Study in Castellón de la Plana, Spain

About Castellón de la Plana

Castelló de la Plana (Castellón de la Plana in Spanish) is a Mediterranean city in the Valencian Community, about 70 km north of Valencia. It had 183,711 registered residents on 1 January 2025, according to Spain's national statistics institute (INE). The city lies on the coastal corridor between Valencia and Barcelona, with urban beaches at El Grau, its seaside district.

Students choose Castelló for a public university of a manageable size, an active arts and music scene and a lower profile than Valencia, with the larger city an hour away. It suits students who want sun, sea and personal attention rather than a big-city campus.

Studying in Castelló de la Plana

This directory lists eight active schools in Castelló: three in higher education, two language schools, one vocational training centre and two private schools. The Universitat Jaume I (UJI) is the public university for the north of the Valencian Community. It was created in 1991 and has 14,343 enrolled students and 151 qualifications, from bachelor's and master's degrees to doctorates and continuing education, according to the university. It receives more than 300 international exchange students a year and has academic links with more than 300 universities worldwide.

Castelló is also a centre for higher arts education:

• the Escola d'Art i Superior de Disseny de Castelló (EASD), a public school founded in 1984 and part of the Valencian institute of higher arts education (ISEACV), teaches degrees in Graphic, Fashion, Product and Interior Design, advanced vocational cycles in design, ceramics and decoration, and an official master's degree in printmaking and screen printing
• the Conservatori Superior de Música de Castelló "Salvador Seguí", opened in October 1998, offers five degree specialities (Composition, Pedagogy, Conducting, Performance and Early Music) and three master's degrees, and states that it has 70 teachers and more than 400 students

The two schools share a building on Plaza Fadrell. For vocational training, CEU FP Castellón offers advanced vocational cycles (grado superior). Families moving with children can look at the International English School of Castellón, a private British school with an integrated English and Spanish curriculum for ages 1 to 18.

Learning languages in Castelló

The Escola Oficial d'Idiomes Castelló de la Plana is the public language school. It teaches German, English, Arabic, Spanish as a foreign language, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Valencian and Chinese, with sections in Almassora and El Grau. Classes for the 2026-27 year started on 28 September, and new students who already know a language can take a placement test in October.

For private Spanish courses, My Spanish Spot has a school in the city centre next to Parque Ribalta, where international students share common areas with Spanish students. Its calendar is a reminder of local life: there are no classes during the week of the Magdalena festival in March.

Cost of living for students

No official source publishes typical student rents or a student transport pass price for Castelló. Ask the UJI or your school about residences and shared flats, and check the city bus fares on arrival.

Getting around and daily life

The railway station connects with urban buses and taxis. According to the city's tourism office, trains take about 50 to 70 minutes from Valencia, 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours from Barcelona and 3 to 4 hours from Madrid, depending on the route. ALSA and other companies run regular coaches. Castellón airport (CDT) is about 35 to 45 minutes away, and Valencia airport, with more connections, about an hour.

The climate is mild and sunny. At the AEMET Castelló-Almassora station (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 10.6 °C in January and 25.3 °C in July. Annual rainfall is only 467 mm, and the station records about 2,755 hours of sunshine a year.

Frequently asked questions

Which university is in Castelló de la Plana?

The Universitat Jaume I (UJI), a public university created in 1991, with 14,343 enrolled students and more than 300 international exchange students a year.

Can I learn Spanish in Castelló?

Yes. The Escola Oficial d'Idiomes teaches Spanish as a foreign language, and My Spanish Spot runs Spanish courses in the city centre.

How far is Castelló from Valencia?

About 70 km. The train takes about 50 to 70 minutes, according to the city's tourism office.

What is the weather like in Castelló?

Mild and dry. AEMET normals give an average of 10.6 °C in January and 25.3 °C in July, with 467 mm of rain a year.