The Beca MEC is the main study grant in Spain and, for many families, the difference between being able to study away from home or not. The truth is it’s also one of the grants that raises the most questions: income requirements, minimum credits, several types of amount, deadlines that change every year… This guide explains it clearly so you know whether you qualify, how much you could receive and how to apply without making the most common mistakes.
One important note before we start: the figures, thresholds and dates you’ll see here correspond to the 2026-2027 call. They are updated every academic year, so always confirm the exact details in the official call published in the BOE (Official State Gazette) and on the Ministry’s electronic portal.
What the Beca MEC is (the Ministry’s general grant)
The Beca MEC —officially, the general grant from the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport— is an annual financial aid for students in post-compulsory education: university degrees and master’s, Vocational Training (FP), Bachillerato, and arts and language studies, among others.
Two key ideas to understand it:
- It is not a loan: it is a non-repayable grant. If you are awarded it and you meet the conditions, you do not have to pay it back.
- It is made up of several amounts: what you receive depends on your family income, your grades and your situation (for example, whether you live away from home). We cover this in detail below.
Who can apply for the Beca MEC: requirements
To qualify for the grant you must meet three sets of requirements: general, financial and academic.
General requirements
- Hold Spanish nationality or that of a European Union country (in the latter case, with residence conditions for the amounts other than the tuition grant).
- Not already hold a qualification at the same level as, or higher than, the studies you are applying for.
- Not be repeating the academic year (with some exceptions set out in the call).
Financial requirements: income and assets
This is where your household income comes in. The call sets several income thresholds, and the threshold you fall under determines which amounts you can access: the lower the family income, the more components of the grant you can reach. In addition to income, there is a family assets limit you cannot exceed (for 2026-2027 these asset thresholds have been raised by around 10%).
We don’t list all the tables here because they are extensive and change every year: the key point is that income and assets are assessed together, and a low income is not enough if your assets exceed the limit. Check the exact figures for your case in the official BOE tables.
Academic requirements: credits and grades
Beyond the money, your academic performance counts:
- Full enrolment: as a general rule you must enrol in all the credits for the year (60 at university), with some exceptional cases of partial enrolment.
- Minimum entrance grade: if you are starting university for the first time, a minimum university entrance grade is required (in recent calls it has been 5 out of 10).
- Percentage of credits passed: if you are already on your course, you must have passed a percentage of the previous year that varies by field of study, lower in engineering and sciences (around 65%) and higher in social sciences and humanities (up to 90%).
In Vocational Training (FP) the criterion is similar, but it is measured by modules passed rather than by credits.
How much money it is: the amounts of the Beca MEC
This is the part most people care about. The grant is not a single amount, but the sum of several components.
Tuition grant
It covers the cost of the credits you enrol in for the first time. For many people it is the most valuable part, because it saves you the cost of the year’s tuition.
Fixed amounts
These are awarded if your income is below the corresponding threshold:
- Fixed amount linked to income: €1,700 in the 2026-2027 call.
- Fixed amount linked to residence: €2,700, for those who live away from the family home during the academic year (we cover this separately because it’s important).
- Fixed amount for academic excellence: between €50 and €125, depending on your average grade.
Variable amount
This is the part calculated at the end and shared among those who meet certain thresholds. It depends on your average grade and family income: the better your record and the lower your income, the higher the amount. It has a set minimum (€60 in this call) and can reach considerably higher figures.
The amount linked to residence: key if you’re going to study away from home
If you move to another city to study, pay special attention to this component. The residence grant (€2,700 in 2026-2027) is designed precisely for students who have to live away from the family home during the year because of their studies: because your degree isn’t offered in your city, or because the distance makes commuting every day unfeasible.
To be entitled to it, you usually have to prove that you live away from home during the year. This is where it pays to have everything in order: a contract or document proving your residence in the city where you study. If you live in a student residence, it can usually provide the documentation you need to prove it, which makes the procedure easier.
One thing to remember: when you apply for the grant you may not yet know for sure where you’ll be living. That’s what the September modification period is for, when you can update your residence address once it’s confirmed.
How to apply for the Beca MEC step by step
The application is online, through the Ministry’s electronic portal. Broadly:
- Identify yourself on the electronic portal (with a digital certificate, Cl@ve or the enabled username-and-password system).
- Fill in the form with your personal and academic details and those of your household (income for the tax year indicated in the call).
- Sign and submit the application electronically.
- Keep the receipt: only correctly submitted applications are considered valid, so save the proof of submission.
Tip: have the details of all household members and your study information ready in advance. If you don’t yet know which institution or city you’ll study in when you apply, you can complete it later during the modification period.
Deadlines and calendar: application, modifications, decision and payment
The calendar repeats every year, although the exact dates change:
- Application: the window opens in spring. In the 2026-2027 call it ran from 7 April to 18-19 May 2026. Once closed, there is no extension.
- Modifications: in September a period opens to correct or complete details such as your residence address or the institution you finally enrol in.
- Decision and payment: the fixed amounts are usually paid first; the variable amount is calculated and paid much later, typically between April and May of the year after the funded course, because final academic data is needed. That’s why it’s important to keep the bank account you provided active.
Common mistakes that can cost you the grant
The truth is that many grants are lost through avoidable slip-ups. Watch out especially for:
- Missing the deadline: the most common mistake, and there’s no fix. Outside the window, the application is not considered.
- Not enrolling in the minimum credits: if you fall short of the required enrolment, you can be left out.
- Wrong income or assets data: check them carefully; an error here can sink the application.
- Not updating your residence address in September when you do live away from home: you could lose the residence amount.
- Not keeping the receipt or checking notifications: if you’re asked for documents and don’t respond in time, the grant can be denied.
What’s new in the 2026-2027 call
There are changes every year. Among this year’s highlights:
- Family assets thresholds raised (by around 10%), which widens the number of families who can qualify.
- Improvement for partial enrolment of between 48 and 59 credits: in addition to the tuition grant and the minimum variable amount, they can receive part of the income and residence amounts.
- Adjustments for students with a disability of between 25% and 64%, who are considered to be on full enrolment with 45 credits instead of 60.
- Regional changes: students whose family home is in Catalonia now apply through the Generalitat, and regions such as the Basque Country keep their own rules.
Frequently asked questions about the Beca MEC
Can I have the Beca MEC and another grant at the same time? It depends on the other aid. Some are compatible and others aren’t; check the conditions of each call, because certain regional or university grants may be incompatible with specific components.
Does the residence grant cover the whole residence? Not necessarily. It is a fixed amount (€2,700 in 2026-2027) that helps with the cost of living away from home, but it does not equal the full price of accommodation for the year.
What happens if I fail subjects? Your performance in the previous year affects whether you keep the grant and the variable amount. Failing above a certain percentage can mean you don’t meet the academic requirements the following year.
Can I apply if I study in a different region from mine? Yes. In fact, studying outside your province is exactly what can entitle you to the residence amount, as long as you prove you live away from the family home because of your studies.
When is the grant paid? The fixed amounts usually arrive first; the variable amount is paid considerably later, normally in the spring of the year after the funded course.
Your grant goes further with the right accommodation
If you’re going to receive the residence amount, the logical next step is to choose where you live wisely: accommodation with clear costs, a good connection to campus and the paperwork in order to prove your residence for the grant.
At Livensa Living residences we make it easy from the start, with locations in the main university cities of Spain and Portugal and a team to help you with whatever you need, including the paperwork that comes with living away from home. That way your grant works in your favour and you can focus on studying.
This guide is for informational purposes. The amounts, income and asset thresholds, requirements and deadlines of the Beca MEC are updated in each call. Always confirm the details of your case in the official call published in the BOE and on the electronic portal of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sport. Latest reference: 2026-2027 call.