Study in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

About Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is the capital of the island of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, Spain's Atlantic archipelago off the coast of north-west Africa. It had 381,868 registered residents on 1 January 2025, according to Spain's National Statistics Institute (INE). The city stretches along the coast between the historic districts of Vegueta and Triana and the port and the Las Canteras city beach, so students can combine classes with life by the sea.

Students come to Las Palmas mainly for Spanish courses, for exchange semesters at the public university and for vocational training. The mild climate all year is a major draw, especially for courses between October and April, when much of Europe is cold.

Studying in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

This directory lists nine active schools in Las Palmas: four higher-education institutions, two language schools, two vocational training (FP) centres and one primary and secondary school. The Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) welcomes exchange students each semester. Its Language Centre, the Aula de Idiomas, offers Erasmus students a free intensive Spanish course worth 6 ECTS credits, from A2 to C1 level, and the student association ESN Las Palmas runs a buddy programme that helps new students with the campus, paperwork and finding accommodation. The Universidad de las Hespérides is also listed in our directory.

For the arts, the public Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias, run by the Government of the Canary Islands, has sites in Gran Canaria and Tenerife and teaches degrees in Composition, Performance, Musicology and Music Pedagogy. The city also has the Escuela de Arte y Superior de Diseño Gran Canaria, a school of art and design.

For Spanish as a foreign language there are two private schools:

• Gran Canaria School of Languages: intensive Spanish courses with accommodation since 1964, all year round in six levels; its courses are recognised for German Bildungsurlaub (educational leave)
• Spanish Courses Gran Canaria (Academia El Capitán): courses from A1 to C2 that include outdoor lessons in real situations, starting every Monday; the school takes part in the Erasmus+ programme

In vocational training, ICSE, which has more than 46 years of experience, combines dual FP with company placements from the first year and offers a "Ciclo + Grado" route towards a university degree. Formación CIP (Centro Internacional Politécnico) teaches official higher and intermediate FP cycles, courses for foreigners, and is a centre for the IELTS and Aptis English exams. For families, Colegio Heidelberg, at Barranco Seco, teaches pupils from 2 to 18 in Spanish, German and English and offers the International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP, MYP and Diploma) in a bilingual format.

Cost of living for students

We have not found an official source for student rents in Las Palmas, so we do not quote a figure. Both language schools arrange accommodation: the Gran Canaria School of Languages offers apartments and studios with a kitchen, and Spanish Courses Gran Canaria arranges shared flats and host families. Course prices at Spanish Courses Gran Canaria start at €220 for one week of the Intensivo 20 course and €600 for four weeks.

City buses (guaguas) are cheap. Guaguas Municipales charges €1.40 for a single fare paid to the driver and €0.42 per trip with the contactless Bono guagua (minimum top-up €8.50). The Bono estudiante gives 80 trips in a calendar month for €14.00, and the Tarjeta Wawa Joven gives unlimited travel for 90 days for €10.00, with conditions.

Getting around and daily life

Most districts are linked by the Guaguas Municipales network, and the old town and the seafront are pleasant to walk. Gran Canaria Airport is on the east coast. Bus line 60 links the city with the airport, with the first departure at 5:15 and two buses an hour between 6:00 and 20:00; the fare is €2.30 from the San Telmo bus station and €2.95 from the Santa Catalina interchange, according to Aena.

The climate is subtropical and very dry. At the AEMET Gran Canaria Airport station (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 17.9 °C in January and 23.8 °C in July, with average July highs of 26.9 °C and only 151 mm of rain a year. Light clothes are enough most of the year, but a jacket is useful on winter evenings.

Frequently asked questions

Is Las Palmas de Gran Canaria a good place to learn Spanish?

Yes, especially for students who want a city with a mild climate all year. Two private language schools teach Spanish to foreigners, and Erasmus students at the ULPGC can take a free 6 ECTS Spanish course at the university's Language Centre.

How much does public transport cost for students in Las Palmas?

A single bus fare costs €1.40. The Bono estudiante gives 80 trips a month for €14.00, and the Tarjeta Wawa Joven gives 90 days of unlimited travel for €10.00, with conditions.

How do I get from Gran Canaria Airport to Las Palmas?

Take bus line 60, which runs twice an hour during the day. The fare is €2.30 to San Telmo and €2.95 to the Santa Catalina interchange.

Can I study music or design in Las Palmas?

Yes. The public Conservatorio Superior de Música de Canarias teaches degrees in Composition, Performance, Musicology and Pedagogy, and the city also has a school of art and design, the EASD Gran Canaria.