Reed College
Reed College

International Programs Office

Barcelona Universities Program (BUP)

Barcelona, Spain

At this unique exchange program, students from Reed and guest students from its partner institutions in the US can choose to study at three major universities in Barcelona: the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), the Universitat de Barcelona (UB), and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). All three of Reed’s partner universities in Barcelona consistently appear among the top-ranking universities in Spain, often as the top three. Courses are offered in a wide variety of disciplines covering almost all majors at Reed and can be taken in both English and Spanish. BUP allows students significant flexibility in their studies and a high level of independence.

Through robust agreements with our partner universities in Barcelona, Reed sustains its commitment to the highest standards of scholarly practice, critical thought, and creativity. Reed has both a program director and a manager in Barcelona who offer students ongoing support throughout the process, from program application and academic advising, to pre-departure and arrival orientation, to an end-of-term re-entry session, aimed to help the readjustment to Reed after studying abroad. Students in Barcelona also have monthly activities included in the program, such as cultural events and social activities, overnight trips to other places in Spain, and day trips near Barcelona.

And beyond the student experience in Barcelona, the program is also an exchange. Students from the three universities in Barcelona, UAB, UB and UPF, participate in an exchange program and can come to Reed. These students are invited to participate in cultural and social activities in Barcelona, building bridges between students in both cities.

If you are interested and would like to chat to the Barcelona team, you can sign up for a meeting here, or reach out to them at barcelona@reed.edu

Program Information

Terms Available: year, semester

Type of Program: Exchange

Languages of Instruction: English, Spanish

Language Prerequisite: N/A

  • Credit Transfer System
    • Typical course load: most courses are worth 6 ECTS
    • Units recorded in: ECTS
    • Conversion to Reed units: 6 ECTS = 0.75 Reed unit
  • GPA Requirement: 3.0
  • Credits: ECTS
  • Other requirements: Sophomores and Juniors are eligible.

Application

Application Deadline: Fall/AY: April 25 | Spring: Oct 20
Reed Student Program Application
Guest Student Program Application

Housing: Residence Dorm, Shared Apartment, Host Family, Independent Housing
Housing is not given through the program, but universities in Barcelona have all partnered to create BCU Housing, a place for students to get advising on housing in order to find safe places to live. Through this system home stays, shared student apartments, single apartments, and student resident halls are all available. Food is not included in any of the housing options.

Financial, Immigration

Cost to attend:

Reed College charges the same tuition fees for a semester or year off-campus as for a semester or year spent on campus, plus the program's actual room and board fees. Reed College encourages students to choose programs based on their academic rather than financial needs to reflect Reed's belief that all students, regardless of financial circumstances, should have the opportunity to study abroad.

Financial aid continues for eligible students during the off-campus program. Students should discuss with the Financial Aid Office how other outside aid may impact their existing aid package. Check out more details directly on the Reed College Financial Aid page.

Guest students from Reed's US partners must check with their study abroad office about the program fees to participate at BUP. 

Visa Deadlines and Requirements:

Students must apply for a single semester or for a full school year visa. Students should be aware that they are two different processes. The first step is to ensure students have a valid passport as early as possible. Reed students will apply through the Spanish Consulate in San Francisco, which operates a mail-in program. This can still take a few months, so students should be aware of this. Once accepted into the program, students will have a first advising meeting with the program coordinators which will include visa advising.