Program Reviews

This study abroad experience is something that I will never forget and I will continue to look back on it. I felt very supported by the staff there and enjoyed the activities they provided such as painting your own ceramic item, doing water sport activities in the spring, and doing the paella cooking workshop. I also had a wonderful experience staying with my host family. I had meaningful conversations with them in Spanish and was able to practice the language a lot with them. I highly recommend this experience for people who want to immerse themselves with Spanish culture and the language, but also for people who want to learn and grow as a person more.

Great experience. I really enjoyed taking classes here. I learned a lot of Spanish and met new friends. I enjoyed Sevilla it was a great city that i could explore. I took the medical Spanish class which i learned very useful things for my future career. All of the profesors and staff were very nice and helpful. We also went on many fun excursions such as cordoba, the cathedral, and a flamenco show. I would definitely recommend tourning the Triana neighboorhod because it has many historical sights. Overall an awesome experience.

I really enjoyed my time in Seville! All of the staff here were very nice and helpful and my host family was very welcoming. I LOVED my professor (Mila)! She was amazing and taught me so much and was very helpful especially when I was nervous to speak up and didn’t have as much previous knowledge as other people in the class. The group tours were very informative and Seville has so much to offer! Living with a host family definitely helped expose me to real Seville life and gave me a whole new perspective of Spain. I definitely would recommend this program to other students looking to study abroad, but may not have the time or ability to do a whole semester.

I enjoyed my class a lot with Juanma. The center was really nice but I had troubles with my host for housing. The city was beautiful and the activities were fun. I took a second class with my university in the states and balancing the work load was tiring but overall worth the work. The cultural excursions were really great and having the long weekend to explore was amazing. I highly recommend traveling to Portugal to check off another country and to escape the heat. The eating schedule was difficult for me but it’s part of the experience and something to be prepared for.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent here in Barcelona. The residence I lived in was far away from most things but in a beautiful area which made up for it.

The program SSA itself did feel disorganized and times with not a lot of direction when it came to events. However, having a small group did create community with the other students.

I loved being able to travel with my friends and get to see new places. I would recommend this program to other students looking to travel if they have an interest in going abroad.

Students at UAB not motivated. Standards need to be raised to create environment conducive to learning.

Barcelona as a city was awesome! Program was cool, got to meet nice people. I liked getting to live with a homestay as well because it helped me develop my Spanish speaking skills.

Also, my homestay was awesome! I got to eat great food, great experiences, great food, great experiences. I loved my stay.

I had some fun with this group and all of the field trips we did during the semester. I would say for the future make the other activities not mandatory. I would make the field trips mandatory because those were really fun and without those being mandatory I wouldn’t have went to them. Melina was able to show us their culture and how they operate in Barcelona. She also was very helpful with questions that I had at the beginning of the program since I was new to everything. I would say to get rid of the random mandatory activities we had like Spanish speaking and dancing activities. Personally I don’t have an interest in those so that’s why I say that but maybe make them optional so people have the option to not go.

Studying abroad in Barcelona through the SSA program was easily one of the best experiences of my life. From the moment I arrived, the city had an energy that’s hard to describe—perfect mix of beach, culture, nightlife, and history. Living in a place like Barcelona gave me the chance to step outside my comfort zone and experience a completely different way of life.

Academically, the program was a great balance. Classes were engaging without being overwhelming, which allowed me to really take advantage of everything outside the classroom. I wasn’t just learning from textbooks—I was learning from the city itself, whether that was exploring places like La Sagrada Família, walking through local neighborhoods, or observing the differences between tourists and locals.

What really made the experience stand out was the independence. Navigating a new country, traveling on weekends, and managing day-to-day life abroad helped me grow a lot personally. I became more confident, more adaptable, and way more open to new experiences. Traveling to different countries throughout Europe was also unreal—it made the whole experience feel even bigger than just one city.

Socially, it was just as impactful. I met people from all different backgrounds, built strong friendships, and created memories I’ll genuinely never forget—from beach days to nights out to random exploring.

Overall, I’d 100% recommend the SSA Barcelona study abroad program to anyone considering it. It’s the perfect mix of academics, travel, and real-life experience. It pushes you to grow while also giving you some of the best moments you’ll ever have.

I have really enjoyed my time in Alicante especially living with a host family! They are very nice and have been amazing with Spanish practice. The first two months of intensive Spanish courses were really helpful and I learned a lot during them. The courses for second half of the semester are nice however I wish they were a bit more divided by Spanish level. The classes don’t feel challenging on a language level. I also wish the program was a little more strict with the Spanish only policy. Other than that I’ve loved my time here and the program!

Alicante is such a beautiful city. It is perfect for study abroad experience. With the beach, the food, and the weather and people, it is such a fun experience. All of the friends I have met here has introduced me to a whole new section of the world. Not to mention all the travel opportunities that are available from the Alicante airport. I was able to travel to almost every destination I could have wished for. And the weather is starting to get absolutely perfect. The beach of San Juan is unmissable. Also I’ve had a great opportunity to fishing from Cabo de las Huertas here. So pretty