UB Santander Scholarships. The UB Santander Scholarships are financial support opportunities associated with the University of Barcelona (UB) and Banco Santander. They are designed to help eligible students manage the costs of higher education. It is important to understand that “UB Santander Scholarships” does not refer to one single scholarship. The University of Barcelona currently lists several Santander-supported opportunities. For students interested in degree or Master’s study, two particularly relevant programmes  are Santander Ayuda Económica and Santander Estudios | Equality.

Their eligibility rules and benefits are different, so applicants should read the specific call carefully before applying. For the 2026–27 academic year, UB lists the deadline for Santander Ayuda Económica as 7 October 2026. The Santander Estudios | Equality programme has a deadline of 15 September 2026. 

These scholarships can be useful for students who need additional financial assistance, but applicants should not assume that they are fully funded scholarships covering tuition, accommodation, travel and living costs. The exact financial support depends on the individual programme. Apply for More Fully Funded Scholarships Here.

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UB Santander Scholarships at a Glance

The Santander-wide Ayuda Económica programme provides €1,000 awards and can support students in Bachelor’s, Master’s or postgraduate study at participating Spanish universities. UB has allocated 174 awards to its students for the programme.

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What Is the Santander Ayuda Económica Scholarship?

The Santander Ayuda Económica programme is a financial-aid scholarship supported by Banco Santander for students enrolled at participating Spanish universities. For the 2026 programme, Santander’s official terms state that up to 9,108 students can receive a €1,000 financial award to help with expenses connected to their studies. Eligible expenses can include items such as educational technology, internet connectivity, transportation related to study, university meals, certain additional academic costs and books.

The University of Barcelona announced that 174 UB Bachelor’s and official Master’s students would receive this type of support for the academic year. This is therefore an attractive option for students who already have admission or enrolment at UB and need help with education-related costs.

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What Is Santander Estudios | Equality?

Santander Estudios | Equality is a separate programme and should not be confused with Ayuda Económica. According to the University of Barcelona, the programme is intended to support female students with good academic records and limited financial resources. Under the UB call, eligible students are women who were enrolled in the first year of a Bachelor’s degree at UB during 2025–26 and who received a Ministry of Education tuition scholarship for that year and also applied for the general scholarship. The scholarship provides:

• €5,000 per academic year
• Support for two academic years
• Coverage during the student’s second and third year of the Bachelor’s degree

That means the total potential support is €10,000 over two years, assuming the student continues to meet the applicable requirements. This programme is therefore not a general scholarship for new international Master’s applicants.

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Advantages of UB Santander Scholarships

1. Financial support for students

The biggest advantage is direct financial assistance. The Ayuda Económica programme provides €1,000, which can help students pay for study-related expenses. For a student already studying in Barcelona, even a relatively modest scholarship can help with books, transportation, internet, meals or other academic expenses.

2. Support for Master’s students

The Ayuda Económica programme is relevant to students pursuing an official Master’s degree, as well as Bachelor’s students. UB specifically states that 174 students from Bachelor’s and official Master’s programmes are included in the 2026–27 allocation. 

3. Can help with everyday study expenses

Unlike a scholarship restricted only to tuition, Santander’s Ayuda Económica programme is designed to contribute toward a range of costs associated with pursuing higher education. Santander’s terms specifically mention technology, connectivity, transport, university meals, certain academic costs and books.  customer in most programmes Santander Open Academy states that, in most of its scholarship programmes, applicants do not need to be Banco Santander customers. Individual calls can have their own conditions, so students should always check the specific terms.

5. Additional opportunities through the Santander platform

Santander Open Academy hosts scholarships covering several areas, including economic assistance, mobility, research and professional internships. Students can therefore use the platform to search for other opportunities in addition to the UB programme.

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Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility depends on which UB Santander scholarship you are applying for.

Santander Ayuda Económica

The Santander 2026 general terms state that the programme is aimed at students enrolled in Bachelor’s, Master’s or postgraduate programmes at participating Spanish universities, as well as certain higher-level vocational education students. The individual university call determines the available places and specific application procedure. For a UB student, you should therefore check the specific UB call before applying. In practical terms, applicants should expect to demonstrate:

• Current or qualifying enrolment at the University of Barcelona
• Registration in an eligible Bachelor’s, official Master’s or other qualifying programme
• Compliance with the specific Santander and UB conditions
• Submission of the application before the deadline
• Accurate academic and personal information

Santander Estudios | Equality

The requirements are much more specific. For the 2026–27 UB programme, the applicant must be:

• A female student
• Enrolled in the first year of a Bachelor’s degree at UB during 2025–26
• A beneficiary of a Ministry of Education tuition scholarship for 2025–26
• An applicant for the general scholarship for 2026–27
• Academically eligible under the programme conditions

The programme supports continuation into the second and third years of the Bachelor’s degree. 

Important for international students

Students coming from outside Spain should not automatically assume that they qualify simply because they have been admitted to the University of Barcelona. Scholarship eligibility can depend on enrolment status, programme type, previous scholarship status, nationality/residence conditions and other requirements. Always read the official call for the year in which you are applying.

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Required Documents

The exact documents can vary depending on the specific Santander call and the student’s circumstances. Applicants should follow the official call rather than submitting unnecessary documents. Commonly requested information or documentation may include:

1. Valid identification document
   • Passport or appropriate identity document for international students.

2. University enrolment information
   • Evidence that you are enrolled in an eligible UB programme.

3. Academic information
   • Transcript or academic record where required.
   • Information about academic performance.

4. Scholarship information
   • Details or evidence of previous/current government scholarship support where the particular Santander programme requires it.

5. Financial information
   • Documents demonstrating financial circumstances if required by the specific call.

6. Santander Open Academy registration
   • Some Santander programmes require applicants to register on the Santander Open Academy platform and complete the scholarship application there.

7. Additional documents
   • Any documents specifically requested by the University of Barcelona or Santander in the official call.

Students should scan important documents in advance and ensure that names, dates and academic information are consistent across all documents.

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Application Process

The application process is straightforward, but students should carefully follow the instructions because Santander programmes can use both the Santander platform and university procedures.

Step 1: Check the official UB announcement

Start by visiting the University of Barcelona scholarship and grants page. UB publishes current calls and their deadlines there. For 2026–27, UB lists:

• Santander Estudios | Equality — 15 September 2026
• Santander Ayuda Económica — 7 October 2026 

Step 2: Read the specific call

Do not rely only on the scholarship title. Read the eligibility requirements, number of awards, amount, selection criteria, documents and application procedure.

Step 3: Register on Santander Open Academy if required

Santander’s scholarship platform allows students to create an account and search for available scholarship programmes. Santander states that applicants generally register, complete their profile and then apply to the relevant scholarship.

Step 4: Complete the application

Enter your personal, academic and university information carefully. Make sure:

• Your name matches your passport/university records.
• Your email address is active.
• Your programme information is correct.
• Required documents are uploaded in the requested format.

Step 5: Submit before the deadline

For the currently published UB 2026–27 calls: Santander Estudios | Equality: 15 September 2026 Santander Ayuda Económica: 7 October 2026 . Do not wait until the final day if you can avoid it. Technical problems or missing information can create unnecessary difficulties.

Step 6: Monitor your application

After submitting your application, regularly check your email and Santander/UB account for notifications or requests for additional information.

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Are UB Santander Scholarships Fully Funded?

No, not generally. The Santander Ayuda Económica programme is a financial-support scholarship, not a comprehensive full scholarship covering every cost of studying in Spain. The 2026 Santander programme provides a €1,000 award. The Santander Estudios | Equality programme is considerably larger at €5,000 per year for two years, but it is a specific undergraduate programme with strict eligibility requirements.Therefore, a student planning to study a Master’s at UB should normally look for additional funding for:

• Tuition
• Accommodation
• Food
• Health insurance
• Visa expenses
• Flights
• Transportation
• Personal expenses

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Important Information for International Students

International applicants should pay particular attention to the distinction between admission and scholarship eligibility. Being accepted to a Master’s programme at the University of Barcelona does not automatically mean you qualify for every Santander scholarship. For a new international Master’s applicant, UB Santander Scholarships Ayuda Económica is potentially relevant because the programme includes Master’s students, while Santander Estudios | Equality is specifically structured around eligible undergraduate students already studying at UB.  Students from countries outside the EU should also check whether the relevant scholarship requires a particular residence, enrolment or government-scholarship status.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the UB Santander Scholarship?

It refers to Santander-supported scholarship and financial-aid opportunities available through or announced by the University of Barcelona. Different Santander programmes have different eligibility rules and benefits.

2. How much is the Santander Ayuda Económica scholarship?

The Santander 2026 programme provides a €1,000 financial award. UB’s 2026–27 announcement states that 174 UB Bachelor’s and official Master’s students will receive support through the programme.

3. What is the deadline for UB Santander Ayuda Económica?

The University of Barcelona currently lists 7 October 2026 as the deadline. 

4. What is the Santander Estudios | Equality deadline?

For the 2026–27 UB call, the deadline is 15 September 2026. 

5. Can Master’s students apply?

Yes, potentially. The Santander Ayuda Económica programme includes students studying Bachelor’s, Master’s and postgraduate programmes at participating universities. UB specifically states that its 2026–27 allocation includes Bachelor’s and official Master’s students. However, Santander Estudios | Equality is a different programme aimed at eligible undergraduate women.

6. Do I need to be a Santander bank customer?

Generally, no. Santander Open Academy states that most of its scholarship programmes do not require applicants to be Santander customers, although individual calls may have specific conditions.

7. Can international students apply?

It depends on the specific scholarship and its eligibility conditions. International students should read the applicable UB/Santander call carefully rather than assuming eligibility based only on university admission.

8. Does the scholarship cover accommodation?

The Ayuda Económica scholarship is a general financial contribution toward study-related expenses. It is not advertised as a complete accommodation scholarship. Santander’s terms identify several eligible education-related expenses, including technology, connectivity, transport, meals and academic materials.

9. Can I combine it with another scholarship?

The Santander 2026 terms state that Ayuda Económica can be compatible with certain other scholarships, including the Spanish Ministry’s general scholarship, provided there is no double financing of the same expense. Applicants should check the rules of both awards.

10. Where can I find the official application information?

The safest approach is to use the University of Barcelona’s official scholarship portal and the Santander Open Academy platform. UB’s scholarship page lists current calls and deadlines, while Santander Open Academy provides the broader Santander scholarship catalogue. 

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Official Websites

University of Barcelona 

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Conclusion

The UB Santander Scholarships can provide valuable financial assistance to students at the University of Barcelona, but applicants should understand the differences between the available programmes. The Santander Ayuda Económica programme is particularly relevant to Master’s students because UB has allocated support to Bachelor’s and official Master’s students. The Santander-wide award is €1,000, while UB lists 7 October 2026 as the application deadline. 

 The Santander Estudios | Equality programme offers substantially higher support—€5,000 per year for two years—but it has much narrower eligibility requirements and is designed for qualifying women continuing their Bachelor’s studies at UB. Its 2026 deadline is 15 September 2026.

 For students planning to pursue a Master’s at the University of Barcelona, the best strategy is to check the official UB scholarship portal regularly, apply for Santander support when eligible, and combine it with other university, government or external scholarships where the rules permit. Always verify the latest official call before submitting an application, because scholarship amounts, eligibility requirements and deadlines can change from one academic year to another.

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