Life-Changing Opportunity Through Barcelona SAE's HBCU Program

Studying abroad has always been a dream of mine, but I wasn’t sure it would ever be financially possible—until I found the Barcelona SAE HBCU scholarship program. Not only did they offer me the HBCU Todos scholarship and automatic grants, but they also allowed me to use my financial aid to cover the remaining costs. Because of that support, I was able to study in Barcelona at zero out-of-pocket cost. That alone was such a blessing.

As a Black woman, I was nervous about how I might be perceived abroad. While I did experience moments of being stared at, for the most part, I felt safe—even walking alone at night. That sense of safety helped me enjoy and explore the city more freely and confidently.

To any students considering this program, especially those planning to take Elementary Spanish while abroad: take some time beforehand to study the basics—like conjugations, common verbs, colors, food, and clothing vocabulary. The entire course is taught in Spanish, and that was a challenge for me at first. But even through the hard moments, the Barcelona SAE staff and mentors truly had my back. They were always available, encouraging, and ready to help whenever I needed anything.

This program changed my life, opened my eyes to new cultures, and gave me the confidence to push through difficulties and grow. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity and recommend it to any HBCU student dreaming of going abroad.