CIEE College Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

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!

My trip to Spain was absolutely unforgettable. I stayed in a residencia in Barcelona which was reasonably comfortable and had a beautiful view! During this month long trip, I was able to get out of my comfort zone, travel, meet new people and become familiar with other languages and cultures. I plan to be an immigration lawyer and believe what I have learned and witnessed will benefit me in the future. Everyone I came in contact with in the program were extremely welcoming and friendly. It was admirable to me that all of the staff seemed to be excited and passionate about their jobs. Overall, I loved everything about my experience. The excursions were my favorite. I absolutely adored the sights! This experience was totally worth it!

First, Barcelona is the perfect city to study abroad in; it's beautiful, safe, culturally vibrant, well-situated for travel to other major European cities, geographically diverse, the list goes on. If you're still deciding where to study in Spain, the choice is simple: Barcelona all the way.

You also can't beat CIEE's ALA program. CIEE provides a tight-knit community and an academic/social support network to facilitate your overseas transition.

ALA courses are completed with both local students at the University of Barcelona and other international students through CIEE. This track is more academically challenging than other CIEE programs, but I found coursework to be very manageable. Do not be intimidated!

I also highly recommend selecting to live with a host family. This was a highlight of my abroad experience. CIEE works hard to make sure students are comfortable with their living situations, and will make necessary adjustments throughout the semester. I personally had a terrific housing experience, so my advice it to take the risk - it will pay off.

Improving your language skills is directly correlated to the amount of effort you put into communicating in Spanish. It is possible to get by with doing very little, or you may work to consistently speak, write, and think in Spanish. The level you improve by the end of the semester is up to you.

I returned to the US in June and I'm already nostalgic. CIEE played a key role in my abroad experience. I recommend CIEE's ALA program to anyone looking for a balance of academic rigor, social activity, cultural immersion, and travel. As a first-timer in Spain (and Europe in general), you can't do any better than CIEE ALA!

Barcelona is a great, approachable city to get to know during a semester abroad, and choosing CIEE's Advanced Liberal Arts program definitely made my experience the best it could be. I lived with a host family, and my Spanish improved astronomically. It was great to have a home away from home to come back to every day, and it was cool to see how families in another country live. I also really enjoyed taking classes at the Universitat de Barcelona and with CIEE. It was nice to be immersed in local university life while also having the CIEE Casa as a home base.