SSA Education Abroad in Barcelona offers high quality education at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), giving students the chance to fully integrate and immerse themselves into Spanish life for the summer. The campus offers courses in social sciences, humanities, communication and information technologies as well as in health and life sciences.

Summer Term in Barcelona, Spain

Through university coursework, homestays with Catalonian families, and multiple cross-cultural opportunities, students will find Spanish Studies Abroad in Barcelona to be a highly immersive and integrated study abroad experience.

Since the Barcelona, Spain summer abroad program does not occur during the regular academic year, Federal, State, and Saint Mary’s institutional aid may not be applied to the program’s costs.

Barcelona Summer Program Costs

Costs Include:

• Tuition
• Double occupancy room & full board
• Laundry
• Overnight & local study visits & cultural activities
• Orientation
• Health Insurance
• Computer access & high-speed internet access
• Spanish Studies transcript
• Support of onsite staff

SSA Education Abroad has a scholarship program that is open to all participants. Award recipients are chosen based on the submission of an original essay in Spanish, an essay in English and a faculty recommendation. Students may receive awards up to $2,500.

Scholarship Information

Students should research the details of non-Saint Mary’s scholarships for applicability and see the Director of Study Abroad for other scholarship and grant opportunities.

Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. SSA Education Abroad recommends that you apply as early as possible to allow more time for pre-departure arrangements, such as applying for a student visa.

Click here for Program Dates and Application Deadlines

To be eligible, you must have a 3.0 GPA in Spanish Coursework. Individual courses may have language pre-requisites.

Apply online to the SSA Education Abroad​. Complete the Saint Mary’s required paperwork, application may be picked up in the Study Abroad Office, the International Center, the Heights.

Acceptance is contingent on a thorough review of the student’s application and subsequent approval from SSA Education Abroad. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Spanish Studies recommends that you apply as early as possible to allow more time for pre-departure arrangements.

After acceptance, complete the following required items.

• Obtain a passport. Submit a copy of the first page to the Study Abroad Office.
• Arrange travel plans. Submit a copy of your flight itinerary to the Study Abroad Office.

As Spain’s second largest city, Barcelona embodies every quality of a European city. Experience the typical hustle and bustle of a busy city on La Rambla, take a stroll through one of the many barrios or enjoy any of its famous Mediterranean beaches. The urban city is host to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, attracting millions of tourists each year.

Just a little of what Barcelona has to offer:

• Subtropical and Mediterranean climate
• Cosmopolitan coastal city
• World class arts and entertainment
• Famous for Gaudi, Dali, Miro and Picasso
• UNESCO World Heritage sights
• Beautiful Beaches
• Fashion Center

Learn more about the culture of Barcelona

Climate
The weather is pleasant year-round except for the rainy season in October. The winters do cool down quite a bit, especially at night. Some say that summers are unpleasantly hot, but the heat of Barcelona never compares to that of Madrid or Seville. The absolute best time to visit is spring and early summer, when the weather is perfect and the city is full of annual celebrations.

Time
When Central Standard Time is in effect in the United States, Spain is seven hours ahead.

Currency
The currency in Spain is the Euro. Euro bank notes come in the following denominations: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins are in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 1 euro and 2 euro.

For more Information:

• Consulate General of Spain in Chicago
• US Embassy Spain
• Travel.state.gov country information