Housing

Students will have the option to request one of the following types of housing:

• homestay accommodations
• university residence hall
• independent housing (see restrictions below)

Housing is guaranteed for all CASA Granada students through the duration of their program.

Homestay Accommodations

All homestay accommodations are located in safe neighborhoods at varying distances from the city center and from the University facilities. CASA students (one or two to a home) will have a single room and a shared bathroom. All meals are included in the housing fee (full board seven days a week throughout the semester). Bed linens and towels are also provided and students’ laundry is washed weekly. Students are given keys to the home (generally a condominium) and can come and go as they please. There is no curfew, only an expectation of common courtesy and open communication. Internet access is also provided in every homestay accommodation.
There are numerous benefits to living with a host family, the most important of which is the constant exposure to Spanish language, cultural norms and cuisine. Students can expect to have at least 1-2 meals/day together with the family (according to work and class schedules); and daily conversations around the table can be a wonderful way to expand both vocabulary and an understanding of current events in Spain.
It is important to make note that, as in the U.S. and elsewhere, the composition of a Spanish family will vary from home to home. It is also possible that CASA students will share their home with another international student. The University of Granada is the most highly requested destination among ERASMUS students (European study abroad students) and is also a popular destination for Asian, North African and Latin American students. This brings a young, engaged international community not only to the city of Granada but to the homes of its residents as well. CASA students often learn a great deal about other countries and cultures through friendships with their international housemates and continue to improve their Spanish as it is generally the shared language.
Here are some past students’ reflections on their homestay experiences:
“I could go on and on about this family and the impact they had on my abroad experience. I had the time of my life in Granada and I know a lot of that had to do with living with this amazing family. Saying goodbye to them was the hardest part about leaving Granada. CASA is fortunate to work with such great people that are willing to offer their home, and a space in their family, to a host student." Sara (Spring 2020)
"The food was incredible and I was able to speak to my host mom during the meals. She loves to chat which I really liked because I always came home to each meal with questions, whether about general life in Granada, things I wanted to visit, political questions, or questions that would come up as we watched the news…from her sons I learned how to speak more conversationally, which was invaluable."
Ari (Spring 2020)
“When I arrived, I did not speak Spanish very well - living with this family, you'll learn really quickly because they love talking about Granada and Andalucía! Also, they have hosted many study abroad students, so they are very well versed in how students usually approach Spain and Granada in particular, which made it very comfortable for me."
Carter (Spring 2020)
“It is hard to describe in words how much I loved my semester abroad experience in Granada. I didn’t speak any Spanish when I arrived, but with the support of the program staff, the professors at the CLM and my host family, I was both proficient and confident in Spanish by the time I left. Granada is a city with a large college student population, and the community of Granada is unlike any other. Everyone was surprisingly friendly and welcoming, especially to Americans like me who were trying to learn Spanish, and there is so much to do in Granada, both during the day and at night. Anyone who is looking for an amazing semester abroad experience where they can learn (or reach fluency in) a language and fully immerse themselves in a fun, rich culture with great people and delicious food should absolutely consider studying abroad in Granada.” Melissa (Fall 2014)

Carlos V Residence Hall

At the University of Granada-affiliated Carlos V Residence Hall, each CASA student has an individual room with a private bathroom and shares an adjoining kitchen with one other CASA or UGR student. Rooms have air conditioning and heat. Utilities, wifi, linens and a weekly cleaning service are included in the housing fee.
A meal plan is also included in the housing fee and covers breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekdays. Meals are provided during specific schedules at the dining hall located next door to the residence hall. Students can request to have lunch or dinner prepared for takeout, and will have access to dining halls at other locations which may be more convenient to their class schedules. Students can cook meals in their own kitchens (shared with one other student) during university closures (weekends, breaks and holidays) when dining hall meals are not provided.
The Carlos V Residence Hall is located on the University’s Cartuja Campus, along with the Schools of Business and Economics, Humanities, Education, Pharmacy and Psychology. The distance to the other UGR schools and centers, which are spread out across the city, varies greatly (for example: 1.7Km to the School of Political Science, 2.5Km to the Modern Language Center, 6Km to the Health Sciences Campus). Public buses run frequently and several lines connect the university campuses.
According to past students, a disadvantage to living at the residence hall
has been the distance from their dorms to downtown Granada. However, some students like Toby (Spring 2022) have enjoyed the walk or bus ride, seeing it as an opportunity to integrate into a daily local routine:
“At the start of my semester in Granada, there was a lot of chatter amongst the CASA students expressing our apprehension about living in Campus Cartuja, despite its luxurious accommodations, as it was so far from the city center and the CLM where I would be taking classes. Initially, waking up to walk to class was easy and exciting. Just as the novelty of seeing a new city wore off, though, I found myself caught in a beautiful routine. Every day, I would see the same people pass me going in the opposite direction on the sidewalk. I would see the same shop owners mopping the sidewalk outside their store—a truly fascinating urban phenomenon to observe in Spain. I would see parents drop their children off at school and be caught in a cloud of teenagers as school got out on my way home. Many days, I would run into a classmate sitting outside a café at midday and stop to chat or even join them for an impromptu lunch. Most touching of all, almost every day I saw the same couple say goodbye in front of a neighborhood grocery store as they headed in opposite directions. Soon enough, I had built my own relationships into this routine. I would go to the same bakery to get una napolitana de chocolate to start my day and exchange a couple of words with the lady behind the counter. In the evenings as the week stumbled to an end, I would head to a nearby bar where, soon enough, the waiter didn't even have to ask me what I wanted to drink when he saw me grab a table. Before long, my half hour walks each way to school had become a highlight of every day. As I got to lose myself in thought, planning my day and observing the urban fabric of Granada, I also became one with the rhythm of the city—others went about their routines all around me and I soon became a part of their schedule as much as they were a part of mine.”
According to past CASA Granada students, advantages to living at the residence hall include:
• Living among Spanish college students (the great majority of the 300+ residents are Spanish) and the proximity of the UGR Schools mentioned above.
• Access to residence hall common areas and facilities (gym, TV room, etc.) and organized activities (yoga classes, excursions, etc.).
• The bonding, friendships and support network that result from living in the same location with several other CASA students.
In terms of exposure to Spanish and opportunities to engage in the language, this is what former student Mitch (Fall 2022) had to say:
“Before moving into the residence, I was worried that I would not get the same level of exposure to the Spanish language that I would if I was living in a homestay, but it became clear quickly that that assumption was not totally correct. In this residence there is a communal kitchen, laundry room and common areas where tons of students gather to hangout. As a relatively outgoing guy, I found this allowed me many opportunities to practice my language skills and spend time with Spanish people around my age.”

Independent Housing in Local Apartments

The CASA Granada Program permits independent living arrangements strictly for: 1) full-year students during their second semester in Granada, 2) students who have previously had a semester-long study abroad experience in a Spanish-speaking country. Only students in these specific circumstances may choose to secure their own housing in local apartments with other university students (contingent on prior approval from their home schools).

The qualified CASA Granada students who choose independent housing are responsible for locating an apartment, signing a lease, finding/screening roommates, paying rent and all utilities, and living truly independently (grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.). It is recommended that only the eligible students who have lived on their own previously consider this option. Independent students should aim to live with Spanish and international students from non-English speaking countries to ensure an environment conducive to practicing and advancing their Spanish language skills.