SODERCAN announces internationalization scholarships for people under 30

SODERCAN has published in the Official Gazette of Cantabria (BOC no. 165, of August 27, 2026) the call for its scholarship program for training and internships on internationalization, aimed at young people under 30 years of age. The call is formalized through Resolution SOD/FORM/19/26, of August 19, 2026, signed by the company’s CEO, Ángel Pedraja Terán, and its summary is listed under reference CVE-2026-6660, while the full text is recorded under CVE-2026-6689.

The program, framed within the SODERCAN Strategic Grant Plan for 2026, seeks to train young people in international promotion and foreign trade to boost the internationalization of the Cantabrian business fabric. It is developed within the framework of the agreement between the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise (Secretary of State for Trade) and SODERCAN, with the collaboration of the Network of Commercial Offices of Spain and ICEX. The call is governed by Order INN/33/2019, of October 16, as amended by Order IND/58/2021, of October 15.

Two training phases

The program consists of a first phase of theoretical training and a second phase of internships abroad:

• Phase I (theoretical training): up to a maximum of 15 selected people receive a specific training program, tutored by the Directorate of New Market Prospecting and Internationalization of SODERCAN.
• Phase II (practical training): internships in Economic and Commercial Offices abroad, with one scholarship per destination and a maximum duration of 12 months.

The offered destinations and their mandatory languages are:

• Dubai — English (1 scholarship)
• Dublin — English (1 scholarship)
• Casablanca — French (1 scholarship)
• Santiago de Chile — English (1 scholarship)

Requirements and amount

Eligible applicants must be of Spanish nationality or from an EU Member State, of legal age and under 30 years old as of January 1 of the year following the application, with an official recognized university degree, proficiency in Spanish, and a minimum accredited level of B2 in English and/or French. It is also required to have been born in or have administrative residency in Cantabria for a period equal to or greater than three years.

The maximum funding for the call amounts to 200,000 euros, charged to the General Budgets of Cantabria for 2026. During Phase II, scholarship holders will receive an annual allowance of between 20,000 and 50,000 euros depending on the destination country and city, paid in 12 monthly installments, with the corresponding IRPF withholdings and Social Security contributions. SODERCAN also assumes transport costs, health insurance, visa fees (up to 60 euros), language courses, and other expenses linked to the activity.

Selection and application

Selection is carried out on a competitive basis through in-person tests: written and oral language exams (weighting of 35%), foreign trade knowledge exam (25%), professional skills test (10%), and a panel personal interview (30%). Up to 15 people will be selected for Phase I and five for Phase II, with a waiting list of substitutes.

The application period is twenty business days from the day following the publication of the summary in the BOC. Applications are completed electronically through the SODERCAN Grants Manager (ayudas.sodercan.es), with BDNS 925535 identification in the National Grants Database.

Impact for readers

This call represents a direct labor insertion opportunity for young people from Cantabria in the field of foreign trade, while strengthening Cantabria’s export competitiveness by training professionals who join the Network of Commercial Offices of Spain. The enjoyment of the scholarship does not create an employment relationship nor merit for access to public employment, and it is incompatible with unemployment benefits or other grants of a similar nature.

Source: Official Gazette of Cantabria, no. 165, August 27, 2026, announcements section (official reference: Resolution SOD/FORM/19/26, CVE-2026-6660 and CVE-2026-6689).