Please note: This program is subject to a limited enrollment capacity. To encourage thoughtful program selection and intentional planning, applications will not be prioritized by the date of submission. Effective with the Spring 2026 application cycle, applications for limited-capacity programs will be reviewed after the deadline to ensure that students meet any eligibility requirements of their chosen program, including completion of mandatory advising. Study abroad approval is also contingent on individual student disciplinary matters. Application essays will be considered during the review process, and preference will be given to students who have a compelling academic reason for their program selection. For more information, please review our Vanderbilt Study Abroad Selection Process for Limited-Capacity Programs policy page.
Program Overview
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.
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 are strongly encouraged to have a back-up study abroad application.
It is the 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.
