How much Erasmus pays in Spain and when it arrives

Key rules

• First payment: The first instalment is at least 70% of the grant and arrives around the start of your stay, once your agreements are signed.
• Balance: You get the rest only after you submit your departure certificate and participant report.
• Amount: Your sending university sets your monthly amount within a national range, and it changes yearly.
• Repayment: You may have to repay part or all of the grant if you do not complete the mobility or meet its conditions.
• Top-ups: Extra money is claimed through your international office, not directly from the EU.

Grant amounts, top-ups and city costs change yearly, so confirm current figures with your sending university's international office.

What the grant is and how big it is

The Erasmus+ grant is a monthly contribution to your costs. It is not a full salary or a full cost-of-living payment. Spain sits in the middle group of countries for grant purposes, so the monthly range is narrower than for the most expensive destinations.

Your own country sets the exact amount, and your university fixes it within that range. The amount changes every year. Ask your international office for the current monthly figure before you build a budget.

When the money arrives

You get the grant in two payments.

• First payment: paid around the start of your stay, once your grant agreement and learning agreement are signed. Some universities pay more than the minimum, up to 100%, in advance.
• Balance: paid after you come back, once the host university has given you a departure certificate and you have completed the online participant report.

Your university sets the exact dates and split, so ask what it does. Plan to cover your first weeks from your own savings. Rent and a deposit usually come due before or just as the grant lands.

The timeline below shows the order of the steps, and the documents list shows what you need for each.

Conditions that keep the money

You can lose part of the grant, or have to repay it, if you do not meet the conditions. These are the main ones:

• You must be enrolled at a university that holds an Erasmus+ charter.
• You must complete the language assessment if your university asks for it.
• You must stay for the minimum period, which is 2 months.
• You must earn credits as agreed in your learning agreement.

If you leave early for reasons outside your control, such as serious illness, you may not have to repay. Talk to your international office before you change plans.

Extra money on top

There are three main top-ups:

• A monthly top-up if you come from a disadvantaged background.
• A grant for real costs if you have a disability or special needs.
• A one-off green travel top-up if you travel by low-emission transport, such as train.

You do not apply to the EU. Apply through your international office, which usually asks for supporting documents. Ask about the current amounts early, because some require evidence before you leave.

How it compares with real costs

Expect the grant to cover part of your costs, not all of them. Rent is the biggest item, and it varies a lot by city. Madrid and Barcelona are generally the most expensive for exchange students, and a shared room costs more there. Cities such as Granada, Valencia, Salamanca, Seville and Zaragoza are generally cheaper.

To budget:

1. Get the monthly grant figure from your international office.
2. Check current room listings and the host university's housing office for your city.
3. Add food, transport, phone and leisure for your own lifestyle.
4. Compare the total with the grant, and plan to cover the gap from savings, family help or part-time work.

If your city is Madrid or Barcelona, plan for a larger gap.

Timeline and deadlines

• Sign the grant agreement and the learning agreement: before you leave

• Take the online language assessment, if your university asks for it: before you leave

• Receive the first instalment, at least 70%: around the start of your stay, after both agreements are signed

• Get your arrival certificate from the host university: when you arrive in Spain

• Stay for the minimum period: at least 2 months

• Get your departure certificate and submit the participant report: at the end of your stay

• Receive the balance of the grant: after the certificate and report are submitted

Documents you need

• Grant agreement, signed with your sending university before you leave. It sets your grant and triggers the first instalment.

• Learning agreement, signed by your home and host universities before you leave.

• Arrival certificate, issued by the Spanish host university when you arrive.

• Departure certificate, issued by the host university at the end of your stay. You need it to get the final payment.

• Participant report, completed online in the EU Survey after your stay. It is also needed for the final payment.

• Supporting documents for a top-up, if you claim one. Your international office tells you which ones.

Frequently asked questions

Can I lose part of my Erasmus grant after I receive it?

Yes, you may have to repay part or all of the grant if you do not complete the mobility or meet its conditions, unless force majeure applies. Credits must be earned and the stay must last at least 2 months. Ask your international office what counts as completing the mobility.

Can I get extra money on top of the basic Erasmus grant?

Yes, there are three top-ups, and you claim them through your sending university's international office. They cover a disadvantaged background (monthly), real inclusion costs for disabilities or special needs, and a one-off green travel payment for low-emission transport. Expect to bring supporting documents.

Which Spanish cities cost exchange students the most?

Madrid and Barcelona cost the most, and a shared room there is pricier than in smaller cities. Granada, Valencia, Salamanca, Seville and Zaragoza are generally cheaper. Check current listings and the host university's housing office before you budget.

Is the Erasmus grant the same for every student going to Spain?

No, the monthly amount depends on your sending country and university, within a range set for Spain's country group. The amount changes yearly. Your international office can tell you the exact figure for your mobility.