Barcelona Study Abroad Experience (SAE)

Why choose Barcelona Study Abroad Experience (SAE)?

Barcelona SAE is a boutique study abroad and internship program that provides personalized attention and focuses on this beautiful Mediterranean city that we call home. Ask any of our alumni and you’ll learn about their unforgettable academic, cultural, and professional experience – one that was beneficial not only during their time in Barcelona, but has given them a personal and professional advantage for the rest of their lives.

Year after year, Barcelona SAE students rate “interaction with the staff” as one of the highlights of their Barcelona experience. Our staff is multilingual and composed of Spanish, Catalan, and American study abroad experts. Our passion for international education, our commitment to individualized service to our students, and our expertise in Barcelona facilitates the strongest combination of cultural, academic, and professional experiences for our students.

Founded

2009

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Scholarships

Barcelona Study Abroad Merit & Leadership Scholarship

The Barcelona SAE scholarship awards one scholarship per semester of study, one scholarship per internship, and two scholarships per summer programs to those who have achieved academic excellence, demonstrated community involvement and require extra financial aid. If awarded the funding, they’ll participate in a Barcelona SAE semester, quarter, or summer program, or an internship program of at least four weeks in length.

Value

$250 - $750

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Reviews

1️⃣ Break out of your bubble—use Meetup! I joined language exchanges and food tours through the app, connecting with folks from Spain, Brazil, Japan… you name it. It’s not just about Barcelona; it’s a global vibe. You’ll learn slang, hidden spots, and maybe even salsa steps!
2️⃣ Turn “abroad” into a launchpad. I applied for a school library grant to research second-gen Chinese Spaniards’ identity here. Interviewing families, diving into Chinatown’s history—it wasn’t just “academic.” It clicked for me: Chinese-Spanish culture is Catalan culture. Their stories are part of Barcelona’s heartbeat.
3️⃣ Skip shipping from home—trust Barcelona (and the planet!). Unless it’s urgent, don’t haul stuff overseas. Shipping costs a fortune, cranks up your carbon footprint, and honestly? The diaspora here (like the Chinese-Spanish community) has everything. Needing toothpaste? Hit a farmacia. Craving chili oil? Check out shops in El Raval. Hunting for substitutes led me to quirky local tiendas—think olive soap, recycled notebooks, or paprika-spiced chocolate. Bonus: you’ll learn the Catalan word for “aisle”!

Living here taught me: Say “yes” to the weird onions, download that app, chase opportunities that scare you, and trust the local hustle. You’ll taste, learn, and belong in ways you never expected. 🥳 (And yes, always lick the romesco sauce off your fingers… and save the shipping boxes for souvenirs.)

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

The most unexpectedly different thing I ate in Barcelona was calçots! Back home, we only use them as a seasoning—tiny and pungent—but here, they’re the star of the plate. I couldn’t believe these giant, sweet green onions had their own festival (Calçotada!) where people gather to grill and devour them by the dozen.

I was amazed by how they’re cooked: charred over fire, peeled by hand (messy but fun!), and dipped in this incredible romesco sauce—creamy, smoky, and nutty. I thought they’d taste sharp like regular onions, but no—they were mild, almost sweet, and super juicy. It felt like a mix of a veggie and a ritual, with everyone laughing, sauce dripping everywhere. Totally changed how I see "onions"! Who knew a food I’d ignored back home could become a favorite abroad? 😂

Pros

break out your comfort zone
build new connections worldwide
learn a new way of living

Cons

loneliness sometimes
confined in cultural bubble
pickpocket

This was an absolute amazing opportunity, where I was able to learn an abundance of different things that I can now incorporate into my future jobs. Everything was very easy to use and the website was a breeze to navigate through making the whole experience very user friendly. Everyone made sure that I was doing great and they were always asking If I had any questions or if I needed anything at all. Even when something was needed and it was not very important there was always someone to reach back out to you in a hurry making it very easy to communicate.

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?

The most nerve racking moment was my very first day on my internship because I did not know who I was talking too and I knew very little about the company. I overcame this by making sure that I kept on telling myself I got this and I will do great.

This experience was absolutely amazing. I was able to explore Barcelona as well as other parts of Spain. The program offered many wondrous opportunities for me to have a great time. I am thankful to the SAE office for everything they have to done to give students the experience they deserve. During my last few days in the United States before my departure to Barcelona, I was very nervous about what my situation would be in terms of classes and of my housing arrangments. However, the SAE team made me feel very comfortable and were available to answer all my questions whenever I had any. One of my favorite aspects of the program was how involved the director, Rich, was with the students. The fact that I could easily interact with the director made my experience so much better.

What would you improve about this program?

This program is great as it is and does not need any improvements. The staff and faculty were very approachable and easy to talk to. they responded to emails within the hour. Also, the trips they took us on were so much fun and very informative.

This program was designed so well. I went for a semester with a group from my university. We were greeted by the amazing staff and from day 1 exciting activities were planned. The staff really got to know you and they were very willing to work with my group and professor to fit the program so we would have the best and most fun learning experience. The staff always took time to check in with us. I also took some of my favorite classes during this program. The professors not only would teach us with a lot of passion, they also took us out and about in the city for experiential learning. These were genuinely some of the best months of my life - I highly recommend BarcelonaSAE to anyone!

What would you improve about this program?

N/A

Thanks to the Barcelona SAE program I had the opportunity to visit the city of my dreams. Prior to going to Barcelona the staff was extremely helpful and would quickly answer the many questions that I had. It was definitely nerve racking to go to a foreign country not knowing anyone; however the Barcelona SAE staff gave me clear instructions about my stay and it was relieving to see someone with a "Barcelona SAE" sign when I landed. My adventure began when I was dropped off at my host families house the place that would become my home while completing my semester abroad. My host mom was so welcoming! She showed me around our neighborhood and I quickly got to know my way around this beautiful city. I attended the University of Barcelona, an astonishing school in both education and the architecture of its buildings. I went to school with locals and other international students and the professors were amazing as well. I took language and cultural classes that at times were a little tough but still very interesting. While abroad I planned trips around Europe with the friends that I made within my program but the Barcelona SAE staff also planned many trips for us. The trips were planned out well and I had a great time at each and every one of them. We went to Sevilla, Besalu, Sitges, and Morocco to name a few. The Barcelona SAE team was always willing to help and they planned the most heart felt goodbye dinner. I truly fell in love with Barcelona and I submerged myself in its culture. Towards the end of my visit I took the metro like a local and I had tried all kinds of 'tapas. 'I will never forget my four months in Barcelona. I strongly recommend the Barcelona SAE program because I had the experience of a lifetime and you can too!

An amazing place to see the city and watch the sunset

Got to watch the famous Barcelona team win 4-0

La Sagrada Familia is breathtaking both outside and inside.

Exploring Barcelona with one of the Locals

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Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I wanted a program that would really allow me to immerse myself into the European culture, boost my resume and offered interesting courses.
While I studied in Barcelona I had experienced living with a host mom who cooked, cleaned and helped me navigate throughout the city. When I moved to Rome I was in an apartment, being in an apartment allowed me to experience some more independence. I liked that I had two very different living experiences.

I chose this program because it was unique to some of the others I had researched. I found it extremely desirable to spend a summer living in two different countries. I had not seen a program like this from any other study abroad programs and felt that this was the best program to fit my wants.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

My university gave me the opportunity to choose a location and program for my summer abroad experience. I had worked with a representative from Barcelona Study abroad experience who had sent me course descriptions to get approved by my university (yes, the "study" part of the study abroad was extremely important to me). My university prepared me pretty well for what to expect in the country and Barcelona SAE assisted me with any questions or concerns I had. I had booked my flight to Barcelona and flight home on my own but the program gives you a date and time you should arrive in the country.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Be open to trying new things and really immersing yourself into the culture. Once you go abroad you'll realize that not everything is the same as to what you are used to. I did a lot of research before I left so I knew what to expect when I arrived. Don't be grossed out by some of the things you see on menus (if it's on the menu people must enjoy eating it!).

The program also has a ton of pre-planned activities which are a lot of fun! These programs are a great way to learn more about the city and a lot of them involved food!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average week would involve class Monday-Thursday and explore the city in between or after classes. At least once a week the program would have an activity planned so I would attend that! On some nights my friends and I would go to the bars and clubs. On the weekends I would travel to different cities within the countries or surrounding countries.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear was not being able to get around the cities on my own! The program gave us plenty of information on how to use the public transportation and learning about the different parts of each city. After about a week in each country, I had transportation routes down!

Another fear I had was not making any friends to explore with. I had gone on this study abroad on my own (terrifying) but the program does orientations and gives you plenty of experience with meeting new people!

My last fear was the language barrier. I had very little experience with speaking Spanish. When I landed in Barcelona almost everyone I talked to understood and spoke English but when I meet my host mom she knew little to no English and I only knew about 10% of what she was saying to me! I was so scared to be spending a month with someone I couldn't communicate with. But thankfully Google Translate was invented!! She had taught me plenty of Spanish phrases and words that were extremely useful throughout Spain. Don't be afraid to learn new things!

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Sol was born in Argentina and she started working with international students in 2007 in Buenos Aires and then moved to London. After London, she moved to Barcelona where she now lives and works. Sol has taken many photography classes, ESL classes, and humanities classes and continues to add to her education.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite memory was in Tokyo because it was unexpected and one of the most different cultures I have seen. It was helpful to have friends there to show me the traditions. Some cultural differences I discovered was that even though it was a fast-paced society, people were very hospitable and willing to help even if they didn't speak your language.

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How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I have learned how to work more closely with procedures and protocols to improve processes behind the scenes for students. I have also gotten to work closely with advisors to improve our pre-departure assistance that will prepare the student more for when they are onsite. Even though I am working on processes it has been rewarding to continue to work face to face with students.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I met a student while working in Argentina and after he finished a year-long program went for a working experience in Qatar and then he decided to come back to Argentina where he met a local and fell in love with her and the international education industry. Now he works with some of my former colleagues and we are still in touch.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would pick a customized internship because I have enjoyed working in Barcelona. With this program, you are learning and also practicing what you learn right away. It prepares you for working in a multicultural workplace which is important for me and all placements are customized to your interests which allows us to work with very cool and diverse companies.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Barcelona SAE is unique because we are growing, but we still have the student experience as a top priority. We encourage the students to do local things while they are here and teach them about cultural traditions. They don't just visit tourists spots but also learn about things like traditional dances and customs.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

The key to success is to ensure a clear structure and the procedures that are explicit and easy to follow. This helps us to give the students the best experience because we can provide smooth transitions and accessible resources. This does not guarantee everything will go as expected but we can be prepared for the unexpected things.

Alba Guillen Baleta

Cultural Activities Coordinoter