Student housing near the UFV in Madrid: neighbourhoods, options and budgets

The Universidad Francisco de Vitoria (UFV) is not in Madrid itself: its campus is in Pozuelo de Alarcón, on the Pozuelo-Majadahonda road, north-west of the capital. To live near the UFV, you have three options: the university's Colegio Mayor, a home in Pozuelo or Majadahonda, a few minutes from the campus, or a room in a shared flat in Madrid, near one of the departure points of the buses that serve the university.

The choice comes down mostly to budget and commute. Pozuelo is an affluent municipality: it has the highest average gross income in Spain according to Europa Press (September 2026), and the town hall presents its own affordable rents as up to 40% cheaper than the local private market. In Madrid, a room in a shared flat costs €605 per month on average in the region in July 2026, according to the Fotocasa index cited by La Razón. The bus ride from Madrid takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on traffic.

This guide compares these options, the neighbourhoods to target by bus line, the budgets to plan for and the points to check before you sign.

Option 1: the UFV Colegio Mayor

The university offers its own Colegio Mayor. It is not a simple residence: it is a university centre with a programme of education and communal life, reserved for students admitted to the UFV. The application goes through the candidate portal, followed by an interview by video call of about thirty minutes.

• Rooms: single, or double for residents in later years, with a kitchenette and private bathroom. Electricity is billed separately.
• Services: weekly cleaning with a change of sheets and towels, dinners Monday to Friday and meals at the weekend, internet, 24-hour reception, paid laundry, access to the campus sports facilities.
• Listed prices: €1,325 per month from September to June in a single room, €1,080 in a double room, a deposit of €1,325 and a place reservation of €1,325 in the first year.
• House rules: back before midnight from Sunday to Thursday, separate room areas for women and men.

It is the simplest solution for a first year, especially if you are arriving from abroad, but also one of the most expensive. A scholarship from the Esther Koplowitz Foundation can help students on modest incomes. If you live in a colegio mayor in the Community of Madrid, you will need to register on the municipal register (empadronamiento) of its municipality to get the public transport card.

Option 2: living in Pozuelo or Majadahonda

Living next to the campus cuts the commute to a minimum: the public bus lines 650A and 650B connect Pozuelo, the UFV and Majadahonda. In return, the supply is mostly large apartments and rents are high. To give an order of magnitude, Pozuelo is launching 200 municipal affordable-rent homes, from €685 for a 50 m² one-bedroom to around €1,600 for 130 m², presented as up to 40% cheaper than the local private market. This programme is reserved for long-standing residents of Spanish nationality: it does not apply to students who are just arriving.

In Pozuelo and Majadahonda, sharing a large apartment with several people is often the only way to stay within a student budget.

Option 3: a shared flat in Madrid, near a direct line

This is the most common option. In Madrid, the rule is to choose your neighbourhood according to the buses that go to the UFV, more than the distance as the crow flies. According to the university's access page:

• Moncloa: departure point of the express public line 659 and of line 657, which goes through Pozuelo. The neighbourhood, a university one, is close to the Complutense.
• Plaza de Castilla: private UFV line, with a stop at the Arcos de la Vaguada, on the north side of the city.
• Avenida de América: private UFV line from the bus station exit.
• Alcorcón: private UFV line from the Alcorcón Central station, in the south-west.
• Aluche and Las Rozas: public lines 561, 561A and 561B.
• Boadilla del Monte: public line 565.

The journey time announced by the university is 20 to 40 minutes from Moncloa or Plaza de Castilla, and 25 to 40 minutes from Avenida de América or Alcorcón, depending on traffic. The private lines run on fixed schedules, concentrated in the morning and at the end of the day: check that they fit your timetable before choosing your neighbourhood. The university also offers a carpooling service reserved for its community, accessible from its app.