Business + Culture

CIEE Madrid offers diverse housing options to maximize your study abroad experience, including homestays, student residence halls, or shared apartments in several city districts. All housing options are located near supermarkets, restaurants, gyms, and public transport and provide the convenience of urban living in one of Europe´s largest cosmopolitan city settings.     

Student housing in Madrid typically looks different than what you may be used to in the U.S. Unlike most college campuses, CIEE does not own or manage student housing in Madrid. We work within local housing networks to carefully identify housing partners, vendors, and homestay hosts that can offer students a safe and culturally active living experience. All Madrid housing sizes, layouts, room designs, and amenities will vary and will have their own distinct features. Living in Madrid may mean downsizing for the duration of your stay as student housing space and location are at a premium (for example, living space, kitchen, washing machines or bedroom size may be smaller than what you're used to at home).   

Due to high demand for housing, most Spanish students live at home with their families, as affordable rental options in the city center are extremely limited. The majority of CIEE student housing is located in well-connected residential neighborhoods outside the historic city center, offering convenient access to Madrid’s metro, bus, and commuter train networks. Whether you live with a host family, student dorm or in a shared apartment, you should expect to commute like a local.   

Standard Housing: Includes a single room in a homestay within 30-45 minutes from Puerta de Sol train station; or double room in a student dorm or a shared apartment, distances to Puerta de Sol train station may vary from 40 to 70 minutes. Commute time from housing location to Host Institution Campuses may vary depending on student selected classes. 

• Homestays offer socially active hosts and a cultural resource who allow for a lot of student independence, no curfew, kitchen access for food storage, a living room, Wi-Fi, weekly laundry, and a bathroom shared with the host. Hosts provide two meals a day during the week.     
• Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring fewer amenities with basic furniture, laundry facilities, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen.
• Student Dorms: Student dorms are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically have an individual or shared kitchen.    

Select Housing: Single accommodation in a shared apartment or residence hall, within 45-55 minutes from Sol train station OR Double accommodation in shared apartment or residence hall within 30-40 minutes from Sol station. Commute time from housing location to host institution campus may vary dependent on student selected classes. 

• Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring a few amenities with basic furniture, a laundry machine, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen.
• Student dorms are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically house students in single bedrooms with an individual or shared kitchen. 

Select housing requires an additional fee. 

Select Plus Housing: Limited available option that includes single room within 30-40 minutes on public transport to/from Puerta de Sol train station. Commute time from housing location to host instution campuses may vary depending on student selected classes.  

• Shared apartments are modest in size, featuring a few amenities with basic furniture, a laundry machine, Wi-Fi access, maintenance repair services, bed linens and towels, and a kitchen.
• Student dorms are modern, offer Wi-Fi access, and typically have an individual or shared kitchen. 

Select Plus housing requires an additional fee.  

Please note:

• You may be placed in housing where you will share common spaces in your accommodations with other CIEE students who opted for a different housing category. 
• The default criterion to assign housing is first-come, first-served; however, other factors may also be considered. If we cannot accommodate your first housing choice, we'll let you know before you arrive. Non-standard housing options require an additional fee that can be found in the program Dates and Fees.  

• Homestays: Students have breakfast and dinner with their host families, and they are responsible for lunch. Students do not typically have access to use the kitchen at the host family home.
• Residence Halls/Shared Apartments: Meals are not included. Residence halls and apartments have direct access to supermarkets, restaurants, public transport, and independent dining halls. Students can purchase dining hall meal plans on their own if offered by the residence hall management.