Host an International Student in Barcelona with CIEE

Enrich your life by hosting an English-speaking international student. Live a unique experience, create lasting bonds, and discover a new culture from home.

As a host family, you'll be able to share your customs, practice English, and learn more about American culture. Plus, you'll receive financial compensation to cover room and board costs.

At CIEE, we believe that living with a local family is essential for cultural immersion and language learning, strengthening intercultural relationships and enriching the student experience.

Be a host family

At CIEE Barcelona, ​​we are looking for host families to participate in our different study programs.

Benefits

  • Enriching cultural exchange

  • Contribute to the development of young people

  • Financial compensation

  • Practice your English

Our programs range in length from one to four months, both in the summer and the rest of the year, and our participants are high school students (14-17 years old) and/or university students (19-21 years old).

All families are welcome: adults with or without children, single parents, people living alone, retirees, etc.

What do families who have collaborated with us say?

Carmen Planas has been collaborating with CIEE since 2014

“Collaborating as a host family is an exchange of cultural, generational and linguistic coexistence that is very enriching for both parties. Many of the students have returned to Barcelona and have contacted us to see us again. We are really happy with these reunions!”

Victoria Vilanova has been collaborating with CIEE since 2016

“On Thanksgiving Day, they gave me the surprise of preparing dinner just like they do in the United States”

Monica Isa has been collaborating with CIEE since 2010

“One of the best experiences of my life. I still receive many letters from them even years after they have been in my house. When they return to Barcelona on a tourist trip, most of them come to visit me. Some tell me that I am their mother in Barcelona”

Do I meet the requirements to be a host family?

  • Live in Barcelona or surrounding areas (maximum 1 hour from our center by public transport)

  • Want to live a language and/or cultural exchange experience.

  • Have a single or double room with a window.

What steps do I need to follow to become a host family?

If you are interested in collaborating as a host family, the process is very easy.

Follow these steps:

1. Submit your application

2. CIEE will contact you: We will provide you with more information and ask for more details.

3. Home visit: We will arrange a visit to your home to meet you and explain the conditions of the program.

4. Orientation: We will call all families to an information meeting so that you can get to know each other and we will give you the tools so that both you and the students can get the most out of this experience.

5. Student assignment process: Once you have been accepted as a host family, we will assign you an American student based on compatibility criteria (interests, hobbies, age, individual preferences, etc.).

6. Start your cultural experience with CIEE: You will receive more information about the day and time to pick up the student at our center to begin the experience. You will welcome the American student to your home!

Who are we?

CIEE (Council on Foreign Educational Exchanges), founded in 1947, is a non-profit organization dedicated to global education and cultural exchange. With over 40 years of experience around the world, CIEE Barcelona connects host families with American students, offering unique cultural experiences. Our goal is to foster understanding and learning across cultures, helping students develop both academically and personally.

Our students

Our students are open-minded, curious young people eager to live a unique experience in Barcelona. They come from the United States and can be either high school or university students, depending on the program they participate in. Although they have different ages and profiles, they all share an enthusiasm for learning, improving their Spanish, and immersing themselves in local life and culture.

They speak English as a native language and come with an open mind to discover new ways of living. Some are experiencing their first time abroad, while others have already traveled before, but all are looking to integrate into their host family and create genuine connections.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes, depending on the program, it will be breakfast, lunch and dinner or just breakfast and dinner. Remember that this is a paid experience and that this will not cost you anything extra at home.

  • Yes, as long as you live within one hour of our centre by public transport.

  • No, rooms must have a window.

  • Yes, maximum 3 students.

  • No, students have classes from Monday to Friday and scheduled activities and excursions.

  • Your main mission is to make the student feel at home, comfortable and have a good time. In addition to the CIEE Barcelona team, in the CIEE summer programs there is a group leader for each group of 10 high school students who is assigned a monitor (Program Leader, a high school teacher from the United States) who is responsible for helping the student in their process of adaptation to a new culture, accompanying them to the doctor, supporting them with their classes, etc.

    In case of an emergency, CIEE has a 24/7 emergency phone number that the family can call at any time if they need it. CIEE is there to support the student and also the host family.

  • From 1 to 4 months.

  • No, the student is responsible for his/her own expenses and paying for public transportation.

  • One of the objectives is for students to practice and improve their level of Spanish, therefore, families must address them in this language.

Contact

For more information, please email us at bcnhousing@ciee.org or fill out the request form.

bcnhousing@ciee.org
Passatge de Permanyer, 10. L’Eixample, 08009

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