Are you considering studying at the University of Valencia, or have you recently arrived from a non-Catalan-speaking area? In either case, you may want to know more about the language and culture you will find here. The University has two official languages: Catalan (known locally as valencià) and Spanish (often referred to as castellà). Both are used for academic and administrative purposes, as well as in daily life. Catalan is easy to understand and learn, especially if you already speak another Romance language, such as Italian, French, Portuguese, Romanian or Spanish. Catalan has around 9 million speakers and is the official language in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Country and Andorra. It is also spoken in Eastern Aragon and Alghero (Italy).
At the UV, approximately 46% of the lessons at bachelor’s level are taught in Catalan, 46% are taught in Spanish, and about 8% are taught in other languages. Students are entitled to use any of the official languages (Catalan and Spanish) when asking questions or writing assignments and exams. There are specific language requirements for incoming students in each degree.