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Courtesy of Ben Woods

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CIEE Barcelona: Economics and Culture

Overview

Program terms: Fall, Full Academic Year, Spring
Restrictions: Vanderbilt applicants only
Type of Program: Study Center/University Hybrid
Costs: Budget Sheets
Academic Calendar: Similar to VU
Key Dates:
Term Application Deadline Program Dates
Fall 2025 03/03/2025 09/03/2025 - 12/20/2025
Full Academic Year 2025 03/03/2025 To be determined

Beginning with the Spring 2025 application cycle, admission to the CIEE Barcelona: Economics and Culture program will be subject to enrollment capacity. Once the maximum enrollment is reached, applications will close, even if it’s before the Vanderbilt (GEO) advertised application deadline. Depending on capacity, there may be a waitlist.

We encourage advance planning and research to ensure that the  CIEE Barcelona: Economics and Culture program is a good fit for your academic, personal, and career goals. Students applying to CIEE Barcelona: Economics and Culture should submit their application early, and are strongly encouraged to have a back-up study abroad application.

Please note that it is student's responsibility to complete and submit visa applications within the appropriate processing timeframe. Visa applications submitted late may not be processed before the start of the program, and may impact students ability to study abroad. Students that choose to submit their Spanish visa applications independently must account for BLS Visa processing times: Once the visa application is received and marked as complete by the BLS office, the period to receive a visa decision is up to 2 months from the day following the registration of the application in the visa system, but this period may be extended if an interview or additional documents.

In this program, facilitated by CIEE, students take courses in Barcelona: the largest city on the Mediterranean Sea and brimming with culture, sport, fashion, finance, media, and entertainment. The CIEE Economics and Culture Program is designed for economics majors who want to increase their Spanish language skills and take rigorous coursework at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), which is internationally recognized for its economics program. Students take a Spanish language course based on their skill level, 1-2 courses at the UPF Department of Economics & Business and/or at the UPF HESP program, and 2-3 CIEE elective courses. Language courses are taught by experienced professors who specialize in teaching Spanish as a second language. All other courses are taught by experienced university faculty and business professionals. Students live either with a Spanish-speaking family, in a residence hall with other Spanish and international students, or in a shared apartment with CIEE students. In addition to their coursework, students can opt for an internship to gain practical experience with NGOs, schools, businesses, and more. Students can visit nearby Roman ruins, see Salvador Dali's work, summit Tibidabo Mountain, and take weekend trips to other Spanish cities. Access UPF's course catalogue and listings here.

For more information, visit program homepage.

Fact Sheet

Housing: Apartment (shared), Dormitory, Homestay
Minimum GPA: 3
Language of Instruction: English, Spanish
Language prerequisite: No
Additional prerequisites: Yes, see program homepage
Costs: Budget Sheets
Student contacts: Peer alumni

Photo: Courtesy of Ben Woods

Questions?

Connect with Program Alumni

Review Existing Course Equivalencies

Contact the GEO Advisor for this program