Sure you came for the beaches, the food, the architecture, and the late nights. We get it. But this is Barcelona beyond the postcard.

Your classes live inside a restored modernist hospital in the Sant Pau district, placing you in a real neighborhood, not a student bubble. You’ll grab coffee from the same bakery as your neighbors, ride the metro like a local, and learn in light-filled spaces framed by century-old stone walls. Your home base is a modern, city-center apartment, super cool and comfortable, just like everyday life in Barcelona.

The Hop difference ensures your semester stretches beyond Barcelona, with our Rome and Prague escapes, and our exclusive alpine Hop Well-Come in the Austrian Alps. This is the best of city living and global learning. Hop in.

Your Academic Journey

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is known for academic depth with a global lens. You’ll have access to a wide range of courses across the social sciences, business, humanities, communication, political science, economics, and international studies. To ensure the most of your semester the courses are designed specifically for visiting and international students.

Classes emphasize discussion, case studies, and real-world application, connecting academic content to current global challenges, European policy, and Spain’s cultural and economic role in the world. Barcelona becomes part of your classroom whether you’re exploring urban planning, cultural identity, global markets, or media landscapes.

Refer to the Course Finder for available courses.

 

Academic Partner: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is one of Spain’s leading public universities and a recognized academic presence across both regional and international education spaces.

While UAB’s main campus sits outside the city, your studies take place at its Barcelona-based campus housed in a restored modernist building in the historic Sant Pau district. This location is designed specifically for international and visiting students, combining UAB’s academic standards with a setting embedded directly into urban life.

Your Abode

You’ll live in professionally managed student apartments located in Barcelona’s urban core, designed for international and study abroad students who want both comfort and connection.

Housing is apartment-style, with single-occupancy bedrooms and shared kitchens and living spaces that balance independence with community. Interiors are modern, light-filled, and built for daily life—whether that’s cooking with friends, late-night study sessions, or planning weekend adventures by the rooftop pool.

Local Vibes

Barcelona is the kind of city that never runs out of things to do. One day you’re wandering Gaudí’s surreal architecture, the next you’re lost in the narrow streets of El Born or Gràcia, popping into vintage shops, galleries, and cafés that feel straight out of a film. Mornings can start with a cortado and people-watching, afternoons with markets, museums, or a stroll through leafy city parks, and evenings stretched long over tapas, shared plates, and late conversations.

The beach is always within reach and perfect for sunrise walks, sunset swims, or post-class decompression. The city’s food scene ranges from neighborhood bakeries to buzzing food halls and hole-in-the-wall spots you’ll want to keep to yourself. Football matches, live music, festivals, pop-up events, and spontaneous street performances are part of everyday life here, not special occasions.

Excursions

Well-come to Europe: Kick off your study abroad journey with Hop’s exclusive Well-Come Abroad program in Mayrhofen, Austria—a holistic, energizing start that supports your mental and physical well-being while immersing you in the European culture.

Rome: Tour the Colosseum, indulge in authentic Italian gelato, and explore the vast riches of the Vatican Museums. Rome wasn’t built in a day but see it all in a Hop weekend.

Prague: Hit all the highlights on your Hop weekend trip to the fairytale city of Prague

Inclusions

• Semester tuition at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
• Single room in urban student housing in central Barcelona
• Your choice of Rome or Prague weekend escapes
• The Hop Well-come in Mayrhofen, Austria (and travel to Barcelona)
• Airport reception and pickup
• 24/7 Hop support and your Hop Go-To (other programs say Resident Director)
• Pre-departure advising to get you ready
• Health & travel insurance

International airfare not included

Hop Education Abroad is an educational study abroad organization based in Chicago, IL. As the new kid on the block, we are all about flipping the script on traditional study abroad. Our semester, summer, and internship programs across 10+ countries ignite the wanderlust within every student, creating unforgettable study abroad adventures that blend learning, laughter, and cultural immersion. We believe in breaking boundaries, expanding horizons, and turning every passport stamp into a chapter of personal growth. 
Are you ready to hop into a study abroad experience that's as unique as you? We can't wait to explore the uncharted, laugh through the lessons, and grow alongside you. Please reach out to welcome@hop.education with any questions. Let's hop to it!