Campus Rural 2026: opportunities for companies and rural municipalities with university interns

Key data

Rural companies and entities now have a concrete way to incorporate university talent at reduced cost. The General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation has signed an agreement with the University of Salamanca within the framework of the Campus Rural Program, which finances stays of university students in municipalities at risk of depopulation. The agreement entered into force on March 26, 2026 and was published in the BOE on April 8, 2026.

This is not a regulation that imposes obligations. It is an opportunity to access subsidized interns for those in the right territory and who take action in time.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement formalizes collaboration between the Government and the University of Salamanca to implement the Campus Rural Program, an initiative aimed at bringing university academic internships to rural municipalities at risk of depopulation.

The key elements of the agreement are:

• Public funding covers the stays of university students in host entities.
• Host entities can be private companies, town halls and organizations in the rural environment.
• The University of Salamanca acts as the academic institution responsible for students and thus expands its network of internship centers.
• The program is part of the policy to combat rural depopulation, promoting the presence of qualified young people in these territories.
• The strategic sectors identified for internships are: agriculture, social services and tourism.

The program does not modify any previous regulation: it is a new bilateral agreement that activates public funding for this specific purpose.

Economic and operational impact

For rural entities that participate, the economic impact is positive: they can incorporate university students with the cost of the stay covered or reduced by public program funding. This means access to qualified talent without the usual cost of standard hiring or internship agreements.

The specific operational implications are:

• Reduced or subsidized cost for the host entity in the interns' stays.
• Access to university profiles in sectors where rural areas have recruitment difficulties: advanced agriculture, social care, tourism management.
• Economic and social revitalization of the municipality, with the presence of qualified young people during the internship period.
• For town halls, the possibility of strengthening local services with university support without structural staff increases.
• For the University of Salamanca, expansion of the network of internship centers and fulfillment of territorial responsibility commitments.

The program also has a vocational guidance effect: it can generate interest among university students in rural sectors and territories that they would not otherwise consider as a professional destination.

Who does it affect?

• Rural companies in municipalities at risk of depopulation, especially in agriculture, social services and tourism sectors.
• Town halls and local entities in rural municipalities that want to incorporate university support in their services.
• Organizations in the rural environment (associations, cooperatives, non-profit entities) located in eligible areas.
• University students from the University of Salamanca seeking internships in rural areas.
• University of Salamanca, as the institution responsible for academic management and the network of internship centers.

Practical example

An agricultural cooperative located in a rural municipality in Salamanca at risk of depopulation can contact the University of Salamanca to become a host entity of the Campus Rural Program. A student of Agricultural Engineering or Environmental Sciences completes their academic internship at the cooperative during the established period. The cost of the stay is covered or reduced by public program funding, so the cooperative gains access to a qualified technical profile without bearing the full cost of a conventional internship grant.

The same scheme applies to a rural town hall that wants to strengthen its social services area with a Social Work student, or to a rural accommodation that incorporates a Tourism student to digitize its offer or manage its online presence.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your municipality is eligible: Check if your company or entity is located in a rural municipality at risk of depopulation, which is the program's territorial criterion.
2. Contact the University of Salamanca: Reach out to the internship service or the unit responsible for the Campus Rural Program at the University of Salamanca to learn about the process for becoming a host entity.
3. Identify what university profile you need: Priority sectors are agriculture, social services and tourism, but evaluate which university degree best fits your organization's real needs.
4. Formalize the internship agreement: Once you have contacted the university, formalize the internship agreement with the conditions of the stay, the student's functions and the host entity's obligations.
5. Plan the reception: Designate an internal mentor, prepare the tasks and ensure that the student can develop real and valuable internships, which also increases the likelihood that they will value staying in the territory.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-7957