolingo English Test 130, or Cambridge Advanced. A certificate is valid for two years from the test date. Book IELTS 7 / TOEFL 100 / DET 130 now if her bachelor's was not in English or she wants a buffer. The visa itself needs no English test.

IRCC: 730 days in Canada in any rolling 5-year window. Enter PR landing date, days outside Canada so far, and PR card expiry in the visa section before deciding. Card expiring abroad means a PRTD to fly home. Not legal advice.

Program: IE Master in Digital Marketing · Study plan: AI courses listed

Compare · IE vs Sheffield vs UNSW

This tracker is an IE plan. Sheffield and UNSW stay on the page so the choice is visible. The rows that should drive it are admissions test and days outside Canada.

V = verified against an official page. T = third-party only. ? = not verified. Markers below are from the 31 Oct 2026 review, except the IE tuition, admissions-test, and English cells, which were read on the MDGM admissions-fees page that day.

IE MDGM (Madrid)Sheffield MSc Digital MarketingUNSW MCom (Extension), Marketing
Length10 months, Sept start (V, IE page)1 year, Sept 2027 start (V)2 years, Terms 1/2/3 (V); standard MCom is 1.7 yrs (V)
Tuition€37,000* + €1,200 + €150 (V, IE admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026). Optional career specialization €6,000 (V, same page).2026 entry ~£30,625 (T); 2027–28 not yet published (V)2026 indicative A$62,000 first year; ~A$129,000 all-in incl. study costs (V)
Admissions testieGAT (one attempt) or GMAT/GRE (V, IE admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026)None stated (V)GMAT only if WAM 60–64% (V)
EnglishIELTS 7 / TOEFL 100 / DET 130, or Cambridge Advanced (V). Certificate not required for a native speaker, an undergraduate degree in English, more than two years lived and worked in an English speaking country, or extensive professional experience in English; the committee may still request one (V, admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026).IELTS 6.5, 6.0 each (V)separate page (?)
Student visa costCAD 145.50 (V)£558 + IHS £776/yr (V)AUD visa charge (?)
Work while studying30 h/wk, confirm program type (T)20 h/wk term-time (standard rule, ?)48 h/fortnight (standard rule, ?)
Post-study workjob-search residence exists in Spanish law; current length not confirmed here (?)Graduate Route 18 months for applications from 1 Jan 2027 (T, multiple universities + PIE News)Subclass 485: ~2 yrs for coursework master's (T); age ≤35 (V)
Days outside Canada~300–330~365–400~700+ (collides with 730/5 unless she has a large buffer)
Language of marketSpanish + EnglishEnglishEnglish

Timeline · back from September 2027

IE lists the program as 10 months, English, Madrid, September, full-time, in person. The 2026–27 intake starts 7 September. This plan uses early September 2027. A slip at any link pushes the start to September 2028.

  1. Now → Dec 2026Decide program; PR numbers; book English test; start application; practice.
  2. Jan–Mar 2027Test (ieGAT or GMAT/GRE), submit, Kira, interview, decision.
  3. Apr–May 2027Accept + pay; RCMP → GAC apostille → translation; medical; insurance.
  4. Jun 2027Lodge visa ≥60 days pre-travel.
  5. Jul–Aug 2027Collect visa; notify provincial health plan; fly.
  6. Sept 2027Start; TIE within 1 month.
  7. Jul 2028Return; PR card still valid?

Progress

Checklist status as of this device. Clearing browser data resets it.

0 / 14 done

Plan steps

1. English test or waiver
IE admissions-fees (31 Oct 2026): a certificate is not required if you are a native speaker, you completed an undergraduate degree in English, you have worked and lived for more than two years in an English speaking country, or you have extensive professional experience in English. The Admissions Committee may still request one. Tests they list: IELTS 7 (7.5 recommended), TOEFL 100 (105 recommended), DET 130, or Cambridge Advanced. A certificate is valid for two years from the test date. Book IELTS 7 / TOEFL 100 / DET 130 now if your bachelor's was not in English or you want a buffer.
2. Gather documents
Degree, transcripts (certified EN/ES), 1-page CV, personal statement, 2 refs, passport copy, photo.
3. Start IE application + €150
Rolling admissions; class fills. Confirm any 30-day rule with IE. Complete ≥25% of the application, including the fee, before the ieGAT.
4. 2–3 weeks SHL-style practice
30–45 min/day, including mixed timed sets (verbal, numerical, abstract). Finish before IE unlocks the ieGAT. Log scores below.
5. Sit ieGAT (1 attempt) or GMAT/GRE
ieGAT: one attempt, 70–90 min, correctness and speed, wrong answers penalised (formula unpublished). Once unlocked: 7 days to start, one sitting, block 2 hours. Laptop, camera, mic, no window switching. GMAT and GRE can be retaken.
6. Kira video + interview
Practice to camera. Story: Canada stall → AI marketing pivot → why IE Madrid.
7. Offer decision
Usually 1–3 weeks after the interview. IE admissions-fees (31 Oct 2026) says the committee's final decision takes roughly 1–3 weeks.
8. Scholarship (optional)
Llorente award requires residence in one of 13 LLYC countries (not Canada; a Mexican passport is not Mexican residence), a 6-month LLYC Madrid internship after graduation; 2 awards/year across 3 programs. Likely ineligible — ask IE Financial Aid about general scholarships instead.
9. Accept + enrollment deposit
Visa needs admission + partial payment proof.
10. RCMP record + apostille + translation
Start early. RCMP with fingerprints, then a Global Affairs Canada apostille and a sworn Spanish translation. The 6-month rule is the Montreal consulate's wording; Toronto sets no age — confirm when booking.
11. Medical certificate + Spanish insurance
Medical certificate in the consulate's prescribed wording, then apostille + sworn Spanish translation. Insurance: Spanish-authorized, no copay, ≥€30k.
12. Book consulate appointment + lodge visa
≥60 days before travel. Prove Canadian residence in that consular district.
13. Housing
Beyond Campus / IE roommate channels once enrolled. First month on-campus or verified share.
14. Arrive Madrid + TIE
Apply for TIE within 1 month if stay > 6 months.

Budget (EUR · 10 months)

ItemAmountNotes
Tuition€37,000*IE admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026. Reviewed yearly; 2027–28 not published yet.
IE Foundation€1,200One-off during enrollment to become an IE student. Confirmed on IE admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026.
Application fee€150Not refundable. Same page.
Optional career specialization€6,000Optional add-on. IE admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026. Not in the fixed subtotal or the all-in below.
Fixed (tuition + foundation + app)€38,35037,000 + 1,200 + 150. Excludes the €6,000 specialization.
Shared room (Madrid)€6,000–€11,000€600–€1,100 / mo × 10. IE cost-of-living PDF.
Groceries€2,000–€4,000€200–€400 / mo × 10.
Transit€80–€550Abono Joven €8/mo under 26 (IE PDF, Mar 2025) × 10 = €80; else €55/mo × 10 = €550. Price changes yearly.
Health insurance€350–€570+€35–€57 / mo × 10. Visa needs Spanish-authorized, no copay, ≥€30k. The high end is open.
Living (room, groceries, transit, insurance)€8,430–€16,120+Row sum: 6,000+2,000+80+350 = 8,430; 11,000+4,000+550+570 = 16,120. Top is a floor because insurance is €570+.
Utilities share~€900–€2,100PDF whole-flat €260–€630/mo (electricity, gas, water, internet, phone); a one-third share is roughly €90–€210/mo × 10. IE student-services PDF, Mar 2025.
Flights—Quote return tickets. Not in the all-in.
Housing deposit (refundable)€600–€2,200About 1–2 months of the shared-room band. Cash tied up, not a cost. Not in the all-in.
Pre-departure—English test, RCMP fingerprints, GAC apostille, sworn translations, medical certificate. Get quotes. Not in the all-in.
Spanish visa feeCAD 145.50Toronto consulate figure. Applies in Toronto's district. Not in the EUR all-in.
All-in estimate (EUR)€47,680–€56,570+€38,350 fixed + €8,430–€16,120 living + €900–€2,100 utilities. Add €6,000 if she takes a career specialization (€53,680–€62,570+). Excludes flights, pre-departure, the refundable deposit, and the visa fee. Insurance makes the top a floor.
All-in estimate (CAD) Enter a rate and a date
No rate is baked in. CAD figures show after both boxes are filled. Multiply the EUR all-in by the rate you actually used.

Tuition, foundation, application fee, optional career specialization, entrance exam, English rules, and the 1–3 week decision: IE MDGM admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026. Living rows: IE student-services Madrid cost-of-living PDF, March 2025 (the file metadata is titled Segovia; the content used here is the Madrid table). Visa fee: Spain Consulate Toronto.

Spanish student visa

Mexican passport holder, Canadian PR, apply from Canada at the Spanish consulate for her province (prove residence). Default: apply from Canada. In-country filing exists for higher-ed students in regular status (RD 1155/2024) but is slower, blocks work until approved, and a refusal means leaving. Don't plan on it.

  1. Mexican passport valid through at least Aug 2028, 2 blank pages, issued less than 10 years ago — renew at a Mexican consulate in Canada if not.
  2. Admission letter + at least partial tuition paid.
  3. Email the consulate for an appointment (Toronto: cog.toronto.visnac@maec.es — subject First name;Last name;STUDY VISA APPOINTMENT). Toronto: AB, BC, MB, ON (not Ottawa/NCR), SK, NT, NU, YT. Montreal: QC, NB, NS, PEI, NL. Ottawa embassy: NCR only. The Toronto address and CAD 145.50 fee are for Toronto's district.
  4. RCMP criminal record with fingerprints, Global Affairs Canada apostille, sworn Spanish translation. Toronto does not accept a local police certificate. Max 6 months old (6-month rule is the Montreal consulate's wording; Toronto sets no age — confirm when booking).
  5. Medical certificate in the consulate's prescribed wording, then apostille + sworn Spanish translation.
  6. Spanish health insurance (no deductible, ≥€30k).
  7. Bank statements showing ≥ €600 × months of stay (IPREM 2026 = €600/mo); prepaid housing deductible. For 10 months that is €6,000. Bank statements, not tuition receipts.
  8. Apply ≥ 60 days before travel; collect the visa in person within 2 months of notification.
  9. After arrival: TIE within 1 month if stay > 6 months.

Canadian PR — three numbers

Quote, not advice. IRCC “Understand PR status”: “you must have been in Canada for at least 730 days during the last five years. These 730 days don’t need to be continuous.” “You won’t lose your PR status when your PR card expires.” Outside Canada without a valid card, apply for a permanent resident travel document (PRTD) before boarding a commercial carrier home. If you have been a PR for less than five years, IRCC asks whether you will be able to meet 730 days within five years of landing. A master’s does not count as one of the narrow exceptions (full-time work abroad for a Canadian business or public service, or accompanying a Canadian-citizen spouse or parent). IRCC help centre.

If she became a PR less than 5 years ago, count days outside Canada since the landing date. Days before landing do not count. The estimate below assumes re-entry on 1 July 2028 and 300 days outside Canada just before that, and that she is in Canada every day from today until she leaves. Past days outside are treated as the most recent ones, so they stay inside a rolling look-back. IRCC counts any part of a day in Canada as a day; this uses whole dates and can be off by a day or two.

Enter all three values to see an estimate. Not legal advice.
Work while studying: Spain allows up to 30 hrs/week for higher-ed students (ask IE: is MDGM a título oficial or título propio, and does the 30 h/week student work right apply?). Canadian PR: 10 months ≈ 300 days abroad; a 2-year program ≈ 700+. Only safe if the three numbers above say so. Not legal advice.

Canada-side checklist

Health rules are provincial. Not legal advice.

ieGAT prep tracker

ieGAT (IE Global Admission Test): one attempt, 70–90 min, scored on correctness AND speed, wrong answers penalised (formula unpublished), basic calculator allowed, laptop + camera + mic, no window switching. Once IE unlocks it you have 7 days to start and must finish in one sitting; block 2 hours. GMAT/GRE are accepted alternatives and can be retaken. Do not use random “ieGAT prep” sites claiming affiliation. Mechanics: IE instructions PDF and IE admissions-test pages. The “ieGAT or GMAT or GRE” rule: MDGM admissions-fees, 31 Oct 2026.

Finish 2–3 weeks of timed, mixed-type practice BEFORE unlocking the test. Book IELTS 7 / TOEFL 100 / DET 130 now if your bachelor's was not in English or you want a buffer. The visa needs no English test.

Practice links

Log a practice session

DateTypeScoreMinsNotes

People who went there

Public sources only. Contact is her choice. Cards are IE-published outcomes.

Mariandrea AguirreMDGM 2020–21 (Mexico). Coca-Cola × IE best final project. Havas Media Madrid → MERA Mexico.
LinkedIn
Dinis LealMDGM → Account Strategist at Google.
IE story
Ainoa & VickyClassmates → Graphite (SEO). Ainoa became Director of Editorial.
IE story
Thea BroganUSA → Nike Digital Marketing Specialist (career report 2024).
Alvaro MontielSpain → L'Oréal Marketing Assistant (career report 2024).

Program page student profile (31 Oct 2026): 14 nationalities in the class, 95% international, 70% female. No cohort year is printed on that line.

Career report: IE-MDGM-Career-Report.pdf. IE-published figures: the career report says 95% of job seekers had an offer within 6 months; the program page on 31 Oct 2026 says 91% of job seekers received an offer within 6 months.