CIEE College Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is easily one of the most amazing cities in the world, and CIEE helps students experience it to the fullest. From immersive classes with local students to trips around Spain, CIEE gave me the full experience of actually living in a different country, not just being a visitor for 4 months. The program manager, Alberto, is incredibly accommodating and kind, and he genuinely wants all of his students to have the best semester possible. I highly recommend studying abroad through ALA Barcelona, and I wish I could go back in time and do it all over again!

Let me just start off by saying that I didn't chose to study abroad because I wanted to travel and party. I wanted to learn more about the Spanish culture and immures myself in a place that I knew I could learn the most about Spanish, and that is exactly what CIEE's ALA program in Barcelona offered me.

I not only got to taste some amazing Spanish food, and see the amazing architecture of some of the most historically praised buildings but I got to do it as the locals did. I learned how to use public transportation and went to school with students that had been learning in Spanish their whole lives. Yes it was a little scary, but ALA helped me through every step of the way.

They took us out to trips almost every week where we could learn more and more about Spain! I linked a video bellow with the activities and experiences I had in JUST THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. I made a video for every month I was there along with some extra ones because I couldn't squeeze to much activity into 3 minutes.

Study abroad with CIEE in Barcelona through the ALA program and I guarantee it will be life changing if you let it be. And by that I mean, don't speak english with your friends, practice your Spanish as much as you can (not just in class)! Don't go to touristy clubs, go to local bars and restaurants. You can experience some of the most magical moments in your life if you allow yourself to truly experience what Spain in Barcelona are all about!

If I had to change anything about this experience, it would be to make it six weeks long instead of four. The beginning process was a bit confusing, but once I was able to personally connect with someone to guide me through it, everything went smoothly. Once we got to Barcelona every hurdle faced to get there was quickly forgotten. The city, the culture, the CIEE staff and of course my host family were all absolutely delightful. The class was very well structured and organized for maximum learning and retention. I thoroughly enjoyed the on site learning. They allowed me to retain the information needed to fully meet the objectives of the class. Nando, was an exceptional professor. he is very engaging, knowledgeable and passionate about this class and I believe it was easily transferred to the class.
My host family was the best! she went over and beyond the call of duty to be very supportive of me and my studies. I am certainly going to miss her cooking and my study trays when i needed them the most with cafe con leche y pastelles and a fruit or chocolate to keep me going. She reminded me every morning that i was the best student in the class. With that kind of support, how could you not succeed. i highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to study abroad, but cannot commit to an entire semester.
This experience allowed me to emerge in the Spanish culture, to give me a better understanding of Spanish and a lot more confidence in speaking the language to native speakers, This will be useful to me as a nurse in Washington DC once I complete Nursing School.

The ALA program at CIEE is an incredible and unique experience in the heart of Barcelona. This program allowed me take all my classes in Spanish while splitting my time between CIEE and the University of Barcelona. The program brought together a small group of about thirty students dedicated to improving their Spanish. What makes the program unique is the high level of Spanish shared by all of the participants, something that is hard to find. The program director, Alberto, has a ton of knowledge on how the University of Barcelona functions and helped us integrate into the university with minimal issues. What I did not know before arriving in Spain was how special this program truly is. It is extremely rare for American students to have to opportunity to take classes alongside Spanish students at a European university. Being one of just thirty students made the program extremely special and personally tailored to my needs. I took classes that I never imagined I would. I enjoyed a small seminar on Don Quijote with the amazing professor Elena Losada, which opened my eyes to historical literature that I never would've read otherwise!

The accommodations provided by the program from housing to personal tutoring to academic advising were incredible. I was amazed by my beautiful private room in the heart of Barcelona, just steps away from Plaza Catalunya and Las Ramblas. Living steps away from the University and walking distance of anywhere that I wanted to go made my time in Barcelona much more fun. The small nature of the program allowed me to make amazing and life long friends during my semester abroad. Living in Barcelona was an incredible experience and was made better by the people that I met on the program. The personal support from CIEE staff was helpful as well. We had two interns just for our program who were available to tutor us and help with whatever we needed. I frequently went to them for help editing a paper or to study for an exam. The professors at CIEE were constantly available and willing to help us succeed at the challenging courses at the University of Barcelona. The differences in academics were vast, but made easier by the help of those at CIEE. There was always someone there to help us whenever we were struggling with the differences of the Spanish academic system.

I'll always remember my time in Barcelona and the amazing friends that I met thanks to CIEE. I learned about a completely new culture and was able to experience academics in a truly Spanish way. It was an unforgettable experience, and I can't wait to return to the country that I called home for the last four months!

I loved the CIEE program - everything was perfect for my expectations and needs. I highly recommend this program if you are considering studying abroad, especially in Barcelona. I felt supported throughout the semester and enjoyed every moment of my time in Spain.

One of my favorite memories at CIEE was the school trip to Valencia. It was well-organized and I got to meet a lot of new people. My favorite experience was cooking paella with a local chef.

Studying abroad has positively impacted my life in countless ways. I am more independent and confident. I learned so much about not only different Spanish cultures, but cultures all over Europe. It was truly eye-opening and life-changing.

As a rising college Junior looking out onto the horizon of a study abroad experience, expectations are often set unreasonably high. Mine were no exception – I searched for the most culturally, academically and socially fulfilling experience of my life.

When recounting my experience with CIEE in Barcelona it will be challenging to characterize the memories as anything but outstanding. From the classes to the housing options to the staff, CIEE did nothing but exceed all expectations I had going into this experience.

I communicated with the CIEE Barcelona team extensively before setting foot East of the Atlantic, largely in the context of making arrangements to accommodate my surgically repaired left shoulder. As a college-athlete, it was a priority of mine to rehab the injury to the best of my ability while chasing every opportunity I had originally set out to experience pre-injury.

With the help of CIEE’s staff – especially Professor Alberto delRio – I received support throughout the rehab process. I was able to customize my ideal class schedule, while completing physical therapy and still leaving large chunks of time to explore the city and beyond.

One of the truly remarkable features of CIEE is its excellent and diverse slate of housing options. Students are offered the chance to live in a homestay, a shared apartment or a dorm-style residencia. My close friends ended up in each of the three housing options, and I have heard nothing but phenomenal reviews. The homestays were wonderful matches, and added a uniquely local touch to the experience. The apartments allowed for extra autonomy, and the residencias provided ample space and resources.

I should note: my residencia was less than a year old, and was double the size of my dorm at college in the states – complete with a personal bathroom, bed, futon and two desks. I even had a full kitchen with 4 stoves and 2 ovens at my disposal; however, one of the few things I did not improve was my cooking.

From the weekend excursions to sought-after destinations such as Bilbao, San Sebastian and Tarágona, CIEE offers unmatched opportunities to access the expertise of the staff outside the classroom setting.

Classes themselves were stimulating, lively and pushed me to take calculated risks within the comfortable confines of the CIEE home base. I took classes on topics I’d always been enamored with, but felt hesitant to explore prior to arriving in Barcelona such as Literature and Film, and Romanticism & Literature. I also made noticeable strides in my verbal and written proficiency in my language class with Professor Mar Forment, who pushed me academically, and made coming to class an absolute delight.

I arrived in Barcelona a month before elections were to take place, as the city’s status within the country precariously hung in the balance. Rather than a stressful situation, CIEE helped me navigate it in a way that allowed me to feel 100% safe, and still experience the situation for what it was – an historic juncture in Spain’s history.

These few months in Barcelona with CIEE have undoubtedly been the best of my life. I’ll recommend CIEE – and specifically Advanced Liberal Arts – to anyone searching for a cultural and academically stimulating 3.5 months.

Being an international student from Brazil living in the USA made my semester in Spain much easier since I was already used to the context of living in a different country. CIEE provided me with all I needed for a successful semester and helped me immensely throughout the bureaucracy of the paperwork before leaving. I lived with a group of 4 Americans and one Spaniard, all very friendly. I got to experience some different forms of classes, some were very interesting, while others lacked content - especially the class "Design for Food" which I took at the Elisava School for Design. CIEE provided day trips and one weekend trip which made the experience much richer, I wish there could be more of those throughout the program. All in all, it was very fun and enriching to have participated in that program.

My time in Barcelona was incredibly valuable to my social, academic, and cultural development. Classes are challenging and thought provoking without inhibiting fun and exploration. The city of Barcelona is beautiful and full of extremely kind people. The staff at CIEE were helpful and supportive. The immersion in the Spanish culture is invaluable. You will leave this trip with an immense level of confidence in your abilities to push your comfort zone. I wish I could have done 3 semesters in Barcelona through CIEE!