How to Find an Internship in Barcelona as an International Student

Barcelona is one of the best cities in Europe to find an internship. It has a diverse economy spanning digital marketing, technology, tourism and hospitality, sports business, fashion, international trade and more. It is home to the European headquarters of several major multinational companies and has a thriving startup ecosystem in the 22@ innovation district. And it is genuinely open to international talent in a way that not every city is.

But finding an internship as an international student requires a clear strategy. Here is how to approach it.

Start Before You Arrive

The students who land the best internships in Barcelona are almost always the ones who started looking before they got on the plane. Research companies in your target industry that are based in Barcelona, identify the roles you want and begin making contact well in advance of your start date.

Even if a company does not have an advertised vacancy, a well-crafted speculative email introducing yourself, explaining your background and asking about internship possibilities is often more effective than applying to listed roles. Most internship opportunities in Barcelona are never formally advertised. They go to people who asked at the right moment.

Use LinkedIn Strategically

LinkedIn is your most powerful tool for finding internships in Barcelona. Search for companies in your target field based in Barcelona, identify the people responsible for hiring or managing teams in your area and send personalised connection requests with a short, specific message explaining why you are reaching out.

Do not just send a generic “I would love to connect” message. Say who you are, what you are studying, what kind of internship you are looking for and why you are interested in their company specifically. Most people appreciate directness and genuine interest.

Also make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and professional before you start reaching out. Our guide on how to build a personal brand on LinkedIn covers the key steps.

Tap Into the ESEI Network

One of the most underused resources available to ESEI students is the school’s own network. ESEI’s career services team actively supports students in finding internship placements and has relationships with companies across Barcelona and beyond. Make an appointment, tell them what you are looking for and let them help you.

Beyond the career services team, your professors are often your best connection to the industry. Many ESEI professors work actively in their fields alongside their teaching, and they know people. Tell them what kind of internship you are looking for. Ask if they know anyone who might be relevant. You will be surprised how often a conversation in the corridor turns into a genuine lead.

The ESEI Alumni Club is also worth using. Alumni who have been through the same experience are often happy to share advice, make introductions and help where they can.

Know Where to Search Online

Beyond LinkedIn, several platforms are particularly useful for finding internships in Barcelona as an international student.

InfoJobs is the most widely used job platform in Spain and lists a large number of internship opportunities across sectors. Indeed Spain and Glassdoor are also worth checking regularly. For startup and technology roles specifically, Startup Valencia and Tecnoempleo are useful.

If you are interested in roles at multinational companies, check their careers pages directly. Many large companies only advertise roles on their own websites rather than through aggregators.

Attend Industry Events and Networking Sessions

Barcelona has a rich calendar of professional events, conferences and networking sessions across almost every industry. Attending these not only builds your knowledge of the sector but puts you in the same room as the people who make hiring decisions.

ESEI’s own programme of guest speakers, career fairs and learning walks gives you regular access to industry professionals throughout your studies. Use every one of these opportunities. The internship that Oliver Darrason secured after graduation came directly from a conversation at a TEDxESEI event. That kind of connection happens more often than people realise.

The Barcelona Entrepreneurs community, which ESEI is now partnered with through the Be Pro Platform, is also a great place to meet professionals and explore opportunities across Barcelona’s business community.

Understand the Spanish Internship System

In Spain, most formal internships are structured as a convenio de prácticas, an agreement between the student, the company and their university. As an ESEI student, the school can facilitate this agreement for you. It is worth understanding how this works early so there are no administrative surprises when an opportunity comes through.

Some companies also hire international students directly without a formal convenio, particularly startups and smaller businesses. In these cases, make sure you understand your visa and work authorisation situation. Our blog on transitioning from a student visa to a work visa in Spain is a useful read if you are planning to stay and work after graduation.

Be Persistent and Patient

Finding an internship takes time. Most students who succeed do so after sending many messages, attending several events and having numerous conversations before something comes together. That is normal and it does not mean you are doing anything wrong.

Keep a log of the companies you have contacted and follow up consistently. If someone does not respond to your first message, send a polite follow-up two weeks later. If you attend a networking event and meet someone interesting, connect with them on LinkedIn the same day and mention where you met.

The students who find the best internships in Barcelona are not always the most qualified. They are usually the most persistent, the most proactive and the most genuine in their interest in the companies they are approaching.