A combined school and research department

UPF's School of Engineering and Department of Engineering form a single academic unit at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, a young public university in Barcelona. Teaching and research happen under one roof, so undergraduate and exchange students share the campus with the research groups that produce it.

UPF is ranked 1st in Spain and 22nd in Europe for physical sciences and engineering research (CWTS Leiden Ranking 2025), and 3rd in Spain overall (Times Higher Education 2026). The Department of Engineering contributes to that result with European Research Council grants and ICREA researchers on staff.

The majority of our bachelor's subjects (around 90%) are offered in English. Exchange students choose from a curated list of these subjects across all five degrees; the list specifies the language of instruction for each course so you can plan with confidence.

Our bachelor's programmes

You can take subjects from any of our five bachelor's degrees, depending on availability and your home university's agreement:

Four ICT degrees

• Computer Engineering: algorithms, software engineering, systems, artificial intelligence, computer graphics.
• Telecommunications Network Engineering: signals, networks, wireless communications, optical networks, IoT.
• Audiovisual Systems Engineering: image and sound processing, computer graphics, computer vision, interaction.
• Mathematical Engineering on Data Science: statistics, machine learning, data mining, graphical models, visual analytics.

Biomedical Engineering

• Biomedical Engineering: biosignals, medical imaging, biomechanics, biocomputing, medical devices.

Browse the teaching guides for the subjects we offer to incoming students: the ICT degrees share a subject pool of 65 subjects on offer; Biomedical Engineering has its own curriculum, with 19 subjects on offer. You will find information about the language, term and credits of each subject, which will help you prepare and plan your stay. Academic calendar: 2025/26 · 2026/27. For class group details and exam information, see During your stay.

How to apply

Exchange applications at UPF are handled centrally by the International Office (Mobility Office, OMA). See their website for nomination dates, deadlines and the documents you'll need.

Poblenou Campus, in Barcelona's 22@ innovation district

For practical information on living in Barcelona as a UPF student, see UPF's Living in Barcelona guide. To get a feel for the city itself, the Barcelona City Council's own Meet Barcelona is a good starting point.

Our main campus is in Poblenou, a former industrial neighbourhood reinvented as Barcelona's technology and innovation district (22@). The campus is about a 20-minute walk from the Mediterranean beach, next to the Glòries transport hub, and around 20 minutes by metro from the historic city centre. The neighbourhood is home to the research headquarters of companies in software, media, biotech and design, and to a lively mix of cafés, co-working spaces and cultural venues.

Lectures for the four ICT bachelor's degrees (Computer Engineering, Telecommunications Network Engineering, Audiovisual Systems Engineering and Mathematical Engineering on Data Science) take place entirely at Poblenou Campus. The Bachelor's in Biomedical Engineering is divided between the Poblenou and Mar campuses; Mar Campus sits next to Hospital del Mar and is shared with the Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences.

Learn Catalan while you're here

UPF offers a specific qualification for students from outside the Catalan language domain: the UPF Diploma in Catalan Language and Cultural Studies (CATStudies). It recognises the effort and dedication that incoming students put into learning Catalan language and culture during their stay, beyond the subjects of their main programmes.

If Barcelona or Catalonia interest you beyond your engineering studies, CATStudies is a good way to make your stay count twice.