IES Abroad: Barcelona - IES Abroad Barcelona Center Photo

Barca: Just Do It

A Study Abroad Program Review For

IES Abroad: Barcelona - IES Abroad Barcelona Center

Program Information

Study abroad in Barcelona—capital of the autonomous province of Catalonia. The IES Abroad Barcelona program provides students with opportunities to learn or perfect Spanish while studying business and liberal arts.

Provider: IES Abroad
Location(s): Barcelona, Spain
Year Founded:
Website Take me there!

Review By:

Lanham B. (accounting, Trinity University) on November 04, 2011

Overall Rating

Personal Information

* Start Date: 2011-05-23
* End Date: 2011-07-09
How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Workload was minimal and grading system was clearly explained.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program did a great job of allowing me to experience a new country and meet new people that I would get along with.

* Housing:

* Food:

No recommendations.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The champions league final and my trip to madrid.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

City is as safe as the next, don't be stupid.

* Home Institution Advising:

How well did Trinity University prepare and support you for your time abroad?

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Depending on how much you want to go out it will vary a lot. I spent around 200$ a week but I knew others that spent 1000$
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Traveling to other cities will be very expensive. Plane or train, hostels, food, and enetertainment. Food and alcohol cost a bunch!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
Language acquisition improvement?

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The city.
* What could be improved?
  • Make it cheaper!
* If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same program? Yes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Barcelona is going to be the craziest party city you have been to. If you want to have fun and be crazy don't be stupid. GO TO BARCELONA.
* What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile? Yes