Types of university grants

What are university grants?

University grants are financial assistance grants for students which are funded by a body or institution. These monetary grants may be for undergraduate or postgraduate students and are issued to students who comply with a series of eligibility criteria.

These university grants can cover part or all of a student’s tuition costs. To apply for them, you must meet the criteria detailed in each grant applications announcement. You must also submit all the documentation you are asked for before the stipulated deadline.

Each body which offers university grants has some specific requirements which you can read on their website. Here you will also find information about the submission period so you’ll know when to start your application and submit the documentation required to apply for the university grant.

Main types of university grants

It is important to stress that there are different types of grants available to students, which are offered by different bodies and institutions. The main ones include:

• Enrolment or access grants
  This type of grant for university students is designed to cover the basic costs incurred by going to university, including enrolment and course credit fees. This university grant may be funded by private bodies or the Spanish government and students must apply for it every year they are studying. The eligibility criteria for these grants demand that the student passes a minimum number of course credits and that their family income falls within certain thresholds.
• Residence or mobility grants
  There is a small difference between these two types of grants for students. Residence grants are given to either partially or completely cover a student’s accommodation costs which they accrue because they have to live away from home in order to study. Meanwhile, mobility grants are given to students who are going to take part in an academic mobility programme either at a national or international level. One example of this type of grant is the Erasmus study programme grant, although the most common are those designed to help students who move to a different city within the same country and need to pay accommodation costs in their destination.
• Income-related grants
  This type of university grant depends on the level of income of your family unit. This grant varies depending on the specific eligibility criteria, but it’s usually around €1,600.
• Academic excellence grants
  Academic excellence grants are awarded to students who have a good academic record and can range from €25 to €125 depending on the grades the recipients are given during the academic year.
• Research grants
  Research grants are a type of university grant normally tied to company funding and whose objective is to support students to develop specific programmes, carry out research in determined fields or complete their PhD thesis. Some of these grants are highly prestigious internationally.
• Practical training grants
  This type of grant is for university students and is offered by companies or organizations to encourage students to complete a period of work experience with their company or institution.