Short answer: this MeetNow Malta students guide shows how university, college and English-language-school students can use MeetNow to meet people in person on a student budget. You join plans other people post at public places, or post your own, and every plan states who pays: host pays, split, pay your own or free. Free walks, beach mornings, pay-your-own coffees and split-the-bill dinners make it easy to meet people without spending much. MeetNow is live on the web at app.trymeetnow.com, starting in Malta, with the iPhone and Android apps coming soon.
Malta has a lively student population: local and international students at the University of Malta and MCAST, Erasmus students, and many people who come for a few weeks or months to study English. Lectures and classes introduce you to people, but turning classmates into friends, or meeting anyone outside your course, takes a little more effort. This guide explains how MeetNow fits student life, with plan ideas that cost little or nothing.
How MeetNow works for students in Malta
- A host posts a plan at a real public place, with the date, time, number of seats and who pays.
- People ask to join with a short note.
- The host accepts or declines each request, and can limit who can join, for example by gender or age range.
- Accepted guests get a group chat to sort out the details.
- Afterwards, both sides confirm “we met”, which builds each person’s track record.
It is plans, not profiles: you do not swipe through people, you pick something to do. For students, that means you can meet people outside your course or school, around something you actually enjoy. The full overview is in our guide to MeetNow as an app to meet people in Malta.
Low-cost plan ideas for students
The best student plans are cheap, close to where students live, and easy to fit around lectures or classes:
| Plan | Typical cost | Who pays | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study session at a café, then a coffee break together | The price of a coffee | Pay your own | 3 to 5 |
| Sunset walk along the seafront or the bastions | Nothing | Free | 3 to 6 |
| Morning run or walk | Nothing | Free | 2 to 5 |
| Beach morning in the season | Nothing, plus snacks | Free or pay your own | 3 to 6 |
| Pastizzi and a chat | A few euros | Pay your own | 3 to 5 |
| Group dinner at a budget restaurant | A set budget per person | Split or pay your own | 4 to 6 |
| Board games at a café | A drink each | Pay your own | 4 to 6 |
If you like running, read how to find a running buddy in Malta; if coffee is more your speed, see meeting new people for coffee in Malta.
Who pays on a student budget
MeetNow’s four who-pays options are especially useful when money is tight, because you know the cost before you ask to join:
- Free: walks, runs, beach mornings, picnics where everyone brings their own food.
- Pay your own: coffees, drinks and casual food, where each person orders and pays for what they have.
- Split: shared costs like a court booking or a table of sharing plates. Mention a rough budget per person in the description, so nobody is surprised.
- Host pays: less common for students, but a nice way to treat a small group for a birthday or the end of exams.
A tip for hosts: if you choose “split” for a dinner, pick a place where you know the prices and write a rough figure per person in the plan, based on the menu prices you have checked. People on tight budgets will thank you for it.
Hosting a plan as a student
Hosting is the fastest way to build your own circle. Keep it simple:
- Pick a time that fits the student week. Late afternoons, early evenings and weekend mornings work well.
- Choose a public place near where students live or study. Somewhere easy to reach by bus or on foot.
- Set a small number of seats. Three to six people is ideal.
- Choose the who-pays option and mention a budget.
- Ask for a short note. “Say what you study and what you’re up for” helps you choose a good mix.
- Use the group chat. Confirm the meeting point and say how people will recognise you.
An example:
Sunday sunset walk and pastizzi. Meeting at 17:30 at a café on the Sliema seafront, walking along the promenade towards St Julian’s and stopping for pastizzi on the way. About 1.5 hours. 5 seats. Free walk, pay your own snacks. Students and recent arrivals very welcome; say a line about what you study or where you’re from.
As host, you can use the age-range setting if you want a plan to be for people of a similar age, and you can block a user if needed.
Short stays and English-language courses
Many students in Malta are here for a few weeks or months at an English-language school. If that is you, plans are a good way to practise your English outside class and meet people from other schools and countries, including locals. Short, frequent plans work best: a coffee after class, a beach afternoon at the weekend, a dinner before you leave. Because each plan is one-off, you do not need to commit to a club or a weekly group to take part.
A first-month plan for new students
Arriving for a semester or a course can feel like a rush of new faces that you never see again. A simple structure helps you turn those first meetings into friendships:
- Week 1: join one or two easy plans, such as a coffee or a seafront walk, just to meet people and learn your way around.
- Week 2: host your own small plan and invite people you met in week one alongside new faces.
- Week 3: try something new for you, such as a beach morning, a run or a game night, so you meet people outside your usual circle.
- Week 4 onwards: repeat the plans you enjoyed most, ideally at the same time each week, so they become a habit for you and your new friends.
Students who keep meeting the same small group regularly usually find that, by the end of the first month, they have a few people they can message for any plan.
Tips for students meeting people in Malta
- Go beyond your course. Plans around a hobby or sport bring together people you would never meet in lectures.
- Repeat what works. If a group clicks, suggest the same plan the following week.
- Check your way home. Plan your bus route on Malta Public Transport, especially for evening plans.
- Be honest about your budget. Choosing “pay your own” or “free” is completely normal.
Safety box
Safety box. Meet at a busy public place, tell a friend or flatmate where you are going and with whom, arrange your own way home, keep your drink with you, and leave if you feel uncomfortable. On MeetNow, plans happen at public places, the host chooses who joins and anyone can block a user. Read is MeetNow safe? for the details.
MeetNow Malta students FAQ
Is MeetNow free for students?
Yes. MeetNow is free for everyone. Each plan states who pays: host pays, split, pay your own or free, so you know the cost before you ask to join.
Is MeetNow only for students?
No. MeetNow is for anyone who wants to meet people in person. Students can join plans posted by locals, expats and other students, or host their own.
Can I host a plan only for people my age?
Yes. Hosts can limit who can join, for example by age range or gender, and accept or decline each request.
What are good free plans for students in Malta?
Sunset walks along the seafront or Valletta’s bastions, morning runs, beach mornings in the season and picnics where everyone brings their own food.
When can students start using MeetNow?
Right now. MeetNow is live on the web at app.trymeetnow.com, starting in Malta, so students can post or join plans today. The iPhone and Android apps are coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web now, starting in Malta, with the phone apps on the way: open MeetNow and see the plans near you.
