Erasmus in Almería: Process, Housing, Costs and Tips

In short: Almería is the Erasmus destination for anyone who really wants to speak Spanish and live well on little money: a campus on the beach, low rents, sunshine almost every day. After your home university nominates you, the Universidad de Almería admits you through its UMove platform. With 540 € of funding from Germany or 470 € from Austria (2026/27) you get considerably further here than in Málaga or Seville. In return, the city is small and poorly connected.

Why Almería, and who should rather not go?

Most Erasmus cities in Spain share one problem: you spend the semester in an English-speaking bubble. In Almería that’s hard to do. The city isn’t a mass destination, the group of exchange students stays manageable, and in everyday life you won’t get far without Spanish. If you come with the goal of really learning the language, you’re better off here than in the big names.

On top of that there’s a campus like no other in Andalusia: the entire university sits on one site in La Cañada de San Urbano, east of the centre and right on the Mediterranean. You can reach every faculty on foot, and after your lecture you’re by the water within minutes. Academically, the UAL is strong in agricultural and food sciences, the environment and sustainability.

Almería isn’t the right choice if you expect a big nightlife, lots of international events and a different city every weekend. The city is small, getting to Granada or Málaga takes a long time, and the airport has only a few connections. Be realistic about the dialect as well: Almería speaks Andalusian Spanish, with swallowed word endings and a fast pace. The first few weeks are exhausting, after that you’ll understand everyone.

The process from application to transcript

Your place is allocated by your home university, not by the UAL. It’s based on an agreement between your department and the university in Almería. After that, the UAL handles everything digitally through its UMove platform, including the signatures.

1. Application at your home university

   Ask your International Office about the internal deadline and whether your subject has a place in Almería. Because the UAL is little known, places are often easier to get than for Granada or Seville.

2. Nomination at the UAL

   Your university nominates you. According to the UAL fact sheet (as of February 2024), the process starts on 1 March, and the nomination must arrive by 15 June for the autumn semester and by 15 November for the spring semester.

3. Registration as an incoming student

   Then you register online yourself, according to the fact sheet by 30 June for autumn and by 30 November for spring. The UAL promises a decision within 15 days.

4. Learning Agreement

   You agree on your course choice with your coordinator at home and the coordinator in Almería. The Learning Agreement and the other documents are signed digitally in UMove.

5. Arrival and Orientation Day

   At the start of the semester the UAL holds an Orientation Day for new exchange students. You report your arrival to the Servicio de Movilidad y Promoción Internacional in the Casa del Estudiante on campus. You book appointments there online.

6. Enrolment and changes

   Once there, you confirm your subjects. If courses clash or the level doesn’t suit you, you change the Learning Agreement in the first few weeks. Always keep your home university informed.

7. Departure and Transcript of Records

   Report your departure to the mobility service. According to the UAL, the Transcript of Records is sent ten days after all grades are in and your departure has been reported.

Semester dates, language and exams

The UAL doesn’t give fixed dates for the start of lectures and exams in the fact sheet, but in the academic calendar it publishes on its website for each academic year. As a rule of thumb for Andalusia: the first semester starts in September and ends with exams in January, the second starts in February and ends with exams in June. Check the calendar before you book flights, and see whether the February start clashes with exams at home.

Language requirements and language courses

The UAL recommends B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference, in Spanish or English, depending on the language your subject is taught in. Most of the programme is taught in Spanish; the university’s course catalogue shows which subjects are available in English. The UAL language centre is called Centro de Lenguas and offers Spanish courses. A German partner university gives a guide price of about 200 € for 40 hours and mentions a monthly English and Spanish language exchange. Current prices and dates are available from the Centro de Lenguas.

Course choice and exams

Spanish courses are more school-like than you may be used to: attendance often counts, there are assignments during the semester, and the final grade is made up of several parts. The UAL grades on a scale up to 10, and you pass from 5. For each subject you have two exam sittings, the convocatoria ordinaria and the convocatoria extraordinaria. According to the UAL, only those who failed the first may sit the second. So it’s not a way to improve a grade. Ask at the start when the resit dates are and whether you can take them from home if you’ve already left by then.

Housing for five to ten months

This is where Almería plays its biggest advantage. Idealista gives an asking price of 9.4 € per square metre for whole flats in September 2026. In Málaga it’s 16.5 €, in Seville 13.4 €. There’s no documented average for rooms in shared flats in Almería. Based on the rent level, you can roughly expect 250 to 350 €. Compare that with current listings before you commit.

Where to search

The UAL has a housing service that helps you find private rooms and flatmates. For longer stays the university also names the CIVITAS student residence, about five minutes from campus, and for the first few days the Almería youth hostel, which has a bus connection to the university. The local ESN group also helps newcomers get in touch with other students and landlords.

• Zapillo and Nueva Almería: beach neighbourhoods between the centre and the campus. For most exchange students the best compromise.
• Centre: bars, tapas and the old town on your doorstep, but a daily bus ride to the university.
• La Cañada and Costacabana: right by the campus and the sea, but quiet in the evenings and far from city life.

When to search and what to watch out for

The market is more relaxed than in the big cities. Still, the choice is best if you start a few weeks before the semester begins. If you’re unsure, book the first nights at the youth hostel and view rooms on site.

Scams exist in cheap cities too. Don’t transfer anything before you or someone you trust has seen the room. Be suspicious of landlords who supposedly live abroad, of payments via unknown links and of prices that sound too good to be true. Get a written contract stating the deposit, utilities and move-out date. For one-semester contracts a deposit of two months’ rent is common. Details in Finding a flat in Spain.

Costs and funding

Erasmus rates depend on the destination country, not on the city. That’s why the same money goes further in a cheap city like Almería. For 2026/27:

• Germany: 540 € per month for Spain (country group 2). Ask your university how many months it pays for.
• Austria: 470 € per month.
• Top-up: 250 € per month for students with fewer opportunities according to your university’s criteria.
• Green travel: extra travel days and a higher lump sum for travelling by train or bus. To Almería that’s a long journey, but doable.

If you’re eligible for BAföG (German student financial aid) in Germany, you can also apply for Auslands-BAföG (BAföG for studying abroad). The office responsible for Spain is the Studierendenwerk Heidelberg, and it’s best to apply six months in advance. You don’t pay tuition fees in Almería. The basics of funding and recognition are explained in Erasmus in Spain.

Monthly budget in Almería

The city’s rent level and the funding rates are documented. All other lines are estimated ranges.

If you live frugally, the funding from Germany almost covers it. One-off costs on top are the deposit, the journey and the mandatory insurance.

Student life: ESN, tapas, beach and desert

The UAL has a section of the Erasmus Student Network, which the university lists on its page for incoming students as the association of Erasmus students. Local students organise meetups and trips there. In a small city almost all of Erasmus life runs through this group, so sign up in your very first week.

Going out in Almería is cheap because you get a tapa with every drink. The city itself has the Alcazaba, one of the largest Moorish fortresses in Spain; more in Almería sights. The real selling point, though, lies outside: east of the city begins the natural park with volcanic rocks and unspoilt coves, described in the article Cabo de Gata. In the hinterland lies Tabernas, a desert landscape where many westerns were filmed. For both you need a car or an organised trip; tips on renting one are in Car hire in Andalusia. A weekend in Granada with the Alhambra is worth it despite the long bus ride.

Paperwork: what you really need

For one semester you need less than many people fear. One point, however, is stricter in Almería than elsewhere.

• Insurance: The UAL requires exchange students to have insurance covering medical care, medication, accidents and repatriation in the event of death. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from your health insurer covers treatment in the public system, but neither accident insurance nor repatriation. So you also need private travel health insurance. According to the UAL, liability insurance is only mandatory for internships.
• NIE: For one semester the foreigner identification number is usually not needed. You need it if you work in Spain or if landlords or banks ask for it. In that case read Applying for an NIE.
• Bank account: Your account from Germany or Austria is enough for rent and everyday life.
• Rental contract: always in writing, with the deposit and move-out date.

Checklist before you fly

• Acceptance from the UAL received, access to UMove working
• Learning Agreement signed digitally by all parties
• Grant Agreement with your home university signed
• EHIC valid and private travel health insurance with accident cover and repatriation taken out
• ID card or passport valid until after your return
• Journey planned, including the onward trip to Almería
• Accommodation booked for the first nights
• Money available for the deposit and first rent
• Orientation Day date and academic calendar checked

You like Almería so much that you want to do your whole degree there? Admission and costs for a Grado are in Studying in Almería.

Frequently asked questions

Cover image: Ismael Olea · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0