Student life and practicalities

Use it to get housing, income, savings and support in place, so you can settle in quickly and focus on your studies.

Start with "Student housing options (colegios mayores and residencias)". It helps you choose between halls, residences and shared flats, and that choice shapes your budget, your search and your first months. Once you have picked, "When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams" shows how to secure a place before the September rush.

Lease and deposit law, work permission and staying after your studies, public healthcare, mental health care, and registration and banking are covered in other Topics.

Key rules

• Madrid youth pass: The Madrid Abono Joven is for people under 26 and costs 20 euros a month.
• Seguro escolar age: Seguro escolar covers students under 28 who are enrolled in a Spanish centre, and the annual contribution is about 1.12 euros.
• Halls: Colegios mayores have the most rules; residencias are more flexible but still include meals and cleaning.
• Shared flat: Usually the cheapest and most independent option, but you handle bills, cleaning and your own contract.
• Shared flats: Search 4 to 8 weeks before term, because landlords rarely list earlier.

Student life and practicalities: the whole process, step by step

• Start looking at halls and apply as early as possible (Student housing options): From January to April for a September start; popular halls in Madrid and Barcelona fill early, so apply in the spring

• Pay the reservation fee once a hall accepts you (Student housing options): On acceptance; many halls take reservations until places run out, often by June or July

• Try for a second-round hall place if you missed out (Student housing options): After the July university results; some places remain until September

• Start searching for a shared flat and check every listing for scams (When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams): 4 to 8 weeks before the start, in July and August

• Pay only after a signed contract, to the named landlord's account (When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams): Before you hand over any money or collect keys

• Book a temporary stay and view flats in person on arrival (When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams): For your first week in the city

• Ask the university's disability unit for academic adaptations (Support for students with a disability at Spanish universities): At or before enrolment, and well before exam periods, as adaptations are generally not retroactive

• Report an accident to the secretary's office and file a seguro escolar claim (School insurance and student accident cover): As soon as possible after the accident, and within a few months at most

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• The landlord's ID — When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams

The home and the lease

• A nota simple — When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams
• A written contract naming the parties — When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams

Payments and receipts

• A receipt from the landlord or agency for every payment — When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams

Translations and legal papers

• Sworn translation into Spanish of any foreign certificate or report — Support for students with a disability at Spanish universities
• Apostille or legalisation of a foreign document — Support for students with a disability at Spanish universities

Other documents

• Educational cooperation agreement — Student jobs and internships (prácticas) in Spain
• Training project or annex for your placement — Student jobs and internships (prácticas) in Spain
• The owner's written permission to sublet — When to look for student housing and how to avoid scams
• Medical or psychological diagnostic report — Support for students with a disability at Spanish universities

Student life and practicalities: questions that cross several articles

Should I choose a hall or a shared flat if I start in September?

Choose a hall if you want certainty before you arrive, because applications open from January and good places go by June or July. A shared flat is usually found 4 to 8 weeks before the start, often in person.

Which Spanish cities are cheapest for student housing?

Smaller cities such as Salamanca, Granada, Valladolid and Santiago are cheaper for both halls and shared rooms. Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastián are the most expensive. Room type, board and whether bills are included change the price a lot, so see Student housing options (colegios mayores and residencias).

How do I avoid rental scams if I am still abroad?

Never pay before a live video tour or viewing, and pay only to an account in the landlord's name after a signed contract. Warning signs are very cheap prices, pressure to pay within hours and payment by gift cards or crypto.

What should I do first about disability support and insurance when I enrol?

Contact the university's disability unit at or before enrolment, since adaptations are generally not retroactive. Separately, learn how to report an accident to the secretary's office, because seguro escolar claims must be made quickly. See Support for students with a disability at Spanish universities and School insurance (seguro escolar) and student accident cover.