International Business Study Abroad Programs in Barcelona, Spain

I chose AIFS Abroad because of the variety of programs that they offer. I went to Paris, France for a January term to take an Accounting class at the American Business College. The AIFS staff was super helpful with me. Even before departure, they were there for me helping me with my housing options and to coordinate my flights, during my program they invited us to different excursions and to the AIFS office in Paris to know the staff and after the program they were very interested in our feedback and reviews. During my program I stayed with a host family and it was such an amazing thing because i got to experience French culture first-hand while also sharing a little bit about my own culture. The American Business College is a place where students from different cultures and backgrounds share one same perspective on global business with an American point of view, which made everything easier for me. This program had a great impact in my life because it made me get out of my comfort zone and get to know so many people while earning credit towards my degree. I'd recommend AIFS Abroad to anyone looking to study abroad or intern while getting credits towards their degree. AIFS is very helpful, has so many programs available and a staff who is always willing to make the best for you.

My time in Barcelona was one of the best experiences in my life. Out of all the cities I visited when I was abroad, Barcelona was by far my favorite and I was always so excited to come back from traveling. I loved the people, the metro, the city, and the beach. There was always something going on to have the best time of your life.

Forum-Nexus was an amazing experience. I made many new friends, enjoyed the professional and cultural visits, and loved the balance between school and fun. The staff was amazing, and I would definitely recommend it.

My experience studying abroad with CEA CAPA in Barcelona was truly amazing. I had high expectations going into the program, and they were completely exceeded. My apartment was in a great neighborhood that felt extremely safe while still giving me an authentic, local experience. It was also close to everything, which made it so easy to walk around and explore the city every day. I also had a great experience with my classes. My professors were extremely understanding and supportive, which made balancing academics with everything else that comes with studying abroad much easier. The CEA CAPA staff was incredibly welcoming and played such a big role in making my experience as great as it was. They offered so many activities, events, and opportunities that helped me meet people, experience Barcelona, and feel comfortable living in a city so far from home. Overall, studying abroad in Barcelona was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and I’m so grateful I chose to do it through CEA CAPA. I would absolutely recommend the program to anyone considering studying abroad!

Leaving to study abroad in Barcelona was my first time ever leaving the country and exploring a new culture. I could not be more grateful for choosing CIS Abroad for such an amazing experience. From the very beginning, the CIS Abroad staff helped me prepare for the experience of a lifetime with genuine care, guidance, and support. That support continued throughout my time abroad. CIS Abroad made me feel safe by providing comprehensive resources for students, including access to therapy, medical care, and additional support whenever we were sick or needed assistance. Barcelona quickly became my second home, and studying abroad was truly one of the best experiences of my life. I grew personally and professionally, and created memories that I will carry with me forever.

Living and studying in Barcelona for four months was one of the best experiences I've ever had. The city itself is beautiful and full of live. I love how everywhere is walkable and you can get anywhere using the metro. There's so so much to do whether it's going to the beach, out for tapas, hiking in the surrounding mountains, shopping, or having a night out, Barcelona really is for everyone. CEA CAPA made my experience so smooth from start to finish.

I had such a great time, the program leaders were super helpful with living situations adjusting to the different aspects here and all my professors were awesome. They all cared a lot about the courses and wanted me to succeed and do better! They excursions that they provide are also super fun and you should go on as many as possible.

I graduated from high school a semester early, and the only way I wanted to spend my semester was by being abroad. I've known about Semester at Sea for around 6 years and I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. I searched up the requirements to be accepted and luckily fit all the requirements most importantly being 18, so immediately I applied. I then got an email back the next morning saying I got accepted into the program and that email brought me to tears in the middle of one of my classes. I couldn't wait to board the MV World Odyssey and embark on this journey of a lifetime. On the ship, I gained so much knowledge about different cultures and I was able to be fully immersed in them, not just sticking to the touristy things offered. Semester at Sea does an amazing job keeping the students' safety in country as a priority with having mandatory “Pre-Port meetings” the night before arriving in a country, and offering field programs which are ship run excursions with ship faculty leading them. The community on the ship was nothing I have ever experienced before. We were so close knit and it felt like I was truly in a connected, caring, and welcoming environment. I met the people I never imagined I'd connect with, and they ended up becoming the best connections I've ever made with people. Semester at Sea also helped me get out of my comfort zone which led me to have experiences I would have never imagined I'd have, best example being running a half marathon in Vigo, Spain even though I'm not a runner and have never been a runner. Semester at Sea has given me the world and the opportunity to appreciate it to its fullest. I left the ship with my passport full, but my heart is even fuller with people, memories, and connections I will forever cherish. Semester at Sea was truly the best experience I have ever had and would recommend it to anyone as it was life changing.

One of the most underrated aspect of semester at sea is the ship campus itself. Being able to live so close to your friends and just walking a few flight of stairs to your classroom and being able to sit down with your professors for lunch is such an amazing experience. It's eternal sunsets, it's endless travel stories from your friends, it's lifetime of memories. Highly recommend. One of the best decisions I made. And still day dream about this experience, still talk and travel to meet my SAS friends 4 years later.

I have not experienced anything like semester at sea before, therefore giving me a whole lot of different lenses to look at the world with. I completely enjoyed my experience and understand the importance of understanding others concerns, communication, communities, and countries. A overall wonderful experience that has changed my views as well as the way I live and who I am as a person.

I had a wonderful experience with Barcelona SAE! They have been a huge help in every step of my study abroad experience, from coordinating my housing, providing an academic mentor to turn to with any questions, their curated website full of resources and recommendations, and hosting various social events throughout the semester to connect with fellow students. They made my transition to and time in Barcelona so much easier. I also can’t recommend the UB track enough. I felt like it was the perfect balance between rigorous language instruction and accommodation for non-native speakers, and all the professors were so enthusiastic and responsive to any questions or confusion. I can confidently say that my Spanish skills grew this semester largely due to my classes at UB, so if you’re looking for a great opportunity to improve your language skills, I would highly recommend!

This program truly exceeded my expectations. From the program staff to the professors themselves, everyone is so excited about assisting us students and making our experience so special. My housing was amazing and other students felt the same, especially with the apartments and home stays.

This program is for students who want to strike a balance between cultural immersion and familiarity. The program is very well organized with cultural activities and excursions every week to help students explore Barcelona and its surrounding areas with fellow students from the US. I especially enjoyed the “dinner with a local host family” event where I got to dine with a local family and learned more about Barcelona from the local perspective. Besides organizing these events, the program also sends out a weekly newsletter about what’s happening in Barcelona so students can explore on their own. The staff members are all very friendly and helpful; extremely responsive with any needs.

I had a really good experience with Forum-Nexus overall. The program gave me the chance to travel a lot, meet great people, and learn more about different countries in a way that felt interesting and personal. I liked that the staff was friendly and helpful, and the hotels were some of the best I’ve stayed in. Some visits were better than others, but the overall balance of academics, free time, and cultural experiences made the program worth it. I’d recommend it to other students, especially if they want to make friends and grow through travel.

This summer abroad program was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as an undergraduate.” “It was thoughtfully organized, with a great balance of academics, cultural exploration, professional visits, and enough independence to grow on my own.” “The instructors were engaging, knowledgeable, and encouraged real discussion, which made classes feel useful beyond the classroom.” “I especially liked being able to connect what we learned to our travels.” “The staff was welcoming and supportive throughout, and I’d absolutely recommend the program to other students.

I’ve had an amazing time here at Expanish. The teachers are great and I really like the small class size so you get to connect with each individually. I like how community driven the program is to. The seating area out of the classrooms feels like a great hub for students to socialize. I like how the program is set to travel as well. Teachers are encouraging us to travel on the weekends and see Europe. I also enjoy the study/travel balance and having a pretty strict attendance policy forced us to attend each class.

Expanish responded to this reviewMarch 21, 2026

Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback, Ben! We’re thrilled to hear that you had such an amazing experience at Expanish. It’s great that you enjoyed the small class sizes and were able to build strong connections with both your teachers and classmates. Creating a welcoming, community-driven environment is something we really value, so it’s wonderful to know that came through during your time with us. Hope we get to welcome you again in the future! ¡Un abrazo!

Doing study abroad is a MUST for character development and the opportunity to travel at a young age. Expanish made the program super easy and convenient. The predeparture preparation, VISA application process, and onboarding was so smooth.

Expanish responded to this reviewMarch 21, 2026

Thank you for your great feedback, Sean! We couldn’t agree more—studying abroad is such a valuable experience, both personally and culturally. We’re really glad to hear that our team was able to make the whole process smooth and stress-free for you, from pre-departure to arrival. It’s wonderful to know you felt supported every step of the way and could focus on enjoying your experience abroad. Hope we get to welcome you again in the future! ¡Un fuerte abrazo!

There are not enough works to express how amazing this experience was for me because I ended up meeting my best friends during my last semester of college. We all signed up for different programs through AIFS, but since we lived in the same building, we were able to bond and dive deeper into the beauties of Barcelona together. We were able to travel to different countries and do fun excursions through AIFS like visit a winery, go hiking in Montserrat, take a cooking class and visit the city's landmarks. While we had to adapt to the cultural differences, living with other AIFS students and spending time with everyone in the program was truly a home away from home. These people were my foundation. We were able to be vulnerable with one another and discover not just a whole new culture together but learn things about ourselves that we never realized before. I will always remember when my friends and I wrote letters to one another to read on the flight home from Barcelona and I do not think I will ever cry as hard as I did than when I read those letters. We have gone from being just steps away from each other in our student residence to being separated by thousands of miles. Barcelona will always be our special place, and I am so thankful to AIFS for introducing me to my best friends.

I had wanted to study abroad since high school, and SAI made that happen. It was as fun as I imagined, and I would do it again in a heartbeat if my degree allowed. I love to travel, and immersing myself in the city culture was the best thing I have done. I loved the Viva Experiences that SAI had as well, allowing me to take many day trips, as well as take pottery and dance classes, among other things. I loved the on-site staff as well, getting to know them through various excursions. One ran the program's soccer team in the study abroad league, which I got out of my comfort zone and joined. If you told me I would go and play soccer abroad beforehand, I would have laughed, but looking back I am so glad I took the leap and did so. I may not have been great, but I made friends and had a lot of fun.

I would be likely to recommend CIEE Study Abroad to a friend because the program offers strong academic support, well-organized experiences, and opportunities to immerse yourself in a new environment. It’s a great way to grow personally and academically while feeling supported throughout the process.