[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":474},["Reactive",2],{"/checklist/student-starter-pack/":3},{"_path":4,"_dir":5,"_draft":6,"_partial":6,"_locale":7,"title":8,"description":9,"id":10,"date":11,"hidden":12,"listed":6,"robots":13,"readingTime":14,"body":19,"_type":469,"_id":470,"_source":471,"_file":472,"_extension":473},"/en/checklist/student-starter-pack","checklist",false,"","Your Malta Student Starter Pack","Your Malta Student Starter Pack: realistic monthly budget, school checklist, accommodation options and pre-flight essentials for your English stay in Malta.","checklist-student-starter-pack","2026-07-20",true,"noindex, follow",{"text":15,"minutes":16,"time":17,"words":18},"5 min read",4.745,284700,949,{"type":20,"children":21,"toc":461},"root",[22,30,37,51,53,179,192,198,203,266,272,277,308,337,343,421,427,456],{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":25,"children":26},"element","p",{},[27],{"type":28,"value":29},"text","Welcome, and thanks for confirming your email. I'm Vincent, I live in St Julian's, right in the middle of Malta's language-school cluster, and every June I watch tens of thousands of students arrive for the summer intake. This page is the condensed version of everything I tell people planning a study stay here, whether that's two weeks or a full year.",{"type":23,"tag":31,"props":32,"children":34},"h2",{"id":33},"realistic-monthly-budget",[35],{"type":28,"value":36},"Realistic monthly budget",{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":38,"children":39},{},[40,42,49],{"type":28,"value":41},"These are 2026 numbers from my full ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":44,"children":46},"a",{"href":45},"/everyday-life/cost-of-living-language-students-malta-guide/",[47],{"type":28,"value":48},"student cost guide",{"type":28,"value":50},", based on published school rate cards, not brochure optimism. For a standard course of 20 lessons per week, outside peak summer:",{"type":28,"value":52},"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n",{"type":23,"tag":54,"props":55,"children":56},"table",{},[57,76],{"type":23,"tag":58,"props":59,"children":60},"thead",{},[61],{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":63,"children":64},"tr",{},[65,71],{"type":23,"tag":66,"props":67,"children":68},"th",{},[69],{"type":28,"value":70},"Item",{"type":23,"tag":66,"props":72,"children":73},{},[74],{"type":28,"value":75},"Per month",{"type":23,"tag":77,"props":78,"children":79},"tbody",{},[80,94,107,120,133,146,159],{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":81,"children":82},{},[83,89],{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":85,"children":86},"td",{},[87],{"type":28,"value":88},"General English course (20 lessons/week)",{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":90,"children":91},{},[92],{"type":28,"value":93},"€700-940",{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":95,"children":96},{},[97,102],{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":98,"children":99},{},[100],{"type":28,"value":101},"Housing, pick one row: school shared apartment",{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":103,"children":104},{},[105],{"type":28,"value":106},"€800-1,100",{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":108,"children":109},{},[110,115],{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":111,"children":112},{},[113],{"type":28,"value":114},"Housing, pick one row: own room in a shared flat (long stays, Gzira/Msida)",{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":116,"children":117},{},[118],{"type":28,"value":119},"€450-600",{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":121,"children":122},{},[123,128],{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":124,"children":125},{},[126],{"type":28,"value":127},"Living costs (food cooking most meals, eating out 2-3 times a week, nights out, misc)",{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":129,"children":130},{},[131],{"type":28,"value":132},"€600-1,000",{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":134,"children":135},{},[136,141],{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":137,"children":138},{},[139],{"type":28,"value":140},"Buses",{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":142,"children":143},{},[144],{"type":28,"value":145},"Free on the student Tallinja card (courses over 3 months), otherwise €25 per 7-day pass",{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":147,"children":148},{},[149,154],{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":150,"children":151},{},[152],{"type":28,"value":153},"Prepaid SIM",{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":155,"children":156},{},[157],{"type":28,"value":158},"€10-20",{"type":23,"tag":62,"props":160,"children":161},{},[162,171],{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":163,"children":164},{},[165],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":167,"children":168},"strong",{},[169],{"type":28,"value":170},"All-in total, one month",{"type":23,"tag":84,"props":172,"children":173},{},[174],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":175,"children":176},{},[177],{"type":28,"value":178},"€2,100-3,100",{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":180,"children":181},{},[182,184,190],{"type":28,"value":183},"Two things move that total. First, season: from late June to the end of August most schools add around €50 per week to courses and accommodation hits its top band, so add roughly €100-200 per month for peak summer. Second, housing: past about six weeks, renting your own room instead of school accommodation saves €400-700 a month, the single biggest lever in a long-stay budget. If you want to model your own numbers, the same data powers the free ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":185,"children":187},{"href":186},"/tools/cost-of-living-calculator/",[188],{"type":28,"value":189},"cost of living calculator",{"type":28,"value":191},".",{"type":23,"tag":31,"props":193,"children":195},{"id":194},"choosing-your-school",[196],{"type":28,"value":197},"Choosing your school",{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":199,"children":200},{},[201],{"type":28,"value":202},"The industry here is regulated and pricing is mostly public, so a short list of questions separates the good schools from the rest:",{"type":23,"tag":204,"props":205,"children":206},"ul",{},[207,218,228,246,256],{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":209,"children":210},"li",{},[211,216],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":212,"children":213},{},[214],{"type":28,"value":215},"Check",{"type":28,"value":217}," the school is licensed by the ELT Council, Malta's government regulator. If it isn't on the list, walk away. For non-EU students this matters doubly, because your visa depends on an acceptance letter from a licensed school. FELTOM membership is a good extra signal.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":219,"children":220},{},[221,226],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":222,"children":223},{},[224],{"type":28,"value":225},"Ask",{"type":28,"value":227}," about class size caps and nationality mix. The big brands and the boutique schools cost about the same, so pick on these instead of price: a class where everyone shares your native language defeats the purpose of flying here.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":229,"children":230},{},[231,236,238,244],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":232,"children":233},{},[234],{"type":28,"value":235},"Compare",{"type":28,"value":237}," final invoices, not per-week headlines. Registration fees (up to €84 at some schools), course materials, transfers and summer supplements can put €300 between two schools quoting the same weekly rate on a one-month booking. The ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":239,"children":241},{"href":240},"/everyday-life/best-english-language-schools-malta/",[242],{"type":28,"value":243},"ranking of all 32 licensed schools",{"type":28,"value":245}," lists each school's published price, fees and Google rating side by side.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":247,"children":248},{},[249,254],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":250,"children":251},{},[252],{"type":28,"value":253},"Book",{"type":28,"value":255}," the full duration up front if you know it. Per-week rates on a 12-week booking typically run 10-15% below the two-week rate.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":257,"children":258},{},[259,264],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":260,"children":261},{},[262],{"type":28,"value":263},"Think",{"type":28,"value":265}," about location. Most schools sit in the Sliema/St Julian's cluster, close to everything including the nightlife. Living in Gzira or Msida, a 10-20 minute walk away, is noticeably cheaper with good bus connections.",{"type":23,"tag":31,"props":267,"children":269},{"id":268},"where-to-stay",[270],{"type":28,"value":271},"Where to stay",{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":273,"children":274},{},[275],{"type":28,"value":276},"For stays under about six weeks, book through the school: you won't beat their rates with a private short let priced for tourists. The honest trade-offs between the three options:",{"type":23,"tag":204,"props":278,"children":279},{},[280,290,299],{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":281,"children":282},{},[283,288],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":284,"children":285},{},[286],{"type":28,"value":287},"Choose",{"type":28,"value":289}," a shared school apartment for the best value (€195-280 per week for a twin outside summer). You don't pick your flatmates, which is the gamble.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":291,"children":292},{},[293,297],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":294,"children":295},{},[296],{"type":28,"value":287},{"type":28,"value":298}," a host family for immersion. Meals are usually included, which quietly cancels most of the price difference, and you'll speak more English at a Maltese dinner table in a week than in a month of student flats.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":300,"children":301},{},[302,306],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":303,"children":304},{},[305],{"type":28,"value":287},{"type":28,"value":307}," a student residence if you want the zero-thought, all-inclusive option with a built-in social scene. You pay for the convenience.",{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":309,"children":310},{},[311,313,319,321,327,329,335],{"type":28,"value":312},"Staying two months or more? Book two weeks of school housing to land softly, then flat-hunt in person: a private room in Gzira or Msida runs €450-600 a month, utilities included. Never send a deposit for a flat you haven't physically seen. The ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":314,"children":316},{"href":315},"/housing/student-accommodation-malta-guide/",[317],{"type":28,"value":318},"student accommodation guide",{"type":28,"value":320}," compares every option side by side, my ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":322,"children":324},{"href":323},"/housing/where-to-live/",[325],{"type":28,"value":326},"where to live guide",{"type":28,"value":328}," breaks down every zone, and the ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":330,"children":332},{"href":331},"/housing/renting-in-malta-complete-guide/",[333],{"type":28,"value":334},"renting guide",{"type":28,"value":336}," covers contracts and deposits.",{"type":23,"tag":31,"props":338,"children":340},{"id":339},"before-you-fly",[341],{"type":28,"value":342},"Before you fly",{"type":23,"tag":204,"props":344,"children":345},{},[346,356,366,376,394,411],{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":347,"children":348},{},[349,354],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":350,"children":351},{},[352],{"type":28,"value":353},"Sort",{"type":28,"value":355}," health insurance. EU students travel free on the EHIC; non-EU students need a visa-compliant policy, around €30-50 a month.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":357,"children":358},{},[359,364],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":360,"children":361},{},[362],{"type":28,"value":363},"Start",{"type":28,"value":365}," visa paperwork at least three months out if you're non-EU and staying over 90 days. The long-stay D visa costs around €60 for adults, plus service charges.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":367,"children":368},{},[369,374],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":370,"children":371},{},[372],{"type":28,"value":373},"Expect",{"type":28,"value":375}," the school's airport transfer on your invoice if you booked their accommodation. Most schools make it mandatory: around €25 one way, €45 return.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":377,"children":378},{},[379,384,386,392],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":380,"children":381},{},[382],{"type":28,"value":383},"Plan",{"type":28,"value":385}," to buy a prepaid SIM in your first week, from a provider shop in Sliema or St Julian's, not the airport. Starter packs cost €5-15 and top-up plans in the €10-20 range carry plenty of data. My ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":387,"children":389},{"href":388},"/everyday-life/telephone-internet-providers/",[390],{"type":28,"value":391},"phone and internet guide",{"type":28,"value":393}," compares the three providers.",{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":395,"children":396},{},[397,402,404,410],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":398,"children":399},{},[400],{"type":28,"value":401},"Apply",{"type":28,"value":403}," for the personalised Tallinja card as soon as you arrive if your course runs over three months: buses become free, though the card takes a couple of weeks to be issued. Fares and every other way around the island are in the ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":405,"children":407},{"href":406},"/everyday-life/malta-gozo-transportation-complete-guide/",[408],{"type":28,"value":409},"transport guide",{"type":28,"value":191},{"type":23,"tag":208,"props":412,"children":413},{},[414,419],{"type":23,"tag":166,"props":415,"children":416},{},[417],{"type":28,"value":418},"Bring",{"type":28,"value":420}," or budget for a €25 filter jug. Tap water is safe but tastes of the desalination plant, and the jug pays for itself inside a month versus bottled.",{"type":23,"tag":31,"props":422,"children":424},{"id":423},"the-social-side",[425],{"type":28,"value":426},"The social side",{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":428,"children":429},{},[430,432,438,440,446,448,454],{"type":28,"value":431},"Malta's nightlife is famously accessible: legal drinking age 17, free entry to most clubs, and that accessibility is exactly how €50 nights happen three times a week. The students who survive financially treat ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":433,"children":435},{"href":434},"/tourism/paceville-malta-party-guide/",[436],{"type":28,"value":437},"Paceville",{"type":28,"value":439}," as a weekly treat and pre-drink at the flat. The full survival manual, including getting home at 4am without a surge-priced ride, is my ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":441,"children":443},{"href":442},"/residence/malta-party-guide-expats/",[444],{"type":28,"value":445},"Malta party guide",{"type":28,"value":447},", and if you're choosing your dates, the ",{"type":23,"tag":43,"props":449,"children":451},{"href":450},"/tourism/malta-nightlife-by-month/",[452],{"type":28,"value":453},"nightlife by month guide",{"type":28,"value":455}," tells you what the island actually feels like when you land. For what it's worth, May to early June and September are the sweet spots: summer weather, shoulder-season prices, schools lively without being overrun.",{"type":23,"tag":24,"props":457,"children":458},{},[459],{"type":28,"value":460},"I'll send occasional updates by email when prices or rules change here. Got a question about your stay? Just reply to any of my emails, I read them all.",{"title":7,"searchDepth":462,"depth":462,"links":463},2,[464,465,466,467,468],{"id":33,"depth":462,"text":36},{"id":194,"depth":462,"text":197},{"id":268,"depth":462,"text":271},{"id":339,"depth":462,"text":342},{"id":423,"depth":462,"text":426},"markdown","content:en:checklist:student-starter-pack.md","content","en/checklist/student-starter-pack.md","md",1784747125499]