Barcelona Study Abroad Experience (SAE)

I came on this program by myself and was initially nervous about coming to Barcelona, but knew it would be worth it. This program completely exceeded my expectations. I made lifelong friendships, had the most wonderful homestay family, and got to experience Barcelona as well as other parts of Spain like a local. I would 10/10 recommend this program. It includes several day trips, field studies in classes, and weekends away that are all included in the price of the program. All of this really made it feel worth the price. On all of these trips meals were included as well. Not to mention they also have scholarships available. The staff was friendly, supportive, and always available when needed. There was a 24/7 emergency line as well, which added an extra feeling of security while there.

At the beginning of the summer, I knew nothing about Spain, but that all changed because of Barcelona SAE. I feel like they provide a great balance between cultural/in-field activities, enlightening classes taught by teachers from all over the world, and overall daily immersion (especially in the homestays). These all contribute to creating an environment where you really feel like you can feed your curiosity and develop your interest in Barcelona and the rest of Spain, without getting sucked into viewing it from a single perspective. I also loved the group activities Barcelona SAE planned for us. They helped me grow closer to my peers and provided their knowledge as locals to give us the best quality experience possible. I also appreciate that they did this without being suffocating.

This was my very first time stepping foot in Europe, let alone living abroad for six weeks. My apartment, although on smaller than what Americans are used to, was conveniently located in the city center and a few hundred meters from Las Ramblas. I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to intern at a hostel, which helped me not only gain valuable international experience in the hospitality industry, but allowed me to meet travelers from all walks of life and various countries. There was so much to explore within Catalonia alone that I didn't even venture out of Spain like I had originally intended, but it would be very feasible for the adventurous ones who would like to.

Barcelona SAE takes care of everything - from airport transfers, internship placements, housing, first day introductions, Spanish or Catalan lessons, to fun excursions. They do their absolute best to help make each student/intern's experience as seamless as possible. With an open door policy, should you need anything, we were all welcome to visit the office and talk to any of the staff.

It really comes down to how much you put into it, because that ultimately plays the biggest factor in your takeaway from your time abroad. All of the opportunities to get involved and stretch your comfort zone are totally there!

My experience with SAE was awesome. I took classes at the UAB and I thought they were challenging but really interesting. All of my professors went above and beyond to make sure we not only learned the material in class but learned all about Catalan traditions and culture. I feel like I learned much more with them than I would have at any other school. The staff at SAE was also amazing. I felt comfortable approaching any member of the staff with any problem I had. The staff always made sure we were well informed about the places we were going and always had the best recommendations for things to do. I cant imagine my experience in Barcelona without all of the resources provided by SAE. If you're considering going to Barcelona, definitely apply for a program with SAE, you will be happy you did.

I loved this program! I went through my undergraduate institution. They had a wonderful program set up. We got to take classes with few students, which allowed a lot of learning. The program also included many different day trips and weekend trips, customized for our school program. My school and the people at Barcelona SAE worked so well together to coordinate everything for us all to have a great experience. The staff was so friendly and constantly checked in with us. They even helped me find a place to volunteer. Housing with a host family was excellent. They did a great job matching us and making sure we were comfortable. I met so many great people, learned a lot about the language, history and culture, and completely fell in love with Barcelona thanks to this program.