Erasmus guide University of Santiago de Compostela
Courses, housing, visa, campus life and exchange basics for studying at University of Santiago de Compostela in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Country
SpainInternational
272 incoming Erasmus+ students in the latest year published and 250 incoming bilateral-agreement students in 2025-26 (provisional). Foreign students make up about 1.3% of undergraduates, 13.3% of master's students and 26.4% of PhD students (2024-25).
Enrollment
25,396 degree, master's and PhD students (2024-25); 20,369 undergraduates, of whom 16,912 in Santiago and 3,457 in Lugo
Study abroad at University of Santiago de Compostela: overview
Studying abroad at the University of Santiago de Compostela means joining a public university that has taught in Santiago since 1495, with 25,396 degree, master's and PhD students in 2024-25 and a second campus in Lugo. It suits students who want strong sciences, health, law or humanities in a small, walkable city, as long as they can follow classes in Spanish and sometimes Galician.
Enrollment
25,396 degree, master's and PhD students (2024-25); 20,369 undergraduates, of whom 16,912 in Santiago and 3,457 in Lugo
International Mix
272 incoming Erasmus+ students in the latest year published and 250 incoming bilateral-agreement students in 2025-26 (provisional). Foreign students make up about 1.3% of undergraduates, 13.3% of master's students and 26.4% of PhD students (2024-25).
Why students choose it
Santiago campus: historic centre, Campus Vida (south-west) and Campus Norte, all within walking or cycling distance of each other. A second campus in Lugo, about 100 km east, has its own degrees; exchange students study on one campus only, set by their agreement.
Language of instruction: Spanish and Galician (lecturers may teach in either; students may speak, write and sit exams in either language), No dedicated English-taught course offer for exchange students
Exchange & application at University of Santiago de Compostela
Erasmus+ students are nominated by their home university by 30 May (autumn or full year) or 30 October (spring), then apply online by 15 June or 15 November with a B1 Spanish certificate. Non-EU bilateral partners nominate by 1 May or 1 October.
Official links
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Open page
Exchange page
The university’s own page for incoming exchange students.
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Open document
Exchange fact sheet
Deadlines, requirements and contacts for exchange students, published by the university.
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See courses
Course catalogue
The official list of courses. Check which ones are open to exchange students and taught in a language you speak.
✅Requirements
Official nomination by your home university, then an online application with five documents: passport or ID card, Learning Agreement signed by your home university, motivation letter in Spanish or English, transcript of records and proof of B1 Spanish (DELE or a signed confirmation from your home university). Bilateral students upload a learning agreement, transcript, cover letter and passport; Philology and some master's programmes ask for B2.
📨Nomination Process
Your home university emails the nomination (full name, email, study area, period) to erasmus.in@usc.gal for the Santiago campus, international.lugo@usc.es for Lugo, or bilateral.exchange@usc.gal for non-EU partners. USC then emails you login details for its online application platform and, about 15 days after a complete application, a link to your acceptance letter.
🛂Visa Support
EU/EEA students need no visa. Non-EU students staying more than 90 days need a Spanish student visa; USC supplies the acceptance letter and you apply at the Spanish consulate yourself. USC's guide also tells non-EU students to register with the foreigners' office at the Comisaría Local de Santiago (C/ Rodrigo de Padrón 3) or, in Lugo, the Brigada Provincial de Extranjería (C/ Chantada s/n).
🧭Orientation Week
Recommended arrival: About one week before classes start.
Events hub: https://www.usc.gal/gl/xornal/novas/usc-recibe-preto-300-estudantes-internacionais-procedentes-60-paises-oitava-edicion-welcome-day
🗓️Deadlines by intake
| Intake | Nomination deadline | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|
| First semester or full year (Erasmus+) | 30 May | 15 June |
| Second semester (Erasmus+) | 30 October | 15 November |
| First semester (bilateral agreements, non-EU) | 1 May | 15 May |
| Second semester (bilateral agreements, non-EU) | 1 October | 15 October |
Arrival Checklist
- Check which campus your agreement places you on (Santiago or Lugo) before choosing courses or housing; you cannot switch or mix campuses.
- Pay the EUR 20.69 compulsory insurance using the document USC's academic office (UXA) emails you with your registration and IT credentials.
- Aim to arrive a week before classes (7 September 2026 or 25 January 2027) and book a hostel for the first nights if you are flat-hunting.
- Email the Mobility Office your arrival certificate with a boarding pass or ticket if your home university needs one signed.
- Contact your USC departmental coordinator in the first week to confirm or change your Learning Agreement.
- Non-EU students: complete the police registration listed in USC's welcome guide.
Academics & courses at University of Santiago de Compostela
USC is strongest in chemistry, molecular medicine, AI, particle physics and environmental technology, plus veterinary science in Lugo. At least half your credits must come from your coordinator's faculty, and you cannot mix courses from Santiago and Lugo.
📝Course Registration
You build your Learning Agreement from the degree pages on the USC website (faculty, then degree, then 'Study programme by course'), choosing only subjects taught in your semester: annual subjects are closed to one-semester students. At least 50% of your credits must come from the faculty of your USC departmental coordinator; the rest can come from other degrees on the same campus if timetables allow. The academic office registers you before arrival, and you can amend the Learning Agreement with your coordinator once in Santiago.
🎓Credit System
ECTS; a full semester load is normally 30 ECTS.
💯Grading System
Spanish 0-10 scale with 5 as the pass mark: 5-6.9 aprobado, 7-8.9 notable, 9-10 sobresaliente, plus a limited number of matrícula de honor distinctions.
✍️Exam Culture
In 2026-27 first-semester classes run 7 September-18 December 2026 with exams 14 December 2026-5 February 2027; second-semester classes run 25 January-14 May 2027 with exams 10 May-17 June 2027. Second-chance exams for failed or missed subjects run until 22 July 2027, so do not book a June flight home if you might need a resit. Assessment rules, including attendance requirements, are set in each subject's teaching guide.
📚Library Access
Once registered you can use USC libraries, computer rooms, Wi-Fi and sports facilities on the same terms as local students; the University Library is based in the Colexio de Fonseca.
Tuition & fees at University of Santiago de Compostela
Exchange students pay no USC tuition, only a EUR 20.69 compulsory insurance. Degree students from the EU pay EUR 9.85-13.93 per credit in 2026-27; non-EU non-resident prices are set separately by USC.
| Student Type | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EXCHANGE | EUR 0 tuition; EUR 20.69 compulsory insurance | Exchange students pay no tuition to USC and, per the 2026-27 fact sheet, no other fees for regular courses. All incoming students must pay the EUR 20.69 comp… |
| Full degree - EU/EEA and resident students, 2026-27 | EUR 9.85-13.93 per first-enrolment credit (about EUR 591-836 for 60 ECTS) | Set by the Xunta de Galicia (Decree 72/2026). First-enrolment credits cost EUR 9.85 in Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences and Law, and EUR 13.93 in Scie… |
| Full degree - non-EU, non-resident students, 2026-27 | Non-EU students without long-term residence in Spain pay prices set by a USC Rectoral Resolution of 10 July 2026. The document is published on USC's electron… | |
| Administrative fees for degree students, 2026-27 | EUR 22.31 to open an academic record; EUR 4.79 for the university ID card | Generic secretary's office prices on USC's 2026-27 fee page. They apply to degree students; exchange students pay only the compulsory insurance listed above. |
EUR 0 tuition; EUR 20.69 compulsory insurance
Exchange students pay no tuition to USC and, per the 2026-27 fact sheet, no other fees for regular courses. All incoming students must pay the EUR 20.69 comp…
EUR 9.85-13.93 per first-enrolment credit (about EUR 591-836 for 60 ECTS)
Set by the Xunta de Galicia (Decree 72/2026). First-enrolment credits cost EUR 9.85 in Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences and Law, and EUR 13.93 in Scie…
Non-EU students without long-term residence in Spain pay prices set by a USC Rectoral Resolution of 10 July 2026. The document is published on USC's electron…
EUR 22.31 to open an academic record; EUR 4.79 for the university ID card
Generic secretary's office prices on USC's 2026-27 fee page. They apply to degree students; exchange students pay only the compulsory insurance listed above.
Fees change annually — verify current rates on the official exchange office page
Student housing at University of Santiago de Compostela
USC's 2026-27 international call offers 100 single rooms at EUR 292 a month, first come, first served. Most exchange students rent a room in a shared flat, often found after arrival.
University of Santiago de Compostela offers official housing
100 single rooms at EUR 292/month for exchange students, first come, first served.
Apply for housingFull housing guide
Find housing in Santiago de Compostela
Official contacts, student residences, private platforms, tips & red flags.
Insurance & campus support at University of Santiago de Compostela
The Mobility Office in the Pavillón Estudantil on Campus Vida handles exchange paperwork, while the Modern Languages Centre runs Spanish and Galician courses from EUR 50 for exchange students.
🛡️Mandatory Insurance
Yes: USC's EUR 20.69 compulsory insurance for every incoming student.
🇪🇺EHIC Accepted
Yes
🏥Campus Clinic
Not confirmed on USC's exchange pages; ask the University Information Office (OIU, oiu@usc.es) where to go for routine care.
🧠Mental Health
Not detailed in USC's exchange documents; ask the OIU or your departmental coordinator for the current student support route.
USC compulsory insurance
EUR 20.69
Paid with the document USC emails after registration; compulsory for all incoming students.
European Health Insurance Card (EU/EEA students)
Free from your home system
Covers medically necessary care in Spanish public healthcare during the stay.
Campus services
Mobility Office - Santiago
Erasmus+ nominations, applications, arrival and departure certificates. Pavillón Estudantil, 1st floor, Rúa de Lope Gómez de Marzoa, Campus Vida; Monday-Friday 9:00-14:00; erasmus.in@usc.gal.
Mobility Office - Lugo
Exchange students on the Lugo campus. Edificio Biblioteca Intercentros, Rúa Bernardino Pardo Ouro s/n; international.lugo@usc.es.
Modern Languages Centre (CLM)
Spanish courses by CEFR level (40 classroom hours plus 60 hours of independent work) and Galician courses for international students; clm@usc.es.
University Halls of Residence Service (SUR)
International accommodation call, hall allocation and payments; sur@usc.es.
University Information Office (OIU)
Insurance, calendar, sports, culture and volunteering queries; oiu@usc.es.
Student life at University of Santiago de Compostela
Student life centres on the historic quarter and Campus Vida, with ESN Santiago de Compostela and a Welcome Day for international students each September.
Student Clubs
- ESN Santiago de Compostela: sports, social and cultural events, trips and the ESNcard, with activity in both Santiago and Lugo
- Asociación Erasmus Compostela, the second student association listed by USC's Mobility Office
- USC University Orchestra and Espazo de Danza USC, both of which performed at the 2026 Welcome Day
Buddy Program
USC does not describe its own buddy scheme in its exchange documents; ESN Santiago de Compostela and Asociación Erasmus Compostela are the social entry points it recommends.
Sports & Recreation
- USC sports facilities, mainly on Campus Vida, open to registered exchange students
- ESN Santiago sports activities
Public Groups & Communities
ESN Santiago de Compostela website and events calendar (esn-santiago.org)
Your First 2 Weeks
- Days 1-3: settle into a hall or hostel, start flat viewings from USC's classified-ads board and pay the compulsory insurance.
- Days 3-7: meet your departmental coordinator, confirm your Learning Agreement and check whether any lecturer teaches in Galician.
- Week 2: sign up for a CLM Spanish or Galician course, get the ESNcard and join ESN Santiago's welcome events.
- Late September: attend the International Students Welcome Day at the Colexio de Fonseca.
Key exchange dates at University of Santiago de Compostela
In 2026-27 autumn classes run 7 September-18 December and spring classes 25 January-14 May, with second-chance exams until 22 July 2027.
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1
Erasmus+ nomination, first semester or full year
By 30 May (application by 15 June)
Home university nominates by email; the student then completes USC's online application.
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2
Erasmus+ nomination, second semester
By 30 October (application by 15 November)
Same process as autumn.
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3
International halls call
Published April-May; open until the 100 places are filled
2026-27 call page last updated 28 April 2026; first come, first served.
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4
First-semester classes and exams, 2026-27
Classes 7 September-18 December 2026; exams 14 December 2026-5 February 2027
Christmas break 21 December 2026-7 January 2027.
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5
International Students Welcome Day
Late September (Santiago); early October (Lugo)
2026 edition held on 26 September at the Colexio de Fonseca; Lugo's first edition on 3 October.
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6
Second-semester classes and exams, 2026-27
Classes 25 January-14 May 2027; exams 10 May-17 June 2027
Carnival break 8-9 February 2027; Easter break 22-26 March 2027.
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7
Second-chance exams
Until 22 July 2027
For subjects failed or not sat in either semester.
Campus events hub: Browse all events
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