Study in Barcelona (in English, Spanish) - ISEP Direct
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, but taking the time to live and study in this famous city means you’ll be able to discover lesser-known places as you make it your second home. Find your own favorite spot to grab a morning espresso, your favorite bar for tapas, the best beach for relaxing after class, or your favorite barrio for a quiet stroll before a late-night dinner.
• Take a mix of classes taught by some of the best professors in Spain! UPF’s Barcelona Interdisciplinary Study Program offers courses for international students on current global issues. Spanish classes and discipline-specific courses with local students are also available.
• ISEP’s on-site Program Director, Maria Mateu, will help ease your transition into Barcelona and can provide endless recommendations on things to do, restaurants to try, or new cities to explore.
• Be sure to check out some of Barcelona’s many festivals—there’s usually one every weekend! Some of the best are La Mercé in September (honoring the patron saint of Barcelona), Santa Eulàlia in February (winter festival with light installations), and Sant Jordi in April (similar to Valentine’s Day).
LIFE ABROAD
There’s just something undeniably special about Barcelona. In this world-class destination, you’ll live within walking distance of sandy Mediterranean beaches, study at one of the best universities in Europe, and enjoy spectacular architecture, art, music, and food—frequently just on your walk to class!
LIVE
You’ll live in one of two residence halls, either Campus del Mar in Barceloneta, or Onix, which is just a 20-minute walk to Sagrada Familia. Both residences are a 15-minute walk to the UPF campus and serve a mix of local and international students. You’ll be able to use study rooms, fitness rooms, and game rooms, plus the buildings are staffed 24 hours/day. You’ll share a 2-person furnished apartment with an en-suite bathroom, small kitchen, and wifi. Students living at Campus del Mar will enjoy the delicious restaurants in Barceloneta and are just a five-minute walk to the beach. At Onix, students love hanging out at the rooftop pool.
DINE
Half the fun of living in Barcelona is enjoying the delicious food! Fresh produce like eggplant, tomato, garlic, peppers, and artichoke are abundant in Catalan cuisine. Seafood is incredibly fresh and used in many local dishes, and pork from nearby farms provides flavor and richness. Traditional Spanish tapas are readily available and very good in the Barceloneta neighborhood. Be sure to try the specialties of Catalunya, including pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato), escalivada (roasted vegetables), esqueixada de bacallà (cod and tomato salad), espinacs amb panses i pinyons (spinach with raisins and pinenuts), and mongetes amb botifarra (beans and sausage). When you want a night in or a quick meal at home, it’s easy to cook in your apartment. You’ll find well-stocked markets and supermarkets within walking distance of your residence. Expect to spend about 300 euros/month on groceries and meals out.
EXPERIENCE
Of course, no visit to Barcelona would be complete without seeing Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia or Park Guell, and a stroll down Las Ramblas to Mercado de La Boqueria is a must. But after you wander through the Gothic Quarter and see some of Picasso’s most famous work, be sure to take time to get off the well-worn tourist path. ISEP’s on-site staff will arrange an included urban hike and tour of Barcelona’s hidden spots.
On your own, you can explore dozens of excellent beaches a quick bus or train ride away. Locals recommend Badalona, Ocata, Sant Pol de Mar, and Castelldefels. If you have more time, Sitges is about 40 minutes away, and is a well-known gay-friendly destination with multiple beaches and classic art deco architecture. In town, explore neighborhoods like Gracia, which hosts famous street fiestas in the summer, or relax with a good book in Ciutadella Park. One of the true local secrets is Barcelona’s diversity, so be sure to try some of the international cuisine too!
To keep you informed, you’ll receive a bi-weekly cultural bulletin with suggestions for cultural activities and useful links. Additionally, you can join the UPF student organization ESN (Erasmus Student Network) which organizes activities in Barcelona and weekend trips at a very affordable price.
EXPLORE
Locals love to spend weekends and breaks on the Costa Brava, known for quiet fishing villages, breathtaking trails along the coast, and delightful hidden coves with clear water and sandy beaches. One of Costa Brava’s most well-known residents, Salvador Dalí certainly left his mark on the region. Tour his summer home his castle, or his theatre museum to experience his memorable art. Other top spots outside of Barcelona include Monserrat, Tarragona, and Girona. Buses, trains, and low-cost airlines also make it easy to explore the rest of Spain and popular spots in Europe, including Madrid, Lisbon, Rome, and Paris.
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
Go beyond the usual study abroad experience with ISEP’s Global Engagement Program, designed to build professional skills and intercultural competence. You will be placed with a leading nonprofit or community organization based in Barcelona! Serve 2 hours per week and complete a cross-cultural seminar taught by ISEP’s Program Director. This program costs an additional fee of US $200, which is paid to ISEP. Additional details and placement examples are available on ISEP’s Community Engaged Learning Page.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Maria Mateu is the Program Director of ISEP for Barcelona, Spain. She has more than 15 years of experience as intercultural trainer and diversity management consultant for a wide range of organizations in the social, private and public sectors. Originally from Catalonia, she has lived and worked in Tanzania, the United Kingdom and the U.S. She holds an MA in Intercultural Communication and Relations from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, an MA in International Development, and a BA in Journalism, both from Universitat Autonoma of Barcelona, Spain. She speaks Catalan, Spanish, English, French and basic Kiswahili.
What We Love About UPF & Barcelona
We love how easy it is to get around the UPF campus and the city of Barcelona! The housing is convenient, comfortable, and nice, and the location is terrific! UPF professors care about their students and try to create a positive learning environment. Local students love to chat and give recommendations on where to go. Plus, Maria is an awesome resident director! A recent student shared, “Maria was so hands-on, she was always checking in and planning events for us! She was like our Catalan mom, always there for us.”
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses
Course Description
The Study in Barcelona program features UPF’s Barcelona Program for Interdisciplinary Studies (BaPIS). Students will take a combination of classes from the following programs:
• Barcelona Program for Interdisciplinary Studies (BaPIS): UPF’s flagship program designed specifically for international students studying at UPF featuring classes taught in English and Spanish by UPF’s highest profile faculty, each with proven international experience. BaPIS courses are also offered to and attended by local students.
• UPF Spanish Language Classes: A collection of classes at UPF designed for students of Spanish as a second language ranging from beginner to expert, including a heritage speaker’s course.
• UPF International Business Program: Courses focus on business fundamentals and are ideal for students aiming to blend business expertise with complementary disciplinary skills.
• UPF’s Regular University Classes: Courses taught primarily in Spanish and Catalan for local degree-seeking students. Course availability is limited but may be possible for motivated students.
Credits Earned
Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn 24-30 ECTS which ISEP recommends is the equivalent of 12-15 U.S. Credit Hours. Most courses are worth 6 ECTS. Language classes are worth 6 or 12 ECTS.
If you use financial aid, please speak with a qualified financial aid advisor to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial aid.
Sample Classes Available:
|
Barcelona Program for Interdisciplinary Studies |
Spanish as a Second Language |
International Business Program |
UPF Direct Enroll Classes – Global Studies |
|
3 U.S. credits each Enroll in classes from BaPIS |
3-6 U.S. credits each Enroll in up to 1 class |
3 U.S. credits each Enroll in classes from the IBP |
Credits may vary Limited availability
|
|
Art & Gender in Contemporary Spain |
Español Inicial |
International Management |
Global Cities |
|
Barcelona the City & Its History |
Español Pre-intermedio |
Strategic Brand Management |
Global Inequalities |
|
Ethics in a Globalization and Sustainability Context |
Español Intermedio |
Doing Business in Europe |
Borders, Identities, and Geopolitics |
|
Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education, Culture and Society |
Español Avanzado |
International Finance |
Globalization & Gender |
|
Society and Politics in Contemporary Spain |
Español Superior |
New Trends in International Marketing |
Global Cultural Heritage |
|
Great Ideas that Have Shaped our World: From the Axial Age to the Artificial Intelligence Revolution |
Español para hispanohablantes |
Consumer Behavior |
Principles, Values, and Challenges of Sustainability |
For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.
Academics
Other Academic Conditions
Students arrive: Second week of January, Third week of September
Classes start: Second week of January, Last week of September
Classes end: Last week of March, First week of December
Exams: Mid - Late March, Early December
Tips for Finding Courses:
Please review the UPF Course Registration Guide before beginning the course registration process.
Students will be required to work with the ISEP staff in Barcelona and their Student Services Officer to develop a diversified course list during the enrollment process.
When building your course list, please include 8-10 BaPIS courses for your specific term. Once you have a list of BaPIS courses, you can add a Spanish language course, International Business courses, and regular university courses to your list. Keep in mind that regular UPF courses are very competitive, and placement is not guaranteed.
UPF Courses:
UPF offers three academic programs specifically designed for international students. Students can mix and match between these programs, and individual courses and syllabi can be viewed on the UPF International Programs website.
• Barcelona Program for Interdisciplinary Studies (BaPIS) courses are are offered in English and Spanish. Students can browse all offerings or sort the list of courses by topic.
• Spanish as a Second Language is taught at five levels, from Beginner to Proficient (A1-C2). A Spanish for heritage-speakers course is also offered each term. These courses each grant 6 or 12 ECTS (3-6 U.S. credits). To filter for Spanish language courses, select 'language learning' from the list of topics. A Spanish language course is highly recommended.
• International Business Program courses are offered in collaboration with the UPF-ESCI Business School. Use the search filter to view the courses that list 'ESCI-UPF|IBP at ESCI' under 'School & Program'. All ESCI-IBP courses are worth 6 ECTS.
Review the ESCI Regular Course Offerings PDF for ESCI Regular course offerings. The PDF includes IBP-ESCI courses, worth 6 ECTS each, and ESCI Regular courses, worth 4 ECTS each. The first section of the PDF is for the Fall '24 semester. Spring '25 courses are listed under '2nd Trimester' in the second part of the document.
UPF Regular University Courses – Limited direct enroll options at UPF may be available but are not guaranteed. Scroll down to 'Course Offer' and search by Faculty to view regular courses open to visiting students.
Semester & Prices (based on your filters)
Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.Semester Tuition
- Priority Admissions Deadline: {{schedule.semester.semesterTranslation.displayPriorityDeadline}}
- Chance of Placement: {{schedule.chancesOfPlacement.name}}
- Application Deadline: {{schedule.applicationDeadline}}
- Average Classes Per Week: {{schedule.semester.classesPerWeek}}
- Average Class Hours Per Week: {{schedule.semester.hoursPerWeek}}
Required Expenses
Pre-Sessions
{{child.getBenefitsRangeDisplay()}}
University Deadline: {{child.studentDeadline | date:'longDate'}}
Housing
Meals
Optional Expenses
Pre-Sessions
{{child.getBenefitsRangeDisplay()}}
University Deadline: {{child.studentDeadline | date:'longDate'}}