Barcelona Student Housing

With stunning architecture, rich culture, delicious cuisine and amazing nightlife – not to mention a plethora of highly-regarded universities – Barcelona is one of the greatest cities in the world in which to study.

The vast majority of those who come here on an Erasmus or international programme, or to complete a masters or PHD, fall head over heels in love with the city…. and, in fact, a large percentage of my friends are international students who grew so attached to Barcelona that they simply decided to move here!

Even if it’s just for a semester, the experience of living abroad is one of the best ways to broaden your horizons, meet people from different cultures, learn a new language (or two!) and gain untold new life experiences.

The gym at BLAU Student Housing… one of a new generation of luxurious study abroad dorms!

Of course, you’re going to want to choose a great place to stay while you’re here, and luckily Barcelona is full of fantastic student housing options, many of which come equipped with incredible facilities like modern gyms and rooftop swimming pools. Here is a list of some of the best-rated.

Top 7 Student Dorms in Barcelona

Your search for great student housing starts here, and I’ve provided some different options depending on your budget and preferred district.

Top tip: I would always check carefully the distance from your chosen rooms / apartment to your university (and bear in mind that some universities have faculty buildings in very different parts of the city!), and use Google to check the public transport links too.

1. Livensa Living

This international brand has student residences across Spain and Portugal and two here in Barcelona. The first is Livensa Living Diagonal Alto which is located in uptown Barcelona, just 10 minutes walk from both the University of Barcelona (UB) and the UPC campuses. The second is Livensa Living Barcelona Marina, which is located in Poblenou, near the Pompeu Fabra University. Both offer incredible facilities, but given they are at opposite ends of the city you should check proximity to your university or academy of choice to see which works best for you.

2. BLAU Student Housing

This stunning 10,000 squared-meter complex popped up in 2024 as Barcelona’s most luxurious and modern residence. There’s a 5-star hotel vibe about the facilities which include indoor and outdoor gyms, cinema, chill out areas, bar, restaurant, gaming room, mini-market and, importantly, a rooftop swimming pool. They even have their own language academy onsite, so you can study Spanish after class. The complex is situated quite deep into the Poblenou district, a spacious and less crowded zone, that adjoins the beach. Walking down Rambla del Poblenou to get to the sea is one of Barcelona’s great pleasures.

3. Xior

With an extensive network across Spain, Xior are a trusted provider of student housing here in Barcelona, where they have three separate residences, one on both ends of Avinguda Diagonal (the city-length diagonal road that bisects the city) and one in Gracia, just above the centre of town. While they probably fall slightly behind Livensa and BLAU in terms of facilities, Xior still offers first-class dorms with great services and well-appointed rooms and apartments.

4. Resa La Ciutadella

If you’re studying at the Pompeu Fabra University, then locations don’t get much better than at Resa La Ciutadella where you’ll literally about 3 minutes away from campus…. and only 30 seconds away from Barcelona’s famous Parc de la Ciutadella, a wonderful retreat in the centre of the city. Facilities include a gym and common room, and the affordable prices make this student halls popular with locals as well as international students. So if you want to practice your Spanish and Catalan, this could be a good choice! In total Resa has 8 residences in Barcelona, at different locations and price points.

5. Liv Student

An international brand with housing in Spain, Portugal, Ireland and the UK, Liv has two stunning properties in Barcelona… one in Sarria and one in Poblenou. With student rooms that look like designer apartments, rooftop swimming pools and common areas that look like trendy London bars, these dorms offer a great quality of life during your studies, albeit at slightly higher prices than most other residences on this list.

6. Barcelona Resident

To experience Barcelona on your doorstep, it’s hard to beat Barcelona Resident. Not quite as fancy as some of the other dorms on this list, these student rooms will likely suit those who prefer a smaller more personable residence, and who plan to spend plenty of time exploring the Old Town.

7. Barcelona Gracia Student Housing

This residence is rather perfunctory, but you can’t complain about the attractive, clean and well-appointed rooms. The shared bathrooms are divided by gender and cleaned daily. Perhaps the biggest pro of this residence, is that it offers international students the chance to live in arguably Barcelona’s most charming district, Gracia.

Map of Barcelona Student Rooms

Find the residences mentioned above on a map, and get a sense of where they are in relation to the rest of the city.