National Library of Spain - Research and Specialization Grants

What you get

You will have the opportunity to conduct research and further your studies at the Biblioteca Nacional de España (BNE), the Spanish National Library in Madrid, as part of the 1,085 EUR gross per month for 9 months programme. You will work under the supervision of a tutor from your field of study and will receive a diploma upon completion of the entire programme. The Spanish Ministry of Culture funds the scholarships and awards them each year through an open competition. In the 2025/2026 round, the BNE offered 42 scholarships in five fields: Library and Information Science (32), Book and Document Restoration (2), Graphic Design (1), Information Technology (1) and Cultural Management (6).

Who can apply

• Degree: You must hold a higher education qualification relevant to the field for which you are applying. This must have been awarded by a Spanish higher education institution or recognised as equivalent by the Spanish authorities.
• Nationality: You are a Spanish national or an EU citizen. Spouses and dependent children of Spanish nationals or EU citizens may also apply.
• Spanish: If you are not Spanish, you must provide evidence of a C-level proficiency in Spanish1, both spoken and written.
• Where you go: You are doing your work placement at the BNE in Madrid. This is a work placement in Spain, not abroad.
• No double funding: You may not receive another training grant at the same time.

How to apply

You should submit your application to the BNE, either in person, by registered post or online via the electronic portal. For the 2025/2026 round, the application deadline was 9 January. A panel assesses each applicant by subject area. In the event of a tie, both applicants will be invited to an interview.

How realistic are your chances?

This vacancy is very specific. You need a degree in a particular subject area, fluency in Spanish and a willingness to work full-time in Madrid, which means that the pool of applicants is limited to suitably qualified graduates. As the 42 scholarships are spread across five fields, some fields offer far more places than others, so your prospects depend heavily on which field matches your degree. If you clearly fit into a well-represented field such as library science, your chances are good. The fields with only one scholarship are far more competitive.