Program Overview

Embrace yourself for academic, personal, and social gains galore in a setting that may resemble a dreamscape when you spend a summer in Barcelona, Spain! This program places you at a cozy international institute, where you can study Spanish language and/or business, culture and other topics in English. Classes are relatively small, and instructors passionate and personable, meaning you’ll learn more than what’s in your textbooks. And Barcelona itself is sure to provide memorable experiences around just about every corner! Our exceptional team of on-site staff will show you the best of Barcelona, but they’ll also give you space to explore on your own terms. You’ve chosen well with a summer in Barcelona, and this program will help you make the absolute most of it.

GPA Requirement
2.5
Application Deadlines
Session 1 (or 1 & 2): April 1
Session 2: May 15
Avg Course Load
1 or 2 courses (3 or 6 U.S. credits)
Language(s) of Instruction
English and Spanish
Highlights
  • Between orientation, tours, and cultural activities you'll see some of Barcelona's top spots
  • Small, personalized Spanish classes at various levels
  • Art, business, culture and other topics taught in English
  • Homestay option with a local family
  • Intensive courses to gain six credits in one session
Your Journey Begins Here

  • Connect with your Global Advisor to start planning. Apply by the application deadline.

  • Meet your Program Coordinator to finalize acceptance paperwork, housing, courses, flights, visas, payments, etc. Attend a pre-departure orientation.

  • Fly away. You'll be greeted at the airport, participate in a robust On-site Orientation and La Vida Local Curriculum with your Site Director.

Academics

WHY THIS UNIVERSITY?

At Barcelona School for International Studies (SIS), you’ll enjoy innovative courses in the heart of the vibrant, playful city of Barcelona. The city center is just a ten-minute walk from campus. SIS prides itself on offering unique curriculum, allowing you to fulfill courses in languages, culture, history, art, and the humanities. At SIS, you can immerse yourself in the local culture, make Spanish and international friends, and have easy access to all that Barcelona has to offer.

SIS shares its facility with a renowned language school, providing you with the opportunity to meet students from around the world. The campus is located in the Eixample district of the city, where many of Barcelona’s distinct neighborhoods are just a walk away, including the old city, La Rambla, and the Barceloneta beach.

The program focuses on immersion in the Spanish language, but mostly offers classes taught in English. Your diverse international professors are all highly qualified, and they are used to adapting their courses for study abroad students. You’ll get to enjoy the use of spacious classrooms, multimedia equipment, and other modern amenities during your time in Barcelona.

Accreditation(s): Barcelona School for International Studies is accredited by Jacksonville University.

How to Choose Your Courses

Now the fun part! You get to pick the courses you will take abroad. Review the course information on this page. Once you’ve decided which courses you want to take, fill out the CISabroad Course Selection Worksheet in your online portal.

Course Approval

Make sure to talk with your home university about course approval and get additional classes approved before you go abroad. For example, if you are taking 4 classes abroad, we recommend getting 8 approved. This gives you some flexibility in setting up your class schedule. Think about courses required for your major, but also courses that fulfill your elective requirements.

GPA Requirement

If you find your GPA is lower than the requirement listed at the top of this page, do not despair! Get in touch to let us know your situation. In many cases, there are additional application materials that you can submit to make your case for acceptance.

Choose your courses, making sure to get them approved by your home university and then fill out the Course Selection Worksheet.

Life in Barcelona

Welcome and Orientation

Once you arrive to the capital of Catalonia CISabroad staff will meet you at the airport and help get you to your apartment or homestay. Upon arrival you’ll take part in the CISabroad Logistical, 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 to how to be safe and healthy as well as how to make the most of your time in vibrant Barcelona.

After our fun, interactive orientation sessions, we’ll have a welcome lunch in a traditional restaurant, giving you your first culinary experiences in the new city by trying the staple, “pan con tomate,” along with other delicious Mediterranean food!

Farewell and Re-entry Program

As the program draws to a close, we will be sure you go home with the tools you need to make the most of your experience. In our re-entry workshop you’ll learn how to cope with cultural differences you’ll experience as you go home, how to put your abroad experience on your resume and in job interviews as well as how you can keep traveling in the future. We’ll end the trip with a farewell meal with all your new CISabroad “amigos” and the staff, for a chance to say “hasta luego” to your new city!

Housing Options

You can choose to live either in a shared apartment or in a homestay during this program.

Apartments

Amenities:

  • Fully-furnished, with a shared living room, a well-equipped kitchen, and bathrooms
  • You’ll share a room with one other student, and most apartments accommodate four to six program participants.
  • About a 45-minute commute from the centrally located campus

Homestay

Your host family will provide:

  • Laundry service
  • Breakfast and dinner
  • An experience of living like a local
  • About a 45-minute commute from the centrally located campus

 

Local Life

  • Soccer match: Barça, Barça, Baaarça! Experience one of the best football clubs in the world and cheer like “culés,” fans from Football Club Barcelona.
  • Barrio tours: Staff will take you on a tour of a neighborhood in Barcelona, showing you the history but also where locals hang out. Each tour includes a chance to try some local treats.
  • Human Towers: Go to the practice space of the local Castells, a sport where teams compete to make the tallest tower possible.
  • Cooking classes: Cooking classes with a professional chef.
  • Intercambio night: A language exchange with local students.

More About 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!

Program Excursions

While participating on a CISabroad program, you'll be able to take part in built-in day trips at no additional cost. These trips are subject to change from term to term; listed below are excursions that have run in the past.

Day Trips

This day trip around Catalonia includes guided tours, some museum entrance fees, a group lunch, and some free time. You’ll visit the Salvador Dalí Museum in Figueres, hike the beautiful coastal trail known as the Camino de Ronda on the Costa Brava and wander the old Jewish Quarter in beautiful Girona.

CISabroad Study Abroad Semester Program in Spain Barcelona students excursion weekend

Weekend Trips

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; or hike coastal trails and tour medieval villages in Costa Brava. Trips change each semester.

Besalú and Museum Dali

One of Catalonia’s best preserved medieval towns, Besalú is an historic gem, full to the brim with character. Cobbled streets and facades and a wonderful bridge are the trademarks of Besalú and have been there for hundreds of years — the impressive architecture draws visitors from far and wide. Situated in the La Garrotxa region in the province of Girona, Besalú is a haven for history buffs, who flock in huge numbers to admire the many constructions and facades representing Romanesque, Gothic, and medieval influences. Explore the Dalí Theatre and Museum in the artist’s hometown of Figueres.

Your Support Staff

Global Advising Team
Email

Travel Tip: We love what we do and want to talk to you! The Global Advising Center is here to help you decide on a program, and complete the Online Application. From the moment you first hear from us be it through a phone call, email or personal visit, you will find that our passion for international education is contagious. We’re ready to launch you abroad.

Jackie Langdon
Senior Program Coordinator - Spain, Latin America, January Mediterranean Culture
Email

Travel Tip: Never forget to give yourself credit for making the decision to study abroad. Immersing yourself in another culture is challenging, but the memories and sense of personal growth you return with make study abroad all the more rewarding.

Learn more about Jackie

Elena Villaescusa
Site Director in Barcelona

Travel Tip: When traveling make sure to use humour and start conversations with local people, they are the experts of the places you visit and you can learn so much from them; particularly the older generation can be a wealth of information. Try to enjoy every single minute of your travels!

Learn more about Elena

Student Feedback

CISabroad really helped me to become a part of the culture in Barcelona. Their cultural activities gave me a hands on experience of what life is like in Barcelona. This has changed my life because I will always reflect on my time in Barcelona, and how I grew as a person.

Maleesha Ebanks, Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, West Virginia University

Program Fees & Dates

Contact an Advisor
Apply Now

Advisor Tip: Please do not book flights until you have received confirmed dates in your acceptance paperwork. Dates posted here are subject to change.

  • Summer 2019: Session 1
    Application Deadline
    April 1
    Arrival
    May 31
    Orientation
    June 1
    Classes Start
    June 3
    Classes End
    June 28
    Departure
    June 29
    PRICE
    $4,890 - $5,690
  • Summer 2018: Sessions 1 & 2
    Application Deadline
    April 1
    Arrival
    May 31
    Orientation
    June 1
    Classes Start
    June 3
    Classes End
    July 26
    Departure
    July 27
    PRICE
    $7,590 - $9,490
  • Summer 2019: Session 2
    Application Deadline
    May 15
    Arrival
    July 1
    Orientation
    July 2
    Classes Start
    July 3
    Classes End
    July 26
    Departure
    July 27
    PRICE
    $4,890 - $5,690

CISabroad reserves the right to alter fees at any time due to currency fluctuations and/or fee changes made by our partner universities.

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

DESIGN-YOUR-OWN SUMMER ABROAD

Summer in Barcelona – Barcelona School for International Studies is part of our unique Design-Your-Own Summer Abroad program! (The “Spanish Culture in Barcelona” leg.) Before soaking up “Spanish Culture” you might want to consider “Unearthing Modern Celtic Culture,” “Exploring England,” or both! Learn more.

4 DAYS IN MOROCCO ($556)

Fall and Spring semester students also have the opportunity to join a four-day trip to Morocco with a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping travelers jump off the beaten path and understand the local culture. Ask an advisor for more details!

Program Inclusions

As with all study abroad programs, you should count on a few additional expenses.

Program fees are in US dollars and include the following:

  • In-depth orientation and guided tours of the city
  • Cultural activities such as cinema nights, museum visits, and dance lessons!
  • 1 weekend excursion to cities such as Costa Brava or Valencia
  • 1 day trip to sites such as Dalí museum, Tarragona, or Sitges
  • Full-time tuition and fees
  • Housing (apartment, local home, or residence hall)
  • Meal plan available with a homestay
  • Medical and accident insurance
  • CISabroad support services before, during, and after the program
  • On-site support
  • Academic advising
  • Financial aid counseling
  • Assistance with travel arrangements
  • Predeparture orientation
  • Airport pickup
  • Barcelona School for International Studies orientation
  • Jacksonville University official transcript
  • NYTimes Digital Subscription
  • La Vida Local cultural program