When you book a language course in Spain, accommodation will figure as one of your top priorities. Not just because of the cost, but also because of your overall welfare.
Being happy where you live is very important.
Why student residences can be a good choice
Student residences are a good option for those students who want to combine high quality accommodation, creature comforts and a sociable student atmosphere. Student residences usually have great facilities, extras like WiFi, half-board or in some cases even a gym and rooms that are available for single or double use. Because of this, they are also more expensive than basic shared flats – see our other blog articles on different types of student accommodation available in Spain – but the prices are often all-inclusive and can include many added extras to make your stay comfortable.
Our 5 favourite purpose-built student residences
The bad news is, that not all language schools in Spain offer high-quality, purpose built residences. So we here at UniSpain have put together a list of 5 different Spanish language schools that do offer them. Whilst each residence is linked to a language school, and you cannot book residential accommodation without booking a course, these language schools are some of the most popular in Spain and offer high standard language programmes – we’ve also included links to the school’s courses and prices* below.
#5 – Camino Barcelona School’s “On-site Superior Residence”
If you want quality on-site accommodation with meals right in the centre of Barcelona, then the CaminoBarcelonaSchool’s “Superior Residence” is a good choice.
There is a choice between single rooms, twin rooms with two beds for two people, or twin rooms for single use. Some rooms have en suite bathrooms and balconies, although some of the rooms require students to share bathrooms (in these cases there are two bathrooms for every three rooms). The Camino Barcelona residence has air conditioning and free WiFi in every room, and the price includes two meals a day – although you can also book just bed and breakfast if you wish. There is also a shared kitchen where you can make hot drinks and snacks, and student lounge areas with flat screen TVs.
The great aspect about this school and its residence – apart from Camino Barcelona being one of Spain’s cheapest, yet best language schools – is the location in the middle of Barcelona. From the school, you’ll have immediate access to the city centre sites and public transport to all main areas of interest. Prices start at 650€ (£559 or $864) for a single room with half-board, for two weeks. Prices range all the way up to 12-weeks in a single room with half-board at 3900€ (£3332 or $5165).
Find out more about the school, the courses, and the varying prices here.
#4 – Gran Canaria School’s “Best Residence”
The GranCanariaSchool is not only CEELE-certified for its excellence of education, but also thanks to its location, one of Spain’s cheapest quality language schools. Its “Best Residence” was built in 1997, contains 15 single rooms and a few doubles and the structure is modern – for example, all the windows are soundproofed. Each room has the basic essentials: a single bed, a desk and two chairs, plus wardrobe space for your things. But, as an added extra, you will have your own bathroom with a shower, satellite TV, a safe, and free WiFi.
Students can also store and prepare basic foods in the common kitchen area: it has a refrigerator, a coffee percolator, microwave, toaster, kettle, crockery and cutlery – although there is no cooker, and no pots and pans for making “proper” meals. Half-board is included in the accommodation price, with breakfast and lunch on class days, but only dinner at the weekends and bank holidays. You’ll find a basic continental breakfast at the breakfast buffet and lunch includes salad, meat, fish, paella, pasta or chicken, plus a dessert. Water is always included with the meals, but students can buy soft drinks, beer or wine.
The great thing about this residence is its proximity to the beach – only 50 meters. The residence is not on the same grounds as the school – although there is only a 10-minute walk to classes along the pleasant beach promenade. Single room prices start at 600€ (£516 or $798) for a two-week stay with half-board, ranging up to a 12-week stay in a double room with half board at 4320€ (£3691 or $5721).
Find out more about the school, the courses, and the varying prices here.
#3 – Salamanca University’s “Colegio Cuenca Residence”
SalamancaUniversity is a popular destination for Spanish language students, both because of Salamanca’s history, as well as the university’s excellent international reputation. The university has two main residences, and the Colegio Cuenca is the one made available to foreign Spanish students booking a Spanish course with the university. It is a modern “student halls of residence”, built in 2001 on the Miguel de Unamuno campus, only a walk away from the city’s main sites of interest.
There are 344 beds available, and students can choose between small single rooms with a private bathroom and kitchen, or a larger single room “duplex” – two single rooms with en suite bathrooms, but joined by a shared kitchen. Both types of room have WiFi and a phone extension, and the kitchens are fully furnished with all necessary kitchen utensils.
The halls also have excellent communal areas where you can study and hang out, plus there is a laundry room, a cafeteria and a small cinema. There is also a reception and all maintenance services are provided. You can also borrow a laptop or an iron or pay for extras like weekly cleaning. Meals are not included in the price at the Colegio Cuenca, but you can of course cook in your own kitchen or eat at the university diner.
There are lots of nifty little perks like a personal mailbox, air conditioning, free parking, phone line rental, snack vending machines and for those wanting to keep fit, a gym. The prices do not include the safety deposit, bills (electricity, water, etc) – these have to be settled upon arrival and departure. Rental rates are only available per term and will depend on the academic year you’re booking your course, so you should contact UniSpain for more information. But as a very rough guide, you should expect to pay about 1200-1500€ (£1030-1280 or $1590- 1993 per semester), depending on what type of room you choose.
#2 – Escuela de Idiomas de Nerja’s “Club Costa Nerja”
This school is located in the province of Malaga, about a one and a half hour drive east from MalagaAirport. At five minutes walking distance from the very popular NerjaLanguageSchool, is their charming, recently built Arabic-Andalusian student residence building. With terraces that enjoy both mountains and sea views and an old-fashioned, typical Andalusian patio, students can get a taste of Spain right where they live. Nerja Language School does not only provide excellent summer courses – thanks to its southern location, the area enjoys sunshine all year round and Nerja, a quaint, white washed Andalusian town, provides a wonderful backdrop for a visit to Spain any time of year.
The building also holds a library, an internet café, WiFi area, a cinema with lots of Spanish films, a bar-cafeteria, plus a swimming pool. There is a basic shared kitchen area, although continental breakfast is included in the price. You also have a choice of booking lunch and dinner at two close-by restaurants.
There are 30 rooms and students can choose whether to share a double room or stay on their own in a single. All the rooms have their own bathroom and a TV, and the premium rooms also have a minibar and a kettle. There is cleaning service from Monday to Friday and the prices include a change of towels and a change of bed linen every week.
Rates depend on the time of year, so you should contact UniSpain for more information, but as a rough guide, you should expect to pay about 40-50€ (£34-42 or $53-66) per day for a shared room and about 60€ (£51 or $79) per day for a Premium single room. Both prices include continental breakfast, or for 70€ (£59 or $93) per week, give or take, you can add a daily lunch or dinner to the package.
Find out more about the school, the courses, and the varying prices here.
#1 – Malaca Instituto’s “Club Hispánico”
Malaca Instituto provides excellent facilities, both in the school itself, as well as at the student residence. The school is extremely popular because of its high value study programme. It is located in the city of Malaga, a busy Andalusian port on the Mediterranean sea – Malaga ciudad combines history and modern Spanish urban living, and the Malaca Instituto language school is built on top a hill with great sea views, only a short walk from the beach.
The “Club Hispánico”, or the student residence, is in the same building as the language school. Malaca Instituto is popular because of its high quality of tuition, learning methods and materials, but thanks to the onsite residence, the school also has a friendly, sociable atmosphere with all the students living on the same “campus”.
This is very convenient for getting from your room to the classes, but also for access to the excellent facilities – common areas, Multi-media Study Centre, bar-restaurant, dance studio for students taking combined Spanish classes with salsa or flamenco and a swimming pool. There is also WiFi, as well as free computer access in the Study Centre and the Student Lounge. Finally, a 24-hour, 7-days-a-week reception service helps students with anything they need.
Prices start at 403€ (£346 or $ 535) for a single room without meals, for the duration of two weeks. Half board is only available up to four weeks at 1201€ (£1032 or $1596), and a 12-week stay in a single room with no meals costs 3154€ (£2711 or $4192).
Find out more about the school, the courses, and the varying prices here.
*All prices may vary. Quoted August 2013.
