About
The University of Málaga (UMA) is a dynamic public institution founded in 1972, with over 35,000 students and 60 bachelor’s programs across 81 departments. Recognised as a leading university in Spain, UMA attracts more than 1,300 international exchange students each year. The university fosters a diverse and inclusive learning environment, offering an exceptional academic experience in a city known for its lively student culture. With a strong emphasis on research and innovation, UMA’s state-of-the-art facilities and industry connections equip students for success in the global job market.
Location
UMA has two campuses:
- Teatinos campus is considered to be the core of the university as it houses most of UMA’s academic centres and services. It is a modern, functional campus that is continuously growing, well-connected and a vibrant hub for student life in Málaga.
- El Eijdo campus is located next to the historic centre of the city of Málaga. It is made up of the faculties of Fine Arts, Economics and Business Sciences and the Higher Technical School of Architecture. The campus also houses the University Government Pavilion, the University Auditorium and the Cánovas Theatre. Thus, El Ejido Campus forms an important space for knowledge and culture in the heart of the city.
Level of competitiveness
This exchange is only open to students studying a Modern Language in the School of the Arts.
For competitiveness level, please enquire with the STA Year Abroad team.
Language of Instruction
The language of instruction at UMA is Spanish, although some subjects are offered in English. A Spanish certificate is not required however UMA recommends that exchange students have at least a B1 level of Spanish (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).
See also the "Student Life and Experience" tab for information about the International Spanish Center (CIE) at UMA and the Spanish language learning support that is offered there.
Academic Calendar
- Semester 1: Early September - mid-February (including exam period)
- Semester 2: Mid-February - mid-July (including exam period)
Each faculty and school at UMA publishes their own academic calendar. It must be consulted in the specific website of the faculty to locate class start dates, schedules and exam dates.
The academic year runs from September/October to June (in some cases early July) with exams offered in February for first semester courses and finals in late June and early July for full-year and semester two courses which test cumulative knowledge of the entire course. Each term lasts 15 weeks, with an additional three or four weeks for exams.
Courses
English-taught courses are limited and therefore are in high demand. There is a limit of 25 exchange students per course and UMA cannot guarantee that courses taught in English will be available for every exchange student.
Students spend 20-25 hours in lectures each week.
Restrictions to note:
Each faculty reserves the right to restrict courses for exchange students with the intention of guaranteeing a better academic assistance and security to students.
Once admitted to UMA students will have to choose 50% of their courses in their main faculty or school where they have been nominated. When enrolling in other courses, students should research other faculty restrictions as mobility students may NOT enrol for subjects at the Faculty of Fine Arts or at the School of Architecture if said faculty is not their main school.
Credits
Students must enrol on a full courseload equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits per semester / 120 for a full academic year. UC3M follows the ECTS credit system, where 1 Queen Mary credit = 0.5 ECTS. Therefore a full courseload at UC3M is 30 ECTS per semester / 60 ECTS for a full academic year.
Students typically take five subjects per semester.
Grading
UMA uses a grading system based on attainment levels, rather than a numerical scale. The grades are:
- MATRÍCULA DE HONOR (MH): Distinction (rarely given)
- SOBRESALIENTE (SOB): Excellent
- NOTABLE (NOT): Very Good
- APROBADO (APR): Satisfactory
- SUSPENSO (SUS): Fail
- NO PRESENTADO (N.P.): Absent from exam
Find out more about Queen Mary’s credit transfer and grade conversion process.
UMA's landing page for incoming exchange students
Accommodation
UMA does not provide accommodation for students however; they offer accommodation support and guidance via a dedicated webpage for finding suitable housing through various resources. This includes the International Hub, the Accommodation Service, and ESN Málaga, among others. Renting a room in a shared flat with other students is the most popular housing option for international students in Málaga. It's important to keep in mind that while there are many flats available for rent, they are in high demand during September and February.
The Accommodation Service UMA aims to facilitate the search for rental housing through this online platform. All procedures are completely free of charge, both for students seeking accommodation and for property owners offering their homes to the university community.
Cost of living
You can find general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Málaga here.
While the cost of living is considerably lower than in London and also than in Spain's capital of Madrid, bear in mind that living expenses can vary depending on individual lifestyle. Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Support services
UMA offers their students language support through the International Centre for Spanish (CIE). EL CIE (or the CIE) organises a voluntary Spanish course for international exchange students. They will contact international students directly by email in order to inform them about the enrolment procedure and requirements. The Office of Attention to Diversity aims at guiding and assisting the university community with specific needs for educational support due to disability. They carry out different programmes aimed at promoting equal opportunities and inclusion in the university environment. If you have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), you can request for an assessment with them to register for support during your time studying at UMA.
A welcome meeting for exchange students takes place at the start of every semester in order to provide all relevant and useful information about the main administrative and academic procedures, as well as inform about support services and other activities offered to exchange students. This takes place during the beginning of semester one and two in both an English and Spanish version. If you are not able to attend any informative meeting: you will be responsible for following the administrative instructions included in UMA’s Procedures Guide and reading all the informative emails from the International Relations Office.
Activities and Societies
The Buddy Program aims to help exchange students to adapt to life studying and living in Málaga by putting them in contact with a local student. Your buddy can help you before and during your stay as they offer advice on how to get started at university (enrolment, virtual campus), how to get around campus and town, give you recommendations about cultural and leisure activities in Málaga.
UMA has its own International Hub connecting UMA students from all over the world. They offer numerous organised activities each month such as language exchanges allowing students to practice languages alongside local students from UMA. The international hub also encourages students to partake in their free museum visits, for instance guided tours of Museao Picasso Málaga, where students can bond over their interest in Spanish art. As for the cultural heritage of Málaga, UMA also offers free guided tours for international and local students to explore the history and beauty of the Alcazaba Málaga. Other activities hosted by the international hub consist of basketball and football games, international food fairs etc.
There are several festivities held in Malága every year. The most famous ones are La Feria de Agosto (August Fair) and Semana Santa (Eastern) where the city is lively, fun and full of people. Other dates where there are celebrations in Malága are: las Fiestas de San Juan, la fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen, Carnaval and fairs.
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