Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

Please check with your study abroad office for approved programs!

Language:

Spanish, English

Climate:

Mediterranean

Currency:

Euro

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!

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Where will your studies take you?
Programs available in Barcelona, Spain
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat de Barcelona
15 weeks in Spain
Quarter Friendly
Spend a semester or year studying Spanish, culture, or politics while experiencing all that the unique Catalonian-Spanish-European city of Barcelona has to offer. Your academic base will be the 500-ye
Semester in Barcelona - Business & Creative Industries
12 weeks in Spain
Quarter Friendly
Between its impressive architecture, inspiring art, vibrant culture, and wondrous landscapes, Barcelona can feel like a dream. Add to the mix an academic program that encourages creativity and innovat
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
16 weeks in Spain
Quarter Friendly
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
Summer in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
6 weeks in Spain
Beaches, culture, Spanish-language immersion, and a university with a strong international reputation await you in Barcelona! Our Summer in Barcelona – Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) program
Summer in Barcelona - Business & Creative Industries
8 weeks in Spain
Gap Year Friendly
Expect your creative juices to flow fully on this program! Between its avant-garde nature, social street life, cutting-edge companies, and innovative start-ups, Barcelona naturally sparks creativity.
Summer in Barcelona - Universitat de Barcelona
4-8 weeks in Spain
Quarter Friendly
Gap Year Friendly
This unique program is based at Universitat de Barcelona (UB), a vibrant and historic university in the center of it all. Mingle with a mix of students from both near and far at UB's main campus, whic
What subjects can be studied?
Worried your major won’t fit into our course options? It will! Our courses cover 9 disciplines.
Art & Design
Sustainability
Social Sciences
Business
Communications
World Languages
Humanities
Natural & Applied Sciences
Health
CIS Abroad 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
Little did I know that I would learn more about myself and the world than anything I could ever learn in a classroom. Being abroad for four months gives you the chance to not only see the touristy places, but also the small details of life that make up the culture in Barcelona.
Lillian Redpath
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
I was recommended CIS Abroad over any other program by my school's Office of International Education because of the high regard students from the past decade had for their programs. I went into CIS Abroad's program not knowing a soul and they made the transition unbelievably easy for me. If the other programs are anything like CIS Abroad Barcelona, you can be sure to expect a team that genuinely desires for you to have a safe, fun, eye-opening, memorable, and life-changing experience.
Joel Kearney
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
I was super nervous about living in another country, but CIS Abroad calmed my nerves right away! They picked me up from the airport, helped me get settled into my apartment, and they were always available for help and advice.
Katy Zborowski
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Throughout my experience, things happened unexpectedly quite frequently, which created situations where we had to adapt on the fly. Something that I had the opportunity to work on was keeping my cool and learning to adapt in these new situations, especially when traveling and navigating new public transportations. I was able to lead my group and navigate ourselves through new cities.
Katie Conner
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
In my time abroad, I realized how strong the culture in a country is through noticing all the differences between my home and host countries. I had never really noticed the amount of specific things I encounter in a day which are strongly connected to American culture. After only a short amount of time in Spain, I was able to notice very quickly how many differences there were. Though I felt that I was open minded before my semester abroad, I soon realized that you do not become culturally competent without learning about or researching different lifestyles and actually trying to understand without preconceived notions.
Gabby Palmisano
Semester in Barcelona - Business & Creative Industries
My journey encourages me to extend this advice to everyone, regardless of their life stage – reach beyond your comfort zone. Embrace a lifestyle that will astonish you when you reflect on how much you've developed and adapted. True change happens when we dare to step outside the familiar and embrace the discomfort that leads to unparalleled personal growth.
Lydia Ciafre
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat de Barcelona
CIS Abroad facilitated a wonderful study abroad semester that dually encouraged students to make lifelong memories while learning how to be globally conscious. After witnessing their heart for students, I leaped at the opportunity to intern for CIS Abroad over the summer. Living, studying, and working in Spain has gifted me with countless valuable lessons that have made me a better person.
Lydia Ciafre
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat de Barcelona
This was my first time ever doing dances of the sort (salsa). I am not the most coordinated person, so I was nervous, but as I continued trying, a more advanced dancer came up to me and started to help me, explaining it in Spanish. This to me was the epitome of Spanish culture. The kindness and welcoming nature really eased my nerves, and made it such a fun experience.
Audrey Adler
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat de Barcelona
I learned to navigate and eventually remembered directions without needing my phone. This skill transitioned into my travels and I was navigating international transportation systems in different languages. It was a challenge, but I loved it! I got a sense of accomplishment when I was able to navigate myself and my group from one location to another based off what I'd learned.
Katie Conner
Semester in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Personally, my nonverbal skills were strengthened through this program. When I knew certain words/ phrases that would not translate and needed to get a point across, or vice versa, gestures always helped. By being fully submerged into another culture and language, it almost forces you to learn more about the world around you.
Gabby Palmisano
Semester in Barcelona - Business & Creative Industries
This summer while I studied in Barcelona, Spain, my eyes were opened to different ways that other cultures and countries use sustainability to keep their homes clean and safe. Being able to experience this was very rewarding and taught me so much. One of the main things I noticed in Barcelona was the various recycling bins that were placed throughout the city. There were different recycling bins for paper, plastic, compost, and glass. Seeing this all over the country helped me to realize just how important recycling is, and I will use what I learned to recycle in my life back home in the US. 
Katie Sullivan
Summer in Barcelona - Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
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