About The Program
The seaside metropolis of Barcelona is much more than beaches, sunshine, and nightlife. As an educational destination, it is a marvel, filled with diversity in its culture, architecture, art, economy, and gastronomy. The capital of Catalonia, a region with its own flavor, identity, language, and culture, is home to Catalans, who speak both Catalans and Castilian Spanish. While language classes are not required, just by living here, you’ll leave with Spanish language skills at a professional working level. Your classes will be small, and if you're interested in education, social justice, politics, or law, you’ll love the internship and field trip options. Explore medieval towns, monasteries, Spanish cava cellars for a taste of local sparkling wine, and festivals you won't find anywhere else but remember forever.
Where you'll study
Much like the city of Barcelona, the University of Barcelona (UB) is a driving force for diversity with active social initiatives in areas such as gender equality. The university’s infrastructure is woven into the urban fabric of the city, integrating the academic community and the social, economic, and cultural agents of the surrounding neighborhoods. Art, linguistics, history, and Mediterranean culture are among UB’s strongest fields. The principal university of Catalonia, UB is also one of the four Spanish universities in the 4 Universities Alliance, a partnership creating an ecosystem of knowledge, greater mobility for students, and the ability to collaborate with industries. Companies don’t always have the time to incubate or try out new ideas. By allying with UB, they can mentor students like you before you become an employee. Reflecting the culture of the city, some of UB’s campuses were designed by the city’s most prestigious architects of the 15th-, 19th-, and 20th-centuries.
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TRIPS AND ACTIVITIES
The study center arranges field trips and activities to introduce the local culture and special features of your host country. There may be other optional excursions, which you can explore after arrival.
Network with Spanish students in the Language Exchange
Day trip to the Poblet Monastery
Day trip to medieval Girona
Tastings in the Spanish cava
cellars of Freixenet
Traditional barbecue in the Catalan countryside
From The Californian Abroad
I'm hard pressed to think of a better program than the UCEAP program at the University of Barcelona. Like many other students in Europe, I could have traveled every weekend and visited all corners of the continent. Instead, I spent most weekends in Barcelona, sitting in cafes, studying at the library, or shopping with friends. Above all, I reveled in the moments of connection that I felt with the people of Barcelona, especially the way that their eyes would light up when I spoke Catalan to them. “Parles català molt bé!” they might say. I’d reply with a simple, “Merci,” and just smile, knowing that I had participated in a program that gave me a piece of living culture and a language that I still carry with me today.
I knew I wanted to study abroad in Barcelona before I even started college. It's clear that the UCEAP structure offers a uniquely immersive experience that allows students to quickly become part of the city's daily rhythms. One of my friends joked that my study abroad experience checked all the boxes, and it's hard to argue. I downed calçots, danced in correfoc sparks at local festivals, saw Leo Messi score at Camp Nou, watched New Year's fireworks light up the Acropolis, and shook hands with the Catalan president at a book signing. It's impossible not to think back on the year as the most important time in my life, and I am grateful for it every day.
Completing my internship validated all that I learned as a linguistics major and motivated me to work harder in school. This real-life scenario with real consequences opened my eyes to the value of being punctual and managing my time in a way that helps me feel prepared for every facet of my day. I know it will be a challenge to adapt to work culture at my future jobs, but this internship prepared me for that by giving me the confidence and patience to improve my craft one day at a time.
As I finish my year abroad and reflect on this journey, it still amazes me that I had the opportunity to be here. As a first-gen, I made sure to make the best of it every day. I have become more independent and self-aware. I'm more outgoing and better prepared to apply to graduate school. This experience reminds me to keep pushing myself to learn and take advantage of amazing opportunities. Thank you for believing in me and for supporting this Latina's dream of meeting the world through education.
As I prepare to leave Barcelona, I have been offered the position of Arts Program Coordinator at a San Francisco high school. The students have all recently immigrated to the US, and most speak only Spanish. Because of my Spanish immersion, I am equipped with the needed skills. I have never felt more prepared and eager to begin this new chapter. I can enter this position with real-world experience in multicultural art education, knowledge about classroom dynamics, and an invigorated love for the field. I am forever grateful for this experience, and I know it will impact my life forever - after all, it already has!
My experience as an English conversational leader has been among the most rewarding opportunities during my time abroad in Spain. My greatest lesson through this experience is that mistakes and obstacles are valuable teaching tools. In my own life, I have struggled with the stigma of mistakes, but through this experience, it's apparent that mistakes are essential for personal growth. Moving forward, I will incorporate the compassion, understanding, and leadership skills I gathered from this experience into my own life.
The confidence I gained through my internship abroad has allowed me to pursue other opportunities that involve speaking and collaborating with people from different backgrounds. I believe the most important aspect was meeting new people from different places--especially locals from from Barcelona. This experience opened my eyes to Catalan culture while allowing me to share my own Mexican culture and experience growing up and living in the United States.
During my internship, I was able to help my students obtain higher levels of fluency and conversational skills. And in turn, my students gave me a new understanding of Spanish culture, making my time in Spain that much more meaningful and significant.
This opportunity increased my confidence in myself and my abilities. I know I will be coming back to the US as a changed and improved version of myself, with more than just the memories and experiences I was expecting from my time abroad.
In my role as a conversational English teacher in Barcelona, I was simultaneously enrolled in a conversational Spanish class. As a year-long study abroad student, it was a chance to connect with students from Barcelona and broaden my experience with people who were older than me.
Having the chance to learn about Spanish culture through interaction with locals enhanced my experience studying abroad in Spain. It gave me authentic insights into traditions, customs, and societal norms and enriched my understanding of Spain beyond textbook knowledge.
This valuable opportunity has been instrumental in my growth as a teacher, providing hands-on experience that will undoubtedly shape my future endeavors in education. Having the chance to lead classes with my own lesson plans has significantly enhanced my confidence. It’s not just about learning how to create lesson plans efficiently; it’s about understanding how to conduct a class that sustains students’ interest and keeps them engaged with the material. These skills are pivotal for my personal and professional development as an educator, and I’m eager to apply the insights gained from this experience to my future teaching positions.
My work with the Linguistic Services department has been an enriching and formative part of my study abroad experience. Along with the technical and professional skills I gained, I have also grown personally. This experience has provided me with insights into language learning, adaptability in unexpected situations, diverse work-life balances across cultures, and a broader world perspective than I could not have gotten anywhere else.
Studying abroad in Spain was a dream come true, especially as a first-generation student with a family who has never been outside the continent.