Welcome to the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid;  A short guide to the student life.

Continuing my “Promoting Erasmus and studying abroad” pages, I now introduce you to the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid;. Let’s suppose that you are an Erasmus student or in general a student planning to study abroad for a semester or so. What are the factors that you would take into consideration before choosing your next destination and university? How would you organize your background research? What are the things that you’d love to know about your university in advance? Here’s a short research I made about one of the biggest universities in Spain that welcomes thousands of Erasmus students every year.

Welcome to the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid!

Background info; The university; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is a public university in the Community of Madrid, Spain. UC3M is among the 20 best universities established within the last 50 years in the world, according to the annual QS ranking. UC3M is an institution with a distinctly international profile. It offers a broad range of master’s and bachelor's degree programs in English and nearly 20% of the student body is made up of international students. It is the first university in Spain and the third in Europe in the number of its students participating in the Erasmus student exchange programs.The university has a strong reputation in business subjects, in particular economics, which is regularly ranked amongst the top 50 institutions worldwide. It is known for its high academic demand to degree students. It also holds the highest admission grade requirement in Madrid for several degree programs such as Business, Law, Political Science, Economics, International Studies, Accounting, Journalism or Biomedical Engineering.

Location; Madrid! The city is absolutely gorgeous, beautiful architecture, beautiful people and beautiful weather. If we look at statistics, Spain is the most popular Erasmus destination country. And now, Madrid has won the title of the best Erasmus city. They must be doing something right! As you might have noticed, Madrid was recently elected the best Erasmus city in Europe. Just in case there is anyone who still needs convincing of this fact, we have collected just some out of hundreds of reasons why this award is so well-deserved. There are tapas on every single corner! It has amazing views and sunsets. Everything is close by. There is always something going on! The streets are full of culture and history. Buildings like the Town Hall of Madrid will take your breath away.

The life in the city; “In the world, there are 194 countries and thousands of cities, but none other is as vibrant and magical as Madrid. Being an Erasmus student in this city is, without any doubt, the best choice anyone could ever make. If you feel like chilling out, you can walk around Retiro Park. If you want to learn about art, you can visit plenty of museums and you can also walk through Gran Vía and enjoy the majestic architecture. At night, you can enjoy the best night clubs, meet people and dance all night long in a multicultural environment. Madrid is unique and unforgettable. It is for everyone. When people say: “The Erasmus life, the best life” it is absolutely true, but even more in my Erasmus city: Madrid.”

“First of all, Madrid is the capital of Spain so there are a lot of monuments and museums you can visit; most of them for free. Secondly, there is always something to do with ESN such as tandem, salsa lessons and parties. Thirdly, I feel Madrid is a multicultural city, there are people from all over the world! And last but not least, even though it is the capital, it is not as stressful as other cities because it has a lot of green areas.” –

Housing & accommodation;

UC3M has four Campuses divided into the following Schools and Centers:

- Getafe Campus: School of Law and Social Sciences and the School of Humanities, Communication and Documentation. - Leganés Campus: School of Engineering. - Colmenarejo Campus: Degree programs from different Schools are offered on this campus. - Madrid-Puerta de Toledo Campus: Center for Graduate Studies.

How am I going to find an apartment in this big city that I've never been to before? And do it in Spanish?!

Well, you can do it! Here are some tips and information to help you on your apartment hunting. Get excited, because you're going to find a great apartment and have an incredible time living in Madrid! If you're out walking around while soaking in the different barrios, keep your eyes peeled for "se alquila" signs -- which are everywhere. Many people put up signs with phone numbers when they're renting a room. Rip off a number and start collecting them! Sometimes apartment doors themselves will have a "Se alquila" sign with a phone number posted up next to the building number, or up on a balcony. If you like the area, you can call the numbers while you're there to find out more information.

Websites with Madrid apartment listings

I would also suggest using the interwebs to enhance your search. Here are some websites that you may find useful while looking for housing:

Segunda Mano - https://www.vibbo.com/

Idealista - https://www.idealista.com/en/

Spotahome https://www.spotahome.com/

Fotocasa https://www.fotocasa.es/es/

Important info!!!

Average rental in shared accomodation; 400 euros. Monthly transportation subscription; 20 euros (Abono Joven-till 26 years old). Monthly food cost; 193.88 euros. Average lunch price at a restaurant; 9euros. Average Fitness subscription; 30 euros. Beer Price at a bar; 2,50 euros.

..and of course do not forget to join the local ESN community!

ESN works in the interest of all international students, not just for Erasmus students. ESN offers a clear introductory programme for all international students to introduce them to the laws, rules and customs of their host country.

Pack your bags and choose Madrid as your Erasmus or studying abroad destination!

...and if you're planning an escape...