Study exchanges between Spanish universities (SICUE and Séneca)

Key rules

• Who it is for: SICUE is only for students already enrolled at a Spanish university, not for incoming foreign exchange students.
• Agreement: Your degree must have an agreement between your home and destination universities.
• Where to apply: You apply through your home university's SICUE office, normally in spring.
• Séneca grant: Do not count on the Séneca grant, as it has not been funded in recent years.

Credit minimums, call dates and the Séneca grant change by year, so confirm them with your home university's SICUE office.

Who can use SICUE

SICUE is Spain's exchange scheme between Spanish universities. It is only for students already enrolled in Spain. It is not for foreign students who want to visit Spain for a term.

You can apply if all of this is true:

• You are enrolled in an official bachelor's degree at a university that takes part.
• You have passed the minimum share of credits set in the current call. This is usually at least one year of the degree.
• You will be enrolled in the year of the exchange.
• Your home university and the destination university have an agreement for your degree.

International students can apply too, but only if they are enrolled at a Spanish university.

How to apply

Apply through your home university's SICUE office. Calls normally open in spring, roughly February to April, for the following academic year. Ask your office for the exact dates, because they change.

1. Pick your destinations from your university's agreement list.
2. Submit the online form with your academic record.
3. Your home university ranks applicants by grade average, then assigns places.
4. If you are accepted, sign the academic agreement. It lists the subjects you will take. The destination university must confirm it.
5. Enrol at the destination university.

The checklist below gives the same steps in order.

The Séneca grant

Séneca was a monthly allowance for SICUE students. It has not been funded in recent years, so do not plan your finances around it. If it comes back, the Ministry of Education and the CRUE (the rectors' conference) would announce it. Ask the Ministry of Education or your SICUE office what applies now.

Budget for rent and living costs in the destination city as if you will get no grant.

Checklist

• Ask your SICUE office whether your degree has an agreement with the destination university.

• Choose your destinations from the agreement list and submit the online form with your academic record.

• Sign the academic agreement after acceptance and make sure the destination university confirms it.

• Enrol at the destination university.

• Ask the Ministry of Education or your SICUE office whether the Séneca grant is funded this year, and do not budget for it until it is.

Frequently asked questions

Can foreign students use SICUE?

Yes, foreign students can use SICUE if they are enrolled in a Spanish university. Students who come as incoming exchange students from abroad are not covered. You must also be in an official bachelor's degree at a participating university.

Does my destination university need an agreement with mine?

Yes, both universities must have a bilateral agreement for your degree before you can go. You choose destinations from your home university's agreement list.

Is the Séneca grant still paid to SICUE students?

No, the Séneca grant has not been funded in recent years, so you should not count on it. It used to give a monthly allowance.