Housing is a top priority and it helps to shape the student experience. We know this, which is why we’re proud to say that partcipants not only like their housing, but their reviews at GoOverseas helped us win a Community Choice Award for Housing for 2022.
General Housing Information
All housing locations are in central neighborhoods, with easy access to public transportation. We strive to put our students in housing that is near cafes, restaurants, supermarkets and pharmacies for convenience.
The types of housing vary by program location, and you may have 1 or 2 roommates in a shared accommodation with additional housemates. You will always be housed with students from your program. Housing in Europe is aesthetically different than housing in the United States and tends to look more historical. Generally our students stay in apartments, but there are three types of housing we use:
1. Apartments – Common areas shared by housemates, with shared bathrooms and twin or triple bedrooms.
2. Hotels – Shared rooms with a private bathroom, similar to hotels in the US
3. Student Residency – Common areas shared by all students in the program or housing site, and sleeping rooms shared by roommates.
No matter what your housing arrangement is, your city manager will be there to assist you and help you have a positive program experience.
Past Housing Examples
Genoa, Italy: Hotel Nologo – Comfortable shared twin rooms with a shared bathroom – a hotel-style accommodation.
Manresa, Spain: Apartamentos Manresa – Apartment-style housing shared with other students in the program, sleeping arrangements included shared twin rooms. Common areas shared by housemates: living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, washing machine.
Zagreb, Croatia: Villa Antunovac – Comfortable villas with shared twin rooms and a shared bathroom – a hotel-style accommodation.
Coimbra, Portugal: CSI Coimbra Club & Guest House – College Students Internacional – A student residency with shared twin rooms and a shared bathroom. Common areas shared by all students in the program include kitchen, terrace and laundry room (coin operated).
*Note: These are representative examples of past student housing, and may not be the housing for future program seasons, even if you are traveling to those locations. Final housing accommodations will be shared with students prior to arrival. Not all sites listed above are currently available.
Amenity Expectations in Europe
Across Europe, amenities work differently than they do in the US. These differences are part of the cultural immersion that our students will experience while abroad. Here are some key examples:
In most places, the air conditioning and heating is not central, and in some housing units the heat/AC is only turned on between certain dates and/or during certain hours.
Buildings have fewer kilowatts of power in Spain, so using more than one heating appliance (iron, hair dryer, toaster) at a time could blow a fuse.
Most buildings across Europe do not have unlimited hot water (the hot water tends to last for a maximum of two consecutive, non-leisurely showers)
In many places, WiFi doesn’t run as fast as it does in the US, so you should expect a slower internet connection.
Not all housing units will have a washer/dryer. Some may have an all-in-one machine, some may just have a washer, or you may need to use a local laundromat.
We want our program participants to feel comfortable and safe in their housing so that they can focus on what they are really abroad for – the shadowing experience and the cultural immersion. Final housing locations will be shared with students prior to their arrival at the program.
Note that for cities outside of the U.S. and outside Europe, these principles generally apply.