Spain: Bilbao & Getxo - International Business and Spanish Studies

I had an absolutely incredible time studying abroad in Bilbao and am looking forward to the opportunity to return some day. I was able to take a Spanish class, which lead to the addition of a Spanish minor, an Operations Management class that meant I did not have to take that back at my home university and a surfing class. The professors for my classes were fantastic and the opportunity to leave class and go out on the street to cafes, restaurants and bars and interact directly with locals made my Spanish speaking skills grow immensely. Bilbao and Getxo(nearby suburb where I lived) are both gorgeous and not very touristy so it is easy to truly immerse yourself in the culture. I highly recommend exploring all parts of the city and surrounding areas as around every corner and over every mountain is something new and amazing. This program gives the best of both worlds as classes are located in the middle of a large city while housing is in a nearby beach town suburb. I was able to walk to two different beaches within 15 minutes of my apartment that I shared with two other American students. Studying in Bilbao was easily the greatest choice I made throughout my college career and I recommend everyone do the same.

My semester abroad with USAC in the amazing city of Bilbao, Spain is one that I would recommend to any student. I loved living in the small, quaint town of Algorta with a wonderful host family and commuting to the beautiful and vivacious city of Bilbao. I attended school in UPV which is in the center of the city and the USAC staff made all of us feel so welcome and oriented to their home. The USAC course offering was perfect for continuing my degree while abroad; I was able to take a bunch of Spanish courses towards my minor within one track that chronologically made sense and improved my skills. I got to then immediately put the learned material to test on the streets and in my homestay. I also had a very engaging International Marketing class that contributed to my experience. Beyond the classroom, USAC helped to set up an internship opportunity for me as well as excursions and cultural field trips.
There is plenty to do and see in Bilbao with beaches, mountains, old and new city, and an abundance of nightlife, I never got bored. When I did want to get away for the weekend, the airport in Bilbao was very manageable and offered me great travel opportunities. Northern Spain, particularly the Basque region is extremely unique and now, very close to my heart.

I lived Bilbao. It’s a great place if you like the city but also beaches and mountains. This coast is one of the most beautiful places i’ve ever been and the staff is really great. My teacher became a mom away from home and answered any questions we had. There are also tons of nearby towns that are beautiful and easily accessible. Bilbao is one of my favorite places and if I could study there again I would!

When I started searching for a place to study abroad in Spain, I had no idea what Bilbao was or where it was at. Thank goodness I stumbled across this hidden gem! From the ease of travel to other cities in Europe to the diverse culture in the city, there is no other place I would have rather stayed.

This program is great for anyone that’s on a mission to graduate on time and still get time to study abroad. I took Spanish classes that counted toward my Spanish minor as well as classes that counted toward my business major, all while staying on track to graduate. On top of my core classes I took a surfing class which was more fun than I ever could have imagined and a great way to get out of my comfort zone! I regret not taking the culture class which provides field trips around the Basque Country, so I would recommend that to any student planning to go through this program.

I appreciated the opportunity to live in an apartment with other students from the program instead of living with a host family (also an option) since I was nervous about being in a new country. My first apartment wasn’t ideal, but with the help of the amazing staff I was able to move somewhere more suitable which made my experience much more enjoyable.

I use the skills I learned abroad every day, including the ability to talk to people I don’t know at all and being more understanding of people in America that don’t speak English since the people in Spain were so friendly when I stumbled through their language.

Overall it was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone looking to go to Spain.

The program was absolutely amazing. I was a trip of a lifetime to meet new people and explore a new culture. I would love to do it again if I were still a student.
The class that I took was called operations programming and it was taught by a professor who taught at the University of California - Poly Tech
The program allowed us to go to class in the morning and then have the rest of the day to explore the area and relax. The program also hosted a group excursion where we all spent a day exploring areas of Bilbao and being outdoors.

Are you ready for the time of your life? If so, go to Bilbao! I studied abroad there Spring semester (January-May) of 2015. I lived in Algorta, Getxo, and studied at Universidad Del Pais Vasco in Bilbao. The schooling was definitely challenging because I took 5 classes, 3 business, 1 GE, and 1 Spanish. One of my biggest suggestions is to take the "Unique Basque Language and Culture" class. It was by far the best decision I made. We were exposed to so much culture, learned the language of the locals, tried amazing cuisine, and took 7 field trips in the Basque Country. The teachers were great and the USAC staff were very welcoming and helpful.

The other students in my program became some of my closest friends and I still see them at least once a year. I got to travel a lot while abroad, but I didn't start my traveling until a few weeks in. I suggest doing this so that you give yourself a chance to adjust to life there and make it feel like home before venturing out to new countries.

There are tons of activities to do around the city, the Guggenheim Museum, Casco Viejo, and Athletic Bilbao (the soccer team). Tickets aren't too expensive, and it's a great experience, I highly suggest going. I lived in an apartment with two Americans in my program and I loved it. I knew a lot of people who stayed with host families and had great experiences as well. I lived only a few blocks from the beach and all apartments are walking distance from at least one grocery store. Everything else was easily accessible by the Metro, which is cheap, efficient, and easy to use.

I could go on and on about my experiences and how much I loved it, but I'll let you experience it for yourself! If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me!

My time in Bilbao was preceded by a semester in Alicante so I already kind of knew what to expect and had some expectations. The program blew away the expectations and met them all and exceeded them by a lot. Amazing city with tons of culture as it's in the Basque country, great food, fun people, and a great nightlife. Housing was located close to the beach and the metro stops for easy transportation. The USAC office and on site staff were a huge help. On site staff helped us with any questions we had and helped us get an internship if we had a high enough language level. I would definitely do this again.

Something I still talk about almost everyday and it's been two years now.. One of the most amazing experiences to learn someone else's culture in such a unique way. I lived in Bilbao, Spain (in Areeta) for six months with three other Americans in a flat next to the river. I visited over 8 countries while studying abroad, and went to a business institute in the city. (Universidad del Pais Vasco). I studied Spanish and International business. In Bilbao I loved shopping, going to Casco Viejo, finding new mini-markets for fruits and vegatables, and going to specific culture events (such as Bilbao basket games, shows, etc.) I also traveled to Barcelona and San Sebastian in Spain as well, in which I grew to love Spain as a whole. I now work for a travel company upon graduating from college at California State University, Chico. My life goals are to be a videographer related to something in the travel industry. I now work for an Ireland, Scotland and England travel company, taking care of social media marketing as well as photography & videography.