Housing: Graduate Students

Middlebury has a unique policy regarding student housing. It is based on a student’s personal choice as well as the belief that by assuming responsibility for making appropriate decisions regarding their own accommodations, students learn life skills and important information about language and culture. 

Options available in Madrid: 

  • Apartments. This is the most popular option amongst graduate students. 
  • Residence halls. 
  • Homestays. May be available, but priority is given to undergraduate students. 

Please note that it is the School in Spain and Language Pledge policy that students should live in a Spanish-only environment. It is also very important to always keep the School in Spain staff informed of changes in housing situation and telephone numbers so that students can be easily contacted in case of an emergency. 

If students have questions, they are encouraged to reach out to the Housing Coordinator, Sophia Iglesias (siglesias@middlebury.edu). 

MIDDLEBURY SCHOOL IN SPAIN HOUSING OPTIONS AND HOW TO RESERVE 

Finding housing to fit personal preferences is time consuming and requires perseverance and patience. Students should begin this process early. The several months prior to students’ arrival in Spain the Housing Coordinator will reach out to admitted students with additional housing information. This email will include the link to the Middlebury in Spain Housing website that contains more site-specific information. 

Once students have decided which housing option they prefer, all students should complete the housing questionnaire that can be found in the post-decision section of the study abroad application portal. Graduate students planning to arrive for the fall semester should submit the form by mid-June. Students should not delay in confirming their housing as the office in Spain is closed for part of the summer and the December-January holidays. 

SHARED APARTMENTS 

Finding an apartment in Madrid is often a stressful process. Students studying in Madrid should be aware there is a housing shortage in the city and there are limited options available. Apartments in Spain may be smaller and not as modern as students are used to. When looking for an apartment, students should consider various options and locations before deciding where to live. As public transportation in Madrid is very good, the program recommends looking at apartments that are well connected to the Sede Prim by metro or train. 

While it is the student’s responsibility to read all contracts carefully and understand what they say, they should not hesitate to ask for assistance from the Housing Coordinator if the wording in a contract is unclear.  However, the contract is a private matter between the renter and the owner, and Middlebury is not responsible for conflicts or litigation that may arise. 

SHARED APARTMENT OPTIONS 

  • Arrive in advance and search for housing in person 

Students that plan to search for housing in person should arrive one week prior to the start of on-site orientation. Students should keep in mind that the process for searching for an apartment in person is time-consuming (usually one to two weeks) and can be frustrating due to limited housing options for students in Madrid. This being said, with a bit of perseverance, students always find housing. 

A room in a shared apartment can average between €500 –€900 per month, not including utilities. In addition, there can be hidden and extra monthly costs like building community fees. Utilities like water, electricity are also more expensive in Spain than in the U.S. and often are not included in the rent. The landlord will also require a one or two-month security deposit. 

Another option is renting an entire apartment. Graduate students interested in renting an entire apartment should keep in mind that the process may be similar or even more time-consuming. Two-bedroom apartments average around 1,100€-1,400€ per month, and in most cases a minimum one-year contract. 

The following websites have been the most used by past students when participating in the in-person search. They should not be used for booking housing prior to arrival. 

  • Reserve in advance 

While most graduate students prefer to arrive prior to orientation to look for an apartment in person, some students reserve in advance with the platforms listed below. Students that pursue this option should reach out to the Housing Coordinator and request a discount code that will be applied to their reservation fee. More information regarding how to reserve with each platform will be shared when the Housing Coordinator reaches out to graduate students several months prior to the start of the semester. 

  • SpotaHome (option only available to graduate students) 
  • Lodgerin (option only available to graduate students) 
  • JOIVY (shared apartments and co-living spaces) 

Students studying in Spain in the Spring semester should be aware that many student housing organizations may require students to pay the full month of June, even if a student plans to leave earlier. This is a very common policy in student apartments as they tend to remain empty in July and August. 

HOMESTAYS 

We have found that living with a Spanish family can be a very valuable experience. This “total immersion” can offer the student insight into Spanish culture, providing a richer vision of traditions, customs, and day-to-day life. Students should understand that Spanish homes may be smaller than students are used to, utilities are expensive, and lifestyles, such as mealtimes, are different than in the United States. Also, not all housing arrangements offer a lock on the bedroom door. Courteous gestures, such as respecting quiet hours, economizing on hot water and electricity, informing the family if a student won´t be home for a meal, and keeping the bedroom neat and clean will help students tremendously with their relationship with their host. The family may also impose rules regarding the use of appliances, meals, laundry, showers, etc. Students should be aware that in order to have a close relationship with their family, it will greatly depend on the effort the student makes to get to know the family. 

Regarding meals, it is important to note that students that select “media pension” or pension complete” do not have kitchen privileges (unless permitted by a specific family). Students with “media pension” are responsible for their snacks and third meal. and those with “pension completa” are responsible for their snacks. Students with special dietary needs that wish to live with a host family should contact the Housing Coordinator early in the housing selection process as there are limited families that are able to accommodate special diets. 

Once the program has started, housing change requests will only be considered when it is determined that the current housing assignment represents a demonstrable risk to the students’ well-being. Only circumstances that the program determines may have a negative impact on the student’s health or safety will be considered. In the case a student is approved a change in their housing, there may be a fee of one month’s rent to compensate the family.  

All homestay options have been visited by the Middlebury School in Spain staff. 

Madrid Homestay: 

Madrid Homestay Options: 
The listed prices are for the 2026-2027 academic year. Prices for the following year are reviewed and updated in the spring.    

  • Pensión completa (room and three meals): 1310€/month 
  • Media pensión (room, breakfast & dinner): 1125€/month 
  • Con derecho a cocina (room & kitchen privileges): 700€/month 

How to reserve? For students who wish to live in a homestay, should make the request prior to leaving for Spain. The only requirement in making a reservation in advance is to complete the housing questionnaire on-line by the deadline. 

RESIDENCE HALLS 

Accommodation in residence halls is primarily reserved for academic year students. While most semester students find it challenging to find available spots in residence halls, this is particularly true for Fall semester students. Residence halls where students have resided in the past: 

Madrid 

How to reserve? All students wishing to stay in a residence hall should request a reservation directly through the web page or contact information of the Residence Hall. This way students can inquire about prices, availability, and conditions of the residence hall directly and make a final decision. It is important that the Middlebury Housing Coordinator is aware of all communication between the student and the Residence (cc: Sophia Iglesias: siglesias@middlebury.edu on all email correspondence). 

For those students registered at the Universidad Carlos III or Universidad Autónoma de Madrid we recommend looking for housing near a “Cercanías” train station. 

Most residence halls require students to pay their deposit by wire transfer (see Money & Banking section).