Studying in Barcelona had been a dream! I took classes in Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation, and Spanish Art and Cultural Heritage at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. My 7 weeks in that paradise were filled with exploration, inspiration, and so much fun. From amazing people to the delicious cuisine, and stunning architecture to the colorful culture, Spain should be at the top of the must-visit countries list. My favorite activity, besides spending my day at the beach, was wandering around the city without a map and being amazed by the beauty hidden in every corner of Barcelona.

Thanks to the Spanish Art and Cultural Heritage class, I learned even more about this impressive history and culture. CIS helped me through every step of adapting to studying and living in Barcelona. They planned fun events for us, such as various tours in famous parts of Barcelona, beach picnic and volleyball, wine tasting, tours to towns in Spain, and cooking classes. I stayed at Aparto Pallars, which is conveniently located near the metro station, from which you can take the metro anywhere.

I'm so grateful for this experience, and I'm definitely willing to go back to Barcelona or any other program with CIS!

Aside from being the best summer of my life, my time in Barcelona was such an insightful experience. I spent a total of six weeks studying at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where I met lots of people and explored a new city every weekend. I would walk and take the metro to school every day, and I loved seeing the city every day.

I really enjoyed the room and cluster setup, as well as the roommate life, which made it very easy to make friends. During the weekdays, we’d often hang out and go out together, which was always fun.

Barcelona itself is a very international city, so while I met people from all over the world, it was a little harder to meet locals and Spanish people specifically. I also didnt visit a lot of Spain, but its because I chose to visit other countries. I also wish I would've done a full semester since it would've given me more time to build deeper connections, as well as visit more places.

I studied abroad this past summer in Barcelona, Spain and this experience was one that I will never forget. From the students and staff surrounding the classroom to the amazing people that I met through my housing program, it was truly the best summer ever.

One of the reasons why I loved studying through CISAbroad was because of the amazing staff and all of the amenities that this program included. I was given the opportunity to participate in activities such as beach picnics at sunset, wine tours and so many more amazing activities.

I also met the most amazing people, who I am still in contact with to this day. Barcelona gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture surrounded by amazing people and explore everything that it has to offer.

I was very nervous before I went because I thought that I would feel lonely and Barcelona would be hard to navigate. Although I did feel those feelings in the very beginning, after the first week, I was able to navigate the city super easily and meet people that made this place truly feel like a second home.

This was my first time in Europe, and I am so glad it was with CIS. Going abroad can be nerve-wracking, especially if it is your first time, but I had an unforgettable experience. Barcelona is an amazing city with so many things to do and see and I never once was bored while I was there. Having a CIS on-site director in Barcelona the whole time I was there was great. She planned awesome excursions for us and was there if we needed, but also let us be independent and learn things about ourselves at the same time. You could tell she really cared for her students and wanted to ensure they had the best of times. I made some of the best memories in Barcelona and am itching to go back, I would recommend it to anyone!!

As a girl who grew up in a small town but with a large sense of adventure, studying abroad was something I always knew I wanted to do. However, I could never have imagined how fulfilling the experience would actually be. This past summer, in 2024, I made the decision to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain, at the University Autònoma de Barcelona. The cultures I experienced, the friends I made, and the memories I created are all things I could never have achieved if I hadn't taken the risk to study abroad. While the idea of studying abroad can be nerve-wracking, it has truly changed my outlook on life. I now hold knowledge and perspectives that have broadened my understanding of the world and enriched my personal and academic journey.

Truthfully, the experience of studying abroad was one I will never forget. I think everyone should have the opportunity to study outside of their realm to learn from others. I originally wanted to the program in hopes of meeting new people outside of my university while exploring a new part of the world, and CIS provided that experience for me and so much more! The staff was absolutely incredible to us and helped us find our way while navigating a new country and life. Gaining the experience I did was incredibly valuable and made for an excellent experience. I will absolutely be recommending the program to anyone interested!

I could not recommend this program enough! As someone who has a busy semester at my home university and wasn't able to take a fall, spring, or full year, this summer program was incredible. On top of that, CIS was amazing at taking care of their students with their health and safety while providing a fun and welcoming environment. CIS was willing to accommodate their program to specifically meet my needs for my degree and my wants for my abroad experience all in one! I was nervous going into the trip as I am not fully fluent in Spanish, but my experiences allowed me to learn from others like never before. It truly was the time of my life!

I loved my experience abroad and with CISAbroad. All of the staff was always willing to help. It was easy to schedule a phone appointment with staff before I left and the on-site staff was so supportive and always there to help if we needed her.

My host mom was the best . Carmen had 3 dogs which made it so much fun! She was a great cook and was always there to talk if I needed her. While I was there, she had two other students from other programs there as well, it was fun because we would all speak together in Spanish and talk about our days and weekend plans!

The only thing about my experience that was questionable about my experience was the university I attended. I loved my professors and my classmates, but the university itself was a little unorganized. They are a young university, but sometimes it took 30 minutes to an hour to begin an off-site activity because they were not organized.