idEC. Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Grants

IDEC has established collaboration agreements with various companies and institutions which sponsor certain programmes and offer participants financial assistance. If programmes offer scholarships or assistance, information will be provided in the section "Fees and financing".

Outside IDEC, there are various organisms and companies which offer grants or financial assistance:

Scholarships in COPCA's overseas offices

The COPCA (Consorci de Promoció Comercial de Catalunya or Consortium for the Commercial Promotion of Catalonia) is running a grant scheme, which began in 1982, to train specialists in commercial promotion through work placements abroad. These grants aim for Catalan companies to be able to count on able professionals contributing to improving their competitiveness, by training them in the field of commercial promotion by doing placements at COPCA's business promotion centres as a complement to their university qualifications.

Over these 24 years of running the scheme, 376 grants have been awarded to degree holders to be able to do placements in international trade in countries throughout the world.

In order to be eligible for COPCA grants for commercial promotion abroad, a series of requisites must be met and an application form must be filled in, as defined in the DOGC. The selection process to be followed for the awarding of the grants shall also be set out in the corresponding conditions applicable to the call.

The duration of the grant is twelve months although this may occasionally be prolonged for a further period of no longer than twelve months, in order to complement the training of those people who have satisfactorily finished the first period.

Once the grant holders return to Catalonia and have satisfactorily presented COPCA with their final report of their work, they will be awarded a certificate and, if they so wish, they may become part of a directory of professionals in international commerce which is kept by the Consortium. The COPCA offers the services of these professionals to business associations of companies participating in its advisory schemes.

FUNDACIÓN RAFAEL DEL PINO GRANTS

Every year the Fundación Rafael del Pino awards a series of grants to Spanish nationals with first degrees or higher for postgraduate studies in universities and research centres both in Spain and abroad.

For more information go to: http://www.fundacionrafaeldelpino.es

FORD FOUNDATION GRANTST

The Ford Foundation offers the opportunity to study postgraduate and master's programmes in Spain to those foreign students and professionals interested in applying knowledge from their respective areas, with the aim of contributing to economic development and social justice in their countries of origin.

For more information go to: http://www.programabecas.org and http://www.fordfound.org

FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS

The Fulbright Program for cultural, educational and scientific exchange between Spain and the United Status awards grants to U.S. citizens wishing to carry out postgraduate studies in Spain.

For more information go to: http://www.fulbright.es

DEBEQ GRANTS FROM THE GENERALITAT DE CATALUÑA FOR INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

DEBEQ grants for International Co-operation and Development support the entry of students from foreign developing countries into Catalan universities, with the aim of starting postgraduate and master's studies to help them to contribute to the development of their countries of origin.

For more information go to: http://www.gencat.net/agaur

BCC GRANTS FROM THE GENERALITAT DE CATALUÑA

BCC offers grants to young members from Catalan communities in other countries who wish to study postgraduate or master's courses in Catalan universities.

For more information go to: http://www.gencat.net/agaur

REINA SOFÍA GRANTS - MINISTERIO DE TRABAJO Y ASUNTOS SOCIALES

Reina Sofía grants offer financial assistance for university or postgraduate studies in Spain and are aimed at Spanish immigrants and their families who are living abroad and who lack sufficient economic means.

For more information go to: http://www.mtas.es

"LA CAIXA" GRANTS FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

The Social Institution set up by "La Caixa" occasionally offers grants for postgraduate and master's studies at Spanish universities as well as grants for postgraduate and master's studies abroad.

For more information go to: http://www.fundacio.lacaixa.es

POSTGRADUATE GRANTS FROM THE CAJA MADRID FOUNDATION

The Caja Madrid Foundation awards annual grants to university graduates residing in Spain for the completion of postgraduate studies either in Spain, European Union countries or the United States.

For more information go to: http://www.fundacioncajamadrid.es

POSTGRADUATE GRANTS FROM THE CAIXA GALICIA FOUNDATION

The Caixa Galicia Foundation awards annual grants for the completion of postgraduate studies at principal universities and research centres worldwide. Those eligible for these grants are:

• Galician citizens, children of Galician parents or residents in any part of Galicia;
• those who do not meet the above requirement may also apply provided that their area of study or research is considered to be of special relevance to Galicia.

For more information go to: http://www.fundacioncaixagalicia.org

GLAMOUR MAGAZINE GRANTS

The Glamour magazine, part of the Conde Nast group, awards annual grants for postgraduate studies to Spanish women under the age of 30, with the aim of contributing to an increase in the number of women in the business world.

These grants will be awarded exclusively for face to face courses or programmes at public or private universities or study centres, situated in Spain. The do not cover online courses.

For more information go to: http://becas.revistaglamour.com

ASSISTANCE FOR THE CONTINUING TRAINING OF WORKERS

Workers who are contracted in Spain and who pay Income Tax can ask their company for an individual training permit to attend face to face master's and postgraduate courses, in accordance with Royal Decree 1046/2003, dated August 1st (BOE nº 219), which regulates the sub-system for continuing professional training, and Order TAS/500/2004, dated February 13th (BOE nº 52), which regulates the financing of continuing training activities in companies.

Companies which allow their employees to attend classes during working hours can claim the part of the employees' salary corresponding to the hours spent on training (200 hours maximum), through reductions on Income Tax.

In this way, students will not receive any financial assistance but will be able to obtain the employer's permission more easily.

Application form available from the company and application form for individual training permit (in spanish)

PREFERENTIAL LOANS

IDEC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra has established agreements with Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, Caixa Catalunya, "La Caixa" and SabadellAtlántico for arranging fee loans.

The Agencia de Gestión de Ayudas Universitarias e Investigación (AGAUR) of the Generalitat de Cataluña offers preferential loans for the payment of fees. Applications may be made via the Internet at http://agaur.gencat.net.

For its part, the Ministry of Education and Science offers a credit programme which aims to help students to finance their official and other complementary studies (postgraduate and master's) and so ease their transition on to the job market. For more information go to http://www.mec.es/univ.