Semester in Barcelona
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Let Barcelona captivate you
Our Semester in Barcelona – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) program situates you in the heart of UNESCO World Heritage site at a young, entrepreneurial university. Practice your Spanish as you stroll down the tree-lined La Rambla, take a cooking class to perfect delicious tapas, and lose an afternoon (or many) to Gaudi’s whimsical architecture. Studying at UAB offers the ideal experience of lively campuses, supportive staff, and close proximity to commercial centers, cultural sites, and the beautiful Barceloneta beach!
What to Expect:
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Language: English and Spanish
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Average Courseload: 4–5 classes (12–15 U.S. credits)
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GPA Requirement: 2.75 (min 2 semesters of higher ed)
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Visa Requirements: YES - Pre-departure
Highlights:
- Take classes at two centrally located campuses in desirable neighborhoods
- Enjoy exceptional support, including a comprehensive on-site orientation and guided tours of the city
- Choose from a wide range of courses taught in English, including Art, Business, Communication, Culture, Economics, History, Politics and more
- Participate in fun social and cultural activities, including cooking classes, a hike, a beach picnic and multiple tours and excursions
- Study Spanish language at any level for 3 or 6 credits
Program Details
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) is one of the top universities in Spain, ranking #3 in the country. An academic powerhouse, UAB is a young, entrepreneurial university in an exciting city. Business students flock to UAB, where you can take a wide array of courses in business, international relations, and economics. Not to be overshadowed, the art and humanities courses at UAB are equally strong. You have the option to take classes in either Spanish or English. Luckily, UAB accommodates Spanish-language speakers of all levels.
The Sant Pau campus is housed within an incredible UNESCO World Heritage site called the Hospital de la Santa Creu. Wander fifteen minutes down the block and you’ll stumble upon the world-renowned la Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s iconic cathedral. You’ll attend all of your courses on this campus, and you’ll meet other U.S. and international students.
Founded in 1968, UAB is ranked as #190 in the world by QS.
Accreditation(s): Ministry of Education and Science.
Areas of study with 3 to 7 classes available
- Communications
- World Languages
Don't see your major listed here? There may still be courses available. Browse our programs by major.
Areas of study with 8 or more classes available
- Art & Design
- Business
- Humanities
Don't see your major listed here? There may still be courses available. Browse our programs by major.
Please note, it is important to submit your course registration page (provided to you by CIS Abroad upon acceptance) as early as possible, as courses tend to fill up very quickly at UAB and your first choices may not be available if you delay too long. Please plan ahead to get your course choices approved at your home university so you can have them ready to submit after you are accepted to the program.
Additional requirements: Must have Sophomore standing to apply.
TERM-SPECIFIC COURSES
You will choose 4-5 courses adding up to 12-15 US credit hours. To read course descriptions/syllabi, please visit the UAB website and open the “Elective courses” drop-down section.
Why Life in Barcelona
It’s no wonder that Barcelona is one of the top tourist and study abroad destinations in the world. This incredible location on the shores of the Mediterranean has a delightfully mild climate year round. Plus, Barcelona is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities to live in! The second-largest city in Spain has two official languages: Castilian Spanish and Catalan. It’s the perfect place to challenge yourself and practice your own Spanish skills, while also learning more about the unique Catalan history and culture.
The city is bustling, and you’ll be in awe of the architecture, including Gaudi’s towering Sagrada Familia basilica. When you’re ready to immerse yourself in nature, you can easily reach beaches and hiking sites just outside of Barcelona. The efficient public transportation system allows you to quickly travel to the many beaches to both the north and south of Barcelona. It also means you can easily navigate campus and the many amazing sites located throughout the city.
The city’s diverse international population, colorful flair, exciting nightlife, and vast array of cultural, historical, and modern attractions makes Barcelona an unparalleled place to study abroad!
Live The Local Life
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Barrio Gótico
Enjoy a guided walking tour around the Barrio Gótico, the oldest neighborhood in Barcelona, while learning all about the history of the city.
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Spanish Wine Tour and Tasting
Learn all about the importance of the production of wine and cava in Catalunya at a beautiful vineyard that ends with a tasting paired with delicious local cheeses.
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Around Catalunya
Visit a local beach town in Catalunya and amaze in the wonders of hidden coves while soaking up the beach culture in Spain.
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FC Barcelona
Attend a football or basketball match and/or the famous FC Barcelona museum.
Housing in Barcelona
Location
Students on CIS Abroad programs in Barcelona are housed in various residence halls. Housing will be allocated based on your program, term, and availability. The options below will give you a great idea of the type of residence where you’ll be placed!
Sample Student Residence 1
Location
Enjoy upscale, shared accommodations in a residence designed for visiting students just like you! The student residence boasts a whole suite of modern amenities that ensure you’re living in complete comfort. The double rooms have twin beds, an ensuite shared bathroom, storage space, and two desk and chair sets. Step out of your bedroom into a shared apartment environment, with living and lounging spaces, dining areas, and a kitchen. Share a meal or conversation with your apartment mates, find a quiet nook of your own, or head for one of the residence’s communal spaces.
Among the residence’s abundant shared amenities, you’ll find a gym, pool, terrace, lounges, kitchens, study areas, and cinema room. You’ll be supported by 24/7 on-site staff and friendly reception.
The residence is located on Carrer Pallars, bordering Poblenou in the 22@, Barcelona’s innovation district. The major thoroughfare, Avenida Diagonal, is just around the corner, providing easy access to the rest of Barcelona. The beach is about 15 minutes’ walk.
Meals
You’ll have access to a kitchen shared among your apartment mates stocked with basic cooking supplies.
Inclusions and Amenities
- 24-hour security
- BathroomEnsuiteShared
- Bed linens
- Cleaning Service
- Desk
- Double Room
- Fitness Center
- Kitchen Equipment
- LaundryOn-site
- Maintenance Service
- Pool
- Study Areas
- Towels
- Wi-Fi
Sample Student Residence 2
Location
Enjoy a full range of modern amenities and convenient services in housing designed for students like you! A fully-furnished room, private bathroom, spaces to work and relax, a gym, free bikes, laundry, and 24-hour security are just some highlights of this exceptional student residence.
With a private bathroom, climate control, bed linen and towels, cleaning and maintenance, study desk, TV, and high-speed Wi-Fi, you’ll enjoy quiet and comfort when you need to rest. There’s also access to a fully equipped community kitchen. When you want to soak up the communal vibes, you’ll find a community of fellow international students among the study rooms, co-working spaces, café, lounges, and workshops.
The residence is in Poblenou, the most dynamic, modern, avant-garde neighborhood of the city – a great home base for studying abroad in Barcelona. Just around the corner from Avenida Diagonal and a 20 minute walk from the beach, you’re well placed for excursions both near and far!
Inclusions and Amenities
- 24-hour security
- Air conditioning
- BathroomEnsuite
- Bed linens
- Cleaning Service
- Desk
- Fitness Center
- LaundryOn-siteService Available
- Maintenance Service
- Pool
- Single Room
- Study Areas
- Wi-Fi
What's Included
Inclusions
Program fees are in U.S. dollars and include the following:
- Airport Pickups (according to CIS arrival date and time)
- Cultural and recreational excursions and activities in Barcelona
- One guided weekend excursion outside of Barcelona
- Full-time tuition and fees
- Housing
- Medical and accident insurance
- CIS Abroad support services before, during, and after the program
- On-site support
- Academic advising
- Financial aid counseling
- Assistance with travel arrangements
- Pre-departure orientation
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona orientation
- Official Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona transcript
- The Local Life cultural program
Welcome & Orientation
Once you arrive to the capital of Catalonia CIS Abroad staff will instruct you on how to get to your accommodations. Upon arrival you’ll take part in the CISabroad Welcome, Cultural and Academic Orientation with other students and interns on the program. The onsite staff will introduce you to this dynamic and cosmopolitan city that you will call home, giving you tips on how to be safe and healthy as well as how to make the most of your time in vibrant Barcelona.
Farewell & Re-Entry Program
As the program draws to a close, you’ll go home with the tools you need to make the most of your experience. In our re-entry workshop, learn how to cope with cultural differences you’ll experience as you go home, how to put your abroad experience on your resume (and talk about it in job interviews), as well as how to keep traveling in the future. End the trip with a farewell meal with all your new CIS Abroad “amigos” and the staff, for a chance to say “hasta luego” to your new city!
Program Excursions
Weekend Trip from Barcelona
During weekend trips, you might experience Flamenco and tour the beautiful Alhambra in Granada; eat Spain’s best tapas and visit wineries in Basque Country; visit one of the world’s largest aquariums and science museums in the world in Valencia; or hike coastal trails and tour medieval villages in Costa Brava. Trips change each semester.
Day Trips Around Catalonia
A day trip around Catalonia typically includes guided tours, some museum entrance fees, a group meal, and some free time. For example, you might visit the Salvador Dalí Museum in Figueres, explore the vibrant coastal town of Sitges, and wander the old Jewish Quarter in beautiful Girona. Trips may vary.
Barcelona Cooking Class
During this Spanish Cuisine Workshop students learn a variety of traditional Spanish dishes from different regions around Spain. Examples include gazpacho from Andalucía, Pan con Tomate from Cataluña, Tortilla de Patatas from País Vasco, Paella from Valencia, and Crema Catalana from Cataluña. And of course, you’ll get to delight in the fruits of your labor!
Site Director
Travel Tip:
When traveling always make friends with the locals! They will help really immerse you into the culture and give you a different perspective of your destination. They have the best recommendations for the most authentic restaurants and show you places that you would never find in a guidebook or on a blog. Not only will you have a great experience while traveling, but you also have the chance to make new, lifelong friends from around the world!
Travel Tip:
When traveling always make friends with the locals! They will help really immerse you into the culture and give you a different perspective of your destination. They have the best recommendations for the most authentic restaurants and show you places that you would never find in a guidebook or on a blog. Not only will you have a great experience while traveling, but you also have the chance to make new, lifelong friends from around the world!
About:
Nicole was born and raised in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington, and studied Political Science, Law Societies and Justice, and Human Rights at the University of Washington. Nicole has always had the travel bug so after graduating she moved to Spain to work as an English Assistant and fell in love with the country of tapas, flamenco, and constant sunshine! She lived in Granada, Spain for 9 years and is lucky to now call Barcelona home. She has always worked in education and loves seeing the profound benefits of students immersing themselves in another language and culture. As site director in Barcelona Nicole is looking forward to welcoming students to the most desired and exciting city in Spain and giving them the most local experience to help deepen student understanding of the Spanish culture and language. In her free time, Nicole is studying for a Global MBA at IE University and uses the skills from this degree in her daily life and job. She also loves to spend time at the beach, wandering around neighborhoods, and grabbing a few tapas and cañas with friends.
Your Support Staff
Make sure to explore the city that you’re in! Although the beauty of study abroad is you have the chance to travel all over the country and to other countries as well, sometimes people forget how many amazing things there are right there in the city they’re studying in! Make some local friends, participate in holidays and festivals, find that local beloved restaurant. Although I have many travel memories to talk about, some of my fondest or most nostalgic moments I have were the ‘in betweens’ so to speak – going grocery shopping with friends, hanging out in the school courtyard at night when the temperature outside was finally bearable, saying hello to the neighborhood cow (yes, there was in fact a neighborhood cow). Don’t neglect what you have right in front of you!
You’ll be supported every step of the way!
Advising
Kaylee Klinger, our student advisor and 2x CIS Abroad alum, can help match you with a program that fits your academic and personal objectives. It’s not always an easy choice, but you can’t go wrong! Once you’ve decided, we’ll guide to you submit an online application.
Enrollment
Once you’ve submitted your initial application and the fee, you’ll be assigned a Program Enrollment Coordinator. We’ll work closely together to guide you through the enrollment process and prepare you for a life-changing experience!
Dates & Prices
ADVISOR TIP: Please WAIT to book flights until you have received confirmed dates in your acceptance paperwork. Dates posted here are subject to change.
- Application Deadline: May 15
- Arrival: September 2
- Departure: December 21
- Price: $13,490 - $14,490
- Application Deadline: Oct 13
- Arrival: January 10
- Departure: April 25
- Price: $14,490 - $16,590
- Application Deadline: May 15 (Estimated)
- Arrival: August 31 (Estimated)
- Departure: December 19 (Estimated)
- Price: $14,490 - $16,590 (Estimated)
Price Range
SPRING 2024
12 credit option – double room: $14,490
12 credit option – single room: $15,590
15 credit option – double room: $15,490
15 credit option – single room: $16,590
Program Deposit
There is a non-refundable program deposit of $1,000. This deposit will be deducted from the total cost of the program. Paying the deposit secures your spot on the program.
As with all study abroad programs, you should count on a few additional expenses.
CIS Abroad reserves the right to alter fees at any time due to currency fluctuations and/or fee changes made by our partner universities.