Picture yourself stepping out of your apartment into the eclectic streets of Barcelona filled with Antoni Gaudi’s surreal architecture, sharing tapas with a welcoming host family and exploring this vibrant global city as an extension of your study abroad classroom. With a bit of preparation, this can become your reality. CAPA’s team of study abroad experts and travel enthusiasts are excited to help you on your way, making sure, first of all, that you know how to study abroad! With a checklist in hand, going from considering what your life could look like when studying abroad in Spain to feeling the Barceloneta sand between your toes will seem much more achievable.

First, there will be some administrative items: application forms, applying for a passport, chatting with your advisor and considering an internship, among other things. You’ll want to plan a budget to make sure you have enough euros to last the duration of your study abroad adventure. Think about scholarships and any other finance options available. Once you’re accepted, it’s then time to think about what to pack. Then hop over and look at our blog for solid budgeting tips from our finance team, a list of helpful apps and inspirational Barcelona stories.

Barcelona is a dynamic and diverse global city, bursting with bold and distinctive architecture, home to some of the most important names in art history and a booming hub for business and foreign investment, especially for tech startups and entrepreneurs. Barcelona is a place for fun, exploration and personal growth, and is a very welcoming city. In fact, it is considered one of the most LGBTQIA friendly cities in the world. 

A few more quick facts: Did you know that approximately 20% of the population is foreign born? Or that the city hosts 542 centers of worship, dedicated to 22 different religious traditions? With an average temperature of 70 degrees, plenty of sun, beaches that line the coast, mountains with incredible views and city life to enjoy, it’s a location that caters to just about anyone.

We can’t think about Barcelona without being tempted to talk about food. You’ll soon find yourself sitting around a table, laughing and chatting with a group of study abroad friends, sharing small plates of patatas bravas, jamón iberico and other delicious tapas. You’ll be tucking into slices of pa amb tomaquet for breakfast while sitting in sunny Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia. And you’ll be devouring a xuxo with a cortado from La Boquería to break up your day. In the fall, the familiar scent of castañas and boniatos roasting on a fire will float through the air.

Markets like Mercat del Ninot and Santa Caterina Market – which sell fresh local ingredients to experiment with – make cooking as a student affordable, easy, and enjoyable. Supper clubs are popular and a great way to discover recipes unique to the city with meals cooked authentically by locals. Browse our blog for restaurant recommendations from CAPA alumni too. One of the most important things to bring along on your Barcelona study abroad adventure: your appetite. You’ll no doubt return home not only talking about food but itching to recreate the tastes of the city for friends and family (and yourself!).

So, what’s there to do in Barcelona when you’re not studying or working at your internship? We promise that figuring out how to deal with boredom will not be on your list! What will? Here’s a very quick rundown: 

For starters, one of the world’s most popular soccer teams, FC Barcelona, calls the city home. There are no fewer than nine UNESCO World Heritage sites to explore for history buffs, art enthusiasts and photo opportunities. Barcelona, Spain is like an art magazine’s Instagram feed come to life with work by Picasso, Miró and Dalí to admire and an impressive contemporary art profile too. The museums are world class, as is the night life. There’s a fantastic music scene, innovative theatre programs and many other fun things to do. Barcelona is a bustling place, but it’s surrounded by parks for picnics, mountains for hikes and beaches for the relaxation of crashing waves and salty sea air. There are many cultural highlights for you to enjoy during your time studying abroad like Semana Santa, Carnival and Festa Major de Gracia, when the famous castellers assemble themselves into human towers. And if, by chance, you’re craving a change in scenery on a weekend, you’re in a prime location to travel throughout Europe.

There are many different types of scholarships, grants, and finance options to explore that can help you reach your goal of studying abroad in Barcelona. CAPA’s pre-departure staff will be able to guide you in the right direction so you can decide which opportunities are best suited to your personal situation and find out how to apply.

We do our best make study abroad accessible to everyone and to provide funding to those who need it. Need-based options include CAPA’s own need-based scholarship, the FEA-CAPA Access Scholarship, a grant from one of the colleges or universities who are affiliated with CAPA, and third-party options such as the Gilman Scholarship. CAPA also offers a blogger/vlogger grant that select students receive in exchange for creating content for our blog about their study abroad experience, a diversity advocate grant, an accommodations fund for students with disabilities and an HBCU grant for students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. There are also many other study abroad scholarships available that are not direct CAPA initiatives. Research early as they usually require you to apply up to a year in advance. You may also be eligible to for financial aid.

Set yourself apart from your peers by interning abroad for credit in the creative city of Barcelona! You’ll develop new skills, learn how to effectively articulate these to grad schools and hiring managers, and positively impact your future career in a one of Europe’s leading centers for commerce, science, media and education. You’ll collaborate with and learn from Barcelonians in this cultural and economic hub, expand your professional network overseas, gain an international perspective on your field and an appreciation for diverse working cultures and practices in a global city.

CAPA’s global internship program is well-established with a network of over 2,000 internship sites across the globe in private and nonprofit sectors. We work hard to place you somewhere that fits your academic major, personal interests and abilities. CAPA Barcelona internships are offered in English, Spanish*, or Catalan*, and students can intern in industries ranging from international relations to advertising and PR! Internship placements are included in the cost of the CAPA Barcelona program, so don’t miss out on a fantastic opportunity! Chat with an admissions advisor to learn more about the placement process and be sure to read about other CAPA Barcelona students’ internship experiences on our blog.

*Students must meet minimum language requirements.

Studying abroad in Barcelona doesn’t mean sacrificing quality, credits or academic integrity. CAPA courses and faculty-led programs are rigorous; we run them in strict adherence to the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practice. You’ll play an active role in your own development while you’re abroad, working toward what we call our Student Learning and Development Outcomes (or SLDOs). From personal and professional development to urban environments, our five SLDOs will guide everything you do as a CAPA student. You’ll have plenty of time for fun and exploration too, and those things are also incorporated into (and a very important part of!) the CAPA Barcelona experience. One example is our My Global City social events and cultural activities, including learning about Mediterranean cuisine with a Tapas tasting and a tour of Gaudí architecture. We also take your experience in Spain from international to global, with collaborative projects that involve working directly with CAPA students in other cities around the world through our innovative globally networked learning technology.

See our blog to read our Thoughts on Education Abroad column and take a deep dive into specific areas of academic focus from the perspective of past CAPA Barcelona students and faculty.

Live like a local and immerse yourself in Spanish language and culture. Whether you’re a fluent Spanish speaker or just learning to say ¿hola, que tal?, studying in Barcelona offers a plethora of opportunities to use and improve your Spanish, from CAPA Spanish language courses and internship placements to daily activities and cultural events. With CAPA Barcelona, you can also choose to deepen your Spanish immersion through an optional homestay with a local family, or if you’re looking to expand your language skills beyond Spanish, give Catalán – the official language of the Cataluña region – a try.