Dozens of students from Lleida, especially in Alt Urgell, are choosing the University of Andorra (UdA) because it is close to home. The campus in Sant Julià de Lòria is 14 kilometres from La Seu d'Urgell, which makes it a practical option for young people who might otherwise study at the University of Lleida or elsewhere in Catalonia and Spain.
That short distance can reduce spending on accommodation, daily travel, fuel and other living costs. According to UdA figures for the 2025-26 academic year, students from Spain are the largest foreign group at the university, with 63 enrolled, or 30.7% of the total. The university says the number of students from Lleida has been rising, with 54 enrolled last year, equal to 28.57% of the student body.
UdA also has a strong local base. The university says 123 students, or 60%, completed their previous studies in Andorra. There are also nine French students, 4.39%, and about ten students from other countries, 4.88%. The institution says its smaller size helps it offer more personal attention than larger universities.
Gaizka Marcianes, from La Seu d'Urgell and studying Nursing at UdA, said the university feels close and familiar. He said, “Here we are not just a number, we all know each other and they make us feel good.” Marcianes chose UdA after completing auxiliary nursing vocational training in Andorra and said he wanted to continue in a similar setting.
Thaïs Carreño, who lives in La Seu d'Urgell and has two children, also chose UdA because of access and family logistics. She said it would have been impossible for her to study in Lleida or Barcelona. Carreño studied Nursing and said the practical approach and the prospect of secure work were important factors. She was in class with three other students from Lleida, one from Valencia and one from Cordoba.
UdA says its programmes follow the European Higher Education Area framework and are grouped mainly into Nursing, Education, Computer Science and Business. It also offers virtual studies in Law, Communication, Humanities and Catalan. The university says its first-cycle degrees, known as Bachelors, carry 180 credits over three academic years. For graduates who want to work in Spain, qualifications must be homologated, which Carreño described as a long and expensive process.
