In Madrid, students can choose their preferences between two options for housing: a homestay with a Spanish family, or placement in a student residence hall. After a careful review, roommate assignments will be made by the Madrid Housing Coordinator to ensure the best fit for a meaningful semester. Please note, there is limited capacity in the residence halls.
Note: Students requesting the same housing option may make specific roommate requests.
UAM students: You are assigned homestay housing by default. UAM students cannot be housed in a student residence hall.
Spring semester students NOT in a homestay are responsible for their meals during the mid-semester break (10 days) and will need to cover the costs out of pocket.
Students requesting disability-related housing accommodations should indicate this while completing their post-decision questionnaire “Accommodations for Students with Disabilities” due within 10 days of acceptance. View Disability Accommodations Abroad to learn more.
See Independent Housing Policy below.
The Homestay Experience
In a homestay, you will be welcomed into the home of a Spanish family in Madrid. Students in homestays have an opportunity to experience typical Spanish customs, meals, and celebrations. Our Spanish families are friendly and hospitable, and their objective is to create a welcoming environment where you can feel at home for the duration of your semester abroad.
The experience of each student is unique, as there is no such thing as a typical family. You may live with a family with children, a married couple, or a single person who may be an older widow or a single businessman or woman.
Students generally feel that the homestay is one of the most enriching parts of their study abroad experience. With the help of locals, students make a much smoother transition when trying to adapt to their new neighborhood, city, and country. If you come to Madrid with an open mind and a willingness to learn a new culture, you will have an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.
Students residing with a host family will receive 14 meals weekly, breakfast & dinner daily. Bedding is provided, as well as weekly laundry service. Students typically live with another student from the Syracuse Madrid program, either in single rooms or doubles. All homestays are located within a 40-minute commute by public transportation and/or walking distance to the Syracuse Madrid Center. Spring semester students are responsible for their housing & meals during the mid-semester break (10 days) and will need to cover the costs out of pocket.
- Students placed with host family receive 14 meals weekly
- Host family provides linens, does laundry & cleans room weekly
Xior Madrid Retiro
The Xior residence hall is located in the Salamanca neighborhood of central Madrid and is a 20-minute walk to the Syracuse Madrid Center. The rooms are double occupancy and each floor has a kitchenette with a sink, microwave, dining area and full-size refrigerator. Bed linens and bath towels are provided and laundered weekly by the cleaning staff. Forty meals per month in the cafeteria are included in this option (20 breakfasts and 20 other meals).
In the residence hall, you will live with Spanish and other international students. This will give you the chance to be culturally immersed and practice your Spanish language skills with your international peers.
All students who are placed in the residence hall will need to sign a housing agreement to confirm their placement in Xior.
- Double room with a private bath; kitchenette
- Includes utilities; weekly cleaning service; linens & towels; onsite, coin-operated washers & dryers; access to photocopying & printing services for a fee; 24-hour onsite staff
NOTE: This housing option has limited capacity.
View residence hall guidelines
El Faro Residence Hall
The Residence Hall, Residencia El Faro, is situated in the Moncloa neighborhood of downtown Madrid and is a 30-minute walk to the Syracuse Madrid Center.
The rooms are double occupancy with private bath and include a small kitchen with a sink, mini-fridge, and microwave. Bed linens and bath towels are provided and laundered weekly by the cleaning staff. Three meals a day from Sunday dinner to Friday lunch in the El Faro cafeteria are included in this option.
- Fully catered from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon during the program period for a total of 15 meals per week
- Includes utilities; weekly cleaning service; linens & towels; onsite, coin-operated washers & dryers; access to photocopying & printing services for a fee; 24-hour onsite staff
In the residence hall, you will live with Spanish and other international students. This will give you the chance to be culturally immersed and practice your Spanish language skills with your international peers.
All students who are placed in the residence hall will need to sign a housing agreement form to confirm their placement in El Faro.
NOTE: This housing option has limited capacity.
The Social Hub Madrid
The Social Hub Madrid opened its doors in fall 2022!
The building is a refurbished printing house, La Imprenta, and is just ten minutes from the iconic Gran Vía and the Spanish Royal Palace. It’s also walking distance to the Príncipe Pío transportation hub, where students can take a quick subway ride on line 10 to the Syracuse Madrid center.
The space is divided in two wings, a four-star hotel side, and a student residence hall side. The residence hall space offers single room accommodations with an en-suite bathroom. Students can either eat in the cafeteria or use the large common kitchen, where they will have access to their own refrigerated locker. Students will also have access to co-working space, study areas, and an exercise room. This space offers a single-room and the possibility to cook their own meals, which is currently not in Syracuse Madrid’s menu of housing options. It also gives students easy access to the beautiful Madrid Río area as well as to the above-mentioned locations.
NOTE: This housing option has limited capacity.
Galdós Madrid Student Residence
Only offered in spring
Residencia Universitaria Galdós (built in 2008, renovated in 2019) is at the heart of the “university city of Madrid,” a connection point between national and international students, universities, and schools, surrounded by green areas, bars, and cafés. All rooms are spacious, exterior-facing, totally furnished, and have a kitchenette and private bathroom en suite. The cleaning service is included, as well as fresh sheets and towels every week. Furthermore, there is high-speed WiFi all over the building. Three meals a day in the Galdós cafeteria are included in this option, from Sunday dinner to Friday lunch.
This option is especially interesting for students looking for a different kind of cultural experience. Here, students will have the opportunity to interact with Spanish university students and participate in sports and activities organized by the residence hall staff.
All students who are placed in the residence hall will need to sign a housing agreement to confirm their placement in Galdós.
- Double room with a private bath, kitchenette with microwave and mini fridge, air conditioning, and central heating
- Includes utilities, weekly cleaning service, linens and towels, on-site washers and dryers, access to photocopying and printing services for a fee, and 24/7 on-site staff
NOTE: This housing option has limited capacity.
Independent Housing Policy
Syracuse University’s policy requires all students to reside in program housing unless they meet specific criteria and are granted a waiver through a petition process. Our independent housing petition process is limited to students who meet one of the following criteria: religious reasons, disability disclosure that cannot be accommodated by program housing, or family member resides in the city of program.
The deadline for submitting the independent housing petition form waiver is May 1 (for fall semester) and October 1 (for spring semester). View Independent Housing Policy for more information.
Please note that while we will try to honor your housing preference, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed in the housing option that you prefer due to space limitations in each of the housing options.