BARCELONA, ​​SPAIN

Brief information

Tapas, cava, beach life, culture and pure Mediterranean joie de vivre – the cosmopolitan Mediterranean metropolis of Barcelona is clearly one of the most popular destinations for a semester abroad in Europe. Winding alleys and magnificent boulevards, architectural masterpieces in amazing shapes and colors and hidden squares full of cafés, restaurants and boutiques ensure that there is always something new to discover, even after several months.

Just as dynamic and diverse as the city is the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Excellent research and teaching, innovative cooperation and outstanding international networking make the young university a role model throughout Europe and also give it considerable prestige around the world.

In leading international university rankings, UAB is therefore regularly in the top 5 of young European universities ( QS Top 50 Under 50 ) and is also among the top 15 of young universities worldwide ( Times Higher Education Young University Ranking ).

The different campus locations of the UAB are particularly attractive, where international applicants can spend their semester abroad, their bachelor’s, master’s or postgraduate studies as well as summer sessions or an academic gap year : The Eixample and Sant Pau locations are in the middle of lively center of Barcelona, ​​while the main campus of the UAB, where local students also attend their courses, is idyllically situated just outside the city in the countryside.

According to AbbreviationFinder, the UAB also offers language courses.

• Website of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
• Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona website (English)

University facts

Year of foundation: 1968

Type of university: State university

Number of Students: Total 45000, 31000 Undergraduate, 14000 Postgraduate, International 4000

Accreditations:

• Ministry of Education and Science

Academic year:

The academic year at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is divided into two semesters on the Bellaterra campus.

Study programs

• Academic gap year
• postgraduate studies
• semester abroad
• bachelor’s degree
• Master’s degree
• language courses

At the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ​​international students can choose between two different semester programs at the Bachelor’s level and the Business & Management program at the Master’s level.

Semester abroad for Bachelor students:

As part of the Study Abroad Program Selected Courses, students can study for a semester or two with the local students at the Bellaterra campus and choose undergraduate courses from various departments of the university.

Some courses are offered in English. However, most courses are held exclusively in Spanish or Catalan, so this program is only recommended for students with a good knowledge of Spanish or Catalan.

In the context of the Pre-Established Study Abroad Program, on the other hand, the participants do not study together with local students, but in a purely international group on the Eixample or Sant Pau campus in the center of Barcelona.

Students arriving without a visa (EU citizens) do not have to earn a minimum number of ECTS points. However, a maximum of 36 ECTS can be taken. One of the courses can be an intensive Spanish course. However, this is not mandatory.

Semester abroad for master’s students:

The UAB offers the Study Abroad Business & Management Program for international master’s students in the field of economics. The program gives you the opportunity to spend a semester abroad in Spain during your master’s degree and to advance your studies. You can choose from a range of English-language master ‘s courses in business and management, as well as optional language courses in Spanish or Catalan.

The following applies to Master’s students: At least 12 ECTS must be taken, but no more than 36 ECTS.

ATTENTION: There is a maximum number of participants for the Pre-Established Study Abroad Program and the Business & Management Program for Master’s students, which is often reached a good month before the published application deadline. For this reason, we recommend an early application well before the application deadline.

• Semester program of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Selected Courses)
• Semester program of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Pre-Established Study Abroad)

Fees

• Fall (Selected Courses) 2022

Tuition per ECTS

EUR 130.00

• Fall (Pre-established) 2022

Tuition (30 ECTS)

EUR 3720.00

Tuition (24 ECTS)

EUR 3070.00

Tuition (18 ECTS)

EUR 2390.00

Tuition (12 ECTS)

1650.00 EUR

• Study Abroad Business & Management Program (Fall) 2022

Tuition (30 ECTS)

EUR 4260.00

Tuition (24 ECTS)

3504.00 EUR

Tuition (18 ECTS)

2700.00 EUR

Tuition (12 ECTS)

EUR 1860.00

The prices for the pre-established program for Bachelor students and the Business & Management program for Master students are calculated based on the number of courses taken. For the Selected Courses programme, however, the price is calculated based on the number of ECTS taken.

The link below provides more information:

• Tuition Fees at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Pre-Established)

Financing options

To finance the semester abroad at the UAB, students can, among other things, apply for foreign BAföG. This includes a subsidy towards tuition fees of up to EUR 4,600 as well as support for living, travel and health insurance costs, provided there is an individual entitlement to funding.

Requirements

Applicants for the UAB’s Study Abroad programs in the bachelor’s level must already be enrolled at a university. Applicants for the Business & Management program must already have a first degree and be enrolled in a master’s program in their home country.

In addition, all applicants must have a very good knowledge of the chosen language of instruction (English, Spanish, Catalan). These must also be proven, for example by a DAAD language certificate or other proof that certifies level B2 in the Common European Framework of Reference.

The language skills can be proven by one of the following test results or documents:

	Undergraduate	postgraduate
high school grade	4.0	4.0
DAAD language test	B2 level	B2 level
IELTS		6.0
TOEFL (internet based)		78

The language certificate cannot be submitted later.

• Application requirements of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

application deadlines

Case (Pre-established)	from 03/14/2022	until 06/30/2022
Case (Selected Courses)	from 03/14/2022	until 06/30/2022
Study Abroad Business & Management Program (case)	from 03/14/2022	until 06/30/2022

Degrees/Courses

Studies/Courses in English – Postgraduate

• Advanced digital marketing for managers
• business ethics
• Developing creativity and creative cultures in organizations
• Integrated communications for effective marketing
• Intercultural communication and management
• Managing Pricing Strategies
• Managing Product And Brand Promotions

Degrees/Courses in English – Undergraduate

• Architecture
• kind
• Art and Architecture
• Business
• Economics
• Environment and Economics
• History
• literature
• Politics
• Politics and Economics
• Spanish language
• Spanish Language – Business

Campus

The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona has several campus locations, both in the center of Barcelona and on the outskirts.

International students in particular study at the Sant Pau and Eixample locations in the heart of the city. The Casa Convalescència ( Sant Pau Campus ) is part of a fascinating historic building complex that is a Unesco World Heritage Site. It is in a central but quiet inner-city location near the famous Sagrada Familia.

The Eixample campus is located right in the center of lively downtown Barcelona on the magnificent Passeig de Gràcia. Numerous restaurants and café terraces invite you to linger between courses.

Just outside of town, in the suburb of Cerdanyola del Vallès, is the Bellaterra campus. It is actually the main campus of the university, where the local students of the UAB also live and study. Despite its idyllic location in the countryside, it is only about 30 minutes from downtown Barcelona.

In addition to relaxing walks through the forest and meadow landscape of the site, this campus offers everything a student’s heart desires: cafés, restaurants, a fitness center, an outdoor pool, several sports fields, a supermarket and other shops, accommodation in the student village “Vila Universitària” and even a own hotel.

• Campus maps of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Housing

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona offers many different types of accommodation for international students. Accommodation is offered on campus, for example in Vila Universitària, as well as apartment or community accommodation off campus.

The following accommodation options are available:

• student residence
• Apartments on campus
• Private apartments / hotels

The university city of Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital of the Spanish province of Catalonia and, with over 1.6 million inhabitants, the second largest city in Spain. The official languages ​​are Catalan and Castilian (“Spanish”); the two exist side by side, but most of the residents speak, write and read Catalan. In the Mediterranean climate with average monthly temperatures between 8°C and 24°C you can make the most of the many kilometers of coastline that Barcelona has to offer.

The center of the city is the transport hub “Plaça de Catalunya”, from where you can walk to the Roman ruins, the medieval city and the modern planned city “Eixample”. Culturally, however, there is much more to see, for example in the “Museu Joan Miró”, “Museu Picasso” or “Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya”. Particularly interesting is the wide avenue “La Rambla” that leads from the center to the port. There is a lot going on there until late at night: street musicians, flower sellers, acrobats, cafés, restaurants, kiosks and in the middle many visitors and locals.

Music, theater, dance, film and video festivals take place in the city throughout the year. For night owls, there are shows, bars, discotheques, concerts, fiestas and many other ways to enjoy the Mediterranean nights. Sports fans get their money’s worth with the football and handball games of FC Barcelona and of course the annual Formula 1 race on the “Circuit de Catalunya”.