Is Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona right for you

As far as European cities go, they don’t come much more vibrant and diverse as Barcelona. Which is what makes it such a fantastic and appealing place for foreign students. If the idea of studying in Barcelona sounds appealing, you might want to consider the Universitat Autonomo de Barcelona (UAB), one of Barcelona’s largest public universities.

Why the UAB? For starters the UAB is a leading institution, ranking 10th in the world according to the 2014 QS world university rankings. It has a very good reputation for its teaching and research. The UAB currently enrols over 50,000 students every year.

The UAB offers an extensive range of study and research options covering the Humanities, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Experimental Sciences, Technology and Engineering. Among the more popular subjects are: International business, Spanish language, Culture and Art History.

Related article: The ultimate guide for public universities in Barcelona

International students are welcomed and very well catered for at the UAB, with a wide range of programs specially designed for international students wishing to study subjects in Spanish or English. This includes Study Abroad programs in Regular Studies (joining the regular coursed offered at the main campus), Tailor Made Programs with a group of fellow students, and a 15-week Pre-Established Study Abroad Programs in which you can study Spanish and a choice of between two and five subjects taught in English (individually or in a group).

All programs are private and students must pay tuition fees, information of which you will find on the program pages of the UAB website. There are typically two academic terms running from late September to mid February (term one) and mid February to mid June (term two).

In addition to its Study Abroad programs, the UAB’s desirability is also in its location and complexes. While most local students attend classes in the main campus, Bella Terra, at the foot of the mountains on the outskirts of Barcelona, The Study Abroad programs take place on two
campuses located in the city. The Eixample campus is located in central Barcelona, close to all the buzz and amenities of the city. The other campus is in the Sant Pau neighbourhood, close to the Sagrada Familia, in a building called Casa Convalescéncia – a stunning piece of art and architecture in itself.