Study in Vigo, Spain

About Vigo

Vigo is a port city on the Atlantic coast of Galicia, in north-western Spain, with 294,489 inhabitants on 1 January 2025 according to the official municipal register figures published by the National Statistics Institute (INE). It lies on the Ría de Vigo, in the province of Pontevedra, close to the border with Portugal. For students it is an industrial and maritime city with a large public university, a lively centre and easy access to the coast and the Rías Baixas.

Students choose Vigo for engineering, business, marine sciences and languages at the Universidade de Vigo, for higher music studies, and for Spanish courses in a city where daily life happens mostly in Spanish and Galician rather than in English. Both Spanish and Galician are official languages in Galicia, and you will see Galician on signs, websites and in some university classes.

Studying in Vigo

Our directory lists 9 active schools in Vigo: 4 universities and other higher-education centres, 3 language schools and 2 vocational and professional schools. The public Universidade de Vigo (UVigo) has campuses in Vigo, Pontevedra and Ourense. Its main Vigo campus is at As Lagoas-Marcosende, about 11 km from the city centre; the Facultade de Comercio and the city site of the Escola de Enxeñaría Industrial are in the centre itself. In the 2026-27 academic year the university received 362 exchange students from 35 countries, 256 of them on the Vigo campus, according to the university; the most popular faculties among them were Philology and Translation and Economics and Business.

International students who want to take a full bachelor's degree at UVigo need the Spanish ministry's recognition (homologación) of their secondary school diploma if they come from a country without a reciprocity agreement. Some degrees have an entry mark of 5, which a recognised diploma already gives; for more competitive degrees, applicants can raise their score with the specific competence tests (PCE) run by UNED. Applications for all Galician public universities go through the NERTA platform, usually in June, and the academic year runs from September to June or July.

Other higher-education options in Vigo include:

• the public Conservatorio Superior de Música de Vigo
• the Centro de Música Superior Mayeusis, which states that it is the first private higher music centre in Galicia; its Grado Superior de Música takes 240 ECTS credits over four years
• the Escuela Universitaria CEU de Magisterio Vigo, for teacher training
• the Escuela Técnica de Joyería del Atlántico, which teaches the official vocational qualifications Grado Medio en Procedimientos de Joyería Artística and Grado Superior en Joyería Artística, as well as gemology courses

Learning Spanish in Vigo

Linguamania states that it has taught Spanish to students from all over the world in Vigo for more than 20 years. Its intensive course has 20 lessons of 45 minutes per week in small groups from level A1 to C2, and it prepares students for the DELE and SIELE exams. Concorde Language School, a language centre since 1988, also offers Spanish for foreigners alongside other languages. The public Escola Oficial de Idiomas de Vigo teaches languages in the regional school system; in the 2026-27 academic year its regular courses start on 16 September 2026.

Cost of living for students

Accommodation is the main cost. The Universidade de Vigo has its own residence on the Vigo campus, the Residencia Universitaria O Castro, and lists a range of private student residences in the city centre; the university also offers housing grants every year. Prices vary by residence and room type, so compare offers before you arrive. Many students share flats in the centre and take the bus to the campus.

City buses are run by Vitrasa. In 2026 a single ticket costs €1.63, and trips are cheaper with a multi-trip card. The Ministry of Transport adds a 50% subsidy on multi-trip cards for young people aged 15 to 30, which covers most university students. With the PassVigo card, transfers between different lines are free for 45 minutes, or 75 minutes when one of the trips is on the U1 or U2 university shuttle lines.

Getting around and daily life

The centre of Vigo is compact but hilly, and buses link it with the university campus and the beaches. Vigo airport is served by Vitrasa line A, which runs between the airport and the university campus, according to Aena. Renfe runs trains between Madrid Chamartín - Clara Campoamor and Vigo, and Portugal is a short trip away.

The climate is mild and oceanic, with cool summers and a lot of rain in autumn and winter. At the AEMET Vigo airport station (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 8.6 °C in January and 19.6 °C in July, when average highs reach 24.4 °C. Average annual rainfall is 1,791 mm, so a good raincoat is more useful than heavy winter clothes.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vigo a good place to learn Spanish?

Yes, if you want a city where Spanish is used in everyday life and English is less common. Language schools such as Linguamania offer intensive courses from A1 to C2 and DELE and SIELE preparation.

How do international students apply to the Universidade de Vigo?

Students from countries without a reciprocity agreement need their school diploma recognised by the Spanish ministry and can take UNED's PCE tests to improve their score. Applications go through the NERTA platform, usually in June.

How much does the bus cost for students in Vigo?

A single Vitrasa ticket costs €1.63 in 2026. Young people aged 15 to 30 get an extra 50% discount on multi-trip cards, and transfers are free with the PassVigo card.

What is the weather like in Vigo?

Mild all year, with average temperatures of 8.6 °C in January and 19.6 °C in July at the AEMET Vigo airport station, but rainy: about 1,791 mm of rain a year.