Founded in 1450, the Universitat de Barcelona (UB) is the oldest and largest university in the Catalonia region and boasts an annual student population of over 90,000. It has always emphasized the importance of international relations and for many years it has been the leader among European universities when it comes to hosting international students (around 5,000 students annually).

The UB offers an Estudios Hispanicos program, taught in Spanish, for non-native or fluent speakers and is based on Spanish and Latin American culture.

Libraries

• The UB Library - Located in the main UB building, this library is where old meets new. In this historic library you can find modern technology and all that you need to study and work on projects.

• Biblioteca Sant Pau - Santa Creu: This is a public library about 15 minutes away from the main UB campus. You can use the facilities to study, read, and use computers. You unfortunately aren't able to checkout books, but you can use them while you're there. 

• Close to Home: You can also find a library near your housing here. 

To add or crop a course, fill out the UB Add Drop Request form during the add drop period. 

As soon as we hear back from the UB, you will receive a response confirming whether the change has been approved.

Take into account that changes will only be allowed for academic purposes, and changes can only be made when there is availability in the desired courses. We cannot guarantee that all requests will be accommodated, as there is limited space in classes.

IMPORTANT: Note that it is the student's responsibility to make sure that all courses taken at the UB are approved for credit by their home institutions. Review the courses you plan to take with your home advisor before the end of the add drop period. 

• Spanish Grade equivalency: Grades are structured differently in Spain compared to the U.S. You will be graded on a number scale from 1-10. Anything above a 5 is a passing grade, and it is very uncommon that students receive a 10. An 8 (considered to be a B) is a common good grade. 

• Transferring Credits: It is the responsibility of the student to confirm that they will get the appropriate credits with their home institution for any courses they take at the UB. As you register for classes or during the add/drop period, be in touch with your advisor at home to ensure that you will be getting the credits you need. Once grades are sent to your home institution, it is up to your school to decide how it appears on your transcript. Some schools may transfer grades as pass/fail, while others assign a letter grade.

• Late withdrawal: If you are enrolled in 15 US credits and wish to drop a course, please send an email to academics@barcelonasae.com with the subject line: UB late withdrawal. SAE will contact UB, and the dropped course will appear as CULTURA CUATR 45 and NP (No Presentado = Withdrawal) in the transcript. It can be requested until the day before the final exam. 

• Receiving your transcript after your semester at the UB: All transcripts will be issued by the UB once all grades have been submitted and approved by the UB Academics Coordinator. Then the SAE staff will be responsible for picking them up and sending them to your home university. This means that students will not need to take any action during this process, that will take up to 6 to 8 weeks after the departure date. 

• The UB attaches this suggested transfer scale to your transcript to help your home school's registrar decide how to import your grades into their system (for example if you got a 7.5 they should be giving you a B). It is up to your home school to decide if they follow this scale, use another or give you pass/fail. 

• Finding Your Classrooms: If classes are starting and you do not have the information regarding the specific classrooms where you'll be taking each class, ask the front desk on campus or the Onsite Academics team.

• Attendance Policy: In a semester, 3 credit course, you can miss 2 classes without penalty. The 3rd class you miss will affect your final grade, and every missed class after the second one will bring down your grade by ½ a point. For example, 4 missed classes could drop your grade from an 8.5 to a 7.5. 

• Virtual Campus: Check the information here on how to access the UB Virtual Campus.

• Spanish Placement test: Check the information in this document.

• Accessing your Home University's Catalogs/Online Databases: You should be able to access your home university's databases for e-journals, articles, and e-books. If you cannot access these databases you should reach out to your home university for assistance.

• What is the NIUB? This is your UB ID number which you will need to log into the virtual campus. You can find it on your UB course letter which was sent to you about 1 month before you arrived in Spain. 

• Activities: Check out these pages on Life at the UB and Culture at the UB. As most local students live with their families and commute to school, campus life is treated quite differently than in the U.S. There are not nearly as many clubs and activities as you would find on a U.S. campus. There are, however, many things to do around the city. We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to meet locals and integrate into the local community! 

• OSSMA is the UB's office of Health, Safety, and Environment. This office provides prevention services, social care, and has an environmental unit. They offer an array of resources ranging from implementing trainings and advising to providing technical support in emergency plans. They also have protocol in the case of a major environmental disaster. They can be contacted by email: ossma@ub.edu