Recently ranked the fifth most innovative city in the world, Barcelona is a major cultural, economic and business hub. It’s the perfect option for those looking to study for an MBA in an entrepreneurial and business-friendly city.
EAE is one of Barcelona’s oldest and most prestigious business schools (Photo: EAE)
Barcelona boasts a long business and commercial tradition, but its reputation has exploded in the past decade. The city produces and attracts entrepreneurs in a wide range of fields, thanks to its business-friendly framework, clusters in cutting-edge fields and brilliant business schools. There are now dozens of private and public business schools to choose from, many of which rank amongst the best in the world. To help you decide which business school is best for you, we’ve analysed and compared five of the best business schools in Barcelona. We’ve taken into consideration campus life, the range of programmes, course content, career prospects and costs.
EAE Business School
EAE Business School has been one of Barcelona’s top-ranking business schools for more than six decades – and it’s little wonder why. The school offers an excellent range of Bachelor Degrees, Masters and MBAs in English, ranging from a general International MBA to more specific subjects, like ‘Master in Finance’. The MBA is EAE Barcelona’s flagship programme, combining an international and interdisciplinary approach to give students the tools they need to succeed in a competitive landscape. Previous alumni have gone on to work at Unilever, HP and Santander. Fees range from €16,000 to €29,500 for full-time, year-long programs. The campus is conveniently located in the beating heart of the city in Eixample.
Esade Business School
Esade is one of the top-ranking business schools in the world (Photo: Esade)
Esade is one of Spain’s leading business schools and frequently ranks as one of the best in the world. The school offers three MBA programmes: Full Time, Executive and Multinational. Programmes last for 12, 15 or 18 months and can be combined with electives and Career Acceleration Programs to fit with your career goals. Students can take up basic Spanish, German and French courses and opt to spend one week in South Korea, South Africa, Germany or Comobia to learn more about the global business landscape too. MBA fees average €76,500 for full tuition, course materials and on-campus services, though the school does offer various financing options. The state-of-the-art campus is located in Pedralbes, 15 minutes from the city centre.
Geneva Business School
This leading Swiss business school now boasts campuses in Geneva, Madrid and Barcelona. Unlike the Madrid offering, students in Barcelona can choose from a variety of Bachelor degrees, Masters and MBAs. The MBA programme is taught in English and takes 18 months (three semesters). Classes are largely taught outside of working hours, making it an excellent option for modern professionals. Fees for the MBA amount to €8,595 per term, making it one of the most competitively priced programs in the city too.
EISE International Business School Barcelona
EISE offers some of the most competitively priced programmes in the city (Photo: EISE International Business School)
This popular international business school offers one of the most affordably priced MBA programmes in the city, at €14,500. Students can choose to specialize in a wide variety of business fields, including digital transformation, business management, marketing and international business. EISE prides itself on its ‘project-based learning’ approach, with a strong emphasis on building a portfolio of work, valuable connections and business opportunities, as well as a qualification. The school also offers a free career service to all students, with dedicated career workshops, a portal, coaching, clinics and more.
Learn more at eseibusinessschool.com
EADA Business School
EADA Business School is a leading independent, non-profit institution that ranks highly in league tables, including the Financial Times Rankings. The main campus is conveniently located in L’Eixample and there is a further EADA Virtual Campus that provides specialized resources – videos, articles, ebooks – and collaborative tools designed to help students build skills in a rapidly digitized world. The school offers a wide range of undergraduate, master and MBA programmes in everything from General Management and Leadership to Operations and SCM. Students can choose to study their MBA in either English or English and Spanish. Full-time courses last for 11 months and cost €43,000.