Spain 2016/17 - grants and loans

Student grants

The national general grant has several components. Each student may receive one or more of the components depending on their family income (grades are also considered in one of the components): fixed amount of EUR 1 500 based on the student’s family income; fixed amount of EUR 1 500 for living costs for students living outside the family home during their studies and who also meet certain income criteria; and a variable amount, based on the student’s family income and grades. The minimum variable amount is EUR 60, and the maximum amount varies from year to year, since it results from distributing among the applicants the money that is left over after paying all the other components. Full-time students can apply for all components. Part-time students can only apply for the minimum amount of the variable component (EUR 60). Distance education students can apply for the complete variable amount component. A component is also aimed at students whose family residence is located in the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, or the Cities of Ceuta and Melilla, and whose university is located either in another one of those locations or in mainland Spain. This component ranges from EUR 442 to 937.

All 1st and 2nd cycle students who receive a grant are also exempt from paying fees. However, the grant only covers those ECTS credits that the student takes for the first time (i.e. if a student has to re-take a subject, it won’t be covered by the grant the second and subsequent times). Short cycle students receive a 'basic grant' component of EUR 200.

Grants are awarded on an individual level, and therefore each student receives a different amount. However, the average amount for a grant in 2015/16 was EUR 2 164.26 (in addition to an exemption of fees).