Study in Marbella, Spain

About Marbella

Marbella is a coastal city on the Costa del Sol, in the province of Málaga in Andalusia, 57 km from the provincial capital. It had 160,478 inhabitants in 2025 according to the Andalusian Institute of Statistics and Cartography (IECA), and 49,813 of them were foreign residents. That international population shapes the city's schools: alongside Spanish public education, Marbella has a large group of British and other international schools for families who move to the coast.

For students over 18, Marbella is above all a place to learn Spanish by the sea or to study hospitality management. It is much smaller than Málaga, and for many students life outside class centres on the beaches.

Studying in Marbella

Our directory lists 11 active schools in Marbella: two higher-education centres, three language schools and six international primary and secondary schools. In higher education, Les Roches Marbella, founded in 1995, is the Spanish campus of the Les Roches hospitality management school, which also has campuses in Crans-Montana and Abu Dhabi. It offers a Bachelor of Science in Global Hospitality Management, a bachelor's programme in sports business management and several master's programmes, and it states that more than 80 nationalities are represented on campus. Its main student residence is inside the campus building, and Spanish as a foreign language is taught at four levels within its degree programmes.

The international schools teach mainly in English and follow foreign curricula. Aloha College Marbella, a not-for-profit school in Nueva Andalucía, prepares students for IGCSE, A-Level and IB Diploma exams and says that more than 50 nationalities are represented. Swans International School offers a GCSE curriculum and a Sixth Form for ages 16 to 18, and The English International College prepares students for IGCSEs and International A-Levels. There are also schools for other language communities, such as the Svenska Skolan Marbella and the French École Française Internationale de Marbella (EFIM). For vocational training, the IECA counted 7 centres with intermediate and 8 with higher FP cycles in Marbella in the 2023-24 school year.

Learning Spanish in Marbella

Marbella has both public and private options for Spanish:

• the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas Puerta de la Mar, a public school of the Junta de Andalucía founded in 1990, which teaches Spanish from A1 to C1 as well as German, Arabic, French, English and Russian, in classroom, blended and distance modes, and leads to official certificates
• SLC, Spanish Language Center, in the city centre, accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, with a maximum of 10 students per class and DELE, CCSE and SIELE exam preparation
• the Instituto Internacional de Idiomas, with schools in Marbella, Nueva Andalucía and San Pedro; its Nueva Andalucía centre is accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, and it prepares and examines students for the DELE

Private schools usually arrange accommodation: SLC, for example, offers host families and shared flats.

Cost of living for students

Rent is the largest cost for most students. No official figure for student room rent was found, so ask your school about its residence, homestay or shared-flat options and compare prices before you book. Les Roches, for instance, has its own residence and arranges off-campus shared apartments with a weekday shuttle service when the residence is full.

Getting around and daily life

The nearest airport is Málaga-Costa del Sol. According to Aena, the bus company Avanza runs a line from the airport to Marbella bus station, with stops in front of the arrivals transport hub. Several schools are in the districts of Nueva Andalucía and San Pedro rather than the city centre, so check the distance and local bus connections before you choose accommodation.

The coast has mild winters and warm, dry summers. The nearest AEMET station with official normals is Málaga Airport (1981-2010), where the average temperature is 12.1 °C in January and 25.5 °C in July, with about 2,905 hours of sunshine a year.

Frequently asked questions

Is Marbella a good place to learn Spanish?

Yes, especially for students who want a smaller coastal city. Marbella has a public official language school and private schools accredited by the Instituto Cervantes, with courses that include DELE and SIELE exam preparation.

Can I study at university level in Marbella?

Yes, in hospitality management: Les Roches Marbella, founded in 1995, offers bachelor's and master's programmes. For a wider choice of university degrees, the Universidad de Málaga and other universities are in Málaga, 57 km away.

Are there international schools in Marbella?

Yes. Our directory lists six, including British-curriculum schools such as Aloha College, Swans International School and The English International College, as well as a Swedish and a French school.

How do I get to Marbella from the airport?

Avanza runs a bus line between Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport and Marbella bus station, according to Aena.