Government of Spain-Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation - MAEC-AECID Grants for the Academy of Spain in Rome

What you get

You will receive 1,400 EUR per month for up to 8 months to live and work at the Real Academia de España en Roma (RAER), the Spanish Cultural Academy in Rome. You will also be provided with your own room at the Academy (meals not included) and a budget to carry out your project (up to 5,000 EUR in year 2026 and up to 15,000 EUR in year 2027). You will also receive health and accident insurance, as well as a travel allowance to attend a compulsory scholarship holders’ conference in Madrid. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs awards the scholarship each year through its development agency, AECID. For 2026/2027, the total budget is 619,400 EUR, which will fund up to 19 scholarship holders.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a national of Spain, another EU country or a Latin American country. There are three parallel procedures, one for each group.
• Field: You work in the field of art, creative practice or research, for example in architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, film, design, music, the performing arts, literature, comics, art criticism, restoration, museology or gastronomy.
• Qualification: You hold a university degree or can demonstrate a track record of success as an artist or creative professional.
• Project: You are submitting an original artistic or academic project that you would like to carry out at the Academy.
• Age: No age limit.
• Other funding: You are not currently in receipt of any other MAEC-AECID scholarship lasting six months or more, and you have not received a scholarship from the Fundación Carolina in the past year.
• Paid work: During your stay, you must not engage in any paid work unless you have been given express permission to do so.

How to apply

Registration and applications are made online via the AECID’s electronic portal. Please submit your project, CV and portfolio as PDF files, all in Spanish. You may only submit one application. The application deadline is 1 April. First, experts will assess your CV and your project. If you pass the shortlisting stage, the Academy’s Board will invite you to an interview, which will determine the final selection.

How realistic are your chances?

As this is one of Spain’s best-known art and research residencies, a compelling, original project carries more weight than mere qualifications, and the interview is of great importance. Nationality, field of study and the requirement for a compelling project narrow down the pool of applicants, but the programme’s high reputation nevertheless ensures fierce competition for the approximately 19 places. If you fit into one of the three areas, have a clear project and prepare well for the interview, your chances are realistic.