Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain with WorldStrides

My time in Barcelona was unbelievable and unforgettable. I did a semester at UAB in the spring 2026 semester and had the best experience. I met so many amazing people and went so many amazing places. There was something for everyone in Barcelona, it was the perfect city. And it was a great hub to explore more of Europe. I was able to visit 12 countries and 16 cities in an 18 week program. WorldStrides staff in Barcelona were so amazing, they were so helpful and friendly. The living accommodations that they set up for us were perfect as well. I was living very comfortably and all the friends I made in the program agreed that they loved their setups. The WorldStrides excursions were amazing as well, they were so fun and I met even more friends. Truly could not recommend it enough to anyone looking to go abroad.

I studied abroad with Worldstrides in Barcelona during the spring semester of 2026, and it was genuinely life-changing! I was able to connect with professors at my university and my peers and create lifelong friendships. It was easy to make meaningful connections because the academic curriculum revolves around group work. I was able to work with students from all around the world and grow my international interpersonal skills. I can not recommend going with WorldStrides enough! They eased any potential worries I had before and during my time abroad. The team is there to help you and make your experience incredible!

Traveling to Barcelona without any prior travel abroad experience, I was extremely nervous and excited. This was my first time traveling a long distance without family or friends I was well-acquainted with. ISA made my comfort level great as soon as I arrived in the country. They made sure that I knew where I was going and were given ample time to make friends with the other study abroad students. Barcelona is such a beautiful city! The excursions included visits to: La Sagrada Familia, a staple tourist attraction; A weekend trip to Valencia; and a trip to Girona and the Dalí Museum. Of course, we were given time to do our travel, where I traveled more inside the country (Madrid, Tossa de Mar, and a short trip south to Morocco). Having these opportunities allowed me to explore the city and get to know the locals, traditional foods, and more! During my time there, I opted to do a homestay. ISA did a fantastic job in matching me with a family that cared for me and made sure I was well taken care of. I know that if I did have any problems (which I didn't), they would be able to support me to solve the issue I could have had. I attended UPF while I was there. The classes took some time to get used to as they were quite different from what I am used to in the States. But I enjoyed the class options and was able to get the credits transferred back with ease. Overall, this study abroad experience in Barcelona is something I will never regret. I was able to have a more global perspective on things. I really recommend this program, even if it is not in Barcelona, to study abroad, as it helped me grow both personally and professionally!

I had such a great time studying in Barcelona, Spain with ISA for the Fall 2024 semester! The ISA staff was so great and helpful throughout the experience and provided me with so many wonderful opportunities and activities to get to know the city. I played in the study abroad soccer league as well as took Latino dance classes through ISA. Living in a homestay also helped me improve my Spanish and challenge myself! Throughout my semester, I became so much more independent and confident. This was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life!

At first I was so scared to study abroad because I was alone but I never think for a second that I regret my experience. I overcame the challenge of having to be independent in a country where I do not speak the language. I felt so much peace and happiness during my stay and wish everyday I were back there. I saw myself grow as a person and become more confident everyday. The locals would encourage us to dance with them and everyone is truly happy there. If you are thinking about doing it, DO IT!

Studying abroad even for only 3 weeks with ISA was such a good experience. I was able to see so many sights in Barcelona and meet some amazing people. The program offered a trip to Valencia and Peñíscola that was included in the price of the program which was an unexpected surprise. I ate the most delicious food and had the best time on my trip to Barcelona with ISA.

Choosing to study abraod in Barcelona with ISA made my expereince! I made so many great friends and memories through the ISA Valencia trip that I will never forget. ISA was very great and helped prepare me for my classes, pre deparutre info, and fun things to do in Barcelona.

ISA study abroad is something you will not regret. With a promising new perspective of life itself, and a new appreciation of the world I can say it was the best experience so far. I spent my spring semester in Barcelona, living in a student residence. I recommend student residence living because you will be able to meet locals, practice the language, and feel less alone because of the easily accessible common spaces that is always filled with residents. Study abroad will also introduce you to a new education format than your home university. The trips and gatherings offered through ISA was beyond helpful, and it was where I made some life long friends with great memories. Take a deep breath, look around, be open, travel and embrace public transport! Of course, life is still going to come into play, and not all times are going to be easy, and not all days are going to be 100%, and you will want to go home. Take it day by day, and plan things to look forward to! Culture shock is real, and bound to happen when you are taken out of your comfort zone. However, be persistent and remember why you wanted to take on this journey in the first place. Most likely, you will be able to feel a beautiful and fulfilling transition in yourself because of your freshly gained perspective of the world. Also- try all the foods, drinks, be friendly, and bring a digital camera! You will want to make a scrap book of your moments abroad.

I went abroad on a four week intensive program in Barcelona with ISA, and it was wonderful. Regarding ISA, they are organized and very personable. Using their site and portal was also so simple. The process seemed to be as easy as possible. On the trip they had three ALL inclusive trips provided and they were all so much fun. I met so many new friends and professors through this program. The courses were also challenging but fun; you could tell the teachers were into their content. The experiences I had were endless, and I would 100% recommend this trip to any college student looking to improve their Spanish drastically.

I loved going abroad to Barcelona so much! Upon arrival, ISA made sure we were set up with everything we could possibly need. They made sure we knew what to do in any situation we might find ourselves in and gave us resources I would not have otherwise known about. The ISA team was extremely helpful in communicating with the university I was enrolled in and making sure I had access to classes that UCLA would award me credit for. They were quick to respond to my emails and always available to answer any questions I had throughout my time. I would definitely recommend ISA to any student looking to go abroad and I would not change a thing about my experience!

Studying abroad in Spain and taking an international marketing class was a transformative experience that left an unforgettable mark on my personal and professional growth. I was able to enhance my language skills, learn valuable international business insights, and mark my transition into young adulthood. I am profoundly grateful for the support that made this journey possible and will carry the lessons and experiences I had with me forever.

Before I left for Spain I was a ball of nervous but excited energy. I found out I was the only student from my university participating in the program, and I had been placed in an apartment with 5 other girls! As a more introverted person, this made me extremely nervous. In reality, these girls and this experience would change my life. Barcelona is an amazing city. It has great food, and easy public transit as well as a great mix of history and fun. I learned so much about Catalonia and its rich history in my courses, and participated in a lot of independent travel. ISA offered many fun excursions and tours that allowed me to see even more of Spain and try a variety of unique things! Barcelona gave me the best months of my life. I enjoyed exploring every inch of the city and cant wait to go back someday.

Before even entering my university, I knew that I would return to Barcelona to study abroad. The first two years were crazy — being out-of-state, living away from my parents — all whilst dealing with a global pandemic. After my freshman year, studying abroad was clear out of mind. Then comes the summer after my sophomore year of college, summer of 2021. I began having conversations with friends, saw others studying abroad again and the passion to study abroad came right back. ISA made it so easy. I took the time to fill out the application, had many different options and cities to choose from, and settled in on applying to the ISA program in Barcelona, Spain in the Spring of 2022. I remember all of the hustle, getting my passport ready, sending in all of the information to the Spanish Embassy, it was exhausting, but all worth it. In January, I started packing up my suitcases, having no expectations of what was to come. I quite literally could not picture anything about what my life was going to be like abroad. But the day came, I said bye to my parents at the Denver airport, and went on my way. Once landed in the Barcelona airport, I met floods of people coming in to study abroad and it was reassuring to know how many people I had the opportunity to meet and relate to on this adventure. My apartment was awesome, I was put with four other girls from my university, and none of us knew the other. But that’s the best way to do it, right? I didn’t know anyone coming in, but I had so many friends coming out of the program. I will say this program changed my life. Right now, if I had stuck to my original plans, I would be in law school, studying for a degree that I am not ready to attain quiet yet. Barcelona made me realize how much more there is to life, and how much time I have to settle in a career. Now, because of that spring, I am living in Madrid, Spain, teaching English, and once again immersing myself into the Spanish culture. Better yet, one of those random roommates I had became my best friend, and we are roommates once again in Spain. The International Studies Abroad program made this life I love a reality. They were so helpful to all of us in Barcelona, always available for help with classes, medical questions, and for ideas of what to do around the city. The classes themselves were some of the best education I have ever received! I had an intense Spanish class twice a week that improved my Spanish to what it is today, and learned all about Mediterranean culture, and politics. I loved the program so much that I applied to be a blogger for them, and was able to share blogs concerning places to eat in Barcelona, things to do, and helpful advice to a newcomer. I had friends in other programs, and I can say that this one was the best choice for me. ISA handled the Visa process for us, allowing for some stress to be relieved (considering that this year, I had to fly to the LA consulate myself in order to move to Madrid). This program was also vastly cheaper than my own college was. ISA planned trips for us, taking us to Valencia, Sevilla, Sitges, and Peñiscola. I loved these trips! As fun as it was to travel on my own, ISA created an itinerary for us where we got to explore a local paella cooking class, they took us to a classic flamenco show in Segovia where the dance was born, and brought me to my favorite place in Spain: the Alcazár in Segovia. Who knows if I would have ever been able to see and do these things on my own! All in all, I thank ISA for making me realize how much there is to explore, and how learning new cultures by immersing yourself in them is the best education one can get. I met friends and have experiences that I'll remember forever! I would recommend this program to anyone who is considering studying abroad, and wish that I could’ve had more time with them!

I LOVE the experience I had studying abroad in Barcelona, Spain during the summer of 2022. The application process, pre-departure & the program itself was all very well organized and the staff were very helpful and attentive to their students. I had questions and concerns and the staff were able to handle them well and in a timely manner. I really liked that we had the opportunity to travel to different cities in Spain as a group and the excursions were really fun and enjoyable. I would highly recommend ISA Spain to anyone that is thinking of study abroad in Spain.

My time abroad was filled with countless experiences and memories that I will constantly think back to. Besides daily life in Barcelona with new friends, I traveled to 12 other countries while abroad. One of my favorites was an optional excursion to Morrocco over spring break with my program. The trip included about 60 students, many of whom I took classes with. We had the opportunity to experience an entirely new culture, stay overnight in the desert, try traditional cuisine, ride camels, and create once-in-a-lifetime memories––not to mention all the friendships we formed that week. It was truly an amazing and eye-opening experience! Going abroad was one of the best decisions I made and I'm so thankful that I picked Barcelona and my program with ISA!

Although my study abroad trip unfortunately occurred during the start of the 2020 pandemic, and we were cut short, I can still confidently say those were the best 3 months of my life. Traveling to an unfamiliar place to fully immerse yourself in a new culture is an experience I think everyone should be able to have. ISA made that possible for me. Highly, highly recommend this program.

Studying abroad was the best thing I’ve ever done. So many good experiences. We did have so many issues with our housing, our ceiling in our kitchen collapsed and took days to repair as well as we had mice and ISA didn’t do much to help. Also I had a stalker at the end of the trip that was able to get into the apartment but that wasn’t ISA fault at all just scary.

Studying abroad taught me so much! I am a business student, so I took an international business course and a marketing course in Barcelona. Genuinely so eye opening to hear a different perspective and how different countries go about business practices and even classroom practices. Learned so much in the 6 weeks I was there. The personal growth was insane as well, can't recommend enough!

Such a well organized program and a great experience! If I could go back and do it again I would in a heartbeat. The ISA team was so attentive and I loved going into the office. The university was amazing and I felt support from everyone I interacted with.

I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone. I had the best time and learned so much! It was a great experience and the leaders were always there to help out with anything we needed. It was great to be able to travel around to different places as well!