Study abroad in Alicante
Housing, Erasmus groups, universities, costs and student life for exchange students in Alicante.
Country
SpainStudent Budget
EUR 850 – 1,100/month
Transport Card
Under-31s pay half price: the Móbilis Jove 30-trip card costs EUR 10.60 for tram and bus, against EUR 1.50 for a single ticket (fares from 1 October 2026). A monthly unlimited Móbilis Jove pass (EUR 29.75) is replacing it, expected to drop to EUR 15 from January 2027. TRAM line 2 runs from the centre to the Universitat stop.
Population
366,221 residents (official population figures, 1 January 2025)
Study abroad in Alicante: student life
Studying in Alicante means the University of Alicante’s big campus near a sunny Mediterranean port with a beach under the castle.
Who loves this city?
Students who want sun, beaches and a laid-back city at a lower cost than Barcelona or Valencia, and a big campus with a strong international community.
What makes it special
A palm-lined seafront, a castle on the hill above the city beach, and islands, coves and mountain villages within an hour.
Newcomer shocks
- The campus is in San Vicente del Raspeig, outside the city: choose your flat with the tram in mind.
- Many shops close in the afternoon and dinner starts late.
- In June, Hogueras fills the streets with bonfires, firecrackers and noise for a week.
Student housing in Alicante
Students rent in San Vicente del Raspeig next to campus or in the centre on TRAM line 2; the deposit is one month by law.
San Vicente del Raspeig
MediumWalking to campus; residences, student flats and cheaper rents.
Centro and Ensanche
Medium-highLiving in the city, near shops, Luceros and the Mercado Central.
San Blas and Benalúa
MediumLocal neighbourhoods close to the centre with lower rents.
Playa de San Juan
Medium-highLiving by the long beach north of the city, with a summer-holiday feel.
Old town (Barrio and Santa Cruz)
MediumNightlife and character under the castle.
Official contacts
University of Alicante Housing (Information Service)
The UA’s free housing board (bolsa de alojamiento) and the list of residences around campus.
UA Centro Superior de Idiomas (CSI) accommodation
Homestays, flats and residence places for Erasmus and other international students, booked through a form (info@csidiomas.ua.es).
Student residences
Villa Universitaria
Student complex about 150 m from the campus in San Vicente del Raspeig.
Residencia de Estudiantes (mini-apartments)
Individual mini-apartments next to the campus.
Micampus Alicante
Private residence near the university.
AMRO Estudiantes Alicante
Private residence about 300 m from the campus.
Private platforms
Idealista
The largest Spanish listings site; filter rooms (habitaciones) in Alicante.
Fotocasa
Second big Spanish portal, mostly whole flats.
Uniplaces
Rooms for students with online booking; check what the booking fee covers.
Badi
App for rooms in shared flats in Spanish cities.
Documents to prepare
Passport or national ID card
Admission or Learning Agreement letter from the host university
NIE (foreigner identity number): EU citizens staying more than three months register for it; non-EU students get it with their student visa or TIE card
Proof of income, a scholarship letter or a guarantor if the landlord asks
A Spanish or EU bank account for direct debits, if possible
Timing
Rooms near campus go first; look from June for September.
Residences in San Vicente fill early for the full year; ask about semester-only places.
Flats on Playa de San Juan are often holiday lets: check the contract runs for your whole stay.
Deposit & contract notes
Spanish law sets the deposit (fianza) for a flat at one month’s rent; the landlord may ask for an extra guarantee of up to two more months, so never more than three months in total.
Since the 2023 Housing Law, agency and contract fees for a long-term rental are paid by the landlord, not the tenant.
Get a written contract that says which bills (water, electricity, gas, internet) are included, and keep photos of the room on the day you move in.
Red flags
Asking for a deposit or “reservation” before you have seen the room or a video call of it.
Payment by Western Union, gift cards or crypto.
No written contract, or a contract that does not name the landlord.
Agency fees charged to you for a long-term flat (the landlord pays them by law).
A rent far below similar rooms on Idealista or Fotocasa.
Before you rent: practical guides
- Student Accommodation Abroad 2026: Types, Costs and How To Avoid Scams
- Erasmus Student Residences 2026: Prices by City and How to Get a Place
- Room, Residence or Shared Flat: What to Choose for an Exchange
- When to Look for Student Housing Abroad: Month by Month
- Where to Live on Exchange: How to Choose a Neighbourhood (with City Examples)
- Before You Sign: 12 Questions and the Student Rental Contract Checklist
Weather in Alicante & what to pack
Alicante is very mild and dry: about 17°C by day in January and 30°C in July.
| Month | Conditions | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January 17° / 6° | 🌤️ 23 mm of precipitation23 mm of precipitation, mild | |
| February 18° / 7° | 🌤️ 22 mm of precipitation22 mm of precipitation, mild | |
| March 20° / 9° | 🌤️ 23 mm of precipitation23 mm of precipitation, warm | |
| April 21° / 11° | 🌤️ 29 mm of precipitation29 mm of precipitation, warm | |
| May 24° / 14° | 🌤️ 28 mm of precipitation28 mm of precipitation, warm | |
| June 28° / 18° | ☀️ Mostly dry (12 mm)Mostly dry (12 mm), hot | |
| July 30° / 21° | ☀️ Mostly dry (4 mm)Mostly dry (4 mm), hot | |
| August 31° / 21° | ☀️ Mostly dry (7 mm)Mostly dry (7 mm), hot | |
| September 29° / 19° | 🌤️ 56 mm of precipitation56 mm of precipitation, hot | |
| October 25° / 15° | 🌤️ 47 mm of precipitation47 mm of precipitation, warm | |
| November 21° / 10° | 🌤️ 36 mm of precipitation36 mm of precipitation, warm | |
| December 18° / 7° | 🌤️ 25 mm of precipitation25 mm of precipitation, mild |
Very mild and dry: about 17°C by day in January and 30°C in July, with most of the year’s little rain falling in September and October storms.
Packing checklist
- Summer clothes for most of the year and a light jacket for winter evenings.
- Sun cream, sunglasses and a swimsuit.
- A light raincoat for autumn storms (gota fría).
Cost of living for students in Alicante
Plan on about EUR 850–1,100 a month with a room in a shared flat.
| Category | Range / mo | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room - private market | EUR 449 – 531 | A room in a three-bedroom flat: Numbeo lists EUR 1,348 (outside the centre) to EUR 1,594 (centre) for a 3-bedroom in November 2026, divided by three. The University of Alicante estimates about EUR 450 a month for a room in a shared flat, plus bills. |
| Private Apartment 1bed | EUR 802 – 955 | One-bedroom outside vs. in the centre, Numbeo, November 2026. |
| Utilities And Mobile | EUR 55 – 75 | Your share of utilities for an 85 m² flat (about EUR 125 in total, split three ways), a phone plan (about EUR 17) and your share of broadband (about EUR 26), Numbeo, November 2026. |
Private-market baseline
Use the standard student budget as a private-market planning range. Shared housing can cost less than a private apartment, especially outside the centre.
University and public housing
Campus halls, CROUS or an equivalent public option may cost substantially less. Prices, shared-room conditions and eligibility depend on the institution, and availability is never assumed in the standard range.
Going out & dining
Source: Numbeo · Prices approximate, updated periodically.
Is Alicante safe for students?
Alicante is relaxed and safe; bag theft on the seafront and beaches is the main risk.
Alicante is a relaxed and safe city. Watch your bag on the Explanada, the beach and in the old-town bars, especially during Hogueras.
Top risks
- Bag and phone theft on the Explanada, the beach and in old-town bars.
- Firecrackers and crowds during Hogueras in June.
- Flash floods in autumn storms (gota fría): stay away from flooded underpasses.
Getting around Alicante
Under-31s pay EUR 10.60 for 30 tram or bus trips, and TRAM line 2 reaches the university.
🚊 TRAM d’Alacant line 2
Runs from Luceros in the centre to the Universitat stop and San Vicente del Raspeig.
Half price for under-31s on Móbilis Jove cards and passes.
🚌 City buses (TAM)
Several lines connect the centre and neighbourhoods with the campus; the same Móbilis card works on bus and tram.
Móbilis Jove for under-31s.
🚊 Coastal tram and trains
TRAM lines 1 and 3 run north along the coast to Playa de San Juan, El Campello and Benidorm; Renfe trains go to Valencia, Madrid and Murcia.
Install a travel eSIM before departure and connect as soon as you land. Use code ODISEA10 for 10% off. Check Saily eSIM plans
Connectivity partner · affiliate link
Things to do in Alicante as a student
Santa Bárbara Castle, the Explanada, El Postiguet beach and the Hogueras de San Juan in June.
medium
Santa Bárbara Castle
Year-round
Free; small fee for the lift
A medieval fortress on Mount Benacantil with the best views over the city and the coast.
Explanada de España
Year-round
Free
The seafront promenade with 6.5 million wave-pattern tiles and palm trees.
El Postiguet beach
April–October for swimming
Free
The city beach right under the castle, a short walk from the old town.
Santa Cruz quarter
Year-round
Free
Whitewashed houses, flowerpots and steep stairs on the castle hill.
Basilica of Santa María
Year-round
Free or low fee
Alicante’s oldest church, Gothic with a baroque façade, in the old town.
Co-cathedral of San Nicolás
Year-round
Free
Renaissance church with a blue dome and a quiet cloister in the centre.
MARQ Archaeological Museum
Year-round
Paid entry; reduced for students
An award-winning archaeology museum about the region from the Iberians to the Romans.
Mercado Central de Alicante
Monday–Saturday mornings
Free to visit
Early-20th-century market for cheap fruit, fish and rice for paella.
hype
Hogueras de San Juan
20–24 June
Free
Giant satirical monuments fill the streets and are burned on the night of 24 June, after days of mascletàs and fireworks.
Tabarca island
Spring to autumn (boats from the port)
Boat ticket
A small walled island with clear water for snorkelling, about an hour by boat.
Universities in Alicante for exchange students
The University of Alicante takes Erasmus and bilateral exchange students on its San Vicente del Raspeig campus.
University of Alicante
Large public university on a single green campus in San Vicente del Raspeig, a tram ride from Alicante. Exchange students are nominated by 1 June (first semester or full year) or 1 November (second semester); most classes are in Spanish.
Student social life in Alicante
Student life centres on the old town, the port and the beaches.
What Students Usually Get Wrong
Student Associations
UA International Relations Service
Nominations, orientation weeks and paperwork help for incoming exchange students.
ESN-UA and AEGEE-Alicante
The two student associations named in the UA international guide; volunteers who organise outings and help newcomers.
Meeting Places 4
Public Groups 2
r/alicante
Local forum, useful for housing and paperwork questions.
r/GoingToSpain
Forum for people moving to Spain: NIE, empadronamiento, renting and bank questions.