Moving to Barcelona from the US or UK – challenges & top tips

For many aspiring TEFL teachers, making the move to Barcelona is a dream come true! And with its amazing weather, wonderful culture, incredible food and array of outdoor activities, life in Barcelona has so much to offer.

If you’re thinking of making the move, you’ll need to be prepared. Whether you’re from the UK or the US, moving to Barcelona to study to be an English teacher is not without its challenges. Luckily, we’re experts! Here at TEFL Iberia, we’ve helped hundreds of students get set up in the city, pass their TEFL course, and launch their careers as English teachers in Barcelona.

You could be next! Here’s all you need to know about moving to Barcelona from the UK or US. 

Getting your student visa and ID

When you move to Spain from outside the EU, securing a visa is essential and for those moving to Barcelona to study to become an English teacher, a student visa is the way to go. It entitles you to live and work in the city for an extended period of time.

A huge benefit of studying to be an English teacher at a TEFL academy is that you’ll get your student visa taken care of for you. At TEFL Iberia, we run a dedicated Student Visa Programme. It’s designed to help our students secure their student visa, with detailed guidance on gathering all the necessary paperwork, help completing the application form and a special discount on health insurance. Our visa service has a 96% success rate, with minimal rejections, so you can rest assured you’ll be in safe hands.

You’ll also need to get hold of the all important TIE (tarjeta de identidad de extranjero), which is essentially your foreign ID card. It’s notoriously difficult to get, but we can assist – from booking the appointment to giving you advice and guidance throughout the entire process.

Setting up a Spanish bank account

Okay, so it’s not strictly essential to open your own Spanish bank account in Barcelona, we highly recommend you do so. If you’re in it for the long-run – i.e.,  if you’re planning to work and live in the city, having a bank account in Barcelona will save you a massive amount of money and make daily life a lot easier. Plus, most companies in Spain will only pay a salary into a Spanish bank account.

It’s another great reason to enroll in a quality TEFL school – you’ll get all the help when it comes to setting up your own bank account. Here at TEFL Iberia, we have a good relationship with a certain bank, and lots of our students have successfully opened Spanish bank accounts there, with not a fee in sight!

Making friends

If you’re open minded and positive, making friends in Barcelona is easy! The great thing about doing a TEFL course is that you’re immediately surrounded by people in the same boat as you… you’re both on the same journey, living out a shared experience in an exciting new place.

Of course, there’s also a ton of meet up events in Barcelona covering just about every topic of interest you could think of. A language exchange is also a great way to form new friendships and immerse yourself in local culture. And when it comes to things to do in Barcelona, the list is pretty much endless.

You’ll never be bored in Barcelona. Every weekend there’s something to throw yourself into – whether it’s getting wild and free at street festivals, visiting quirky bars and late-night hangouts, living the good life at epic beach parties, enjoying a slice of serenity in a city park or hiking in the surrounding mountains. You name it, Barcelona has it.

Navigating the city

With such great public transport, travelling around Barcelona is easy! First of all, there’s the city’s excellent bicycle-sharing system, Bicing. Generally, Barcelona is a cycle-friendly city, with many of its main roads containing cycle paths. Signing up to Bicing costs up to €50 per year and is a great way to get around the city.

The metro is also fantastic. It’s affordable, reliable and well-designed, especially compared to other travel systems throughout Europe. The network is pretty extensive, allowing you to get to pretty much any part of the city without much fuss. At the time of writing, a 10-journey ticket costs just €12.15.

Barcelona is also a very walkable city – strolling the streets is a pleasure, especially considering the wonderful architecture on display. The grid system, particularly prominent around the Eixample district, does make it tricky to find your bearings. But don’t worry… it might take time, but you’ll eventually memorise road names and get a better understanding of the layout of the city. 

Understanding the culture

Every culture is different and, when you make the move to Barcelona, you should expect a few surprises along the way.

We’ll try and ease you in a little and give you a flavor of what to expect. To help you settle in, here’s some tips and advice you should know before you move to Barcelona:

• People in Barcelona typically eat a lot later than people in the UK and the US. Don’t expect to rock up for lunch until at least 1pm, or dinner until 8pm. You can find food outside of these times, especially fast food in the centre of the city, but it’s an exception.
• The siesta is real. Many businesses close between 2pm and 5pm.
• Life in Barcelona happens at a slower pace. It can be difficult to adapt to for some – whether it’s waiting forever in a bank queue or spending 30 minutes trying to pay at the end of a lazy lunch. It’s just the way it is here… the more you accept it, the more you’ll enjoy yourself.
• You’ve probably heard lots of scare stories about pickpockets. Don’t panic… we’re not talking Dickensian London here! But you definitely need to be aware of your belongings, especially when travelling on the metro. Just use common sense and you’ll be fine.

Catalan is widely spoken in the city, so don’t be surprised if your Spanish practice goes to waste on someone who refuses to speak to you in Spanish! Having said that, speaking Spanish is a definite advantage, so be sure to take lessons and don’t forget to extend your TEFL learning experience with our developing teacher and Spanish course.