Government Reinforces University Access and Affordability

The Catalan Ministry of Research and Universities has launched new initiatives to improve access and equity in higher education for the 2026–2027 academic year. Minister Núria Montserrat reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring universities remain spaces for knowledge creation accessible to all, during the official opening ceremony held Friday morning at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), presided over by rector Javier Lafuente. Montserrat highlighted the need for a sustainable, stable funding model and pledged support for digital transformation, talent retention, teaching quality, and internationalisation across Catalonia’s 12 universities.

New Support Measures for Vulnerable Students

For the first time, a 1% reservation of university places has been implemented for students facing socioeconomic vulnerability. This measure, part of the July 2026 pre-enrolment process, received 586 verified applications. Of these, 276 students will gain admission through reserved places, while 280 qualified under general admission criteria despite their circumstances. Eligibility requires being a recipient of Spain’s Ingreso Mínimo Vital or Catalonia’s Renda Garantida de Ciutadania, or belonging to a household receiving non-contributory pensions for those over 65. Additionally, the age limit for care-leavers and fostered youth applying under the reserved university placement scheme has been extended from 25 to 30 years. A total of 86 applications were submitted under this category, with 82 placements confirmed, 60 via reserved places and 22 through standard academic merit.

  • 58 applicants were aged up to 21
  • 21 were aged 21–25
  • 3 were aged 26–30

Tuition Fees and Financial Relief

Public university fees remain capped at the lowest level, with a flat rate of €17.69 per credit for all bachelor's degrees and qualifying master's programmes. Non-qualifying master's programmes cost €19.37 per credit, reduced by 30% under government policy. A historic change extends full fee exemptions to single-parent families, aligning them with benefits previously reserved for large families. As of this academic year, the 78,550 active single-parent family certificates in Catalonia entitle holders to the same reductions as the 164,444 large-family certificates. This policy was secured following advocacy by Comuns and is formalised under Decret 96/2026, published on 16 June 2026, which sets public pricing for Catalan universities (govern.cat).

Expanded Degree Offerings and Medical Training Growth

The 2026–2027 academic year introduces 34 new degree programmes: 9 bachelor's, 21 master's, and 4 doctoral tracks. Notable additions include:

  • New Medicine degrees at Ramon Llull University (URL) with 150 places and Abat Oliba CEU University (UAO-CEU) with 50 places
  • 25 additional Medicine places at Vic University – Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), raising its intake to 140

These 225 new medical training spots are part of the Pla integral dels Estudis de Medicina a Catalunya, aiming to increase first-year medical places by 50%, from 1,333 in 2025–2026 to 2,025 by 2031–2032. UVic-UCC students admitted to Medicine will benefit from a pioneering repayable loan scheme reducing tuition costs by 44%, equivalent to an annual saving of €6,000 per student. Other new degrees include the UOC’s fully online Biomedical Engineering bachelor's, an inter-university programme in Agri-Food Business Technologies led by UPC and UB, and two new Law degrees offered by UVic-UCC in Vic and Manresa.

Digital Transformation and Internationalisation

Catalan universities are expanding course offerings in artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, and advanced digital technologies. The push supports workforce readiness amid rapid technological change. Internationalisation remains a strategic priority. A total of 214 programmes are now delivered entirely in English, 26 bachelor's, 163 master's, and 25 doctoral tracks, enhancing global competitiveness and attracting international students. Enrolment figures from the previous year show 309,911 students across Catalan universities: 241,351 in bachelor's, 48,859 in master's, and 18,701 in doctoral studies.

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Primary sources: govern.cat, upc.edu, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, anna.gargallo, uoc.edu, eb.ub.edu, cbl.upc.edu, ub.edu. Reported by per redactors, ACN, social.cat, Europa Press, ADDServices, El Nacional, XAVIER BERTRAL, comuns.cat, uab.cat.