Pedro Sánchez announces the launch of the Medrano scholarships to boost mobility between Spanish universities with €900 per month for each student

The programme revives the spirit of the former Séneca scholarships, which ended in 2013, and will be called the Luisa de Medrano scholarships, in honour of the first woman to hold a university chair in Spain, in 1508 at the University of Salamanca.

The initiative aims to encourage students to complete part of their undergraduate studies at a university other than their home university within Spain, guaranteeing academic recognition of completed courses and strengthening the cohesion of the Spanish university system.

Interregional mobility enriches students' educational experience, fosters knowledge of other academic and cultural realities within the country, and contributes to strengthening equal opportunities in access to university mobility, preventing it from depending on family income level.

Stipend of 900 euros per month for nine months

The first call for applications plans to award up to 2,300 scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year, 12% more than in the last call for applications for the Séneca programme in 2012.

The new scholarships will amount to a monthly stipend of 900 euros (400 euros more than the previous Séneca scholarships) for nine months, a full academic year, meaning each student will receive 8,100 euros.

The amount will be paid in a single instalment, unlike the former Seneca grants, which were paid monthly.

There will also be a supplement for students travelling to and from universities outside the mainland.

Requirements for applying for the scholarship

The scholarships are aimed at students enrolled in official undergraduate degree programmes at Spanish universities, public or private, who have completed at least 60 credits, with the mobility taking place from the second year onwards.

To be eligible for the scholarship, students must have previously obtained a place in the Spanish University Exchange System (SICUE), managed by the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities (CRUE), which organises academic exchanges between universities in the country.

The placements must be in-person and will require relocation to a university in another province, with the corresponding change of residence.

Selection of beneficiaries

The selection of beneficiaries will be carried out through a competitive process. Preference will be given to students whose campus at the host university is located in a small or medium-sized city, and the distance between the home and host universities will also be taken into consideration.

The call for applications will also reserve up to 5% of places for students with disabilities, thus reinforcing inclusion in the programme.

Processing of the call for applications

Over the next few months, the regulations and the call for applications will be processed. The call for applications must be approved by the Council of Ministers after obtaining the required reports from the various government bodies.

The goal is for the first call for applications to be published this year, 2026, and to fund mobility for the 2026-2027 academic year.

From the 2027-2028 academic year onward, the schedule will be brought forward so that students know in advance whether they will receive the grant before the start of the academic year and can plan their stay at another university with greater certainty.

This scholarship programme will be managed by the Ministries of Education, Vocational Training and Sport, and Science, Innovation and Universities.

Non official translation