Student halls of residence in Valencia

Are you looking for a student residence in Valencia? If you want to know more about this type of accommodation in the Spanish city, you have come to the right article (olé!). From the advantages and disadvantages to details about private and university residences, to how to find cheap residences, and answers to frequently asked questions, we tell you everything here!

This beautiful Spanish city is home to several higher-level institutions, such as the University of Valencia and the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Thanks to this, it has various accommodation options, including student residences and colegios mayores (residence halls). The main difference between these two types of accommodation is that the colegios mayores usually have an agreement with a specific University, while the residences can accommodate students from different institutions. Also, keep in mind that colegios mayores usually have stricter rules regarding coexistence.

Pros and cons of living in a residence in Valencia

The following are some pros and cons of living in this type of accommodation:

Pros of living in student dorms in Valencia

You will live in a lively atmosphere, with people from different cultures and origins. This allows you to enrich your exchange and also gives you the possibility of meeting people more easily upon arrival. You won’t feel alone!
They are normally located near Universities or have good access to them.
In many cases, you can choose whether to include amenities in the rental that affect the price or not, such as having air conditioning in the room, hiring cleaning service, washing sheets and towels, and having your own bathroom. This is an advantage because, if you don't want any of that, you don't have to pay the extra, making your rental more economical.
Some residences give the option to choose between only accommodation, half board (breakfast and dinner prepared) and full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared).
You can socialise and enjoy different common spaces, which can even include areas such as a gym, study rooms, games and entertainment rooms, outdoor pool, sports courts, and even a terrace or small garden (this on the outskirts of the city). Certain residences also plan activities outside the building, which helps you to further integrate.
They usually have security every day of the year, which allows you to live with more peace of mind. Furthermore, they usually have maintenance staff in case something needs to be fixed.

Cons of living in student dorms in Valencia

Living in this type of accommodation means having to follow more rules regarding schedules, use of common spaces, and receiving guests, among others. For example, day visitors must register at the reception and ask in advance about the possibility of someone staying overnight.
Sometimes they require an extra amount for reserving the place, which is not the deposit and is not deducted from the monthly payment. This can be up to €250 in a single payment.
It’s not possible to choose the room or flat in which to stay, and in most cases you can't choose your roommate either.
The shared bathrooms are normally used by everyone on the same level of the building.
Studio apartments are often very small and they usually do not include an oven in the kitchen.
In some residences the atmosphere can be too lively and have many people, which can affect concentration in studies when necessary. Likewise, it’s difficult to disconnect from the university environment.
In the residences of universities and colegios mayores teachers and researchers can also live, which makes the student environment change a lot.

Private student residences in Valencia

Despite not belonging to the institutions, private residences in Valencia have convenient locations for students. That is, either they are close to a university campus or they are in the central area, close to the most lively area of the city and with good connections to the institutions.

The type of accommodation that you can choose in these residences is very varied. There are single rooms, rooms shared between two or three people, rooms that are part of apartments shared by up to five people, and complete studio apartments for you. Additionally, in most cases, single rooms in private residences include a private bathroom.

This type of accommodation usually offers many amenities to students which, although it varies from one to another, may include the following: recreation and study rooms, sports areas (gym and sports courts), security, maintenance service, laundry rooms or laundry service, and cleaning of the common areas.

University student halls of residence in Valencia

When we talk about university residences we are referring to those that belong to different universities. Some institutions have this service and others don’t, so you pay close attention to this. This can be a positive thing, especially if the campus is on the outskirts of Valencia, in areas such as Burjassot, Moncada or Paterna.

Another detail to take into account is that the university residences and colegios mayores of Valencia can also accommodate professors and researchers from the Universities. This makes the environment in the community change a lot, you already know that living with only young people is not the same as living with adults!

Normally some colegios mayores attached to institutions are divided between female, male and mixed. This may be interesting for people looking to live among young people of the same sex, for whatever reason.

It’s important to note that in university residences and colegios mayores hazing (“novatadas”) has been prohibited. If you’re not familiar with the term, hazing refers to targeted behaviours or rituals directed toward new students to humiliate them so they can be part of the group. Due to cases of abuse, these practices have been legally prohibited, although there is evidence that in some places they are still carried out.

University Residences of the University of Valencia

The institution has a colegio mayor and its own residence, as well as agreements with other private residences. There are four campuses at UV, so you have to see where you are going to study to choose the one with the most convenient location.

If you want to know about the accommodation near the University of Valencia, read this article.

University Residence Halls Valencia Polytechnic

The UPV does not have its own residences, but there are colegios mayores and private residences near the Valencia, Alcoy and Gandía campuses.

If you want to know about the accommodation near the Polytechnic University of Valencia, read this article.

Rent cheap student residences in Valencia

Finding a residence at a good price can be a complicated task. But at Erasmus Play we make it easy for you! On our platform, you can see all available and verified private residences in this Spanish city, so you can compare between them and easily choose the ideal one for you. Once you have made the reservation, which you can make 100% online, you only have to worry about finding the best restaurant to eat a good Valencian paella!

Frequently Asked Questions about student dorms in Valencia

How much does a student residence in Valencia cost?
The average cost of a single room in a residence is usually between €650-750 per month, but the cost can be much lower or higher depending on the location and characteristics of the residence.
Are there scholarships for student residences in Valencia?
Normally, scholarships for residence halls are reserved for students who are going to stay there for the full year. Exchange students can apply for scholarships such as the one awarded by the Erasmus plan, which is precisely aimed at helping students pay for their studies during the duration of the program.
What’s cheaper, an apartment or a student residence in Valencia?
As a general rule, renting a room in a private shared apartment is usually cheaper than a room in a residence. However, this may be because the residences include in their price services that the apartments do not have, such as cleaning of common areas, play areas and security, for example.
When to book in a student residence in Valencia?
As soon as possible! If you want to have the greatest number of options available to choose from, the sooner you search, the better. Remember that Valencia is a city chosen by many students every year, so it’s usually a very competitive market.
Are there female university residences in Valencia?
Yes, there are several residences dedicated solely to women, and there are also some for men. Keep in mind that these residences and colegios mayores are usually run by religious organisations, although that does not always influence day-to-day life.