Gap Spanish Language and Culture Studies in Barcelona

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What's Included

We invite you to study abroad with API in Spain at the prestigious Universitat de Barcelona! Offered through one of Spain's top universities, this program is perfect for anyone looking to advance their Spanish language skills and learn more about Spanish culture while living in one of Europe's most cosmopolitan and exciting cities.

Improve your Spanish language skills, earn valuable academic credit, enroll in classes alongside students from around the world, experience life in beautiful Barcelona, and explore all that Spain has to offer!

What's Included?

Highlights

Pre Departure Services

Advising

APIConnect Platform

Orientation Materials and Resources

API Alumni Network

Scholarships

On Site Services

Airport Reception

On-Site Orientation

Excursions

Tuition

Medical and Life Insurance

Resident Directors

Social and Cultural Activities

Welcome and Farewell Group Meals

Volunteer Opportunities

Tutoring

Housing (including meals and laundry with host families)

Language and Culture Tools

Re-Entry Services

Re-Entry Materials and Support

Post-Program Evaluation

Transcript

Alumni Network and API Ambassador Program

Reflection Sessions
View all opportunities and amenities

Application Requirements

  • In good academic standing at your home institution (typically represented by a 2.0 GPA or above)
  • Open to high school graduates
  • Open to beginning, intermediate, advanced, and superior level Spanish speakers
  • Completed API application
  • One letter of recommendation
  • Official transcript, most recent grade report, or high school diploma
  • Additional supplemental materials
  • Entry requirement: valid passport with student visa
Dates & Fees
Session Program Dates Program Cost Application Deadline Extended Application Deadline Payment Deadline
Spring Jan 8, 2024 - May 1, 2024 $15,500 Oct 21, 2023 No Extension Nov 20, 2023
Fall Sep, 2024 - Dec, 2024 $15,500 Jun 1, 2024 No Extension Jul 1, 2024
Academic Year Sep, 2024 - May, 2025 $29,500 Jun 1, 2024 No Extension Jul 1, 2024
Excursions

API students participate in excursions designed to help familiarize them with the culture and surrounding areas of their host city and country. The following is a listing of potential excursions for API Barcelona programs. API may need to modify the excursions offered in a given term due to travel restrictions or health and safety concerns.

  • Dalí and Girona Tour

    Girona is a jewel of culture and rich history that dates back to Roman times. The medieval town is surrounded by a magnificent wall which is preserved almost in its entirety. The iconic architecture of the city is often in popular TV shows and movies. The Jewish quarter, known as the “Call”, spreads out in a maze of small, narrow, and often steeply sloping streets. Students will also get to visit the Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí to discover the inner world of the artist.

  • Winery and Spanish Bites

    El Penedès is one of Spain’s richest regions both in historical and gastronomical terms. Sant Sadurní d’Anoia is the center of production of cava (sparkling wine). Students will discover a place of stunning beauty and culture in a vineyard built by “Modernista” architects. Calçotada is an annual gastronomical celebration held only in winter time.

  • Montserrat and Tarragona

    Montserrat is a mountain near Barcelona and one of the most popular natural spots in Catalunya. It is the site of a Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary and which is identified by some with the location of the Holy Grail in the Arthurian myth. After visiting this astonishing mountain, we will learn about the Roman Empire in Tarragona.

  • Gastronomy and the Mediterranean Sea

    Delta del Llobregat is the area placed between Montjüic and Garraf, a natural environment outside the noise of Barcelona. Close to the delta there are coastal villages such as Castelldefels and El Prat del Llobregat. In one of these villages students will have the chance to taste a traditional Catalan meal.

  • Puigcerdà & the Pyrenées

    Puigcerdà is the largest town in the valley; in Catalan, puig means "hill," and cerdà derives from "Cerdanya." From the promontory upon which it stands, the views down across the meadows of the valley floor and up into the craggy peaks of the surrounding Pyrenees are dramatic. La Cerdanya is a region of the Pyrenees in Europe which spans both France and Spain, and is home to towering mountains, stunning medieval towns, a gorgeous open valley, and even beautiful animals. Not to mention everything else you would expect from this part of the world – great food and warm & friendly people!

  • Tarragona and Costa Daurada

    With almost 60 miles of golden sandy beaches, la Costa Daurada stretches from the north of Tarragona to the Ebro delta. Tarragona’s biggest lure is the wealth of ruins in Spain’s second most important Roman site, including mosaic-packed museums and a seaside amphitheater. Les Cases d’Alcanar or Altafulla conjure up a mix of Mediterranean essences. The towns alternate between flat alluvial land and craggy coast depicting the terrain; between mud and rocks; olive trees and rice fields; marl rocky banks and lagoons.

  • Girona and Costa Brava

    Girona is a jewel of culture and history acquired over 2,000 years. The medieval town is surrounded by a magnificent wall, which is preserved almost in its entirety. The Jewish quarter, known as the “Call”, spreads out in a maze of small, narrow, and often steeply sloping streets. After the historical visit, students will stop in Costa Brava to discover the beauty of the Mediterranean sea.

  • Winery and Spanish Bites

    El Penedès is one of Spain’s richest regions both in historical and gastronomical terms. Sant Sadurní d’Anoia is the center of production of cava (sparkling wine). Students will discover a place of stunning beauty and culture in a vineyard built by “Modernista” architects. Calçotada is an annual gastronomical celebration held only in winter time.

  • Seville

    Seville, capital of the Andalucía region of southern Spain, is a unique example where history, tradition, and modernity merge in an incomparable city. The core of Islamic Seville includes the area on the East bank of the Guadalquivir where the Cathedral, the Christian Alcázar, and the medieval quarter is known as the Barrio Santa Cruz is located today. To explore the city’s narrow streets and smell the orange blossoms in Spring while mingling with people at a cafe is definitely an unforgettable experience.

  • Gastronomy and the Mediterranean Sea

    Delta del Llobregat is the area placed between Montjüic and Garraf, a natural environment outside the noise of Barcelona. Close to the delta there are coastal villages such as Castelldefels and El Prat del Llobregat. In one of these villages students will have the chance to taste a traditional Catalan meal.

  • Puigcerdà & the Pyrenées

    Puigcerdà is the largest town in the valley; in Catalan, puig means "hill," and cerdà derives from "Cerdanya." From the promontory upon which it stands, the views down across the meadows of the valley floor and up into the craggy peaks of the surrounding Pyrenees are dramatic. La Cerdanya is a region of the Pyrenees in Europe which spans both France and Spain, and is home to towering mountains, stunning medieval towns, a gorgeous open valley, and even beautiful animals. Not to mention everything else you would expect from this part of the world – great food and warm & friendly people!

  • Tarragona and Costa Daurada

    With almost 60 miles of golden sandy beaches, la Costa Daurada stretches from the north of Tarragona to the Ebro delta. Tarragona’s biggest lure is the wealth of ruins in Spain’s second most important Roman site, including mosaic-packed museums and a seaside amphitheater. Les Cases d’Alcanar or Altafulla conjure up a mix of Mediterranean essences. The towns alternate between flat alluvial land and craggy coast depicting the terrain; between mud and rocks; olive trees and rice fields; marl rocky banks and lagoons.

Program Details

What You’ll Study

TOTAL CREDITS - 12 credits per semester

Intermediate, advanced, and superior level Spanish speakers who participate in an academic year program and complete 2 culture courses (for 90 contact hours each) and an additional section of a culture course per term (or 45 contact hours) during the year will receive the Diploma de Estudios Hispánicos. Course content for the spring semester will be different/more advanced than in the fall semester, and students do not repeat material.

TRANSCRIPTS

API students will receive a transcript from the Universitat de Barcelona upon completion of their program.

  • Headshot

    Kayla Cole

    Kayla Cole will be your Program Manager and will help prepare you for your API program.

    (she/her/hers)

  • Alicia Castillo

    Alicia Castillo

    Alicia Castillo will be your Resident Director and a resource for you on-site in Spain.

    (she/her/hers)

  • Mireia Pujol

    Mireia Pujol

    Mireia Pujol will be your Student Services Director in Barcelona and will assist you in adjusting to the Spanish culture!

    (she/her/hers)

  • Arnau Roma Sansa headshot

    Arnau Roma

    Arnau Roma will be your Resident Director and a resource for you on-site in Spain.

    (he/him/his)

  • Susana Chorda

    Susana Chordà

    Susana Chordà will be your Housing Director in Barcelona and is ready to assist students on-site!

    (she/her/hers)

  • Angela Garcia

    Ángela García

    Ángela García will be your Academics Director in Barcelona and is ready to assist students on-site!

    (she/her/hers)

Courses
Click Here to Find Classes

COURSE OFFERINGS

Students must complete a Spanish language course (worth 7 U.S. semester credits). Students will then take 2-3 individual course electives worth 3 credits each for a total of 12 credits per session. Additional courses may be added for an additional fee. UB language levels correspond to the European Common Framework.

CREDIT INFORMATION

Most API partner universities in Spain operate on the contact hour system, wherein the number of credits earned depends on the time spent in class. To determine the conversion of contact hours to U.S. credits, divide the contact hours available by 15.

Courses at Universitat de Barcelona (Gap Spanish Language and Culture Studies in Barcelona)

For the most up-to-date course availability on this program, explore our Class Finder. Sort courses by term, area of study, and more!

Find Courses

Courses at Universitat de Barcelona (Gap Spanish Language and Culture Studies in Barcelona)

For the most up-to-date course availability on this program, explore our Class Finder. Sort courses by term, area of study, and more!

Find Courses

Courses at Universitat de Barcelona (Gap Spanish Language and Culture Studies in Barcelona)

For the most up-to-date course availability on this program, explore our Class Finder. Sort courses by term, area of study, and more!

Find Courses

Highlights
  • Classes: taught in Spanish and English
Housing

API students in Barcelona can choose from three different housing options. Students may choose to live with a host family, in a student apartment, or in a student dormitory. Internet access is included in all three options. Participants who will be under age 18 for any portion of their session abroad are required to live in supervised housing with a host family and must adhere to a curfew set by API while still a minor.

Students who choose to live with families share a double room with a fellow API student and be provided with 2 meals per day and laundry service. Students can opt for a single room for an additional fee.

API apartments in Barcelona generally have 2-4 bedrooms (the majority of which are double-rooms) with a shared kitchen, common area, and bathrooms. Apartments are located throughout the center of Barcelona and tend to be 30-45 minutes from the universities. Students can opt for a single room for an additional fee.

Students who would prefer apartment-style living alongside other Spanish and American students would enjoy API’s dorm/residence hall option. The student dorm has both single and double-room options, with a shared kitchen and private bathroom. Internet access is guaranteed in all rooms. This option carries an additional fee.

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