Program Reviews

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.

Over the summer of 2018, I interned abroad with Barcelona SAE. I interned at the ASICS Innovation HUB EMEA located in the city of Barcelona. I had the opportunity to travel throughout Spain (thanks to the trips hosted by Barcelona SAE), to Holland, and Portugal. This was an experience of a life-time, and I enjoyed every second of it! I learned so much and made many friendships that I will be able to carry with me for the rest of my life.
Many employers look for unique applicants once graduation is over and the job searching has begun. Being able to say you studied/interned abroad and lived in another country puts you at the top of the list. You learn and adapt skills that you couldn't have gained otherwise.
I highly recommend Barcelona SAE because they made my experience wonderful and unforgettable! They plan events for everyone, offer travel trips, make you feel safe, and help you in any way they can. I am so glad I chose to do my internship through them!

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.

My international experience is unique because I've never left home before. My time in Spain is allowing me to grow as an individual and learn new things about myself. It's nice that I already have a Spanish background so communicating in castellano isn't difficult to do! If you have never been exposed to Spanish than I strongly suggest you study some before you go abroad! This great internship opportunity is going to help me land better jobs because my international experience is going to stand out on a resume. Tip #1: Don't be afraid to explore, even if it's on your own! Tip #2: Always wear comfortable shoes because pavements here are very uneven. Tip #3: Plan things out but leave room for spontaneous fun as well! So far my favorite memories that I've made have been when my roommate and I go on mini adventures and take really great pictures of each other. I'm uncovering my innerphotography skills!

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!

The classes were a good challange and the staff was very nice and well equipped for their positions. It was an amazing time living in Barcelona and learning about local life and culture. I made a lot of lasting friendships and totally improved my Spanish speaking skills as I was immersed in the Spanish environment. Also, I found the Catalan culture so fascinating with their crazy festivities like the Correfoc, a parade in which people paint their faces, literally swing fireworks around in a crowd and play booming drums. It was so exhilarating!