Campus Rural 2026: opportunities for rural businesses with university internships at no salary cost

Key data

SMEs and self-employed professionals located in rural areas have a concrete opportunity: to incorporate qualified human capital at reduced cost thanks to the Campus Rural Program. The agreement signed between the General Directorate of Policies Against Depopulation and Universitat Jaume I, published in the BOE on April 8, 2026 (reference BOE-A-2026-7958), formalizes the participation of this university in the national program that brings university students to rural municipalities at risk of depopulation.

The key for businesses: students carry out academic internships, not employment contracts. This means the business receives qualified collaboration without assuming direct salary costs, while public funding covers the student's travel and accommodation expenses.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes the collaboration agreement between the central Government and Universitat Jaume I within the framework of the Campus Rural Program. This program has a dual objective:

• To bring qualified university human capital to rural territories with limited economic activity and risk of depopulation.
• To offer students real training experience in rural environments that can guide their future job placement in these territories.

The mechanism is that of university academic internships: students from Universitat Jaume I travel to rural municipalities to carry out their internships in businesses, local entities or organizations in the territory. Public funding covers students' travel and accommodation expenses, thus eliminating the main economic barrier for university students to accept rural placements.

This agreement is part of the national strategy against depopulation, and Universitat Jaume I is one of the universities joining the program through this specific agreement with the General Directorate of Policies Against Depopulation.

Economic and operational impact

For rural businesses, the economic impact is positive: they gain access to qualified university collaboration without assuming the salary cost that conventional hiring would imply. The key points are:

• No direct salary cost: Academic internships do not generate an employment relationship or salary payment obligation on the part of the host company (according to the general framework for university internships).
• Travel and accommodation expenses covered: Public funding assumes these costs, which are usually the main barrier for students to accept rural placements away from university cities.
• Qualified human capital: Rural businesses, which typically have difficulty attracting talent, can benefit from collaboration with university students with up-to-date training.
• Potential for talent retention: The training experience in a rural environment can guide the student's future job placement in that territory, opening the door to subsequent hiring.

From an operational perspective, the business must be willing to mentor the student and integrate them into real tasks in line with their university training. This is not unskilled labor, but academic profiles that can add value in areas such as management, technology, agronomy, rural tourism, communication or others depending on the student's degree.

Who does it affect?

• Businesses and SMEs in rural areas: Any business located in rural municipalities at risk of depopulation can apply to host students on internships.
• Self-employed professionals with activity in rural areas: They can also benefit if they have the capacity to mentor a student.
• Local entities and rural municipalities: They are natural recipients of the program and can channel the participation of local businesses.
• Students from Universitat Jaume I: Those who need to carry out academic internships and are interested in rural placements.
• Rural municipalities at risk of depopulation: They are the target territory of the program, especially those with limited economic activity.

Practical example

A family winery in a rural municipality in the province of Castellón (natural area of influence of Universitat Jaume I) needs support in social media management and digital communication to boost its online sales. Hiring a marketing professional means a monthly cost of several thousand euros that the business cannot afford.

Through the Campus Rural Program, the winery can host a student of Advertising and Public Relations or Business Administration from Universitat Jaume I to carry out their academic internship. The student develops their training project in the company, the winery receives qualified collaboration at no direct salary cost, and the student's travel and accommodation expenses are covered by public funding from the program. If the experience is positive, the company can consider subsequent hiring, having already evaluated the candidate in a real work environment.

What should businesses do now?

1. Verify if your business is in an eligible area: The program is aimed at rural municipalities with limited economic activity and risk of depopulation. Check if your municipality meets this criterion by consulting with the local municipality or the General Directorate of Policies Against Depopulation.
2. Contact Universitat Jaume I: As the university signatory to this specific agreement, it is the entry point for businesses that want to host students within the framework of this agreement. Identify the university's internship service or business relations office.
3. Define what university profile you need: Before contacting, be clear about what tasks a student can develop in your company and what degree would be most appropriate. This speeds up the assignment process.
4. Prepare mentoring capacity: The program requires the business to designate an internal mentor who will accompany the student during the internship. Identify who would assume that role in your organization.
5. Consult the specific conditions of the agreement: Review the resolution published in the BOE and contact the General Directorate of Policies Against Depopulation to learn about operational timelines, calls for applications and participation conditions, as the entry into force date is not specified in the published regulation.