FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A trip to southern Spain can raise many questions. Take a look at our most frequently asked questions. Here are both questions that you can think of or have during your internship. Is your question not listed? Then contact us!
Before your internship starts.
Wi-Fi is generally available in all apartments. If this is not the case, you will know this before the start of your internship and we will send you a detailed explanation of how you can still have WiFi at home. So you can still enjoy unlimited Netflix.
The average rent for a room is around €525. The rental price for an apartment starts from €1000 per month (for 1 person) excluding gas, water, electricity and WiFi. Of course you save costs when you share a living space with several people. Host family costs start from €600 per month. This depends on half or full board.
It is not usual for a heater to be present. Air conditioning is more common, but still a luxury.
YES! Many students are mistaken in this and are therefore obliged to go shopping here. Because of this, they have to look for sweaters and a winter coat. In winter it is sometimes around 6.5 degrees at night and early in the morning and in the afternoon it can be 22 degrees. A big temperature difference!
The temperature differences between day and night are greater in the south of Spain than in the Netherlands. For example, in winter it is around 20 degrees in the afternoon on a beautiful day and 5 degrees early in the morning. High summer, however, is a different story. By the end of the afternoon it can be around 40 degrees and at night it does not get colder than 30 degrees.
Yes! You do need permission from one of your parents/guardians beforehand. For the search and the final internship contracts, we also need a signature from parents/guardians.
We offer internships for almost all fields of study. If it is not possible to find an internship for your direction, we will let you know during the intake interview.
The expenses during your internship will depend very much on your situation and your way of living, you can make it as expensive or cheap as you want.
We have done a small research into the monthly expenses of the interns who do an internship in Spain. We have divided these into three categories. If you know yourself that you spend little, the category ‘low’ probably best corresponds to your spending pattern. Look at the category ‘high’ if you know yourself that you spend a lot of money. Keep in mind that there is inflation and the costs may ultimately be higher.
That’s possible. This will be discussed during the intake interview. We will always ask you if you are also open to living in a different city/village than your friend or classmate for a possible better internship. Usually we can meet the wishes, but in some cases that is difficult. In any case, we take it into account as much as possible and discuss this with you. 9 out of 10 times it will not be a problem to place you and your classmate together in 1 house.
In Spain, it is not self-evident to receive internship compensation. The unemployment rate in southern Spain is high, so to get a paid job at all, it is a requirement that you already have work experience. If you receive an internship allowance, this can be in the form of travel allowance, language lessons or, for example, participation in excursions.
The moment you stay in Spain for more than 3 months, the Spanish government wants you to apply for a temporary residence permit so that it knows how many people are in Spain in total. If you are arrested once or you have to file a report and they find out that you have been staying here for more than 3 months, and you cannot prove an NIE number, there is a chance that they will do difficult. So do you want to play it safe? Then apply for your NIE number!
Bring clothes (for both hot and cold temperatures), sportswear, your laptop + USBs, passport, important documents and medicines. Also bring good sneakers, in general you walk a lot more here than in the Netherlands! Before departure, we will also send you a handy packing list.
We have asked the Joho foundation to do an insurance check with all our students. Joho supports people who will (temporarily) stay abroad with all kinds of things that need to be arranged. They check on our behalf whether you have arranged the right insurances. For example, you need the basic health insurance, in some cases a liability insurance and so there are a number of things that are still needed. Every insurance company arranges this differently, so take your time. Sometimes you are insured from school, ask the internship agency.
Before you start your internship, research how to get into the workplace and make sure you know what the dress code is. If you are going to do an internship at a company where Spanish is the main language, it is of course wise to invest in your language skills before the start of your internship.
Malaga:
1. From the airport to Málaga center goes a train, train ticket costs € 1.80.
2. There is a bus (line A) that drops you off in the city (Calle Larios) for € 3.00.
3. A shared transfer via for example: https://city-airport-taxis.com/ this costs around € 12 per person.
4. You can take a taxi at the airport itself for max €25,-.
5. JongLeren.es can also arrange a transfer for you. This costs €45,- and you will be picked up from the airport and taken to the accommodation.
Marbella:
- To Marbella you can take a bus from the airport, this is a lot cheaper but difficult with all your luggage.
- Here you can book a bus from the bus station in Málaga to Marbella for about €7.50. Then you should first take the train / bus to the bus station of Málaga.
- Another option is to take a taxi, this costs about € 75,-.
You indicate to the landlord what time you will be at the apartment, the key handover will take place there. In some cases, it may happen that JongLeren.es inform you how the key handover will be. Please note, you are responsible for this yourself and it can sometimes go differently than mentioned above.
During your internship.
You can only apply for your NIE number in Spain at the Policia Nacional.
Note! Are you a minor? Then it’s a little different. For minors:
*Minor must be
present with one of the parents*Passport or identity card of minor and a copy thereof*Passport or identity card of parent and a copy thereof
*International extract from the Population Register, to prove relationship between minor and parent
The documents must be handed in personally.
Will you mainly travel by bus in Málaga city? Then you will find the information you need here.
For €1.40 you can buy a separate ticket on the bus. Make sure you have cash with you. Bus drivers are not obliged to give change for a note higher than €5,-, so make sure you have change. At various ‘estancos’ and ‘kioscos’ located throughout the city, you can buy a non-personalized (anonymous) bus ticket. This card costs around €2,-. You can then charge these in different ways:
- 10 rides (viajes) for €8,30
- 20 rides (viajes) for €16,60
- 30 rides (viajes) for €24,90
- One month (un mes) for €39,95
With a monthly subscription you can travel unlimited on all EMT buses in Málaga for 30 days.
*Please note prices are subject to change
Fun Facts
- With 10 trips you can take two different buses within an hour while it is counted as 1 ride.
- If you return the card to an ‘estanco’ or ‘kiosco’ at the end of your stay, you will receive the purchase amount of the card back.
You can request a train ticket at the ticket office at the train station. This is possible in Málaga at the train station at ‘Málaga Maria Zambrano’, in Torremolinos at the stop ‘Torremolinos’ and in Fuengirola at the final stop. In between there are more stops where you can also purchase this card.
The cost of the card is €2,- and you have to ask for the card: Renfe y Tú – No personalizada.
Are you going from Málaga to zone 1 or 2? Then the costs are €35,80 per month To zone 3 → €42,- per month To zone 4 → €60,85 per month To zone 5 → €75,-70 per month
The card can be used for 2 trips per day, which means for a round trip.
If you activate the subscription, you must use the card in the next 2 hours and the return journey on the same day.
Before you make the very first trip of the month, you need to activate the card and indicate what your fixed travel location will be. You can do this on the various map machines that are present at the stations. It is important that you always have the documents with you stating that you have purchased the card.
This card can be used for the train (cercanias). You do not get a discount on the trips, but can use it as a means of payment so that you do not have to buy tickets every time at the machine. If you use the train daily, the Renfe y Tú card is a cheaper option. With that card you pay € 0.60 instead of the normal price € 1.80.
The Consorcio card can be used for the bus, you pay € 0.97 per ride instead of € 1.55. In this card they call a ride ‘somersault’ (literally translated, a jump). Suppose you take the bus from Málaga to Benálmadena, you pay a ‘Salto’ per zone.
For this card you pay a one-time fee of € 1.80 and you can buy it at the various ‘Tabacos’ stores. At the end of your internship period you can also return this card there and you will receive the € 1.80 back.
With this card you can also use the EMT buses in Málaga and the white bicycles in the city. For the bus you pay € 0.97 instead. €1,30.
You top up this card with money, where the minimum amount is € 5. You can load this card at the ‘Tabacos’ and you only have to charge it when it is empty.
TIP Download the Consorcio Málaga application to find all stops, times and prices.
All the options for which you can use the Consorcio card:
- In the buses that run between the different cities that fall under the Metropolitana de Málaga area.
- In de stadsbussen van Málaga, Alhaurín de la Torre en Benálmadena.
- In lines 1 and 2 of the metro in Málaga
- For the Cercanias lines you can use it as a means of payment, you just don’t get a discount like with the Renfe y Tú card
- For the Málagabici, this is the white cycling plan in the city of Málaga.
- In the tourist bus in Málaga you get a discount.
- In the metro in Seville and Granada
- With all the services offered by Consorcio Andaluces.
Power outages are common in Spain. This may be due to the weather or because it is temporarily closed. First check the situation at home, maybe there has been a short circuit and the switch in the fuse box is down. Is it temporarily closed? Then see if there is a notification outside on the lampposts. Is this not the case? Then keep a close eye on when it has started and if it really takes a long time, contact the landlord.
Here, too, the water is sometimes shut off. It may be that they are busy in the street or that the switch below is off due to renovation or cleaning. Also keep a close eye on how long it takes, it takes a very long time, then turn on the landlord and do not pull through the toilet.
Good cleaning is number 1! Most of the buildings are a bit older and not tactically built. Consequence? (Faster) chance of pests. Do not leave plates and glasses, wash it immediately, close all packages tightly and put as much as possible in the refrigerator in the summer. Throw away the garbage every day or every two days and do not leave crumbs. Is it really bad? Report it to the landlord.
You will receive your deposit back at the end of your rental contract provided that everything is in the same condition as when it was delivered to you. Often the apartment is checked together with the landlord, if this is not the case, the landlord will do this after you leave. Is something broken on arrival at the apartment? Take a picture of it immediately and report it to the landlord, don’t wait too long!
Via ESN (Erasmus Student Network) you can apply for a card where you can use services that are offered cheaper for Erasmus students. They also offer options for sending packages.
Another option is to place a call in Dutch Facebook groups such as ‘Dutch & Flemish – Malaga city and province’.
No, here they clean with a broom and a mop. A vacuum cleaner is, just like an air conditioning / heating, a luxury.
This of course depends on how much you use, you shower for a long time, the air conditioning / heating is often on, then the costs quickly increase. Spaniards pay close attention to their energy consumption and it is also a lot more expensive here than in the Netherlands. Water costs the same as in the Netherlands. The electricity bill here also comes 9 times out of 10 every two months instead of per month.
A gas bottle costs between €20 and €25. Where can you get it? At a gas station, order them online or from the delivery people who are often outside in the morning on different streets.
First ask the landlord if he wants to close this. Is this not the case? At Yoigo you can request an extra SIM card and only contract internet on it. Put this SIM card in a smartphone and then put the smartphone on personal hotspot, so you can turn your phone into a router where you can connect your laptop and watch Netflix. For €30,- per month you already have internet. Please note that you cancel the subscription in the store before you leave!
Málaga South Experience (MSE) and Erasmus Student Network (ESN) regularly organise trips and outings; the perfect way to see more of Spain and meet new people. Are you not in Málaga but in, for example, Benalmádena or Marbella and do you want to join one of these trips? Contact them to see if they can pick you up in Marbella. It is the perfect way to see more of Spain and to meet new people. At MSE JongLeren.es students get a discount! Please contact us about how you can take advantage of this discount.
It is important to file a declaration immediately and to keep the papers of your declaration with you at all times.
Call the Dutch embassy in Madrid to request a new passport or ID. Very sometimes they come to Málaga and can take your passport with them. If not? Then you are obliged to go to Madrid and pick it up there. It is also possible to contact the airline you are flying back with and investigate whether they can do something for you. Some companies think along in a solution so that you do not need a passport / ID to come back.
In principle, you report the incident to the police station. In some places you can also go to the ‘Tourist Office’. Here you will be helped by a police officer who often also speaks a word of English.
When you fall ill, you should visit a doctor for a medical assessment. Also, consult with your internship supervisor to confirm if they have any specific procedures you need to follow. If the doctor determines that you are unable to work, they will issue a “parte de baja” (medical certificate). This medical certificate specifies the expected duration of your sick leave, providing clarity on how long you will be absent and what the expected recovery period is.
During the sick leave, you may need to return to the doctor for a check-up. The doctor can then decide to extend or terminate the “baja”. Any extension must be communicated to your employer.
At JongLeren, we offer basic coaching for students facing issues such as homesickness. Our doors are always open for support. If the problem escalates and requires more intensive guidance, students can avail themselves of paid coaching sessions to receive targeted assistance.
Is your question not listed?
Is your question not listed? Or do you have an urgent question? Please contact us via the contact page.
