What is BIYSC?
The Barcelona International Youth Science Challenge

Mission

The Program aims to boost scientific talent among pre-college students and encourage their enthusiasm to pursue academic and professional careers in Science, Technology and Research. 

BIYSC main objectives are to:

• Inspire bright young scientists to apply their minds to multi-disciplinary research.
• Empower participants to pursue their research passions.
• Connect talented students to like-minded peers and eminent scientific leaders, through close and personal interactive sessions.
• Challenge future scientists to drive their passion with attitude.
• Engage future scientists to tackle global challenges and use their knowledge to contribute to building
a better world.

BIYSC Highlights

• Immersive, hands-on experience: work on a real research project of your choice.
• Discover what’s like to be a real scientist: access to top Research Centers, Hospitals, labs and cutting-edge scientific facilities. Collaborate with real scientists and researchers and become part of their team.
• Scientific lectures from leading scientists and debates and discussions on the current and future challenges of the scientific community.
• Visits top International Research Centers and scientific facilities in Catalonia.
• Global friendships: Form lifelong connections and share experiences with like-minded students from around the world.
• Barcelona sightseeing and social activities: enjoy the city’s attractions and participate in networking events.
• Opening Ceremony at La Pedrera-Casa Milà, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and headquarters of the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, organizer of the Program.
• Join the Science Fellows’ Community of Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera. After the BIYSC experience, becoming part of a global network of hundreds of successful young scientists, including BIYSC alumni and participants from other science programs. This supportive community offers opportunities for ongoing networking, mentorship, training, and international exchanges.

BIYSC Skills

In addition to scientific and technical skills, the BIYSC program encourages the development of several important additional skills:

Interpersonal and multicultural skills

• Intercultural communication: Participants interact with students from multiple countries and continents, enhancing their ability to communicate effectively in an international environment.
• Teamwork: Research projects require collaboration with other students of various nationalities, strengthening teamwork skills.

Language skills

• English proficiency: The program is developed in English, which allows participants to improve their skills in this language, essential for international scientific communication and will help them to acquire specific scientific terminology.

Presentation skills

• Science communication: At the end of the program, students present the projects in which they have participated, developing their skills to present scientific information effectively.

Personal Skills

• Independence and autonomy: The experience of living in Barcelona for two weeks encourages the independence of the participants.
• Adaptability: Students learn to adapt to new research and cultural environments.

Professional Skills

• Networking: The program offers the opportunity to make connections with renowned researchers and other students who are passionate about science.
• Multidisciplinary thinking: BIYSC promotes a multidisciplinary approach, inspiring young scientists to think and do research from diverse perspectives.

These complementary skills enrich scientific experience and prepare participants for future careers in science and technology.

Challenges

The BIYSC is a major Challenge in itself which, in turn, includes several personal and educational challenges which we trust our participants to overcome in order to successfully complete the program and take advantage of this great experience.

Each challenge represents an opportunity and a learning goal that BIYSC candidates are expected to achieve throughout the application process, participation in the summer program, and beyond. Successfully completing these challenges will provide students with advantageous personal life skills that will be truly valuable and that they will be able to use in their future academic and professional scientific journeys.

There are 6 BIYSC challenges:

During your Application Process:

1^st Challenge: Be Authentic! Write your personal statement, a motivation letter to stand out and a video to show your interest on the projects you would like to participate in.

2^nd Challenge: Be Determined! Get a letter of recommendation from your science teacher or mentor.

If you are Preselected:

3^rd Challenge: Be Smart! Show your commitment skills and initiative to the researchers in the online interview

If you are Selected and confirm BIYSC participation:

4^th Challenge: Be Passionate! Participate at BIYSC! Work hands-on with mentor researchers in a research project. Work with other fellow participants in teams, discover diversity, have fun and make friends.

5^th Challenge: Be Ambitious!. Improve your communication skills and prepare an oral presentation of your research project to share with other participants, researchers anf guests an the Closing Ceremony.

After your BIYSC participation:

6^th Challenge: Be the Future! Use the inspiration and empowerment of BIYSC to become a great scientist and a key player in making the world a better place through science. Join the #ScienceFellows Community and stay connected.

Barcelona Experience

Barcelona is considered one of the 10 best cities in the world for its architecture, arts, culture, buzz, food, drinks, and quality of life. Barcelona has also become a leading capital of science and technology, and its culture is soaked with innovation all around. Discover through BIYSC our city of knowledge, scientific research, and technological entrepreneurship.

Every year, we welcome millions of visitors from all over the world, offering them an extensive variety of activities to enjoy during their stay. All BIYSC participants will discover some of the main attractions on a walking tour of the city center. These private and guided visits will broaden their experience of Barcelona and introduce them to some of the more memorable attractions.

• BIYSC is an amazing opportunity to gain new knowledge, skills and abilities, guide the future and expand horizons and become more open-minded. Participants will gain other essential skills throughout the program: personal autonomy, self-confidence, communication, teamwork, intercultural understanding and inspiration, resulting in a relevant turning point for their personal, academic and professional development.
• Apart from being a rigorous, immersive, intellectually stimulating and rewarding course focused on Science, BIYSC is also committed to provide the participants with a social program which provides participants with a diverse and enriching experience where international friendships are formed.

The BIYSC Cultural Experiences are:

Park Güell: This incredible park system composed of gardens and architectural elements located on Carmel Hill and Collserola Mountain. Designed by the universally known architect Antoni Gaudí (link is external). In 1984, UNESCO (link is external) declared the park a World Heritage.

Sagrada Família: The Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia, known simply as the Sagrada Familia, is a spectacular Catholic Basilica designed by the brilliant architect Antoni Gaudí. Begun in 1882, it is still under construction but will leave you astonished. It is Gaudí’s masterpiece and the greatest exponent of Catalan modernist architecture.

La Pedrera: Don’t miss Casa Mila (La Pedrera)! Gaudí’s last civil building masterpiece. A monument and a work of art that has been recognized as UNESCO world heritage site. La Pedrera, as well as the headquarters of Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, is a cultural Centre that hosts exhibitions, conferences, and other activities, and there are still rented residential apartments in the building! Discover this exceptional building through the eyes of science.

Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya: This national museum shows one of the most complete collections of medieval, modern, and contemporary art in order to find the links between art and science guided by experts and specialists. The Museum is located in the National Palace on the mountain of Montjuic. Through this visit and workshop, you will have the privilege to access places normally not open to the public, such as the storerooms or the restoration workshop.

The BIYSC Science Experience is: 

• CosmoCaixa. The science museum in Barcelona is designed to stimulate people’s knowledge and opinion of science through exhibitions and a wide variety of activities.

*Barcelona Experiences are visits included in the fee (one cultural and one scientific), and they are subject to changes according to each BIYSC edition. 

Accommodation

Accommodation and full board are included in the BIYSC fee. We give our BIYSC participants a supportive place to grow on and off campus. BIYSC empowers the students on their educational and scientific journey, supports their needs, and provides them with a safe space to engage in their Barcelona adventure.

During the entire program, students will be hosted at an international student residence, accommodation with excellent modern facilities which will give the participants an exclusive insight into their future university life, and they will enjoy its upgraded facilities, friendly services, and environment that will make them feel really welcome.

The 2025 residence for the 9th BIYSC edition is Yugo Aleu Student Residence (link is external), and it is located on the Barcelona University Campus (UB) (Pau Gargallo Street, 30). Surrounded by the most important faculties of the UB and UPC universities. This student residence has exceptionally good connections to different BIYSC research centers (some are only a few minutes’ walk away). It is also easily accessible by metro to other BIYSC research centers. 

It features:

• Spacious single air-conditioned rooms with ensuite bathrooms
• Leisure and socializing spaces

• High-speed broadband and Wi-Fi as standard in all rooms and communal areas.

• On-site laundry facilities (with additional individual costs)
• A gym for weight training and cardiovascular equipment
• Weekly room cleaning and daily cleaning of shared areas. Bed linen and towels are also changed once a week.
• Security 24 hours a day: Entrances to the accommodation building are access controlled as well as monitored by CCTV, and all room doors are all key controlled.
• Aleu team on site 24 hours a day in case extra support is needed.

Participation Fee

In order to maintain our program’s level of excellence and sustainability, the fee assumed by the selected students for participation at BIYSC 2025 is 3,200€ per participant.

This fee covers the cost of:

• Accommodation and meals from July 7^th to 18^th, 2025
• Material used in each of the projects.
• Transportation to and from the research centers and activities
• Social and scientific activities and programmed visits
• Cultural visits
• Remuneration of the researchers, lecturers, and staff
• Accident and civil responsibility insurance

The participation fee does NOT cover:

• Transportation to/from Barcelona to attend the program.
• Early arrivals or late departures expenses.

Financial aids

The Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera is a private, non-profit institution that promotes opportunities for young people and operates in the territory of Catalonia.

The Foundation considers providing financial aids to BIYSC selected students who live and study in Catalonia with difficulties affording the cost of fee. If that is your situation, once you receive your BIYSC selection resolution, please contact us at coneixement@fcatalunyalapedrera.com (link sends e-mail) to send you the financial aids information.