Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? Your own apartment, preferably shared with some other exchange students or even better some locals, gives you the maximum of independance and makes you feel more like a real citizen of the city.

Personal comments:
Like most of the exchange students to the Universitat de Barcelona (UB), I was referred to HabitatgeJove for the difficult quest for accommodation. This doesn't have to be the best choice: While I was very lucky with my flat, I heard of other misfortunate students who only found housing in sleazy suburbian flats. Therefore it may be more advisable to engage into the tiring and sometimes frustrating search for flats yourself. Take a look at the blackboards in the Central University building of UB where usually a lot of flat ads can be found (watch out for dodgy ones, though!) and at newspaper stands for buy & sell journals.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I liked the independence of being on my own in an apartment. I had already had the experience of living with a host family in my previous year of study abroad in France and was ready to try something new.

Personal comments:
The accomodations in Barcelona were varied...we were given help from our program coordinator - (Pilar) - but it was up to us to choose where we wanted to go. We were also able to change residences if the accomodations were not to our liking and Pilar also assisted with this. Overall I have no complaints. Looking for the apartment myself was a learning experience.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? The best thing is to rent a whole apartment with several rooms because it gives you the needed independence and you will be our own boss, on top you can have parties.

Personal comments:
The best thing is to arrange accomodation before you go to Barcelona. Remember, a lot of people go to Barcelona, but a lot of Erasmus are also moving out each year. Try to get the room of a student of your uni who was the year before in BCN. People complain that they couldnt find a room because the Uni didnt help them need to grow up, your on your own and that is reality.

Type of housing: shared flat

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: I wouldn't depend on habitat joven anymore

Why? I would choose a shared flat again, because it's pretty social and you can adapt easier to a new life - especially in the beginning. I wouldn't rent the flat through the same organisation (habitat joven) I did - because you have to fullfill the contract and that restricts you in a lot of way. I would look for a flat myself next time - but it is necessary (more or less) to speak a good level of spanish. My best choice of area would be the district gracia - it's filled with young people - and relaxed.

Personal comments:
no experiences

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? We are living with four people of different backgrounds in one house, it is really interesting what you can learn from the people with who you are living with. But it also nice that it isn´t to crowded, you have some privacy in the appartment.

Personal comments:
In general it is ok, no complaints. They only have to install new computers, because for the students it is impossible to connect to the internet in a normal way. So it also impossible to arrange formal and informal things by means of a computer at the university.

Type of housing: With a family

Arranged by: Home university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? Having previously been assigned a homestay during my studies at the Universitat de Barcelona, I have experienced the day-to-day life of a typical Spanish family. If I was to return to Barcelona, I would choose to live in an apartment with Spanish students so that I could meet and participate in the lives of people in my age group who I would hope to become friends with.

Personal comments:
All participants in the Knox College Program in Barcelona are placed to stay with local families during their studies at the Universitat de Barcelona. The families are recruited by the on-site administrators of the program. When students arrive in Barcelona, they are given information about the families, which includes addresses, the number and ages of family members, the occupations and interests of family members, and comments made about the families by past participants of the program who have stayed at their homes. The students pick the families they feel they would be most comfortable staying with, but if more than one student picks the same family, the ultimate placement decision is made by the program administrators. In my opinion, the placement program, although not perfect, is effective in matching the students to host families and the fact that the students are given the opportunity to find out about a little about the families and make a choice for themselves plays a large part in that. My family consisted of a senora and her college-aged daughter. I was given a small room with a bed, desk, and dresser and I shared a bathroom with an exchange student from Rotterdam. The apartment was kept clean and neat, my sheets and clothes were washed often, and the meals were great! My senora loved to talk to me about whatever travel plans I would make in Spain and was always nice and cheerful. She was an artist, she had a great sense of humor, and she was full of stories. I feel that she genuinely cared about me. I have many wonderful memories of that family and I feel glad that that was my family for the ten weeks I lived in Barcelona.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? the same 'cause i think that the appartament is more confortable and you don't have rules how it could be in a campus and i think taht a person could feel himself more free

Personal comments:
at the beggin it was difficult 'cause nobody told me something,i didn't know what i had to do but nobody helped me,but its not so difficuld to realize what you have to do.Now its better but i prefer the people ,the sistem of mine university at verona

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I like to live independently and with the people that I want. With the other option you can never know with who you'll be living

Personal comments:
The faculty that I was in was almost out of the city (diagonal 690). It is an old faculty building with few facilities, but overall my opion of the faculties in Barcelona, while I have been to a few, are less equiped with computer materials

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? The independence and the troubles regarding it, is something i was hopping to live thru this experience. Negotiate, was stressful but cooking and cleaning have proven to be very easy.

Personal comments:
The University is not helpfull, it has no housing program, nor any asociation with residence or anything. The students normally have much trouble regarding housing.

Type of housing: With a family

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? to try a different thing, but I could live with a family again, Catalans let you live your life however you want it.

Personal comments:
they help you by giving you this web page: www.habitatgejove.com, before you arrive to Barcelona, and it gives you a lot to choose from, there's were I found were to live and very cheap.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I find it nice to share an apartment. We were 4 persons. There are always people to talk to and moreover it gives you cultural insight which is hard to get if you live on your own.

Personal comments:
Well, I chose where I wanted to complain and I was neither dissapointed nor surprised.

Type of housing: A room exchange

Arranged by: Home university

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I am getting older now and I just enjoy having my own space. Living in an apartment with other Spaniards would also give me a chance to practice my spanish constantly.

Personal comments:
The university was great. I had a couple of wonderful professors who were fantastic

Type of housing: shared

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? Independence, opportunity to have social contacts with people from countries

Personal comments:
Their service is based on: "first come, first serve" basis. Be prepared to spend several weeks living in Hostels and the like until finding an accomodation!

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? It is better and cheaper

Personal comments:
They do not have any housing offers for exchange stundets, except for a building which is outside Barcelona, in Badalona actually and it takes forever to reach the University. Better try to find one yourself

Type of housing: On campus

Arranged by: Home university

If returning, I would choose: On campus

Why? I say on campus because my last experience was so good and because I would like to be around other people my age but at the same time I would like to live with a family so I could learn even more about the culture.

Personal comments:
none

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? Because I like living among natives. Campus here is pretty remote, takes too much time to get to university.

Personal comments:
Havenґt lived there myself, but itґs pretty much OK, itґs just way outside barcelona.

Type of housing: with other students

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? It's better too have the freedom to have visitors, more private space, ...

Personal comments:
Finding decent accomodation in BCN isn't easy - but then you won't be spending lot's of time at home anyway, so take it easy...

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? Now I will be more experienced in looking for an appartement in a big city.

Personal comments:
It was very complicated, because I was in charge of the whole appartement, but in the end I was satisfied of my housing.

Type of housing: Apartment/House

Arranged by: Independently - My choice

If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House

Why? I enjoyed the freedom of having my own apartment versus living in a Spanish family.

Personal comments:
While I didn't use the university accommodation, most of my friends were happy with the lodging they received.

Type of housing: With a family

Arranged by: Independently - I had no other choice

If returning, I would choose: With a family

Why? I learned more spanish at home with my family than i had ever learned in a classroom

Personal comments:
the university was under constriuction so we were sent to a different school department near las ramblas