Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Please find useful information below about Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona as an exchange destination. Learn more about the location, the campus, courses and student life!
About
The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) is a public university founded in 1968, known for its focus in research and quality teaching. Located in Barcelona, Spain, UAB provides a wide variety of academic programs across various disciplines, including sciences, engineering, education, law, economics, and more. It is the highest-ranking research university in Spain.
Home to over 30,000 students and with over 200 different programs for students to complete their studies in, UAB offers many opportunities for students to discover their passions and interests. UAB is known for welcoming international students, with over 10,000 international students studying at UAB.
Consult UAB on QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.
Location
UAB has two campuses: the main campus at Bellaterra, and another within Barcelona itself, at Casa Convalescència. Bellaterra is a 40-minute train ride from the city centre. A map of UAB’s main campus and information on how to get to it can be found here. There is also a virtual map of the main campus which you can explore.
Casa Convalescència is located in the centre of Barcelona and houses some of UAB’s teaching spaces as well as its Josep Laporte Library which serves students’ admin needs and supports the teaching at the Medical Department.
The UAB has several smaller centres in neighbouring regions of Catalonia, Spain.
UAB is connected to Barcelona’s extensive public transport network consisting of metro, trams, trains and buses.
Barcelona is an historic city with impressive architecture spanning millennia, from Roman remains to the iconic Catalan Gothic style of the Renaissance, Art-Nouveau and Modernisme.
It is also a highly diverse, populus city with much to offer in terms of art and culture, with 59 theatres and 57 museums, as well as 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are over 200 languages spoken in Barcelona, the official ones being Catalan and Spanish.
Level of competitiveness
This exchange is only open to students studying a Modern Language in the School of the Arts:
For competitiveness level, please enquire with the STA Year Abroad team.
Language of Instruction
Most classes at UAB are taught in Catalan or Spanish, and exams can be written in either language. Some classes can be taken in English. Find the current list of classes taught in English here.
Overall, UAB recommends that students have a language level B1 in the language you will be studying in, although some courses may require a higher level of fluency. See the Common European Framework for Reference for Language (CEFR) website for a self-assessment tool to determine your fluency level. You do not need a Catalan certificate.
Please see the UAB factsheet for more detailed information about course-specific language requirements. UAB also offers some online and in-person classes to Exchange students to assist them with learning Catalan or Spanish. These classes run in the Autumn term and range from Beginner to Advanced. For Exchange students, the first two classes in Catalan are free but after this (and for learning Spanish) there is a subject-specific fee.
Academic Calendar
First term (Autumn): early September to late January
Second term (Spring): early February to early July
These dates include Welcome Days which occur at the beginning of first term. Exchange Students are expected to attend an online welcome meeting with the International Support Service (ISS) by the beginning of September. See the UAB website for details about public and local holidays.
Courses
Exchange students can study a range of courses at UAB alongside other international and Spanish students. See UAB’s webpage on Specific Programmes for International Students.
Queen Mary student feedback
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers who studied at various institutions in Spain:
- Valencia here and also here
Instagram takeovers:
Accommodation
The Bellaterra campus of UAB includes over 2,000 accommodation spaces at Vila Universitaria where you can reserve your space. Vila Universitaria also offers off-campus accommodation. Within Barcelona itself, there is accommodation provided by Barcelona Centre Universitari (BCU) which serves several universities, including UAB, and hosts international students. Most accommodation spaces will require you to pay a deposit roughly equal to 1 month’s rent.
Private accommodation: Queen Mary students who intend to look for private accommodation are advised to follow the partner’s guidance as soon as possible to begin their accommodation search safely. Guidance about searching for private accommodation safely is also available on the QMplus resource page, “Pre-departure” tab from early spring.
Cost of living
UAB provides information on the cost of living as a student here.
University students can access discounted travel and other amenities via several student identity and travel cards. Read more about student discounts available in Barcelona.
You can find more general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Barcelona here.
Bear in mind that living expenses can vary depending on individual lifestyle. Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Support services
The emergency number in mainland Europe is 112. Dial this for police, fire department or emergency medical assistance.
UAB has a number of programmes designed to support student wellbeing, including the Healthy and Sustainable Campus programme, which runs initiatives to encourage students to do physical exercise and maintain healthy habits, while creating a sustainable campus environment.
The Equality and Diversity Service offers support and academic adjustments to students with specific accessibility requirements. A request for support can be made online or in-person. UAB has its own dedicated Health Assistance Service which provides medical assistance to students, including a psychological unit which offers free counselling.
There are also number of national hotlines in Spain which provide emergency mental health support. Find these numbers on the UAB’s Emotional Wellbeing page, under the ‘Resources in the Public System’ tab.
(As a current Queen Mary student you will be able to find a summary sheet for INSERT PARTNER UNI NAME on our QMplus page, with an overview of the local student support services available on the following topics: specific learning differences, physical impairments, sensory impairments, long term medical conditions, autism spectrum conditions, mental health and wellbeing difficulties, special accommodation provision, non-emergency health care, emergency services, harassment and trauma and suicide prevention.
Activities and Societies
UAB’s main campus hosts a variety of schemes and events to get students involved outside of the classroom. The Resource Centre contains a workshop space where students can get involved in a range of extracurricular activities, from learning mountain first aid to crocheting. Find out more about student societies and clubs and the resources available for their use here. Information about sports activities on campus can be found here.
There is also a mentoring scheme for international students arriving at UAB to help them get to know local students and integrate into the community. Find out how to apply to be mentored here.
The Jocs Floral contest is a contest where students can submit original works of creative writing for publication within the university, with prizes to be won.