Study in Badajoz, Spain

About Badajoz

Badajoz is the largest city in Extremadura, in western Spain, and lies on the river Guadiana close to the border with Portugal. The municipality had 150,209 registered residents on 1 January 2025, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). The city was founded by Ibn Marwan in 875, and its old town, with the Plaza Alta and the twelfth-century Alcazaba, still shows that long history.

For students, Badajoz is a mid-sized university city rather than a big capital. Distances are short, and one of the two main campuses of the regional public university is here. Portugal is next door, which makes Badajoz an interesting base for anyone who wants to learn about both Spanish and Portuguese culture, or to study subjects such as Portuguese language alongside a degree.

Studying in Badajoz

Our directory lists 3 active schools in Badajoz, all of them in higher education. The largest is the Universidad de Extremadura (UEx), the public university of the region. It was created in 1973, and the Facultad de Ciencias in Badajoz was one of its first centres. Today the UEx has campuses in Badajoz and Cáceres and university centres in Mérida and Plasencia. According to the university, more than 24,000 students take bachelor's and postgraduate degrees there, and another 8,000 follow doctoral programmes, the university's own qualifications or continuing education.

The Badajoz campus hosts, among others, the Facultad de Ciencias, the Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, the Facultad de Educación y Psicología, the Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, the Facultad de Ciencias de la Documentación y la Comunicación and two engineering schools (agricultural and industrial engineering). Business administration, communication, marketing, English and Portuguese studies are among the subjects that appear most often in our Badajoz listings. Teaching at the UEx is mainly in Spanish, so international students usually need a good level of the language before starting a degree.

Music students can apply to the Conservatorio Superior de Música "Bonifacio Gil", run by the Diputación de Badajoz. Its history goes back to a three-month music course in 1927, and it became a higher conservatory in 1982. It offers two specialisations at a level equivalent to a university bachelor's degree, Performance (Interpretación, with 16 pathways) and Composition. Every pathway lasts four years and has 240 ECTS credits. Entry is through an entrance exam (prueba de acceso).

For postgraduate business education there is ITAE Business School (ITAE, Escuela de Negocios de Extremadura), which has more than 30 years of experience. Its European Master programmes, in fields such as business administration (MBA), project management and tourism and hotel management, are the school's own qualifications (títulos propios), not official Spanish master's degrees.

Cost of living for students

Badajoz is a smaller and generally less expensive city than Madrid or Barcelona, but we have not found an official source for typical room rents, so ask the university or your school about student residences and shared flats. Local transport is cheap. The urban bus company Tubasa sells a student travel card (bonobús estudiante) for anyone who shows proof of enrolment; each trip costs €0.25, and the card is topped up in multiples of €5. A single ticket costs €1.20 and a monthly pass €15 for 30 days. These fares are valid until 31 December 2026, according to Tubasa.

Getting around and daily life

The city centre and the old town are easy to explore on foot, and the urban bus company Tubasa runs the city's bus network. Badajoz Airport is small: bus line 12 links it with the city on weekdays, roughly once an hour between 7:20 and 20:20, according to Aena. Renfe runs Alvia trains between Badajoz and Madrid Puerta de Atocha - Almudena Grandes, and road connections with Portugal are good.

The climate is hot and dry in summer and mild in winter. At the AEMET Badajoz Airport station (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 8.6 °C in January and 26.1 °C in July, when average daily highs reach 34.8 °C. Plan for strong heat if you arrive in summer or take an exam in June.

Frequently asked questions

Which university is in Badajoz?

The Universidad de Extremadura, the public university of the region founded in 1973, has one of its two main campuses in Badajoz, with faculties of science, economics and business, education and psychology, medicine and health sciences, and communication.

Can I study music at a higher level in Badajoz?

Yes. The Conservatorio Superior de Música "Bonifacio Gil" offers four-year programmes in Performance and Composition with 240 ECTS credits, at a level equivalent to a university bachelor's degree. Applicants take an entrance exam.

How much does the bus cost for students in Badajoz?

With the Tubasa student card, each bus trip costs €0.25 in 2026. You need proof of enrolment and an identity document to get the card.

Is Badajoz close to Portugal?

Yes. Badajoz lies next to the Portuguese border and has good connections with Portugal, which makes short trips to the neighbouring country easy.