Top scholarships in Spain for international students 2024-2025

Dreaming of studying in Spain but don’t have enough budget? These Spanish scholarships can reduce your expenses or even let you study entirely for free!

Jale

6 minute read

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Updated on 18 Apr 2024

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Studying

There’re many reasons why more than 208,366 international students are pursuing graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees in Spain. 52 of its universities are listed among the top universities in the world, and there’s fun student life, exhilarating nightlife, and vibrant culture.

Plus, international students in Spain can even benefit from various financial scholarship programs to help them navigate the monetary burdens of living in a different country and obtaining a diploma.

That said, here’re the top Spain scholarships for international students that will let you study for free or at a lower cost.

The Ministry of Education gives scholarships to EU students who want to enrol in a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s Degree in Engineering, Advanced Technologies, Architecture, Design, Economics, or Management at a top Spanish university.

Requirements

To be eligible for the Spain Government Scholarship, your annual family income should be within the required threshold, and you should graduate high school with:

• Minimum 5 GPA (on a 10-point scale) for financial aid
• Minimum 8 GPA (on a 10-point scale) for academic excellence aid

The table below shows the threshold income for each group depending on how many working family members are in the household.

How much is the Spanish Government Scholarship for international students in 2023?

Depending on your income group, you’ll receive a scholarship for:

1. Tuition (Groups 1, 2, and 3)
2. Relocation (Group 1 and 2): €1,600
3. Expenses (Group 1): €1,700
4. Academic excellence (Group 1, 2, and 3): €50-€125

To continue to receive the grants, you must obtain at least 30 credits each semester.

How to apply?

The application process lasts from May 8 to September 20, 2023. You can start your application through the electronic office of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

If you’re looking for scholarships to study abroad in Spain, then the Spanish Studies Abroad scholarship is a great option for North American students.

There're 2 Spanish Studies Abroad Scholarships: Merit and Diversity based. Both scholarships are available to students enrolled in the US or Canadian university/college who want to study abroad in Seville, Alicante, or Barcelona, based on a program offered by Spanish Studies Abroad. The program cost you’ll pay to Spanish Studies Abroad will cover many things such as tuition, accommodation, health insurance, and some local visits or cultural activities.

The scholarship offered by SSA won’t cover tuition. Instead, it can be used to pay for any expenses you will incur when studying abroad, such as flight, personal expenses, student visa costs, etc.

Requirements to get the Spanish Studies Abroad scholarship

Financial aid is granted based on 2 factors:

1. Merit-based scholarship

Students with extreme passion and dedication to learning Spanish can apply for the merit-based scholarship. To apply for a merit-based scholarship, you must:

• Write a 400-500 word essay in English explaining why learning Spanish matters to you and what you’ve done to learn it.
• 3.5 GPA (on a 4-point scale)
• 3.0 GPA in Spanish coursework (on a 4-point scale)

2. Diversity scholarship

Traditionally underrepresented students with different backgrounds can apply for a diversity scholarship. To apply for a diversity scholarship, you have to:

• Write a 400-500 word essay in English explaining a unique experience in your life related to your background
• 3.0 GPA (on a 4-point scale)

How much scholarship does Spanish Studies Abroad offer?

Students who attend the summer program receive $500, and those going abroad for a semester or academic year receive $1,500.

How to apply for the Spanish Studies Abroad scholarship

Send your application essay with your name, program name, and the home university’s name to their email address (info@spanishstudies.org) with Diversity Scholarship Essay or Merit-Based Scholarship Essayin the subject.

For those studying in Barcelona, UIC Barcelona (International University of Catalonia) offers a tuition discount for its international students with outstanding academic performance. All international students accepted to a UIC Barcelona degree program can apply for it. The only exception is for students pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and Dentistry.

Requirements

The scholarship is granted based on academic performance. To apply, you must:

• Graduate high school with a minimum GPA of 8 (on a 10-point scale)
• Be accepted to the degree program of UIC Barcelona

How much scholarship does UIC Barcelona offer?

The International Excellence Scholarship is a 20% reduction of the tuition fee. You’ll continue to receive the discount on tuition as long as you maintain a 7 GPA (on a 10-point scale) in your study program.

How to apply for the UIC Barcelona Scholarship?

You’ll apply for the UIC Barcelona Scholarship through its online admission portal simultaneously while applying for the program and pay a non-refundable €100 for the application.

All students applying to a Master's program at Barcelona School of Economics (BSE) are considered for a full or partial tuition aid regardless of their nationality.

Students accepted in Finance, Economics, and Data Science Methodology programs also receive extra compensation for expenses.

Requirements

To be eligible, you must demonstrate academic excellence. BSE doesn’t announce its threshold for minimum GPA.

How much scholarship does Barcelona School of Economics offer?

Barcelona School of Economics is very generous with its scholarship. Each year, they spend €800,000 on 36% of students with full or partial scholarships.

• Deduction of 100%, 75%, 50% or 25% on tuition fees.
• Limited students receive waivers for expenses and the full tuition fee.

How to apply for the Barcelona School of Economics scholarship?

There isn’t a separate application process for scholarships at BSE. All master’s applicants are automatically considered for scholarships based on academic excellence at Barcelona Graduate School of Economics.

There are also master's scholarships in Spain for international students. For instance, the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master scholarship program is a joint initiative of many prestigious international institutions to gather talented students and deliver international partnerships between universities.

Both EU and non-EU nationals who’ve obtained their Bachelor’s degree and want to pursue a joint master’s degree can apply for it.

Some of the participating universities in Spain are:

• University of Cantabria
• Polytechnic University of Madrid
• Technical University of Catalonia (UPC)
• University of Lean
• University of Barcelona

Requirements

To qualify for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship, you must have a Bachelor’s degree and enrol in a joint master’s program from the Erasmus Mundus catalog

Each master’s program has its requirements, which you can check from the catalog above. But generally, you’ll be evaluated based on your:

• GPA
• Professional background
• Academic achievements
• Motivation letter

How much is the Erasmus Mundus scholarship?

The scholarship grant varies per program and you’ll have to look at the specific program’s website. But in general, the grant covers tuition fees, health insurance, travel costs, school material, and a monthly stipend.

How to apply?

To apply, click on the program you want to participate in and contact the project person. Each program has a different deadline.

Students who pursue a master’s degree in science at Esade university can benefit from its tuition fee scholarship. The Esade MSc Merit Scholarships are open to local, EU, and non-EU graduate students.

Since it’s a merit-based scholarship, you’ll be evaluated based on your:

• GPA
• Academic achievements (such as awards, essays, and competition results)
• University transcript
• Motivation letter
• GMAT/GRE scores
• Interview reports

Esade's MSc Meris scholarship range from 10% to 50% discount on tuition fees. Last year the average discount given to students was 26%.

You can apply for the master’s degree and scholarship simultaneously via the university's admission portal.

Tips for applying for scholarships in Spain

Applying for scholarships can be frustrating, especially considering how fierce the competition is. Below are some tips to help you prepare for the best scholarship application.

• Keep an eye on deadlines to not miss them
• Make sure you take the requested exams on time
• Gather application materials as soon as possible
• Apply for smaller scholarships too
• Write your motivation letter from the heart
• Mind the spelling in your motivation letter
• Double-check your documents

Even though each scholarship program has its own requirements, there’re some common documents that almost all of them will ask for. Here’re the most commonly requested documents for applying for scholarships:

• Scholarship application form
• Motivation letter
• GPA
• Transcript
• Diploma
• Standardized test scores, e.g., a TOEFL or GMAT test
• CV (for those applying to masters and Erasmus Mundus)

Stay motivated even if you aren't eligible for a scholarship but still want to study in Spain. Many inexpensive and international universities in Spain offer a wide choice of programs you can pursue. These options will help you realize your dream of studying in Spain.

Keep in mind that if you’re a non-EU national, you must apply for a student visa to study in Spain. So make sure you prepare all the documents needed for your student visa application on time.

Good luck!

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