The history of the UAB begins on 6 June 1968, when the decree on the creation of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) is officially promulgated. One month later the first four faculties are created: Philosophy and Arts, Medicine, Science and Economics. Teaching activities at the UAB began in October 1968.
The UAB departments are units in charge of organising and developing the activities of the teaching and research staff. Each department corresponds to a field of knowledge and is divided into even more specific areas. The UAB has over sixty departments which cover all disciplines of knowledge.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 1 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 133 | 130 | 131 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
Climbed 7 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 175 | 172 | 165 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 199 | 183 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 301 | 301 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
The mentor figure is mainly aimed at bringing international and local students into contact. Thus, you can have a “buddy” to count on and share good times with, to make your stay at the University and your time in Barcelona much better. You will be assigned a student from your faculty. Not only will he/she be a friend to call on whenever you need, but he/she will also help you if you need a hand on any matter. Your mentor will be there for you especially during your first days here in Barcelona and at the UAB, and also throughout the academic year. He/she will advise you when enrolling in the courses, finding a place to live, deciding where to go out and what to visit, etc.
Vila Universitària - Halls of Residence
Hotel Campus
The Library Service has developed a regulatory framework that establishes the conditions under which the loan of documents, group work rooms and laptops of the UAB libraries must operate, as well as the loan of documents between universities Public Catalan (PUC), and the inter-library loan. It is also included the open access policy of the UAB, and the DDD regulations.
Any foreign student, researcher or professor coming to a catalan university must have medical insurance cover. If you are from outside of the European Economic Area you should check whether there is an agreement for healthcare between the Social Security of your country and the Social Security of Spain.
UAB Campus Residential Area Facilities and Services
The sports facilities of the UAB, situated within walking distance from the residential area of UAB Campus, are, purely in terms of their variety and quality, one of the most fully equipped sporting complexes in Catalonia. They include 2 indoor swimming pools, 1 outdoor swimming pool, a gym hall, a fitness room, tennis, paddle tennis and squash courts, a racquetball court, an indoor sports pavilion, an artificial grass outdoor football field, a rock climbing area, a beach volleyball court, a sauna, locker rooms and a solarium. In addition, there are 6 nature trails on the UAB Campus.
Based on 100 reviews
During my studies, I learned a lot about the natural sciences, such as physics, chemistry, biology, and materials science. UAB is a good university with a high academic standard that helps you become a good scientist.
When I embarked on this double degree I had no expectations on my career, no specific goals nor methodology. Taking lectures of the great of the two disciplines have been so complementary that I did not loose any opportunity while growing up on what career I want to follow!
The UAB is honestly a great place to study. The campus is huge and super lively, with tons of green areas and stuff going on all the time. Most professors really know their field and are pretty approachable, which makes classes way easier to handle. Plus, the campus has everything you need libraries, food spots and transport, so daily life flows pretty smoothly. Overall, good vibes, solid academics, and a campus that feels like its own little city.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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