Compass Afar

Madrid · study abroad

Compass Afar — your guide to studying abroad in Madrid

One app for getting to campus, finding a safe flat, and making your money last the semester.

Try the app Coming soon

Door to campus

Example route

  1. WalkFrom your door in Lavapiés
  2. L3MetroLavapiés to Sol
  3. C-4CercaníasSol to Las Margaritas-Universidad
  4. WalkTo the UC3M Getafe campus

In the app, your route starts at your own address and is planned from the official Metro and Cercanías timetables.

What it does today

Four things that are hard in your first month

  • Routes

    From your door to your campus

    Save your address and pick your campus. The app plans the trip by Metro and Cercanías from the official timetables and shows each line, change and walk. It also walks you through buying a Metro ticket.

  • Housing

    Check a flat before you pay

    Scam Check looks for red flags in a listing or a landlord’s messages. Lease Explainer turns a rental contract into plain English. Compare my room sets your rent against market prices for the area.

  • Budget

    Know what’s left this month

    Set an amount per week, month or semester and split it across rent, travel, entertainment and essentials. Costs you add to your calendar count against it, so you can see what’s left.

  • Events and emergencies

    Things to do, and a card for bad days

    Events around Madrid, including upcoming football and basketball fixtures, with the route there. The Emergency Card keeps 112, your embassy, your emergency contact and the nearest 24-hour hospital on one screen.

The app is new. Some housing listings and events are examples while real sources come online, and they are always labelled as examples.

Built by a UCEAP student at UC3M

I’m Luka, a UCEAP student at UC3M. When I moved to Madrid I had to work out the commute, the flat hunt and the budget from a dozen different places. Compass Afar is the app I wanted then, and I’m building it while I study here.

Luka Ritchley, founder

Supported universities

Five universities, eight campuses

  • UC3MUniversidad Carlos III de MadridGetafe, Leganés, Colmenarejo, Puerta de Toledo
  • UCMUniversidad Complutense de MadridCiudad Universitaria
  • UAMUniversidad Autónoma de MadridCantoblanco
  • IEIE UniversityMadrid campus
  • ComillasUniversidad Pontificia ComillasAlberto Aguilera

Contact

Questions, ideas, or something’s wrong?

Email me. It comes straight to my inbox.

lukaritchley@compassafar.com