Study in Vitoria, Spain

About Vitoria

Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the province of Álava (Araba) and the seat of the Basque Parliament and Government, in northern Spain. It had 260,699 inhabitants on 1 January 2025 according to the official municipal register figures published by the National Statistics Institute (INE). For students it is a mid-sized, green city with its university campus right in the centre and inexpensive public transport for young people.

Students come to Vitoria-Gasteiz mainly for degrees at the Álava campus of the public Basque university. Spanish and Basque (euskera) are both official languages in the Basque Country, and you will hear and read both in daily life.

Studying in Vitoria-Gasteiz

Our directory lists 2 active schools in Vitoria-Gasteiz: a university campus and a primary and secondary school. The Campus de Álava of the Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (EHU) is, in the university's own words, a healthy and sustainable campus in a green setting in the centre of the city. Its own centres are:

• the Escuela de Ingeniería de Vitoria-Gasteiz
• the Faculty of Economics and Business
• the Faculty of Education and Sport
• the Faculty of Pharmacy
• the Faculty of Arts (Letras)
• the Faculty of Labour Relations and Social Work
• a teaching unit of Medicine

Affiliated centres in the city include a university school of nursing. The EHU has two more campuses, in Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa. In September 2026 it welcomed international and exchange students for the 2026-27 academic year, 137 of them on the Álava campus, according to the university. The EHU states that it offers numerous master's degrees in English, and its International Welcome Centre (IWC) helps international students; the Álava campus also announced free Basque courses for the 2026-27 academic year. For families, the Colegio Sagrado Corazón (Corazonistas) teaches from age 1 to Bachillerato and runs exchanges abroad and Erasmus+ projects.

There are no Spanish language schools in Vitoria-Gasteiz in our directory at the moment, so students who need an intensive Spanish course before their degree may want to take it in another Spanish city first.

Cost of living for students

Rent is the largest expense. We found no official figure for student rents in the city, so compare student residences and shared flats before you arrive. Public transport is cheap for young people. According to the city council's fare page (updated 29 December 2025), a single bus ticket on Tuvisa city buses costs €1.40, or €0.36 with a BAT, Barik or Mugi transport card. Young people under 26 can buy the Bono 30D Gaztea for €12.75, which gives unlimited bus travel for 30 days, including the Gautxori night buses. With the BAT card you have 50 minutes to change between bus lines for free.

Getting around and daily life

The centre is compact and easy to explore on foot, and Tuvisa buses and the Euskotren tram connect the neighbourhoods with the centre. Renfe runs long-distance trains between Madrid Chamartín - Clara Campoamor and Vitoria-Gasteiz. Vitoria airport is small; La Unión buses link it with the city in about 15 minutes to the bus station and 30 minutes to the centre, according to Aena.

Vitoria-Gasteiz has cold winters and mild summers. At the AEMET Foronda-Txokiza station in the municipality (normals for 1981-2010), the average temperature is 4.9 °C in January, with average lows of 1.2 °C, and 19.0 °C in July, when average highs reach 25.7 °C. Average annual rainfall is 742 mm, spread through autumn, winter and spring.

Frequently asked questions

Which university is in Vitoria-Gasteiz?

The public Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (EHU) has its Campus de Álava in the city centre, with faculties of economics and business, education and sport, pharmacy, arts, and labour relations and social work, plus an engineering school.

Are classes taught in Spanish or Basque?

Spanish and Basque are both official languages in the Basque Country, and the EHU states that it also offers numerous master's degrees in English. Check the language of instruction of each programme before you apply.

How much is public transport for students in Vitoria-Gasteiz?

Young people under 26 pay €12.75 for the Bono 30D Gaztea, valid for unlimited bus travel for 30 days. A single trip with a BAT card costs €0.36.

What is the weather like in Vitoria-Gasteiz?

Winters are cold, with an average of 4.9 °C in January, and summers are mild, with an average of 19.0 °C in July (AEMET, 1981-2010).