Study in Barcelona, Spain
129 schools in Barcelona, Spain. Universities (7), Higher education centres (46), Language schools (20), Vocational schools (30), Primary and secondary schools (16), Online and distance learning (4), Study abroad programs (3).

Universities in Barcelona 7
- Universitat Abat Oliba CEU
The Universitat Abat Oliba CEU (UAO CEU) is a private university in Barcelona and one of the four universities of the CEU group. According to the university,…
- Universitat de Barcelona, Oficina de Relacions Internacionals
The University of Barcelona is a Spanish public university, which history goes back to 1450. As can be guessed, it is located in the city of Barcelona, Catal…
- Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC)
The Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC) is a university with two campuses, one in Barcelona and one in Sant Cugat. It offers bachelor's degrees and…
- Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) is a fully online university based in Barcelona that has been teaching online since 1995. Its institutional offices…
- Universitat Politècnica De Catalunya, Institutional and International Relations Service
The International Relations Bureau (Gabinet de Relacions Internacionals, GRI) is the office of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona th…
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra
The Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) is a public university in Barcelona. About 12,800 students began the 2026-27 academic year there. Its teaching covers bach…
- Universitat Ramon Llull
The Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) is a university based in Barcelona that brings together several institutions of higher education and research, with 13 facu…
Higher education centres in Barcelona 46
- Centro de Formación Interdisciplinaria Superior (CFIS)
El Centro de Formación Interdisciplinaria Superior (CFIS) is an institution of higher education affiliated to the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC),…
- E.U.T. Euroaula
Euroaula Escola Universitària (EUROAULA) is a private university school in central Barcelona, founded in 1987 and affiliated with the Universitat de Girona.…
- EADA
EADA is an internationally accredited business school in Barcelona. Its focus is management education through MBAs, master's and postgraduate programmes aime…
- ESADE - Escuela Superior de Administración y Dirección de Empresas - Universidad Ramon Llull
The Escuela Superior de Administración y Dirección de Empresas (ESADE) is a private college, founded in 1958 in Barcelona, Spain. It is associated with the R…
- ESCI, Escuela Superior de Comercio Internacional - Universidad Pompeu Fabra
ESCI-UPF is a school of international business and marketing in Barcelona. It describes itself as a public educational institution, and admission to its bach…
- Escola Universitària de Turisme MEDITERRANI
EU Mediterrani (EUM), the Escola Universitària Mediterrani, is a university school of marketing, tourism and logistics in central Barcelona, affiliated with…
- Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura/ Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
The School of Architecture of the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona) teaches architecture at the university's Barcelona Campus. Its main…
- ESEI International Business School
ESEI International Business School is a business school in Barcelona offering bachelor's, master's and MBA programmes taught in English. It is authorised by…
- EU Business School Barcelona
The EU Group (EU) is a network of professionally-accredited, multicultural, high-ranking business schools established in 1973. We have campuses in Barcelona,…
- Global Business School Barcelona
Global Business School Barcelona is the first business university in Spain with a true focus on the world. The Business School is committed to providing stud…
Language schools in Barcelona 20
- Institute for Multilingualism, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC)
The Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC) offers Spanish courses for international students through its linguistic services. The university teaches on…
- Estudios Hispánicos, Universidad de Barcelona
The University of Barcelona is one of the Spanish universities which have formed a good tradition in teaching Spanish language and culture to foreigners. It…
- UAB Idiomes Barcelona, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
UAB Idiomes (Idiomes UAB) is the language school of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). It serves the university community, professionals and anyone…
- ABCHumboldt
ABCHumboldt is a language center, formed with the aim to become the ‘Gold Standard’ of language training. They have been following this mission by trying to…
- Barcelona Lingua
Barcelona-Lingua is a small Spanish-teaching school, situated in the heart of Barcelona. It takes pride in its strategic location, being only a five-minute w…
- c2 barcelona - Spanish Language and Culture in Barcelona
C2 Barcelona is a Spanish language school in Barcelona, at Passatge del Rector Oliveras 7, between the Sagrada Família, the Arc de Triomf and Passeig de Gràc…
- Camino Barcelona - Spanish Language School
Camino Barcelona is a Spanish language school in central Barcelona, accredited by the Instituto Cervantes. It occupies a whole air-conditioned building about…
- Centro Humboldt
Humboldt, Business Communication Training (Centro Humboldt) is a language training centre founded in Barcelona in 1986. It teaches languages and intercultura…
- ESADE-Executive Language Center
The ESADE-Executive Language Center is located in Barcelona, Spain, in the residential area of Pedralbes. Its building was specifically designed to enhance l…
- Escuela Oficial de Idiomas - Barcelona
The Escola Oficial d'Idiomes Barcelona-Drassanes (EOIBD) is a public official language school in Barcelona, with a main building at Av. Drassanes 14 and an a…
Vocational schools in Barcelona 30
- Barcelona SAE
Barcelona Study Abroad Experience (Barcelona SAE) is a study abroad and internship provider that works only in Barcelona. It runs its own study centre, the B…
- CETT Tourism and Hospitality Education
CETT Barcelona School of Tourism, Hospitality and Gastronomy is an education centre in Barcelona specialising in tourism and hospitality, cuisine and gastron…
- Escola Massana
Escola Massana is an art and design school (Centre d'Art i Disseny) in Barcelona. Its programmes cover three areas: visual arts, applied arts and design. Its…
- Institut del Teatre
The Institut del Teatre is a performing arts training centre with its main site on Plaça Margarida Xirgu in Barcelona and two further centres, the Centre del…
- Stucom Centre d'estudis
STUCOM is a private, state-subsidised (concertada) and secular school in Barcelona dedicated to vocational training (FP) and the bachillerato. It was founded…
- Monlau Centre d'Estudis
Monlau is a vocational training (FP) and secondary school in Barcelona, founded in 1982 in the La Sagrera district. The Monlau group has four centres in Barc…
- Planeta FP Barcelona - Sants
Planeta FP Barcelona - Sants, formerly iFP Barcelona, is a vocational training centre in Barcelona authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Vocati…
- ESHOB - Escola Superior d´Hostaleria de Barcelona
The ESHOB - Escola Superior d´Hostaleria of Barcelona is a private, non-profit entity founded in 1985. It is dedicated to the training of future professional…
- A Tempo, Estudis Musicals
A Tempo, Centre d'Estudis Musicals, is a music school in Barcelona, at Carrer Lluçà 56. It teaches people of all ages and levels, from introductory music cla…
- Academia Guiu
Academia Guiu (Guiu Academy) is a private academy in central Barcelona that prepares students for the Spanish university entrance exam (PAU, also called Sele…
Primary and secondary schools in Barcelona 16
- Oak House British School
Oak House is a trilingual school, established in 1968 in Spain. Its curriculum combines British and Spanish education in the following way – in Primary educa…
- AESA Prep Academy of Barcelona
AESA Prep Academy of Barcelona is an American high school at Carrer de Montevideo 31 in Barcelona. It is part of the AESA International School System, which…
- Barcelona High School
Barcelona High School (BHS) is an international American school in Barcelona for students aged 3 to 18. It teaches an American curriculum and leads to the Am…
- Barcelona Montessori School
Barcelona Montessori School (BMS) is a private Montessori school in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Barcelona, which opened in September 2020 as a British school recogn…
- Benjamin Franklin International School
Benjamin Franklin International School (BFIS) is an American international school in Barcelona's Sarrià neighbourhood, next to the Collserola Natural Park. I…
- École Ferdinand de Lesseps
The École Française Ferdinand de Lesseps is a French primary school in central Barcelona, part of the network of the Agence pour l'enseignement français à l'…
- Escuela Suiza de Barcelona
The Escuela Suiza de Barcelona (ESB) is a Swiss international school in Barcelona, run by the Fundación Escuela Suiza, a private foundation. It teaches child…
- Istituto Italiano Statale Comprensivo di Barcellona
The Istituto Italiano Statale Comprensivo di Barcellona is the Italian state school in Barcelona, part of the network of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affa…
- Kensington School Barcelona
Kensington School is an international school in the Pedralbes area of Barcelona, on Carrer dels Cavallers, that teaches the British curriculum. It was founde…
- Learnlife
Learnlife Urban Hub is an international secondary school for students aged 12 to 18 in the Eixample district of Barcelona, on Carrer d'Enric Granados. It is…
Online and distance learning in Barcelona 4
- Euroaula Escola Universitària
EUROAULA Escola Universitària is a private university school in the centre of Barcelona, founded in 1987 and affiliated with the Universitat de Girona since…
- AFIGE
AFIGE is an online business training institute. Its teaching staff are lawyers and business administration professionals with experience in advising companie…
- AulaactUal. Escuela de Música Moderna On-Line
AulaActual is an online music school founded in 1997; the school describes itself as the first online music school. In 2017, for its 20th anniversary, it lau…
- EducaciOnline
EducaciOnline is a distance learning school, using new information and communication technologies. Over the years they have trained more than 15,000 professi…
Study abroad programs in Barcelona 3
- ALBA Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain
ALBA Study Abroad is a small study abroad programme in the centre of Barcelona, next to Plaça de Catalunya. It is an accredited programme of Portland State U…
- EF Education First
EF Education First is an international education company founded in Sweden in 1965. It has more than 600 offices and schools and is present in over 100 count…
- Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana - FUNIBER
The Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER) is an international foundation for educational, cultural and scientific-technical cooperation, created i…
About Barcelona
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and Spain's second-largest city, with 1,731,649 registered residents on 1 January 2025, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). It lies on the Mediterranean coast in north-eastern Spain and is a major centre for business, design, architecture, tourism and research.
Students choose Barcelona for the very wide choice of schools in one city, for its international population and for life by the sea. It is also a bilingual city: the official language of Catalonia is Catalan, and Spanish is official too, according to the Generalitat de Catalunya. Many university courses are taught in Catalan, others in Spanish or English, so check the language of instruction for each programme before you apply.
Studying in Barcelona
Our directory lists 134 active schools in Barcelona: 57 universities and other higher-education centres, 22 language schools, 30 vocational and professional schools, 16 primary and secondary schools, 4 online and distance-learning providers and 3 study abroad programmes. Business is one of the city's strongest fields. EADA offers a bachelor's degree in business administration (Global BBA), an official master's degree (Master Universitario en Gestión Empresarial) and MBAs, one of them bilingual. ESCI-UPF, the international business school linked to the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, teaches a bachelor's degree in International Business and Marketing (Grado en Negocios y Marketing Internacionales). Engineering students will find schools of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), such as its civil engineering school (Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria de Camins, Canals i Ports de Barcelona).
Barcelona is also a centre for the arts. The Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC) and the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu offer higher music degrees, and the Escola Massana, a centre of art and design, teaches a university degree in Arts and Design affiliated to the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). For tourism and hospitality, CETT, on a campus linked to the Universitat de Barcelona, offers vocational training cycles (grado medio and grado superior), university degrees, some of them in English, and master's programmes. Families moving with children will find international schools, such as the Benjamin Franklin International School, which teaches an American curriculum from nursery to grade 12, with the International Baccalaureate.
Learning Spanish in Barcelona
Spanish courses are among the most common programmes in our Barcelona listings. Private schools such as Camino Barcelona, which is accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, run courses all year. The public Escuela Oficial de Idiomas Barcelona-Drassanes teaches more than 20 languages, Spanish among them, and university summer programmes such as the UPF Summer Spanish Programme are another option. Typical choices include:
- intensive and super-intensive group courses in the morning
- afternoon and evening courses for people who work or study
- DELE exam preparation
- one-to-one lessons
- Catalan courses for those who stay longer
Cost of living for students
Rent is the largest expense in Barcelona, and rooms in central neighbourhoods are expensive compared with most Spanish cities. We have not found an official figure for student rents, so ask your school about residences, homestays and shared flats early. Public transport, on the other hand, is affordable for young people. The T-jove, for anyone under 30, gives unlimited travel in all fare zones for 90 consecutive days and costs €45.50, according to Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) in 2026. Older students can buy the T-usual, with unlimited travel for 30 days from €22.80, and a single ticket for metro and bus costs €2.90.
Getting around and daily life
Metro, buses, trams and suburban trains cover the city and its metropolitan area, and many central districts are easy to explore on foot or by bike. Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport is linked to the city by metro line L9 Sud (Zona Universitària - Aeroport), which stops at Terminals 1 and 2; a metro ticket that includes the airport stations costs €5.90. Renfe high-speed trains reach Madrid in 2 hours 30 minutes on direct services.
The climate is Mediterranean, with mild winters and warm, humid summers. At the AEMET Barcelona Airport station (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 9.2 °C in January and 23.9 °C in July, when average daily highs reach 28.0 °C.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Catalan to study in Barcelona?
Not always. Catalan and Spanish are both official in Catalonia, and university courses may be taught in Catalan, Spanish or English. Check the language of each course; for language schools and many private and graduate programmes, Spanish or English is enough.
Is Barcelona a good place to learn Spanish?
Yes. The city has many language schools that teach all year, some of them accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, as well as a public official language school and university summer courses. Options range from intensive courses to DELE exam preparation.
How much does public transport cost for a student in Barcelona?
Young people under 30 can buy the T-jove, which costs €45.50 for 90 days of unlimited travel in all zones (TMB, 2026). From age 30 the T-usual 30-day pass costs from €22.80.
How do I get from Barcelona airport to the city?
Metro line L9 Sud connects Terminals 1 and 2 with the city. You need a ticket that includes the airport stations, such as the €5.90 airport ticket; the T-casual 10-trip ticket is not valid there.