Your first 30 days in Valencia: a survival guide
A day-by-day checklist for Erasmus+ and mobility students landing in Valencia: what to do on day one, in week one and inside the first month, how to spot the student-housing scams that catch first-timers, and what actually goes into your move-in budget.
Why the first month matters more than the semester
Most administrative friction in Valencia happens in the first 30 days, not later. Get the sequence right and the rest of your exchange runs on autopilot; get it wrong and you will be redoing paperwork mid-semester. This page is a companion to our Erasmus+ guide: it does not replace the detailed NIE process page, it tells you when each step belongs in your first month.
Day 1, Week 1, Month 1: the checklist
Tasks below are ordered by when they realistically fit, not by importance. Some, like a SIM card, are same-day; others, like the NIE appointment, need to be booked in week one even though the appointment itself lands weeks later.
Day 1
Get a local SIM card or activate an eSIM (prepaid plans are usually available with just a passport), locate the nearest pharmacy and supermarket to your accommodation, and confirm your landlord's or residence's Wi-Fi and emergency contact details.
Day 1 to 3
Book your cita previa (appointment) for the NIE process if you are a non-EU student, or for the Certificado de Registro if you are EU, EEA or Swiss. Appointments fill up fast, so book the moment you have an address. See our NIE guide for the full document list and process.
Week 1
Complete empadronamiento (padron registration) at your barrio's town hall or via sede.valencia.es once you have a signed rental contract. Most banks and phone contracts ask for this certificate.
Week 1 to 2
Open a Spanish bank account. Passport, proof of address and your university enrolment letter are usually enough; some banks will open a non-resident account before your NIE card is physically issued.
Week 2 to 3
Attend your NIE or Certificado de Registro appointment. Bring originals plus photocopies of every document the consulate or Oficina de Extranjeria listed.
Month 1
Get your transport pass sorted (the EMT Valencia bus network and Metrovalencia cover the university campuses), register with your university's international office for any orientation sessions, and confirm your healthcare access: EHIC for EU, EEA and Swiss students, or your private policy card otherwise.
How to spot a student housing scam in Valencia
Valencia's rental market moves fast during intake season, and scammers target exactly the students who cannot view a flat in person before arriving. A few rules cut out almost all of the risk.
Never pay a deposit or first month's rent before you have viewed the flat in person, or on a live video call with an agent or landlord whose identity you can verify (a real estate agency listing, a verified university-partnered residence, or a landlord you can independently confirm). Photos and a pre-recorded video are not a substitute for a live call.
- The landlord says they are abroad and cannot show the flat in person or on a live video call, only by exchanging photos or a pre-recorded video.
- Pressure to wire money the same day or within a few hours to secure the flat before someone else takes it.
- A price noticeably below the going rate for that neighborhood and season, especially during peak intake months in September and February.
- A request to pay by international wire transfer or an unusual payment method rather than a standard bank transfer or in-person handover.
- No written contract, or a contract that only arrives after you have already paid.
What actually goes into your move-in budget
The dossier your university or an agency hands you rarely spells out these costs in one place. None of the figures below are ValenciaMove prices. They are general Spanish tenancy-law facts and common-sense line items, not quotes.
Fianza (legal deposit)
Under Spanish tenancy law (LAU), the legal deposit for an unfurnished rental is one month's rent; furnished rentals commonly carry an additional negotiated deposit. Confirm the exact amount in your contract before signing.
Agency fees
Spanish law regulates who can be charged agency fees and how. Do not accept an upfront-only fee presented as non-negotiable without a written breakdown. If something feels off, ask for the fee structure in writing before paying anything.
First month's rent
Paid alongside the deposit when you sign, on top of any agency fee. Budget for the deposit and first month to land at the same time, since your grant may not have arrived yet.
Basic household setup
Linens, kitchenware and basic cleaning supplies if your flat is unfurnished or under-furnished. Costs vary a lot depending on what you bring versus buy locally; there is no single reliable total to quote here.
Michael's Insight
The mistake I see every intake season
MIKE TO SEED: ~80 words on the most common first-30-days mistake you see incoming students make - probably paying a deposit sight-unseen or booking the NIE appointment too late.
Sources
Official Spanish and Valencia town hall sources for the claims on this page.
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