Photo Courtesy of Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
- One of Spain’s best yet most modern Universities, established in 1968 noted for its being the alma mater to His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain.
- Experience the rich culture of Spain through Madrid! Recommended sights including the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, the Prado Museum, and Retiro Park – or for a very authentic Spanish experience, try an afternoon at the bullfighting at Las Ventas.
- Being right in the centre of Spain, Madrid offers a brilliant opportunity to see other major cities of Spain or a weekend visit to Portugal by train!
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Promotional Video
Information about courses can be found here:
http://www.uam.es/ss/Satellite/es/1233310431422/subHome/Estudios.htm
The Autonomous University of Madrid (Spanish: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) is commonly known by its Spanish initials UAM or as "la Autónoma". UAM is a Spanish public university established in 1968, along with the autonomous universities of Barcelona and Bilbao (now University of the Basque Country) during one of Spain's most ambitious educational reforms, which took place during the late 1960s and the early 1970s. Since 1971, the university's main campus has been located in Cantoblanco, a rural area in the northern outskirts of Madrid. Despite being part of the municipality of Madrid, the campus is nearer the towns of Alcobendas and Tres Cantos.
The University is located on the outskirts of the city and so if you live there the only real way to get out and see the city is via the light rail which takes about 30 mins (travelcards are available, see Transport). The trains only run till around 11:30. So, if you are taking advantage of Madrid’s nightlife, you will either have to get the last train (most Spanish nights out only really start after this time though) or wait for the morning train which is around 7 am. Though this sounds a little insane, it is fairly normal for nights to go on till 5-6 am so it is a possibility. Taxis are also a possibility but will be quite expensive as it is a 15km journey. If this does not sound desirable it is recommended to get accommodation off-campus.
HALLS OF RESIDENCE
Erasmo Residence Hall: This is a new Residence hall located on the Cantoblanco campus. It was opened in January 2003. There are usually lots of international students staying here and not many Spaniards as it is more common for Spanish students to live with their parents during university in Spain. The residence is about 5-15mins from any of the campus buildings including substantial sports and study facilities. This option is typically more expensive that finding a flat in the city. For prices see: http://www.resa.es/eng/Residences/Erasmo/prices
Erasmos Residence Hall
Address: C/ Erasmo de Rotterdam, 28049 Madrid.
Telephone: 91 131 21 00
Fax: 91 372 14 37
e-mail: erasmo@resa.es
Booking Office:
Telephone: 902 44 44 47
Fax: 93 218 32 50
e-mail: resa@resa.es
Web: http://www.resa.es/eng/Residencias/Erasmo
Colegio Mayor Universitario “Juan Luis Vives”: An off-campus halls of residence located halfway between the university and the city centre. This residence combines the ease and facilities that come from living in halls with the good communication access of privately rented apartments in the city.
Address: C/ Francisco Suárez, n° 7, 28036 Madrid.
Metro: Plaza de Castilla.
Telephone: 914979900.
Fax: + 00 34 91 497 99 01
E-mail: cmluisvives@uam.es
Web page: http://www.uam.es/otroscentros/cmlv/principal.html
You can also access a search engine for halls of residence in Madrid on:
http://www.madrid.org/inforjoven/colegios/colegiosn.htm
It includes accommodation for students and employees during the academic year. In some of them, foreign students are allowed to stay during the non-academic period.
PRIVATELY RENTED ACCOMMODATION
This option will mean that you are more likely to live with Spanish students. One option is to use websites such as those listed below, that are designed to help exchange students find accommodation. Though this means you will likely be living with other exchange students and not Spaniards.
http://www.erasmate.com/
http://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-student-housing?ref=menu
We do not recommend organising accommodation without actually seeing the property or meeting the owner and the people you will be living with as this can often result in fraudulent landlords taking your deposit online and then disappearing. The safer option is to stay in a non-permanent accommodation like a hotel or hostel for the first week or so and begin your search then. This can seem daunting but you will get to meet the landlord, see the flat and meet prospective flat mates before handing over any money. It also means you get to see the city first and can decide on areas where you would prefer to live. The UAM can arrange the accommodation of International Exchange Students during their first days in Madrid whilst they are searching for their permanent accommodation. In order to do so, send them an e-mail to ori.uam@uam.es indicating the following information:
- Name
- Country of origin
- Date and time of arrival
- Type of room (single or double
- Number of days
Bookings are made at city centre hostels. They have good transport connections with the UAM, and their average price is €40 per person per night.
Once you have found permanent accommodation, you must inform the International Relations Office at Madrid and the International Programmes Office at the University of Manchester. It is important that you inform them of your accommodation, so they can contact you should they need to. In order to avoid any problems with your landlord, we recommend you to read any document or contract carefully before signing it. Likewise, you should insist on signing a contract before paying any amount. It is advisable to ask for a receipt for any amount you pay to your landlord.
Housing Database: There is a database for exchange students at the International Relations and Mobility Office located on the ground floor of the Plaza Mayor building. They can provide you with a list of owners interested in offering accommodation to international students in shared flats in Madrid and nearby towns. Please be aware that this list is provided for informative purposes only. The UAM cannot take responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided or any problems that may arise during the tenancy. Average rents are €350 per month.
Centro Regional de Información y Documentación Juvenil (Regional Centre for Information and Youth Documentation): They have a notice board where you can find and offer rooms for rent. This centre does not have any agreement with flat owners:
http://www.madrid.org/cs/Satellite?cid=
1142374484660&language=es&pagename=
PortalJoven%2FPage%2FJUVE_
contenidoFinalMenuIzquierdo
YOUTH HOSTELS
You can find information about youth hostels on:
http://www.madrid.org/cs/Satellite?cid=1155201546523&language=es&menuIzquierdo
=true&pagename=PortalJoven%2FPage%2F
JUVE_contenidoFinalMenuIzquierdo&rootpageid=1152517028736
HOTELS, HOSTELS AND GUESTHOUSES
Madrid City Council’s website offers information about different accommodation options: http://www.esmadrid.com. Other useful web pages include:
www.PaginasAmarillas.es
www.hotelsearch.com
www.interhotel.com
www.sleepinspain.com
For information about the cost of living please see:
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=Spain&city=Madrid
University Website
http://www.uam.es/ss/Satellite/es/home/
Visiting Student Information
http://www.uam.es/ss/Satellite/es/1242649467960/
sinContenido/A_traves_de_programas_de_intercambio.htm
University Accommodation Site
http://www.resa.es/
External Accommodation Site
http://www.madrid-tourist-guide.com/en/accommodation/student-accommodation-madrid.html
Academic Exchange Adviser
If you are interested in applying, you should discuss your plans with your Academic Exchange Adviser (AEA). To find out who the AEA is for your subject area, please see the details here:
Academic Exchange Advisers
