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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Mobility in higher education
Spain

Spain

13.Mobility and internationalisation

13.2Mobility in higher education

Last update: 19 March 2025
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Student mobility

The Organic Law 2/2006 on Education (LOE), as amended by Law 3/2020 (LOMLOE), expresses in its preamble the need to increase mobility and exchanges, with the aim of opening up the Spanish education system to the wider world. The objectives of the 2023 Organic Law of the University System (LOSU) also include the promotion of mobility and exchange programmes for students and teaching and research staff, at both national and international level. incentives are provided for doctorates in international co-supervision and public administrations are urged to eliminate any obstacles to the attraction of international talent, speeding up and facilitating procedures for the recognition and validation of qualifications, admission to universities and migration matters.

In the case of disabled people, they can fully and effectively exercise their rights on an equal basis as other students, as stated in the University Student Statute. In addition, the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education (SEPIE) offers people with special educational needs specific funding measures.

Students wishing to study abroad have financial support through the grants offered by different bodies. The grants and financial support offered by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports (MEFD) are considered as portable grants.

Apart from the financial support provided by the Spanish Service for the Internationalisation of Education, some autonomous communities also offer their own additional aids for this mobility programmes. Besides, their are other grants and aids  offered by the autonomous communities to finance the international mobility of university students doing graduate and post-graduate studies through programmes outside of the Erasmus+ frameworks.

Erasmus+

Action 1-KA1: Mobility opportunities

This action includes mobility activities for higher education students and staff. 

There are different ways to access KA1 projects:

  • KA130-HED: Erasmus Accreditation for Higher Education Mobility Consortia. If the accreditation proposal is accepted, the consortium can apply for Erasmus+ funding for mobility projects (KA131-HED or KA171-HED).
  • KA131-HED: Higher education student and staff mobility projects funded by domestic policy funds. A higher education institution under ECHE (Erasmus Charter for Higher Education) or a mobility consortium can apply for a KA131-HED project of 26 months duration.
  • KA171-HED: Higher education student and staff mobility projects funded by foreign policy funds. A higher education institution under ECHE or a mobility consortium can apply for a KA171-HED project of 24 or 36 months duration.

Higher education institutions must have obtained the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE) prior to applying for a KA131-HED or KA171-HED mobility project or a KA130-HED mobility consortium. The Charter is awarded by the Executive Agency of the European Commission for the entire duration of the Erasmus+ Programme.

Students can carry out the following mobility activities:

  • An academic period abroad at a partner higher education institution. The study period abroad must be part of the study programme followed by the student to complete a degree at any cycle. This period may also include a traineeship period. In countries belonging to the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), a full-time academic year of study is normally comprised of educational elements totalling 60 ECTS credits (or equivalent units in non-EHEA countries). It is recommended that, for mobility periods shorter than a full academic year, the educational components included in the learning agreement are proportionally adjusted.
  • A training period abroad in a company, a research institute, a laboratory, an organization or any other relevant workplace. Whenever possible, such training periods should be considered as a part of the student's study programme. In terms of workload, participants are initially required to work full-time, depending on the working hours of their host organisation.

In terms of PhD mobility, doctoral candidates and recent graduates may participate in long or short physical mobility periods for studies or traineeships abroad. 

Action 2: KA2: Cooperation opportunities

Higher education students may also get into mobility actions offered through “Key Action 2-KA2: Cooperation opportunities”, where Erasmus Mundus can be found. This type of mobility includes Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM), transnational study programmes at Master level delivered by an international consortium of higher education institutions (HEIs) from different countries worldwide. Among other things, they must:

  • include a jointly designed and fully integrated curriculum;
  • be delivered by a consortium of HEIs;
  • include compulsory physical mobility for all enrolled students;
  • promote the exchange of staff and invited scholars.

The programme includes at least two study periods (one or two academic years) in two countries other than the country of residence.

The degree awarded can be:

  • a joint degree: a single degree awarded on behalf of at least two higher education institutions;
  • several degrees: at least two degrees awarded by at least two higher education institutions in the consortium.

The Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports

The grants for master degree studies in the USA are organised with the collaboration of the Fulbright Commission. The objective of the grants is to encourage the completion of master studies with the purpose of broadening the students’ overall education, as well as guaranteeing the students’ effective presence in these studies in universities and other Higher Education Institutions (from now on, institutions) accredited in the USA.

In addition, the State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research includes the State Programme for Developing, Attracting and Retaining Talent, which includes subprogrammes that offer the possibility of spending time in foreign and Spanish renowned research institutions, although it is not a national mobility programme in a strict sense. This programme promotes the mobility of higher education students, university teachers and researchers. It includes the following subprogrammes:

Teacher mobility

The mobility of university lecturers, researchers and students is a priority for the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. Organic Law 2/2023 on the University System (LOSU) states, in article 27, that the Government, the autonomous communities and universities themselves will promote mobility and exchange programmes for students, teaching and research staff, as well as for technical, management and administration and services staff. 

Spanish policy for mobility is mainly implemented through the State Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research Plan (2024-2027) in the Human Resources Programme, within the Sub-programme for Training, Attraction and Retention of Research and Innovation Talent promoted by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities together with the State Research Agency.

The general objective of this State Plan is "to strengthen the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System (SECTI) as an engine for the transformation of Spain, enhancing its capacity to attract and retain talent, increasing the quality of R&D, consolidating the transfer of knowledge and increasing the innovative activity of all public and private agents”. 

Among the specific objectives of the Plan are to “enhance the SECTI's capacity to train, attract and retain talent”, “encourage and recognise the development of scientific, technical and technological careers” and “support and strengthen internationalisation”. These objectives come into being in the form of scholarships and grants.

Apart from this national support framework, some Autonomous Communities offer their university professors and researchers the opportunity to spend periods of time abroad through their own programmes.

Scholarships and grants for academic and research staff

EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE "SALVADOR DE MADARIAGA"
Purpose Help the training of doctors in the areas of human and social sciences, history, law, economics, and political and social sciences in the implementation of the "Salvador de Madariaga" programme.
Destination ‘Salvador Madariaga’: European University Institute in Florence.
Target groups Holders of a master's degrees or their equivalents, in legal, economic-business, political-sociological or humanities subjects, for the completion of a doctorate in these fields.
Duration 4 years maximum.
Funding /Salary
  • During the first 24 months, the contract has a monthly funding of EUR 1 500.
  • During the next 24 months of the contract, the funding is EUR 1 800, increased by two extraordinary payments each year.
  • EUR 700 for travel expenses at the beginning of the first and third years.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-REDIE (INEE, MEFD) on the basis of the call.

   

 'JOSÉ CASTILLEJO' STAYS ABROAD FOR THE MOBILITY OF YOUNG DOCTORS
Purpose Favour and promote the mobility of young Doctors so as to enhance the updating of their knowledge or the learning of new techniques and methods for teaching or research.
Destination The institutions the mobility stay is applied for and where the projects are carried out must be placed abroad, and must be universities and research institutions that are highly competitive in the scientific area of the applicant.
Target groups Young PhDs with a temporary or contractual (civil servant) relationship as teaching or research staff.
Duration A minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6
Funding /Salary
  • Monthly financial award: Between EUR 2 150 and 3 100 per month, depending on the destination country.
  • Amount for travelling: Up to EUR 1 200.
  • Installation allowance: Up to EUR 2 000, depending on the destination country. 

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-REDIE (INEE, MEFD) on the basis of the call.

   

INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY GRANTS FOR SENIOR RESEARCHERS AND TEACHERS IN FOREIGN INSTITUTIONS
Purpose To conduct internships in foreign countries by university teachers and researchers with accredited experience and professional trajectory.
Destination The institutions requested must be located abroad and will be highly competitive universities and research centres.
Target groups

Teaching and/or research staff who are career civil servants in the teaching bodies of Spanish public universities, or who belong to the research staff of the CSIC or the OPIS, or who have an indefinite teaching or research employment contract, for which having a doctorate degree was required, or who are part of the staff in charge of research tasks in university hospitals.


 
Duration Minimum of 3 months, maximum of 6 months.
Funding /Salary
  • Monthly allowance for accommodation and living expenses between EUR 2 150 and 3 100 per month.
  • Provision for travel expenses up to a maximum of EUR 1 200.
  • Provision for moving expenses up to a maximum of EUR 2 000.

Amounts vary depending on country of destination.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-REDIE (INEE, MEFD) on the basis of the call.

   

ADDITIONAL AIDS DESTINED TO BENEFICIARIES OF THE UNIVERSITY TEACHER TRAINING SUB-PROGRAMME (FPU)
    SHORT STAYS (IN SPAIN AND ABROAD) TEMPORARY TRANSFERS (ABROAD)
Duration Minimum 2 months 6 months
Maximum 3 months 9 months
Other aspects Exceptionally, they may be of 1 month's duration if the destination is an institution located in Spain. The maximum number of short stays during the 48 months this Sub-Programme lasts is three, with stays for a maximum period of 9 months between all of them.

The temporary transfer is incompatible with a short stay or any other temporary stay completed in the same year and there must be at least 6 months between them. The temporary transfer cannot overlap with the last six months of the contract unless the doctoral thesis is already presented.

Only one temporary transfer can be awarded during the maximum 48-month training period set out for the Sub-Programme.
Target groups Beneficiaries of a FPU aid who have finished a period of 9-month or higher, or those who have completed a period equal to or longer than nine months or resulting from the sum of the FPU grant and other grants or previous grants of a similar nature and whose period of study has been deducted from the calculation of the maximum duration of the FPU aid. Beneficiaries of a FPU aid who have completed a period equal to or higher than 24 months of the FPU grant or resulting from the sum of the FPU grant and other previous grants or aid of a similar nature, the period of which has been deducted from the calculation of the maximum duration of the FPU.
Funding /Salary Stay EUR 25/day if the institution is in Spain and a maximum of EUR 50/day if it is abroad. A maximum of EUR 1 500/month, as a supplement to the monthly aid of the Sub-Programme.
Travel Up to EUR 600 in Spain; up to EUR 1 200 in the rest of the world.  Up to EUR 600 in Europe. Up to EUR 1 200 in the rest of the world.
Health coverage For authorised travel abroad, in countries without social security coverage or when the coverage provided by the social security agreement is insufficient, research staff in training receive up to EUR 200 per month to finance the costs of accident and medical care insurance. They are also covered by this insurance in the rest of countries, without prejudice to the coverage of the Social Security scheme.

Source: Drawn up by Eurydice Spain-REDIE (INEE, MEFD) on the basis of the call.

 

Erasmus+

Action 1-KA1: Mobility opportunities

“Key Action 1-KA1: Mobility Opportunities” includes mobility activities for higher education staff. This Action enables higher education teaching staff to participate in professional development activities abroad. 

The subsidized activities can be of two types:

  • A teaching period abroad at a partner higher education institution. This period allows teaching staff from a higher education institution or staff from companies to teach at a partner higher education institution abroad. Staff mobility for teaching can be in any field of studies.
  • A training period abroad in an enterprise, a research institute, a laboratory, an organization or any other relevant workplace. This period allows staff of a higher education institution to participate in a training activity abroad, relevant to their daily work at the higher education institution. It may consist of training events (except lectures) or job shadowing and observation periods.

Staff cannot apply directly; it is higher education institutions, or the mobility consortia they belong to, the ones in charge of applying for grants by presenting a mobility project. Once the grant has been awarded, the selection of staff is carried out by institutions through a transparent, coherent and documented procedure.

Action 2-KA2: Cooperation opportunities

Erasmus+ Programme also offers, for higher education academic staff within the “Key Action 2- KA2: Cooperation Opportunities” the  Erasmus+ Teacher Academies   which consist of the creation of European partnerships of teacher education and training providers to set up Erasmus+ teacher academies that will develop a European and international perspective in teacher education. 

Teachers interested in participating in these activities should do so through a requesting organisation. These may be teacher education institutions, ministries or similar public bodies responsible for school education policy, teachers' associations, and schools.