Housing in Barcelona

Students in Barcelona have the option to be housed in shared homestays or shared apartments. All IAU housing is within convenient access of public transportation and within an approximately 40-minute commute time to the IAU Barcelona Center. Students should expect to utilize public transportation every day. Students may request roommates on the housing application form and IAU will do its best to accommodate such requests. Note that air conditioning is not common, so it should be an expectation that this will not be available in accommodations in Spain. 

All program participants are required to live in IAU-arranged housing. All program participants will be required to sign and abide by the IAU Code of Conduct & Housing Rules.

Homestays
Students who select the homestay option live with local Spanish host families. IAU's hosts come from a cross section of society: some are families with young or grown children, others are single retirees; some work full-time while others may spend most of their days at home; some hosts are multi-lingual, while others may only speak a limited amount of English. Living with a host allows students the opportunity for both language immersion and cultural exchange, and IAU alumni consistently remark on the growth and insight offered by the homestay experience. Students must be flexible and accepting within their Spanish household -- particularly when it comes to adapting to meal schedules and the family's timetables -- and will in all likelihood find the attitude rewarded.

Students in a homestay receive daily breakfast and dinner. All lunches are the student's responsibility. Some hosts may have only one bedroom that they rent to students while others may have several rooms that they rent out. Students may share their bedroom with another IAU student, although each student will always have their own bed. All bathroooms are shared by students and the host. Students will have access to wifi in their homestay and access to laundry facilities once per week. All linens (bedding and towels) are provided.


Shared Apartments
Students who select apartment accommodations will live in a funished and fully-equipped apartments shared with a maximum of 10 IAU students. IAU apartments are located throughout the city and are within convenient access to grocery stores, shops, restaurants, pharmacies, and public transportation. In the apartments, students will have access to ample and shared living space and a fully-equipped kitchen, wifi, and laundry faciliities. A professional cleaning service is provided every two weeks. No meals are included with apartments, so students are responsible for all meal costs and preparation. Bedrooms are typically double or triple occupancy and each student will have their own desk for studies. Bathrooms are shared between a maximum of 3-4 students. All linens (bedding and towels) are provided. Under certain circumstances, an additional fee for apartments applies.

Depending on apartment availability, some students who select this housing option may be assigned to condo-style student residences, which have the same inclusions as apartments and the same Code of Conduct expectations. Students will be notified in advance of arrival day if this applies to them.

PLEASE NOTE: Housing schedules are aligned with the IAU academic calendar. Students should be aware that they will need to vacate their housing during the December/January holiday period and at the conclusion of their term.