When will the next call for fellowships open?

The start date for the call may vary depending on the year. If you want us to notify you when a new call opens, you can sign up to our notification service.

Can I apply for a fellowship to study outside of Spain?

No. The fellowships are to pursue a bachelor’s degree or higher artistic education at any public university or public higher education centre in Spain.

Does the ”la Caixa” Foundation offer fellowships to finance overseas stays during the degree (e.g., an Erasmus fellowship)?

This call for fellowships includes an additional provision for an overseas stay for fellows, but always within the framework of the fellowship.

The bachelor’s degree I want to apply for includes a compulsory paid internship. If I receive the fellowship, will it be compatible with the monthly allowance?

Yes. You should inform the ”la Caixa” Foundation as soon as possible, and the amount you received for the internship may be deducted from the fellowship payment.

Is the ”la Caixa” Foundation fellowship compatible with other fellowships or grants?

The fellowship is not compatible with any other paid work or other fellowship or grants from other organisations that cover the same items, unless the ”la Caixa” Foundation expressly authorises this, with the exception of the general fellowship from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training or the Basque Government, whose compatibility will depend on the resolution from both entities.

The degree I’m interested in offers some credits that are taken online. Could I receive a fellowship for this degree?

The fellowship is only for full-time on-campus courses, apart from in exceptional circumstances such as those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The on-line application only allows for one option in the "Studies to be pursued" section, but I’m considering various options for this. Can I indicate these options in a different section?

Yes. Actually, it’s a good idea to have alternative options, in case you can't do the first option. You can list these options in your statement of purpose.

Could I apply for a fellowship for a double degree?

You can only do this as long as you are not doing two separate degrees at the same time. In other words, it should be a double-degree itself and not two degrees.

Could I apply for a fellowship to pursue Higher Artistic Education?

Yes, as long as all the requirements established in the rules of participation of the call are met. Applicants who wish to pursue Higher Artistic Education must pass the last year of Baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training (CFGS) in the current academic year and be beneficiaries of the fixed allowance for income of the general scholarship. The marks that will be taken into account for the preselection will be the final marks of Baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training.

Do I need to sit university entrance exams to take part in the application process?

Applicants who have completed the baccalaureate must pass the university entrance exams for the university in the call, in the first sitting for the academic year. However, students pursuing Higher-level of Vocational Training (Ciclo Formativo de Grado Superior) or students from Bachibac programme do not need to sit the university entrance exams.

If I’m awarded a fellowship, can I start my studies next year?

No. The start of the fellowship must be the same as the start of the academic year after finishing the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training.

I've already completed a bachelor’s degree. Can I apply for a fellowship for a second degree?

No. These fellowships are aimed at students who are in the last year of the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training and, as such, are starting university-level studies for the first time.

I'm currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Can I apply for a scholarship to continue my degree?

No. These fellowships are aimed at students who are in the last year of the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training and, as such, are starting university-level studies for the first time.

I want to do a degree at a centre affiliated with a university. Can I apply for a fellowship?

These fellowships are for pursuing bachelor’s degree at public universities, public centres of higher artistic education or public education centres affiliated with universities. In this case, in your application you need to select the university with which the centre is affiliated. Bear in mind that the fellowship only covers the public price set by the Autonomous Community for each academic year.

I want to do a degree at a private affiliated centre. Can I apply for a fellowship?

No. We do not accept applications for degrees at private universities or private affiliated centres, even if they are affiliated with a public university.

The degree I want to take is not an official undergraduate degree. Can I apply for these fellowships?

No. We only award fellowships for official bachelor’s degrees. We do not accept unofficial courses or degrees awarded only by the university itself (and not by the Ministry of Education).

Do the language courses offered as part of the fellowship include other languages other than English?

The language covered by the fellowship is English, unless the fellow is taking a degree related to the English language such as English Studies, English Language and Literature or English Translation and Interpretation. In this case, with prior authorisation from the ”la Caixa” Foundation, fellows may take a different language course apart from English.

Does my application number match the number of people applying for a fellowship in this process?

No.

I am not a Spanish national. Could my application still be accepted?

Yes, as long as you meet the requirements set for the application. Bear in mind that, in order to apply for these fellowships, you must have been a recipient of the general grant from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training or the one from the Basque Government in the last year of the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training.

I am a recipient of the general grant from the Ministry of Education and Professional Training/the Basque Government in the last year of the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training, but I did not receive the fixed income amount. Can I apply for a fellowship?

No. You must have received the fixed income amount to apply for this fellowship, since this is the amount that proves that the applicant is in Family Income Threshold 1.

My application for the general grant from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training or the Basque Government was rejected but I’ve filed a claim which is still open. Can I apply for a fellowship?

We will only accept applications from candidates who have received notice that they have been awarded this grant by the competent government body before the end date of the call.

I am an International Baccalaureate’s student. Can I apply for a fellowship?

No. Students who exclusively pursue International Baccalaureate studies are not beneficiaries of the general grant from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training or the Basque Government and, as such, do not comply with the requirements stablished in this call.

I’m in the last year of a Higher-level of Vocational Training in Fine Arts and Design. Can I apply for a fellowship?

Yes. These courses grant access to undergraduate degrees.

I’m in the last year of a Higher-level of Vocational Training in Physical Education. Can I apply for a fellowship?

Yes. These courses grant access to undergraduate degrees.

Do I need to be a CaixaBank account holder to apply for a fellowship?

No.

Can I send in all or some of the documents by email?

No. The documentation can only be attached to the application using the on-line application platform.

Can I send in paper copies or email letters of recommendation?

No. Request and receipt of letters of recommendation can only be done using the on-line application system for a ”la Caixa” fellowship.

How does the on-line letter of recommendation system work?

Letters of recommendation are requested by filling in the mandatory fields on the application form, particularly on the "Reference letters" section. Once it has been completed, ”la Caixa” Foundation will contact the individuals who you listed via e-mail. In the e-mail, we will provide them with a webpage address where they can fill in and send the letter using an on-line form.

I have already provided my referees’ information on the on-line application platform. How long will ”la Caixa” Foundation take to contact them?

Contact is immediate. ”la Caixa” Foundation automatically sends them the e-mail as soon as you have provided the requested information.

With regard to my academic record, what documentation should I attach?

In the "CV" section of the application, attach the transcript of records for the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training with a list of the courses you’ve taken and the respective grades, as well as the final grade at the end of your studies. You should also attach your transcript of records for Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) with a list of the courses you’ve taken and the respective grades, as well as the final grade at the end of your studies.

With regard to my academic record, what documents should I attach if I haven’t finished my studies yet?

When you send in your application you should have finished the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training.

Is there any possibility to present my transcript of records after the deadline for the applications stipulated in the terms and conditions?

No. When you send in your application you should have finished the baccalaureate or Higher-level of Vocational Training. If you do not have your final transcripts of records yet, get in touch with your education centre to request it as soon as possible, since you won’t be able to send in the application without it.

There are aspects of my academic or professional curriculum that I cannot accredit with any document. Can I include them in the application all the same?

No. In your application you should only list what you can accredit or show.

Can I submit my application, and if on the deadline for applications I am still lacking a document, certificate, or letter of recommendation, I commit to sending it a few days later?

No. Each and every one of the requirements and deadlines must be duly complied with. Any incomplete application on the deadline for applications will be disregarded.

Can I attach any other documents other than the ones requested in the application?

Yes. You can add other documents in the "Other Documents" section as long as they are all in one PDF file.

I did not get the fellowship. Can I appeal or redress this decision?

No, the committees’ decision is final and unappealable. The submission of an application for a ”la Caixa” fellowship implies the applicant's express acceptance of both the programme entry requirements and the decisions made during the selection process for applications.

Is it possible for me to find out the reasons why my application was not selected?

No. ”la Caixa” Foundation fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis, which means that the individuals evaluating the applications make their decisions by choosing those who, in their opinion, are the best among those applying. Every year, ”la Caixa” Foundation receives a very large number of applications in all their fellowship programmes. For this reason, the fact that an application has not passed the selection process does not necessarily mean that it has weak points or mistakes, but instead, there were other applications that received more favourable consideration than those that were finally rejected based on the criterion of the panels of professors evaluating them. For more information related to the evaluation process, visit the "Application assessment" section in our website.

Can I find out who assessed my application?

No. According to standard practice in the selection processes using the peer review system, applicants are not informed of the identity of the individuals who will evaluate their application or of the composition of the selection boards who will interview the applicants. Nevertheless, once the selection processes have ended, a list of all the professors and researchers who took part in them will be made public.

During the selection processes, is there any kind of quota system by academic discipline to distribute the awarded fellowships?

Yes. You will find this information in the "Application assessment" section in our website.

I have just registered on the on-line application platform but the access codes are not working. How can I resolve this?

To activate the account as an applicant, it is necessary to click on the link that you receive in the registration e-mail. If your e-mail account disables the links (e.g. Hotmail accounts tend to do this), you should copy the link to your browser’s address bar. Your access codes will not be activated until you have completed this step.

I cannot register on the on-line application platform because I made a mistake when I provided my username (e-mail address). What should I do?

Send a scanned copy of your National Identity Card to fellowships@fundacionlacaixa.org so that we can verify your information and make the necessary corrections.

I would like to include more information than what the on-line application platform allows in my curriculum. How can I do this?

The on-line application platform only allows a limited number of sections. You should select the aspects of your curriculum which you consider to best support your application. In the on-line form, you have a text field at the end where you can add additional information that you consider worthy of mention.

The on-line application platform does not allow me to attach digital documents to my application. What should I do?

The documents have a size limit, beyond which the system rejects them and prevents them from being attached to the application. The on-line form specifies the limits for each case. Most of the time, file sizes can be significantly reduced by creating a pdf document and optimising compression settings:

  • a resolution between 90 and 120 ppp,

  • black and white or greyscale printing.

I have attached a new file as a replacement of another one that I uploaded previously. I cannot seem to see the new file. Why?

Most likely, you don't see the updated file because of your computer’s cache. You can clear your browser’s cache or delete all temporary files to see the right document.

My referee says that they have already sent the letter, but it doesn't appear as received in my application. What could have happened?

It is possible that the letter has been finished but has not been submitted yet. It is necessary for the referee to submit it for the system to include it in your application.