Editor’s note: This article was first published in September 2011, for the 2011-2012 academic year. Its application deadlines, grant amounts and loan terms are from that year and should not be read as current. Several institutions named no longer exist under these names, and the Ministry of Education loan programme may have ended.
Many public bodies, private companies and non-profit organisations offer the financial help you need to study for a university degree: scholarships, financing (loans) and grants, both for Spanish students who want to study in Spain or abroad and for foreign students who want to come and study in Spain. Here is a summary of the organisations, public and private, where you can ask about this kind of support.
1. Ministry of Education
- General and mobility scholarships: For students enrolled at any Spanish university. Applications open until 14 October.
- Collaboration grants: Funding to start research work or do work placements related to your studies. Worth €2,700. Applications open until 14 October.
- Séneca mobility programme for university students: Grants so that part of your studies can be done at a university other than the one where you are enrolled.
- Student loans: The Ministry of Education grants loans to students enrolled at public or private universities. These loans are handled through banks and savings banks.
2. Ministry of Labour and Immigration
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- Reina Sofía scholarships for the children of emigrants: Spanish emigrants, their children and their spouses can apply, through embassies and consulates, for scholarships to study at Spanish universities. To get one you must show that you lack sufficient financial means.
3. Foundation scholarships
- Caixa Manresa scholarships (caixamanresa.es): Open to any student who lives in one of the districts where Caixa Manresa has branches and who is going to study at a university in Catalonia.
- Fundación Marcelino Botín scholarships (fundacionmbotin.org): For students from Cantabria starting university studies at any university in Spain.
- Fundación Romanillos scholarships (fundacionromanillos.es): Aimed at young students without financial resources, so family income is assessed before they are awarded.
4. Grants and loans from banks
- Crédito Estudio Muévete, Bancaja (bancaja.es): The Bancaja loan can cover the full cost of your studies, with a maximum repayment period of 84 months. We don’t know the interest rate, but we do know the arrangement fee is 0%.
- Crédito Estudio, Caja Granada (caja.caja-granada.es): For master’s and postgraduate students, financing of up to €18,000 with a maximum repayment period of 60 months, at 1.25% interest (Euribor).
- Crédito Total, Banco Santander (bancosantander.es): Banco Santander offers university loans ranging from €600 to €80,000 at 4.95% interest (Euribor). The loan can cover tuition and other expenses, or a master’s degree.
These are some of the most interesting grants, scholarships and loans with good conditions that we found, though we have probably missed many. Our thanks to Infoempleo.com, who put together this excellent and useful summary.
Further reading
- University degrees with the fewest job prospects
- University degrees with the best job prospects
- The 10 jobs of the future
Featured image: Garden Sprite, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
