NEW DORM-AL

Increase in Spanish students moving away to university causes the dorm industry to boom in Spain

BRITISH expats who lived in Spain before the end of 2020 can get student support and cheaper fees if they start a university course or other further education in the UK before 2028.

They will be protected by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and able to get home fees status as well as student loan support, the UK authorities have confirmed to the Olive Press

While this can vary depending on the region, this applies to all children holding British passports who were born in the EU and UK nationals that moved to Spain.

“UK Nationals have the same rights to access schools as other UK residents,” a spokesman for the British Embassy told the Olive Press

“My understanding is they will have access to Student Finance, but I would direct readers to the gov.uk links as they will be kept up to date,” she added. Further Education 19+ and apprenticeship funding is also available.

There is more information for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the Studying in the UK section of https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-europe

THIS year The American College in Spain (ACS) celebrates its 10th anniversary since it was founded in 2013. ACS offers fully accredited American education, both for high school and university. Students can obtain a high school diploma in association with Mizzou Academy of the University of Missouri, which is accepted by all universities in the US and Europe that follow the American curriculum. Andreah is a typical teenager, who grew up in Marbella like many residents of the Costa del Sol. At the age of 16, she enrolled in the High School program at The American College in Spain. After two years, she graduated and obtained a fully accredited high school diploma. At that point in time, her parents decided she was not yet ready to move away from Marbella to start her university studies.

The American College in Spain, accredited by the educational authorities of the State of Florida, also offers a 2+2 university program whereby students can complete their first two years of university studies in Marbella. On completion of these two years, students may transfer to any university in the United States or other universities in Europe (recognized by the US Federal Government)

FOR the 50% of Brits who go to university or college moving into a damp, cold, shared flat with strangers has become something of a rite of passage. Many discover the endless washing up and how much toilet paper and energy bills cost.

For Spaniards, this is a relatively uncommon experience with only around 17% of students leaving their region to study. Most students live at home or with grandparents, which perhaps explains how there are only 100,000 student beds in dorms versus 1.6 million students in Spanish universities. Recently, Spanish students have realised the benefits of moving away to study causing a surge in demand for student housing. Spain's popularity for Erasmus students has also influenced the demand, along with Latin American students.

In Malaga, the number of student housing beds rose almost 50% over the past year, according to a recent study by JLL, a real estate services company. The boom of dorm beds really took off during the pandemic, with investments reaching €140 million in the first part of 2021, up a whopping 140% from the year before.

The dorm industry in Spain escaped the economic impact of the pan -