Fundacion Carolina Scholarships for Latin America (Study in Spain)

Fundacion Carolina is the main scholarship route for Latin American graduates who want to study in Spain, and it is one of the largest programmes of its kind anywhere. The foundation promotes cultural and academic cooperation between Spain and the Ibero-American Community of Nations, and its most recent call, the 26th, offered 736 scholarships across 203 academic programmes in every area of knowledge. Postgraduate applications in that call ran from 12 January to 2 March.

The awards are split across several streams: postgraduate scholarships, doctoral awards and short postdoctoral stays, doctoral renewals, faculty mobility and institutional studies. Two targeted programmes are worth knowing about, one prioritising women in STEM subjects and one for human rights defenders run with AECID. There is also a bidirectional research mobility programme with CSIC, Spain’s national research council.

Funding typically combines a substantial contribution toward tuition with a monthly allowance for accommodation and living costs, a return economy flight from the capital of your country of residence, and non-pharmaceutical medical insurance. Be precise about the numbers for your specific programme, though, because they vary. In one recent master’s the foundation covered 3,514 euros of a 7,566 euro fee with a 550 euro monthly allowance, topped up by 350 euros from the host university. In another it covered 3,016 euros of a 5,044 euro fee with 900 euros a month. Many awards are therefore partial rather than complete, and you should read the breakdown before assuming full coverage.

Two points shape how you apply. First, you apply to a specific named programme at a specific university from the current catalogue, not to the foundation in the abstract, so the choice of programme is the first real decision. Second, most programmes are taught in Spanish and applicants whose first language is not Spanish generally need B2 certification, which takes time to obtain. Application windows also differ by award type: postgraduate and institutional studies close in early March while doctoral, short stay and mobility awards run to April, and individual programmes such as the Escuela Complutense de Verano close earlier still. Some master’s programmes are structured with two semesters in Spain and a third completed online from your home country, so check the format before committing.

• Open to graduates who are nationals of a member country of the Ibero-American Community of Nations, which covers Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Peru and the rest of Latin America, plus Portugal for some programmes.
• You must hold a university degree equivalent to a Spanish licenciatura or engineering qualification in a field relevant to your chosen programme.
• Applicants whose first language is not Spanish must generally demonstrate Spanish at B2 level, since most programmes are taught in Spanish.
• You must apply to one of the specific academic programmes in the current call. Fundacion Carolina funds named programmes at named universities rather than open study.
• The 2026-2027 call offered 736 scholarships across 203 academic programmes, split into postgraduate awards, doctoral and short postdoctoral stays, doctoral renewals, faculty mobility and institutional studies.
• Separate application windows apply. Postgraduate and institutional studies close earlier than doctoral, short stay and mobility awards.
• Specific streams exist for women in STEM subjects and for human rights defenders, the latter run in collaboration with AECID.
• Selection weighs academic and professional capacity evidenced by an outstanding curriculum, alongside the programme's development focus.

• A substantial contribution toward tuition. For one recent master's the foundation covered EUR 3,514 of a EUR 7,566 fee, with the host university sometimes adding its own support.
• A monthly allowance for accommodation and living costs during your stay in Spain, commonly EUR 550 to EUR 900 depending on the programme, sometimes topped up by the host university.
• A return economy-class flight to Spain from the capital of your country of residence in Latin America or Portugal.
• Non-pharmaceutical medical insurance for the duration of your stay in Spain.
• Access to 203 academic programmes across Spanish universities, so the choice is broad rather than confined to one institution.
• A bidirectional research mobility programme with CSIC, Spain's national research council, for research stays.
• The whole call is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, prioritising fields that contribute to the region's development.
• Be clear on the scale: many awards are partial, covering a portion of tuition plus living support rather than the entire cost, so check the specific programme's figures.

• Online application through the Fundacion Carolina application system, selecting a specific programme from the current call.
• University degree certificate equivalent to a Spanish licenciatura or engineering qualification.
• Full academic transcripts.
• Curriculum vitae, since selection is based on an outstanding academic and professional record.
• Proof of Spanish at B2 level if Spanish is not your first language.
• Motivation letter for your chosen programme.
• Proof of nationality of an Ibero-American Community member country.
• Any additional documents specified by the individual academic programme.

• Start from the programme catalogue rather than from a university. Fundacion Carolina funds specific named programmes, and your application is to one of them.
• Check which application window applies to you. In the previous call, postgraduate and institutional studies ran from 12 January to 2 March, while doctoral, short stay and mobility awards ran from 12 January to 9 April.
• Note that some programmes have their own earlier closing dates. The Escuela Complutense de Verano programme closed on 18 February in the previous call.
• Arrange Spanish language certification early if Spanish is not your first language, since B2 is required for most programmes.
• Read the funding breakdown for your specific programme before applying, since tuition contributions and monthly allowances vary considerably between them.
• Watch for the informative webinars the foundation runs during the call, which cover how to complete an application and answer questions directly.
• Consider the targeted streams if they apply to you, particularly the women in STEM awards and the AECID programme for human rights defenders.
• Check whether your programme requires a period back in your home country. Some master's awards fund two semesters in Spain with a third semester completed online from home.