Barcelona

QS Best Student Cities ranking**: **21st

Up an incredible 10 places this year, Barcelona comes in at 21st in the QS Best Student Cities 2019 and is once again the top of all of Spain’s cities.  Barcelona offers one of Europe’s most appealing environments in which to live and study – sunny climate, beaches, renowned cuisine, a rich artistic and cultural legacy, cosmopolitan city center and of course, a legendary party scene.

It is also home to two of Spain’s most prestigious universities, the University of Barcelona (UB) and Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, both of which rank in the global top 200 of the QS World University Rankings® 2020, as well as several other internationally esteemed institutions, giving it Spain’s best score for the rankings indicator in the Best Student Cities ranking.

The city’s second-highest score is for employer activity where it comes 27th worldwide. Barcelona also scores well for desirability and student mix, reflecting its reputation as one of Europe’s most happening cities, and most appealing destinations for international students and graduates alike. In our student survey, one respondent summed up the city’s appeal: “The weather, the food, there's always something to do”.

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Internationally ranked universities in Barcelona

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To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.