AIFS Abroad in Barcelona, Spain (UAB): Semester

Name: AIFS Abroad in Barcelona, Spain (UAB): Semester
Brand: AIFS Abroad
SKU: 15964
Rating: 4.96 (52 reviews)

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4.96 Rating

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Location

Spain
- Barcelona

Term

Academic Year, Fall, J-Term, Maymester, Short Term, Spring, Summer, Winter

Subject Areas

Architecture Art History Arts Business Communications Cultural Studies Economics English European Studies Finance Global Studies History International Business Linguistics Literature Marketing Photography Political Science +8

Financial Support

General grants/scholarships, BIPOC funding

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

High School Diploma Bachelors

Housing

Apartment Dormitory Host Family

Pricing

Price Details

AIFS Abroad is a premier provider of study abroad programs. Program fees cover tuition and housing, and over 50% of our study abroad participants receive financial support from AIFS Abroad in the form of scholarships or grants. Coordinated AIFS Abroad Flight Packages with major airlines are also available.

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance

What's Included (Extra)

Round trip flights, airport transfers and 2-night stopover in London included for students on the optional AIFS Abroad Flight Package.

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2024

Last Reviewed: Nov 27, 2020

Wish List

16 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Spend a J-Term, summer, semester or academic year in Barcelona, Spain with AIFS Abroad. You’ll earn up to 15 credits per semester while studying at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Courses are taught in English or Spanish with no previous Spanish language study required.

Volunteer opportunities are available through local NGOs to provide services to people in need within the local community.

Live in a Spanish homestay or, for an additional fee, in a student residence or apartment. Homestay students receive daily breakfast and dinner from the family. Apartment and student residence students will receive a meal allowance.

Cultural and social activities include:
• Guided tours
• Cooking classes
• Flamenco performances
• Tapas evenings with Spanish students
• 3-day excursion to the Pyrenees
• Day trips to Girona and Besalú, Figueras and the Salvador Dalí Museum and Montserrat and Sitges.

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Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

At AIFS Abroad, we want to support all participants in their study/internship abroad journey, inclusive of gender, race, religion, age, physical ability, or sexual orientation. Everyone has a complex identity, and faith, spirituality, and religion are important factors when deciding on a program location.

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LGBTQIA+ Support

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Accessibility Support

Everyone’s experience is unique. We recognize the location you choose can have an impact on your sense of belonging. We encourage you to use the information below as you review your options to select the program and location that will be the best choice for you. If you do not hold the identities that are amplified here, this information is still a great resource for you as well. It will give you a better understanding of those who have this identity.

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Impact

Sustainability

In response to the overwhelming global climate crisis, AIFS Abroad is pleased to make Sustainability a key priority when considering organizational, operational, and programming decisions. We understand that the only way to effectively combat this crisis and mitigate the effects of climate change is to drastically reduce our environmental impact. Therefore, AIFS Abroad has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by the year 2025. AIFS Abroad is proud to announce we have signed the CANIE Accord, becoming the first US provider to make this commitment.

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Program Highlights

3-day excursion to the Pyrenees
Day trips to Gerona and Besalú, Figueras and the Salvador Dalí Museum and Montserrat and Sitges
Earn up to 15 credits and transcript issued by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
No previous Spanish language study required
Volunteer opportunities available

Popular Programs

AIFS Abroad in Barcelona, Spain: Summer

Spend a summer in the colorful, cosmopolitan city of Barcelona, Spain with AIFS Abroad! You’ll earn up to 10 credits through a May term, Intensive Spanish Language or Spanish Language and Culture Program at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Courses are taught in English or Spanish. No previous Spanish language study required.

AIFS Abroad in Barcelona, Spain: January

Spend January Term in the exciting and eclectic city of Barcelona, Spain, with AIFS! Study Spanish art and culture through Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), ranked among the top 5 universities in Spain. Study International Business or Spanish Art and Cultural Heritage at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, both taught in English.

Scholarships

AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships, Grants & Financial Support

We believe a study abroad experience is an essential component of well-rounded university education and we are committed to providing financial assistance to as many students as possible in support of their goal to study abroad. AIFS also offers internship and study abroad + internship blended programs to support the development of personal and professional skills.

Value

$500 - $5,000

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Program Reviews

4.96 Rating

based on 52 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 96.15%
4 rating 3.85%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Academics 4.05
Support 4.95
Fun 4.8
Housing 4.85
Safety 4.85

Good for Building your resume, Students, Foodies

Showing 49 - 52 of 52 reviews

The first couple weeks were difficult due to homesickness however the program has made me appreciate my experience a lot more. At first its kind of hard to believe that you are in Spain and that you have the world at your fingertips and it is a lot to take in. However the program has exposed me to new cultures and it has made me want to go visit more places and know more things. I feel like everyone should take a semester and go abroad because I have learned so much not only about Spain but about myself. AIFS resident directors have answered any question I have had to the best of their ability and I felt like my needs were met. Looking back on my experience in Barcelona, I would say that I would not trade this experience for anything in the world.

What would you improve about this program?

I would ask that program make this experience more accessible to different kinds of people. For example, I felt like the majority of the kids on this program were upper middle class white people. Offering different resources within Barcelona that cater to different identities. For example, finding GLBTQ resource centers or finding religious support groups etc.

I knew I wanted to study abroad, but I had no idea where. I quickly chose Barcelona without doing much research or putting much thought into it, and I sure got lucky! There´s something to do here for everyone, whether you enjoy visiting local beaches, trying new tapas or taking salsa classes. I got a chance to visit a few new countries as well, but enjoyed every minute here. Barcelona brought me to new experiences with new people and I will cherish my time that I got here. I will even miss sweating in the Metro, trying to understand the Catalonian people , and struggling to adapt to the small apartment life. I will sure to be back Barcelona!

What would you improve about this program?

I had a great experience with the resient staff of my program and any small concern that arose was quickly explained by them. I don´t have any suggestions other than adding more excurisions if possible, because they were all so great.

theb housing was great and very central. After the simple and fun tours of the city that aifs had provided i felt fully capabale of making my way around the city. My roomates and I all had great chemestry with each other and that really made the trip a blast. We were able to travel on the weekends because the class work load was relativily light compaired to what i am used to at home. Wish there was better classes to choose from, but the classes were better than most the other programs i looked into. Also i had some issues with my campus back home as they terminated my student status and i had to become reinstated. Really liked all the friend making oppertunities that aifs gave us and also the city itself is so beautiful.

What would you improve about this program?

definatly wish i had done the fair fx card. also maybe some more trips around spain would be nice. maybe a couple more group dinners as a program, i really enjoyed thanksgiving!

Barcelona has been truly amazing. From taking the 10 minute metro to the city campus everyday, the 3 course lunches, the beaches, unbeliable great weather, and the incredible marterpieces by Antonio Gaudi. In addition, the ease and cheap cost of traveling throughout europe, Barcelona is the way to go when studying abroad in Europe.

What would you improve about this program?

Revise program included trips and include all meals in homestay.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

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

Why did you choose this program?

Once I had narrowed my choices down to my location, I looked at all of the different programs that were affiliated with my school. AIFS offered the most comprehensive, inclusive program for the lowest cost, and that was really important to me.

I loved that AIFS had a flight package and lots of excursions. I also really liked the range of courses they offered; I was easily able to take a full course load, all of which directly applied to my degree.

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

AIFS assisted me with just about everything! I had an admissions officer who answered all of my application questions and even handled securing my visa for me. I chose the optional flight package, so AIFS booked my flights to and from the U.S., and then they picked me up from the airport and took me to my apartment when I arrived. Our on-site staff was incredible; they arranged loads of activities (welcome and farewell dinners, tours, cooking class, dance class, etc.) which were no additional cost, and they helped with any maintenance issues at my apartment, registration for classes and even booking a doctors appointment when I needed one.

The only thing I really organized on my own was the trips I took on weekends without my program. Even then, my on-site staff was always available to help give me some guidance if I ever needed it.

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

Pack light, and bring a travel backpack! When you're going on weekend trips, you'll do a lot of walking, and it's so helpful to be able to just carry a few belongings on your back, rather than rolling around a small carry-on suitcase.

I would also recommend looking up information on your location so you can prepare as best as possible. AIFS has a great blog with all kinds of info from students who have been on the programs before. You can find things on what and how to pack for your location, restaurant recommendations, culture tips, trip recommendations and so much more.

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

An typical weekday in this program involves grabbing some breakfast or coffee from a café, going to class for a few hours, then hanging out in the city or on the beach for a bit. Spending the afternoon and evening on the beach after class was very popular among my classmates. There's also loads of parks, shops and restaurants to hang out in as well.

In the evening, my friends and I would either cook dinner in our apartment, or go out and try a new restaurant in one of Barcelona's many neighborhoods. Barcelona has great nightlife, so when I wasn't catching up on sleep, I might go to a bar and catch a football (soccer) game, or head down to one of the dance clubs on the beach.

Weekends were frequently spent exploring another city, as it was so cheap and easy to fly out of Barcelona. When I stayed in town, I usually explored a different neighborhood, museum or site in Barcelona with my friends. The hiking in the Bunker Hills is great.

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

I was terrified that, not knowing anyone and being so far from home, I would be lonely. But with all of the activities that AIFS organized it was SO easy to make friends very quickly in my program! We had a Facebook group that we joined a few months before we even left, so many of us were able to get to know each other a bit and make some travel plans for the first few weekends before we even got to Barcelona.

Once we arrived, we had a lot of introductory activities (a welcome dinner, walking tours of different neighborhoods, sightseeing tours) for the first few days, so I managed to find my people right away, and we were able to make plans and travel together all semester.

As far as homesickness goes, I was so busy having an amazing time that I didn't have time to get homesick. Even after my semester was up, I wasn't ready to go home.

How did you afford to study abroad?

I didn't realize how affordable study abroad could be until I looked into it. My scholarships and financial aid that I use to pay for school now were all able to be applied to a study abroad program. My AIFS program was also about the same cost as a semester of my school fees, so once I applied all of that, the only leftover expenses were flights, extra food (whatever I ate on top of my AIFS meal allowance), shopping and trips.

I was able to get an additional $1000 scholarship from AIFS, so that paid for the majority of my flight costs. After that, I just stuck to minimal shopping, budget flights and hostels to avoid racking up a massive credit card bill. I learned tricks to save money like finding walkable routes to avoid taxi costs or packing a picnic to avoid eating out. In the end, I spent less on study abroad than I do when I'm at school in the U.S., and I took 12 weekend trips around Europe!

Taylor Lohmann

2018 Alum

Location

Location:

Barcelona

Currency:

Euro

Weather:

Jan-Mar

61 F / 41 F

Apr-Jun

77 F / 48 F

Jul-Sep

84 F / 57 F

Oct-Dec

72 F / 43 F

Airports:

Barcelona–El Prat

( BCN )

Whether you prefer beaches, buildings, or history, Barcelona is the place to be. Spend your time admiring Gaudi's work at La Sagrada Familia, walking down the Mar Bella beach, or learning about the history in Catalonia.

About AIFS Abroad

AIFS Abroad is a leading provider of study abroad programs. Since 1964, more than 1.5 million students have traveled abroad with AIFS Abroad. Comprehensive program fees make it convenient for students to study abroad and intern abroad to experience all that the world has to offer. Celebrating 60 years of service in 2024, AIFS Abroad has the...