Study in Pamplona, Spain

About Pamplona

Pamplona (Iruña in Basque) is the capital of the Comunidad Foral de Navarra, in northern Spain between the Pyrenees and the Ebro valley. The municipality had 209,094 inhabitants on 1 January 2025, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE), and Navarre as a whole had 683,500. The city is best known abroad for the San Fermín festival in July, made famous by Ernest Hemingway, but for most of the year it is a calm, green and very walkable university city with a walled old town.

Students choose Pamplona for its two universities, a large student community and Spanish courses in an environment where daily life is in Spanish. It is also a practical base for the Basque Country, the Pyrenees and La Rioja.

Studying in Pamplona

Our directory lists 8 active schools in Pamplona: four universities and other higher-education centres, two language schools, one vocational school and one primary and secondary school. The city has two universities with very different profiles:

• the Universidad de Navarra, a private university founded in 1952, with grados, master's degrees, professional programmes and doctorates on four campuses
• the Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), the region's public university, with 27 bachelor's degrees, 8 double degrees, 35 master's degrees and 10,708 students according to the university

The Universidad de Navarra's Pamplona campus covers 113 hectares and, according to the university, is the largest park in the city. UPNA teaches on the Arrosadia campus in Pamplona, at a health sciences site on Avenida de Barañáin and on a second campus in Tudela; the university states that 32.7% of its students take part of their studies abroad.

Other examples in our listings include the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Navarra (CSMN), with higher music studies in Composition, Classical Performance, Jazz Performance, Musicology and Music Education; Foro Europeo Escuela de Negocios de Navarra, founded in 1992, which states that more than 15,000 students from over 20 nationalities have studied there; and Cuatrovientos, a vocational training centre with higher, intermediate and basic FP programmes. Business administration, education, law and Spanish language courses are among the most common subjects in our Pamplona listings. Most degrees are taught in Spanish, although some programmes have English or bilingual options; check each programme.

Learning Spanish in Pamplona

Pamplona has two very different options for Spanish. The Instituto de Lengua y Cultura Españolas (ILCE) is an international research institute for teaching, testing and learning Spanish at the Universidad de Navarra; it offers courses during the academic year, an intensive Spanish programme in August, an international studies programme and DELE exams. The Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute, a private school next to the Media Luna park, offers standard, intensive and super-intensive courses, DELE exam preparation and Spanish for specific fields such as business or medicine.

Cost of living for students

We did not find an official source for current rents in Pamplona, so ask your school or university about housing before you arrive. The Universidad de Navarra recommends a colegio mayor or a university club for students in their first years. Colegios mayores are independent from the university and offer accommodation together with cultural and academic activities.

Public transport is inexpensive. The city's buses, known as villavesas, are run by the Mancomunidad de la Comarca de Pamplona. Its 2026 fare table lists a single cash ticket at €1.70 and a trip with the transport card at €0.85, or €0.51 at the reduced price. Young people under 31 can get a free personalised youth card (Tarjeta joven) and load a 30-day pass listed at €29.06, or €14.53 at the reduced price; the reduced prices come from fare discounts financed by the Government of Spain. Transfers between lines within 45 minutes are free.

Getting around and daily life

The old town, the Ciudadela park and both main university campuses are within walking or cycling distance of each other, and the villavesa network covers the whole metropolitan area. During San Fermín (6 to 15 July) the city fills with visitors and special bus fares apply, so plan summer courses and housing early. Pamplona Airport is close to the city and has a permanent taxi rank, according to Aena. By rail, Renfe runs Alvia trains from Madrid Puerta de Atocha - Almudena Grandes to Pamplona/Iruña, with the first departure at 07:35.

The climate is a mix of continental and oceanic influences, with cool winters and warm, dry summers. At the AEMET Pamplona airport station (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 5.2 °C in January and 21.2 °C in July, with average July highs of 28.2 °C. Annual rainfall averages 674 mm, and frosty winter mornings are common, so bring warm clothes.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Pamplona?

Pamplona has the private Universidad de Navarra, founded in 1952, and the public Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), whose main campus is Arrosadia. The city also has a higher music conservatory, the CSMN.

Is Pamplona a good place to learn Spanish?

Yes. Daily life is in Spanish, and students can choose between the university-based ILCE at the Universidad de Navarra and private schools such as the Pamplona Learning Spanish Institute, both of which prepare students for the DELE.

How much does public transport cost for students in Pamplona?

In 2026 a single cash bus ticket costs €1.70. Under-31s with a youth card can buy a 30-day pass listed at €29.06, or €14.53 at the reduced price, according to the Mancomunidad de la Comarca de Pamplona.

When is San Fermín, and does it affect students?

San Fermín takes place in July; special fares apply on the buses from 6 to 15 July. Accommodation is scarce and expensive in those days, so book early if you plan a summer course.