Study in Malaga, Spain

About Malaga

Málaga is the capital of the province of the same name in Andalusia, on the Mediterranean coast of southern Spain, and the main city of the Costa del Sol. It had 597,173 inhabitants in 2025 according to the Andalusian Institute of Statistics and Cartography (IECA), 69,892 of them foreign residents. For students, it combines a large public university with one of the widest choices of Spanish courses in the country, a compact historic centre and a beach within walking distance.

Students choose Málaga for its mild climate, its international population and the range of courses in one city. The city's airport and high-speed rail links also make it a practical base for travelling around Andalusia.

Studying in Málaga

Our directory lists 37 active schools in Málaga, among them 10 universities and other higher-education centres, 20 language schools and 6 international and other primary and secondary schools. The Universidad de Málaga (UMA), a public university that has served the city for more than half a century, has more than 40,000 active students. In the 2026-27 academic year it offers 78 bachelor's and double bachelor's degrees, 91 master's programmes and 30 doctoral programmes, with 10,353 places for new students, and it has a network of more than 600 Erasmus+ partner universities in Europe. Málaga also has private universities, such as the Universidad Europea de Andalucía and UAX Mare Nostrum, the Málaga campus of the Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio.

Students of the arts will find public higher education centres in music, drama, dance and design: the Conservatorio Superior de Música de Málaga, the Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático, the Conservatorio Superior de Danza "Ángel Pericet" and the Escuela de Arte y Superior de Diseño San Telmo, founded in 1851, which offers higher design studies equivalent to a bachelor's degree, vocational cycles and the arts Bachillerato. For vocational training (FP), the IECA counted 49 centres with intermediate and 61 with higher FP cycles in the city in the 2023-24 school year. Families moving with children will find international schools as well, such as The British School of Málaga and the Lycée Français International de Málaga.

Learning Spanish in Málaga

Málaga has a large number of Spanish schools, and several of them have taught foreign students for decades. Instituto Picasso, on the Plaza de la Merced next to Picasso's birthplace, has taught Spanish since 1982 and is accredited by the Instituto Cervantes; CILE has taught Spanish since 1988, with classes in Spanish from the first day; Málaga Plus Andalusí has taught since 1989; and AIFP is also accredited by the Instituto Cervantes. The Universidad de Málaga runs its own Spanish courses for foreigners. Typical options include:

• intensive group courses of 20 or more lessons a week
• one-to-one lessons
• DELE and SIELE exam preparation
• cultural activities and excursions
• homestay or shared-flat accommodation arranged by the school

Cost of living for students

Housing is the main cost and the main difficulty: the Universidad de Málaga itself mentions difficulties of access to housing and is tendering a student residence with more than 1,000 places on the Teatinos campus. No official figure for typical room rent was found, so ask your school about residences, homestays or shared flats and start looking early.

Buses are cheap. EMT Málaga fares, in force since 1 January 2025 and extended through 2026, are €1.40 for a single ticket and €5.00 for 10 trips on a card, with free transfers between lines within one hour. A monthly pass costs €23.95, or €13.50 with the EMT Tarjeta Joven (bus discount up to age 25 for people born, registered or studying in the city of Málaga) or the UMA card. For metropolitan buses, Metro Málaga and Cercanías trains, the Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Área de Málaga offers a Tarjeta Joven for residents of Andalusia under 30, with an additional 50% discount until 31 December 2026.

Getting around and daily life

EMT buses cover the city, and the Metro Málaga lines and Cercanías trains are part of the metropolitan transport network. Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport is linked to the centre by the EMT Línea Express Aeropuerto, which runs every 20 to 25 minutes at peak times; a ticket costs €4. High-speed trains run from Madrid Puerta de Atocha - Almudena Grandes to Málaga María Zambrano station, which connects with Cercanías lines C1 and C2.

Málaga has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers. At the AEMET Málaga Airport station (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 12.1 °C in January and 25.5 °C in July, and the station records about 2,905 hours of sunshine a year.

Frequently asked questions

Is Málaga a good place to learn Spanish?

Yes. Málaga has many Spanish schools that teach all year round, several of them accredited by the Instituto Cervantes and some teaching since the 1980s, and the Universidad de Málaga also runs courses for foreigners.

Which universities are in Málaga?

The public Universidad de Málaga, with more than 40,000 active students, and private universities such as the Universidad Europea de Andalucía and UAX Mare Nostrum. Public higher schools of music, drama, dance and design complete the offer.

How much does the bus cost for a student in Málaga?

A single EMT ticket costs €1.40 and 10 trips cost €5.00. Young people up to 25 who are registered or study in Málaga can get a monthly pass for €13.50 with the EMT Tarjeta Joven.

How do I get from the airport to the city centre?

The EMT Línea Express Aeropuerto connects the airport with the centre every 20 to 25 minutes at peak times, and a ticket costs €4.

Is it easy to find accommodation in Málaga?

Not always. Demand is high, and the Universidad de Málaga is planning a new residence with more than 1,000 places, so book a residence, homestay or shared flat through your school well before you arrive.