How to find your local school cost rules and aid calls

Terms used

• Ayuntamiento — The ayuntamiento is your town hall, the local council that runs municipal services.
• Padrón — The padrón is the municipal register of residents, used as proof of address.
• Secretaría — The secretaría is the school's administration office, where you ask for documents and fee lists.
• Concertada — A concertada school is privately run but publicly funded through an agreement with the regional government.
• Sede electrónica — The sede electrónica is an administration's official online office for submitting applications.
• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is the government's online identification system for using electronic offices.
• BDNS — The BDNS is the national database of public subsidies and grant calls.

Key rules

• Binding source: The call text on your region's portal or official gazette is the rule that counts, not summaries elsewhere.
• Town hall: Local grants exist only in some municipalities, so ask your ayuntamiento directly.
• School fees: Ask the secretaría for the school's written fee list.
• Padrón: Register on the padrón first, because it is often your proof of address for aid.

Start with your region's education portal

School costs and aid are mostly set by each region, so the binding rule is usually on your region's education portal. Start there, not on a general website or in a parents' chat.

The resource below lists the main portals. The national Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports portal is also worth a look, mainly for national study grants (becas) and for the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, where the ministry runs education.

Find the open aid calls

Do it in this order:

1. Open the education section of the portal.
2. Look for the sections called "Becas y ayudas", "Ayudas", "Servicios y trámites" or "Convocatorias".
3. Search for "ayudas libros de texto", "ayudas comedor escolar" or "becas", plus the school year, for example "curso 2026/2027".
4. Keep only calls marked "abierta" or "en plazo" (open). Read the deadline, the requirements and how to apply.
5. Note the application route. It is usually an online office (sede electrónica) that needs a digital certificate or Cl@ve. Some calls use a paper form handed in at the school.

The checklist below repeats these steps in short form.

Read the legal text of a call

If the portal summary is unclear, read the call itself. Search your region's official gazette (BOCM in Madrid, DOGC in Catalonia, BOJA in Andalucía, DOGV in the Valencian Community, BOIB in the Balearic Islands). You can also search the national subsidies database, BDNS. The call text is the binding version: amounts, deadlines and who qualifies are stated there.

Ask your town hall

Your ayuntamiento looks after public infant and primary school buildings. It may run or co-fund the canteen (comedor), early-morning and after-school care. Some town halls also give local grants for books, canteen or school activities. These exist only in some municipalities, so ask yours.

Town hall rules often depend on the padrón, the municipal register. It is used as proof of address for school admission points and for local aid. Register before you apply.

In Catalonia, canteen and transport aid goes through the consells comarcals (county councils), not only the town hall.

Check the school's own rules

For what a specific school charges, ask the school. Fees and charges for canteen, transport, activities and early-morning care are available from the school. Publicly funded schools must display them on the notice board (tablón de anuncios) and give them to you on request at the secretaría (the school office). Many also post them on their website.

Ask the secretaría for the written list. Detailed publication duties differ by region.

For concertada schools (privately run but publicly funded), the school council approves activities and charges, and the regional education authority approves the charges for complementary services. Private schools set their own prices, and they must give you clear price information.

Where to go next

The FAQ below answers common follow-up questions. Local rules differ by region and by municipality, so confirm every figure with the sources above before you pay or apply.

Checklist

• Open your region's education department portal, or the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports portal where it applies.

• Note the application route: usually an online office (sede electrónica) with a digital certificate or Cl@ve, or a paper form at the school.

• Ask your ayuntamiento (town hall) whether it offers local grants for books, canteen or school activities, and what padrón (municipal registration) proof it asks for.

• Ask the school secretaría for its written list of fees and service charges, or read the notice board and website.

Where to look up school costs and aid calls in each region

• Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports: Check national school aid and, for Ceuta and Melilla, admissions, comedor (school canteen) and book aid, through the Dirección Provincial de Educación in each city.

• Comunidad de Madrid, education section: Look up school costs, book and canteen aid, and aid calls for Madrid.

• Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d'Educació: Look up school costs and aid calls for Catalonia.

• Generalitat Valenciana, education department: Look up school costs and aid calls for the Valencian Community.

• Govern de les Illes Balears, education section: Look up school costs and aid calls for the Balearic Islands.

• Your ayuntamiento (town hall): Ask about local grants for books, canteen or activities, and about comedor and before- and after-school care. Bring your padrón (municipal registration), which is often the proof of address needed. Local aid exists only in some towns.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I find the legal text of an aid call?

You can find the legal text of an aid call in your region's official gazette, such as BOCM, DOGC, BOJA, DOGV or BOIB. You can also search the national subsidies database, called BDNS. Search for the call's name and the school year.

How do I find out what a specific school charges for canteen or activities?

Ask the school itself, because its fees and service charges are available from the school. Publicly funded schools must display them on the notice board (tablón de anuncios) and give them to you at the secretaría on request. Many also post them on their website.

Does my town hall handle school aid too?

Yes, some town halls offer their own grants for books, canteen or school activities, but only some do. Details differ by municipality, and many rules depend on your padrón (municipal registration).

How do private schools show their prices?

Private schools set their own fees, but they must give you price information under consumer law. Ask the secretaría for the written fee list before you enrol.