School costs and aid in the Comunidad de Madrid

Terms used

• Accede — Accede is Madrid's scheme where families lend and borrow school textbooks through a school book bank.
• Comedor — The comedor is the school canteen where pupils eat lunch.
• Concertada — A concertada is a privately run school that receives public funding, so teaching is free but it may ask for extra contributions.
• Bonificaciones — Bonificaciones are discounts on the comedor price for families who meet income or other conditions.
• RMI — The RMI is Madrid's minimum income benefit for households with very low resources.
• Convocatoria — The convocatoria is the official yearly call that sets the aid dates, conditions and how to apply.

Key rules

• Teaching: Teaching is free in public and concertada schools, but extras are not.
• Comedor: Families who receive the RMI pay nothing for the comedor in public schools.
• Aid dates: Apply again every course, because dates and income limits change each year.
• International schools: Fees vary widely, and registration fees and a deposit are usual.

Comedor prices, income limits, aid dates and school fees change every year, so confirm the 2026-27 figures with the Comunidad de Madrid education portal and each school.

Public school is the cheapest route, and aid covers much of the rest

In Madrid, teaching in public and concertada schools is free. Your real costs are books, the school canteen, transport, activities and, in concertada and international schools, fees. Plan for each one.

Books: the Accede loan scheme

Accede is Madrid's book-loan scheme. You hand your child's used textbooks to a school book bank and take out the books for the next year. It covers Primary, ESO, Educación Especial and FP Básica, in public schools and in concertada schools that have joined.

• You join through the school, usually at the end of the course or when you enrol. You hand in your books or buy the missing ones.
• Your child must return the books in good condition. The school can ask you to replace lost or damaged ones.
• Madrid has also paid a separate book grant to families who meet income conditions. The levels and conditions are set each year, so check the Comunidad de Madrid education portal for the 2026-27 course.

Ask any concertada school you are considering whether it takes part in Accede.

The comedor: price and aid

The comedor is the school canteen. In public schools the Comunidad sets the price each year. It was 4.88 euros per day in recent courses, so check the current figure with the school.

• Families who receive the RMI (Madrid's minimum income benefit) and other protected groups pay nothing. This also covers children of victims of terrorism or gender violence and children in foster care.
• Families with low income can get partial discounts, called bonificaciones. The income limits are set in each year's call.
• You usually apply through the school or the online portal, every course.

When to apply for aid

Comedor and book aid are opened in a yearly call, called the convocatoria. In recent years the window ran for about a month, from roughly May to June, for the following course. Comedor bonificaciones are often open again in September for families who became eligible later.

Exact dates change every year. Look at the call on the education portal, and ask your school's office to tell you when it opens. The timeline below gives the order of steps.

Concertada and international schools

Concertada schools charge voluntary monthly contributions for extras. These commonly run from tens of euros to a few hundred a month. Comedor, transport and activities are charged on top, so ask for the full monthly total.

International and private schools set their own tuition. It ranges from moderate fees to very high fees at the leading British, American and French schools. Fees rise as pupils get older. Registration fees and a deposit are also usual.

Ask each school for its current fee list in writing before you commit. Then compare the full yearly cost, not just the monthly tuition.

Timeline and deadlines

• Apply for comedor and book aid for the next course: In spring to early summer, roughly May to June, in a window of about a month

• Check the exact dates in the yearly call: Before May each year, on the Comunidad's education portal

Frequently asked questions

Can I join Madrid's Accede book-loan scheme if my child is in a concertada school?

Yes, your child can join Accede if the concertada school has joined the scheme, since it covers public and participating concertada schools. You join through the school, usually when enrolling or at the end of the course, by handing in your child's books or buying the missing ones. Lost or damaged books may have to be replaced.

Who pays nothing for the comedor in a Madrid public school?

Families who receive the RMI (the regional minimum income) and other protected groups pay nothing for the school comedor. Children of victims of terrorism or gender violence, and children in foster care, are also covered. Low-income families can get partial bonificaciones, and you usually apply through the school or the online portal each course.

When do I apply for comedor and book aid in Madrid?

Applications usually open once a year for roughly a month, between about May and June, for the following course. Comedor bonificaciones are often also open in September for newly eligible families. The exact dates are published in each year's call on the Comunidad's education portal.

What extra costs come with a concertada school in Madrid?

Concertada teaching is free, but schools ask for voluntary monthly contributions, commonly from tens of euros to a few hundred. Comedor, transport and activities are charged on top. Ask each school for its current figures, including any registration fee or deposit.