University agreements offset tuition prices for thousands of students

The Community of Madrid has formalized two agreements with the Complutense University of Madrid and the Rey Juan Carlos University to finance the compensation of public tuition fees and additional aid for students in unfavorable socioeconomic situations during the 2026-2027 academic year. The agreements, signed by the Minister of Education, Science, and Universities, Mercedes Zarzalejo Carbajo, are published in the Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid (BOCM) number 199, dated August 21, 2026, in section I, subsection D) of Announcements.

The program, which has been in development since 2016, subsidizes the tuition fees of those students who, meeting certain requirements, have not been able to benefit from the scholarships called by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports. In this fiscal year, the Community maintains the total aid destined for the six public universities in the amount of 6 million euros, distributed based on the number of students enrolled in official studies during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Two agreements, two universities

The agreement with the Complutense University of Madrid, signed on July 2, 2026, amounts to 1,727,925 euros and was signed by its rector magnificus, Joaquín Goyache Goñi. The agreement with the Rey Juan Carlos University, dated July 23, 2026, reaches 1,315,414 euros and was signed by its rector, Abraham Duarte Muñoz. Both were authorized by the Governing Council in its session on June 3, 2026, following the social interest report issued by the minister on March 28.

• Complutense University of Madrid: 1,727,925 euros (agreement of July 2, 2026).
• Rey Juan Carlos University: 1,315,414 euros (agreement of July 23, 2026).
• Program total: 6 million euros for the six public universities.

Purpose and beneficiaries

The subsidy is granted directly, for reasons of social interest, and is intended to cover the public prices of first and second enrollment for official undergraduate and master’s degrees, as well as the own aid lines established by each university. At least 50% of the allocation must be used to finance the tuition of students who meet the requirements.

Students with Spanish nationality or from another European Union country, as well as non-EU foreigners who prove residence in Spain, may benefit; those in a stay situation under a student permit are excluded. Furthermore, the extension of the maximum family income threshold relative to the thresholds of the general scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year is maintained, and the use of the fourth income threshold is permitted to execute at least 50% of the assigned budget.

Regulatory framework

The agreements are integrated into Order 4099/2024, of September 20, of the Counselor of Education, Science and Universities, which approves the Strategic Grant Plan of the Vice-Counselorship of Universities, Research and Science for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 financial years. The direct award is supported by article 4.5.c) of Law 2/1995, of March 8, on Grants of the Community of Madrid, as reasons of public, social, economic or humanitarian interest have been accredited.

The action is governed by Law 38/2003, of November 17, General Law on Grants, Royal Decree 887/2006, Law 5/2025, of December 23, on Finance of the Community of Madrid, and Law 40/2015, of October 1, on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector, among other provisions.

Impact

These agreements guarantee that thousands of university students in Madrid can continue their studies without their socioeconomic situation constituting an impediment, reinforcing equal opportunities in access to higher education. The expansion of the income threshold and the possibility of allocating surpluses to their own aid lines broaden the scope of the program, which benefits undergraduate and master’s students from the region’s public universities.

Source: Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid, no. 199, August 21, 2026, section I, section D) Announcements, Department of Education, Science and Universities, pages 30 and 39 (agreements of July 2 and 23, 2026).