Address: Campus Universitari UAB, Edifici C, Carrer dels Til·lers, 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), Barcelona, Spain
Physics, Chemistry, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
The Faculty of Sciences of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) offers a diverse range of degrees in Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Environmental Science, and Artificial Intelligence. It is known for its research intensity and innovation.
The Facultat de Ciències of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona is the science faculty of UAB, a public university whose campus is in Bellaterra, in the municipality of Cerdanyola del Vallès, about 20 kilometres from the centre of Barcelona. The UAB was founded in 1968, taking up the name of an autonomous university created in 1933, and the campus is located in a green area at the foot of the Serralada de Collserola. The faculty has about 5,000 students and 500 staff, and around one student in five comes from abroad.
It teaches bachelor’s degrees in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, biochemistry, biotechnology, genetics, microbiology, geology, environmental sciences, environmental biology, nanoscience and nanotechnology, and applied statistics, as well as many master’s degrees. Courses are given in Catalan, Spanish and English, and the faculty hosts many exchange students. Research is integrated into teaching, and students can join research groups during their bachelor’s studies.
The Bellaterra campus is one of the largest research clusters in the south of Europe. The Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, ICN2, the Institute of High Energy Physics, IFAE, the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics and several biomedical institutes are located on or beside the campus. The ALBA synchrotron light source, one of the main scientific facilities in Spain, is a short distance away in Cerdanyola del Vallès, and UAB scientists are among its main users.
Admission to bachelor’s degrees uses the national university entrance exam and the cut-off marks of each degree, which vary every year. Public universities in Catalonia set tuition per credit, with prices that are higher for students from outside the EU. Check the current tariff. Master’s degrees have separate application rounds and fees, and doctoral candidates are recruited through calls and fellowships.
The campus has its own railway station with a direct line to Barcelona, and the trip to the centre takes about 30 minutes. Students can rent rooms in the campus village or in nearby towns, where prices are lower than in the city.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Chemistry, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Geotechnics, Materials, Mathematics, Nanotechnologies, Physics, Statistics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Part of UAB, a leading research university in Spain and member of the ECIU University alliance. Strong collaborations with research centers within the UAB Research Park (e.g., ICN2, IFAE, ICMAB).
Research:
Cutting-edge research in fields like particle physics, materials science, nanotechnology, genomics, environmental studies, pure and applied mathematics, artificial intelligence, and geology.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
500
Current students***:
5000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
30000
Pros
Offers innovative and research-oriented science degrees, including specialized fields like Nanoscience and AI. Strong international profile and research environment.
Cons
Located on a large campus outside Barcelona city center. Highly competitive programs.
Best For
Students seeking advanced, research-focused education in diverse scientific fields, including cutting-edge areas like nanotechnology and AI.
Think of Facultad de Ciencias Físicas when astroscience, nanotechnologies and physics is the priority: it covers aerospace and optics as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 3,000 students against roughly 5,000 here.
Facultad de Ciencias works in much the same fields, chiefly chemistry, statistics and ecology and sustainability, and it is far larger, with about 15,000 students against roughly 5,000 here, and is also a public institution.
For students who like the nanotechnologies, data analytics and AI and machine learning focus of this university but want another option nearby, Barcelona School of Telecommunications Engineering fits well: it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Facultat de Matemàtiques i Informàtica sits close to this university on statistics, mathematics and data analytics; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
In terms of fields, University of Barcelona is the nearest neighbour, with chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics again at the core; it is far larger, with about 62,995 students against roughly 5,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
For chemistry, physics and mathematics outside the home country, Novosibirsk State University in Russia is a natural reference; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers computer vision and life sciences as well.
If this university is on your list for geotechnics, chemistry and ecology and sustainability, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune in India deserves a comparison, because it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
For physics, mathematics and materials outside the home country, Indian Institute of Science in India is a natural reference; it has almost the same size, at about 4,500 students, and is also a public institution.
Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology in Russia pursues a similar profile in nanotechnologies, physics and mathematics, and it is slightly larger, at about 7,000 students against roughly 5,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Northwest University Xi'an in China pursues a similar profile in geotechnics, chemistry and physics, and it is far larger, with about 18,000 students against roughly 5,000 here, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
What is the Facultat de Ciències of UAB?
The science faculty of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, a public university.
Where is it?
At the Bellaterra campus in Cerdanyola del Vallès, about 20 kilometres from the centre of Barcelona, Spain.
When was the university founded?
In 1968, taking up the name of an autonomous university created in 1933.
How large is the faculty?
About 5,000 students and 500 staff.
What does it teach?
Physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, biochemistry, biotechnology, genetics, microbiology, geology, environmental sciences and nanoscience, among others.
Which research centres are on campus?
The Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology ICN2, the Institute of High Energy Physics IFAE and the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics.
What is ALBA?
A synchrotron light source in Cerdanyola del Vallès, close to the campus, used by UAB scientists.
In which language are courses taught?
Catalan, Spanish and English.
How do you apply?
Bachelor's applicants use the national university entrance exam and the cut-off marks of each degree.
How far is it from Barcelona?
About 30 minutes by train from the campus station.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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