Internships in Barcelona

When you first arrive in Barcelona you might think things seem much cheaper than other European countries, but then you factor in the fact that you’re earning less, your groceries start adding up and the rent prices are soaring, and all those things start to weigh up. 

You can always save money by shopping at cheaper grocery stores like Día, Lidl and Mercadona. We also recommend purchasing the T-Jove ticket – a personalised travel card for under 25s which is valid for an unlimited number of journeys within 90 consecutive days from the first day of validation. This is also valid for Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2 metro stations using line ‘L9 Sud’.

Read more about the cost of living in our blog Cost of living in Barcelona. 

The salary range for internships and placements in Spain varies. If it is a mandatory part of your degree, it may well not be remunerated at all. However, this will completely depend on your individual internship. You also may be eligible for funding from an official body which will help you to cover your living expenses.

Bare in mind that a lot of internships in Spain are unpaid or offer very low payment of only a few hundred euros per month. However, as expected, wages and working conditions as an intern may vary from one industry to another.

This depends on the company, but there is definitely an internship culture in Barcelona. It is very common for interns to be offered a full-time position after their internship contract has come to an end, and some companies are specifically only looking for interns to fill certain positions.

Learning the language is one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in the culture. Although a lot of people in Barcelona do speak English, it can still be difficult to find fluent English speakers outside of the main tourist areas. While everyone speaks Spanish, the national language of Barcelona is Catalan. Catalan people value their language greatly and consider it the heart of their history and culture so it will be greatly appreciated if you learn a few sentences in Catalan. Why not check out Tandem events in Barcelona?

Overall, Barcelona is a very safe place to live but like most large cities, pickpockets are rife in Barcelona, especially in the main tourist attractions such as La Rambla and La Boqueria. If, despite all precautions, the worst happens and you need to report a crime, call 112 or go to any police station (Comisaría). You also need to be wary of apartment scams when searching for accommodation, make sure you go and view the apartment and always get someone to look over your contract before signing anything.

Read more in our article What to do if you are robbed and in our article How to avoid apartment scams.

Particularly now, short term rental is the best option to begin with and the key is not to rush into anything. By finding short-term accommodation you avoid any potential problems such as not liking the area, or even worse, your flat mates.

Your internship may require you to work from home so bare these things in mind when finding a place to live. However, if you are required to go into the office or if you are keen on meeting new people, we recommend finding somewhere to live in the city centre because of the current travel restrictions in and out of the city.

If you are an EU resident, in order to get your NIE you can make an appointment (cita previa) at the Oficina de Extranjeros online. As there is a limited number of appointments allocated every week, it can be quite challenging to get one. Our advice would be to search for an appointment from 8:30am every day until you are successful. You can also contact an agency to help you get your NIE quickly and efficiently.

It might be handy to brush up on your Spanish or to go with someone who speaks the language, just in case the person issuing you your NIE speaks limited English.

You can apply for a digital bank account, which can be opened in just a few minutes from your phone.

The requirements to opening a bank account in Spain varies per bank, with some not requiring you to already have a NIE, but you may need to show proof of some or all of the following:

• ID, such as a passport.
• A valid Spanish address.
• Your Número de Identificación de Extranjero (NIE).
• Proof of your employment status.

If you’re not fluent in Spanish, it’s probably a better idea to apply for a bank account in person to avoid possible misunderstandings. 

To be able to register for public healthcare in Spain, you will first need to get a social security number. Once you have received your social security number take it to your local health centre to register and apply for a health card (tarjeta sanitaria individual or TSI).

The Primary Care Centers (Centers d’Atenció Primària or CAP) are the first point of access to health care in Barcelona, here you can book regular appointments with the General Practitioner (GP). The CatSalut will assign all citizens a specific CAP based on their address. However, if you require urgent medical care you should visit the Continuous and Urgent Care Center (Center d’Urgències d’Atenció Primària) which are open 24 hours a day, including weekends and public holidays.

If you are an expat living in Spain, it can be challenging to get your head around a different health system, and even more so if you don’t speak Spanish or Catalan. Fortunately, there are some great English-speaking doctors on hand to offer advice and treatment for your illnesses.

Private health insurance is a very popular option for many people, especially expats as you can decide whether you want to be seen to in English.