“In Seville I would have to easily pay ten times more for what costs me 60 euros a month here.” It is told by Juan Tenorio, one of the students who stays in a residence of the Seville Provincial Council for students from the towns of the province. For him, who lives off his scholarship and does not have financial support from his parents, residency is the only viable option to continue his studies. “There’s no way I could afford a flat in Seville,” he says.
Because renting a student room in the city of Seville has become a real odyssey, with an average price of rooms that exceeds 280 euros, according to two of the most used platforms in searching for an apartment, Milanuncios and Idealista, or the 300 when it comes to real estate agency flats. Given this increase in rental prices, the four public residences of the Seville Provincial Council are presented as an alternative whose demand has skyrocketed in the last year. Its affordable prices, adapted to the student’s family income, have caused them to go from having vacant places to waiting lists. This 2024/2025 academic year, the Provincial Council accommodation welcomes 545 students from the province of Seville, distributed between the Blanco White Educational Complex (where the Alexander, Tartessos and Sevilla Activa residences are located) and the Pino Montano Educational Complex.
The objective of these housing alternatives is to offer a “comprehensive solution to young people,” the Provincial Council explains, since in addition to accommodation, they provide dining services, Wi-Fi and free access to the various sports facilities in the complexes. The price range of the fees oscillates between 67.64 euros for students with lower incomes and 202.64 euros for those who have families with greater purchasing power.
A bet of decades
The Blanco White Educational Complex and the Pino Montano Educational Complex have a long tradition of serving the young people of the province of Seville. The first, located in the old Virgen de los Reyes Secondary Education Institute, began in 1948 as a vocational training center and over time it has been adapted to accommodate secondary and higher education students.
For its part, the Pino Montano Educational Complex, which opened its doors in 1973 with a socio-educational function aimed at children in vulnerable situations, was transformed into a university residence in the early 90s. Currently, this complex offers 250 places in rooms singles, doubles, triples and quadruples, with an offer of activities and services, such as a dining room, television room and library.
Students who live in these residences opt for them, above all, because of the relationship between quality and price. For Ragnar, a resident of the Blanco White Complex, the residence is much more than just a place to sleep: “I chose Blanco White for three reasons: it is affordable, it is well located and it offers a lot for what you pay.” Ragnar, who has lived in the residence for six years, explains that room prices are considerably lower than in the private rental market. “I pay 90 euros a month, but at the beginning when the taxes weren’t there, I paid 180. In any other place, for what you pay here, you couldn’t even rent a room.”
For his part, Roberto, a student at the Blanco White Complex, highlights the student atmosphere of the residence as an important advantage when it comes to focusing on studies: “Here we are surrounded by other students, which helps us concentrate and maintain the academic pace.” .
Services and amenities for students
The residences are not only affordable, but they also provide a set of services that allow students to concentrate on their studies. Among the most valued by residents are free access to sports facilities and the dining room. Ragnar comments: “Many times we complain, but we are not aware of what the residence offers. For example, you have a well-equipped common room, with a kitchen, dining room, large refrigerator, etc.”
Roberto also emphasizes that the price includes additional services that would be an extra cost in a private apartment, such as maintenance of the facilities. Although he acknowledges that some aspects of the residences could be improved, such as the heating system or the speed of maintenance, he concludes that the balance between the price and what you receive is unbeatable: “For 90 euros per month, you have everything essential to live and study, which is unthinkable in a private apartment.”
Access requirements
Access to the Provincial Council’s residences is regulated by a public call, which evaluates applications according to socioeconomic and academic criteria. Students must meet certain requirements, such as having their family residence in a municipality in the province of Seville and being enrolled in high school studies, intermediate or higher level training cycles, or university studies.
Places are awarded based on a scale that takes into account family income, assets and socio-family conditions. Aspects such as the distance from the family home to Seville capital and academic performance are also assessed. Students with greater financial difficulties, such as those who belong to large or single-parent families, have priority in the selection process.
The role of the educational team
Beli, an educator at the Tartessos and Vicente Aleixandre residences, emphasizes the importance of her work with the students: “My work with the residents is absorbing, I become their support from Monday to Friday. I invest a lot of time in getting to know them in depth, addressing their needs and, in some cases, understanding their socio-family problems.”
The families, according to Beli, also highly value this support: “They know that there is a 24-hour educational staff that takes care of the residents in all aspects, which gives them a lot of peace of mind.” Although Beli admits that the residences could improve in some aspects, such as furniture or certain facilities, he points out that “recent improvements have been made, such as the installation of new air conditioning systems.”
Demand grows
The demand for these residences has increased considerably in recent years, in parallel with the increase in rental prices in Seville. Tenorio, who has been at Blanco White for several years, assures that word of mouth has played an important role in the growth of requests: “At first we were few, but every year more people in the towns begin to see that it is a profitable option . Two come, and the following year they bring their friends.”
The growing number of applications has generated waiting lists in both residences, which previously had vacant places. The main reason behind this increase, according to Ragnar, is clear: “The real estate market has become unaffordable for most students, while residences offer a much lower price and greater stability.”
Although the residences offer an affordable housing solution, residents agree that some aspects need improvement. Among the most common complaints is the slowness in maintenance of the facilities. Ragnar highlights that, although the general condition of the floors is good, “if they were better maintained, everything would be perfect. “I would be willing to pay a little more if it meant conditions improved.”
However, the Seville Provincial Council has begun to implement some improvements, such as the installation of new air conditioning systems and the modernization of study rooms and libraries. “They are updating many services, and although it has taken time, in the end they are improving things,” says Roberto.
The public residences of the Provincial Council of Seville have proven to be an accessible option with sufficient resources to meet the growing demand for student housing in the city. Although they are not without challenges, the balance between their price and the services they offer makes them an option that students describe as “unbeatable.”
#Public #residences #university #students #solution #housing #problem #euros #month #place
