Study Abroad Housing
Study abroad housing is where you live while you study in another country, and it comes either through your program or from a place you find yourself. This page is for students arranging their own stay in Madrid, Barcelona, Rome or Florence. Choose a city to see what is listed today, with the monthly rent on every listing.
- Madrid1,426 listed now. Mostly rooms in shared flats, plus residence units.
- Barcelona146 listed now. Rooms in shared flats.
- Rome48 listed now. Whole flats, for groups who share the rent.
- Florence160 listed now. Mostly rooms in shared flats, plus a few whole flats.
Program housing or your own
Many programs arrange housing for you, in apartments, residences or with a host family. You pay the program, and you have less say over where you live.
Arranging your own gives you the choice of area, budget and flatmates, but the dates and the contract become your job. Some programs require their own housing, so ask yours before you pay for anything.
The main types of study abroad housing
A room in a shared flat means your own bedroom, with the kitchen and living areas shared. It is usually the lower-cost choice and the most common listing here.
A student residence is a managed building with services on site, and it usually costs more. A whole flat suits friends who split the rent. We do not list host families.
Arranging housing from the United States
You can do all of this before you fly. Rent on these listings is shown in the local currency, so check the exchange rate when you set your budget.
To book, you upload two forms of identification and pay a booking fee, which sends your request to the landlord. Your room is guaranteed once the landlord approves. You do not need a guarantor or co-signer.
Your program or visa process may ask for a housing address, so find out what it needs and when.
What to look for in a housing website
Whichever site you use, check four things before you pay. Can you see the monthly rent and any one-time fees? Does the listing show the date the room becomes free?
Is it clear who you pay, and what happens if the landlord says no? Are the refund terms written down? If a site or a person asks you to send money before answering those questions, walk away.
When to start looking
Start as soon as you have your dates, because a room only helps if it is free when your semester begins. Availability is listed room by room, and it changes.
Students arriving in fall often have more choice than those arriving in spring. On our Madrid listings in November 2026, more rooms became free in June and July than by the end of January.
Then compare the journey to your classes as well as the rent, since the lowest rent is often further out.
