Mobility specification

Country:Spain

Institution:Pompeu Fabra University

City:Barcelona

Program:Freemover long-term mobility

Activity type:Study

Academic year:2024/2025

MU faculty/department:Faculty of Law

Study level abroad:Master

🎓Hit the books! How do you rate the university experience?

Can you enroll in a course where you can learn the local language?yes

Does the university offer enough courses in English?it's alright

Are your credits converted?yes

Was there anything in the teaching methods that surprised you?Teaching at UPF looks quite different from that at PrF MU. There were about 16 students in the program, so it was mostly an environment where everyone knew everyone and this led to open discussions and less structured teaching. There was also a big difference in the length of the classes. I attended the university 2-4 times a week always for 3 hour seminars, which sometimes had a part that was more like a lecture and then usually a part that was led by the students themselves (presentations, group activities, discussions over literature).

Does the university offer international students' programs and activities outside of lectures and seminars to help them integrate more quickly?Yes, UPF has quite a lot of extracurricular activities, but mostly for local Catalan students. But orientation week also had a special program for international students.

In which areas does the university offer support for students with special needs and strive to be inclusive?Barrier-free access to classrooms and dormitories
Special aids and technologies (e.g., text-to-speech software, hearing aids)

💸Did you have to rob the bank?

Try to take a guess at what your monthly expenditures were:30000 CZK/month

Did you stay in dorms?no

Do you have any tips on how to find private accommodation?I found my accommodation through Housinganywhere.com, which also resulted in me paying more than most of my friends. I would recommend looking through Idealista (a kind of Spanish real estate portal, but beware of scams!).

Do you have any tips on how to save money?After Barcelona, I definitely recommend buying a T-Jove public transport card, which works for everything, including trains to nearby villages, the mountains, the Costa Brava, the airport, etc. And it only costs about 45 euros for 3 months, which I think is really worth it!

🗺 Learn the ropes in a new city

How well did you manage to communicate in English?perfectly

How does public transport work in the city?runs like clockwork

And what about transport outside the city?runs like clockwork

Did you deal with any health issues during your stay?no

🤠Help create the perfect bucket list

What is a must-see in the city?For me, the most beautiful view is from the Salts bar by the Olympic swimming pool on Monjuïc, which can be reached by public transport by cable car.

What are the must-visit trip destinations?A weekend near the Monserrat Rocks, beaches on the Costa Brava, flights to Ibiza or Mallorca for 20 euros sound good too.

Share your best experience:I can't even pick one. I will definitely remember a weekend with my classmates in the middle of nowhere in the Monserrat area, where I celebrated my birthday. Another experience that will stay forever in my heart was celebrating Mercè in September, the very second week I moved to Barcelona and slowly getting to know all the new people who are now my closest friends. I've also definitely fallen in love with playing volleyball on the beach and just sitting by the sea.

💅A nugget of wisdom to make the life easier

Did you need to handle a visa?no

How did you get to the place?Plane

Can you pay by card?everywhere

🥳Summary

Whew, what a ride! 😮‍💨 Thanks so much for taking the time to complete our survey and for sharing your unique experience. Just one last thing. 🙏 How would you summarize your trip in one or two sentences?The year in Barcelona was full of personal growth, adventure and new friendships - an experience I will never forget.