Flats, rooms and residences near the UP

Flats and rooms for students near the UP

The first thing you need to identify is which of their campuses you're going to attend, so that you can then choose the most convenient neighbourhood for you.

Where’s the University of Panama located?

It has two campuses in Panama City, as well as regional centres and several branches in other areas of the country. In this section, we focus on the campuses in the capital, which welcome the most international students every year.

Octavio Méndez Pereira Campus

Also known as the Central Campus or the University City, which is the institution’s most important one. It’s situated in El Cangrejo, a neighbourhood within the corregimiento of Bella Vista, which functions similarly to a district.

Most of UP’s faculties teach classes on this campus, including:

• Architecture and Design
• Agricultural Sciences
• Education Sciences
• Natural, Exact and Technological Sciences
• Communication Studies
• Law and Political Science
• Economics
• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Humanities
• Computer Science, Electronics and Communication
• Medicine
• Dentistry

Very close to this campus (and therefore also considered part of the University City) are the following faculties:

• Business Administration and Accounting
• Public Administration
• Education Sciences

The Octavio Méndez Pereira Campus also houses several university institutes and administrative offices.

Harmodio Arias Madrid Campus

This campus is located in the administrative district of Curundú, next to the Metropolitan Natural Park.

The faculties based here are:

• Psychology
• Fine Arts
• Veterinary Medicine
• Humanities (with the School of Physical Education)
• Engineering

This campus covers eleven hectares, and in addition to its classrooms, it has a distinctive auditorium called DOMO, gyms, sports tracks, a swimming pool, a cafeteria, and various other facilities.

Best neighbourhoods to live near the UP?

Below we list the areas most popular with students for living near the institution. The first thing we want to point out is that the Curundú area can be unsafe to live in, so students usually choose to live in more central neighbourhoods and commute to classes by public transport.

El Cangrejo

This neighbourhood is one of the top choices due to its proximity to the Octavio Méndez Pereira Campus of the University of Panama. In fact, the University City is located in this same neighbourhood, in the Bella Vista district. Furthermore, from here you can reach the Harmodio Arias Madrid Campus in less than half an hour by bus. It’s a safe and lively area, with cafés, restaurants, bars and inexpensive eateries that are ideal for students. It also has supermarkets, bookshops and green spaces, as well as good public transport links to the rest of the city.

Obarrio

Living in Obarrio, which is also part of the Bella Vista district, is ideal for those who want to be close to the Central Campus and have good bus connections to the Harmodio Arias Madrid Campus. It’s an area with shops, shopping centres and a variety of services, and in the evenings and at weekends it offers a lively social scene, with cafés, bars and restaurants.

El Carmen

El Carmen is a neighbourhood located close to El Cangrejo, so it’s very convenient to be near the Octavio Méndez Pereira Campus. You can reach the UP’s Campus in Curundú in about 30 minutes by bus, like the previous ones mentioned above. El Carmen is a mix of residential and commercial areas, with several local shops, cafés, and small restaurants that are ideal for student budgets.

Student residences near the UP

The option of living in student accommodation isn’t a common one in Panama City, since UP doesn’t have its own university residences and private alternatives are scarce.

Erasmus in the University of Panama

Here are some facts to keep in mind in order to make the most out of your exchange in the Panamanian university and your stay in the capital:

• Every year, the UP organises Student Week, with concerts, sporting activities, cultural fairs and competitions that fill the main campus with excitement. It’s an ideal event for meeting other students and having fun with friends.
• Events such as the International University Book Fair and the University Folk Festival are also held, where you can learn about Panamanian dance, music and cuisine. Ideal for learning more about the local culture!

FAQ about the University of Panama