University internships in rural areas: opportunity for rural SMEs and self-employed 2026

Key data

SMEs and self-employed workers in rural areas have had, since 17 March 2026, a formal channel to incorporate university talent at reduced cost. The Dirección General de Políticas contra la Despoblación has signed an agreement with the Universidad de Vigo under the Campus Rural programme, published in the BOE on 25 March 2026 with reference BOE-A-2026-6954.

The mechanism is straightforward: university students complete their practical credits at businesses and organisations in rural settings. The host entity gains working capacity and up-to-date knowledge without paying a conventional salary. The student gains real-world training in a professional environment. And the rural territory receives economic revitalisation.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement formalises the collaboration between the Government and the Universidad de Vigo to implement the Campus Rural programme. This programme channels the completion of university academic internships in rural municipalities at risk of depopulation, connecting students with local entities, businesses and organisations in rural settings.

The key elements of the agreement are:

• The Universidad de Vigo acts as the coordinating and managing entity for participating students.
• Rural businesses, self-employed workers and entities register as host entities for the intern students.
• Students complete practical academic credits at these entities, with the institutional backing of the programme.
• The programme includes institutional support for host entities, although the published regulation does not detail specific financial amounts.
• The territorial scope is limited to rural municipalities at risk of depopulation within the area of influence of the Universidad de Vigo.

This agreement forms part of the national policy to combat rural depopulation, using university education as a tool for territorial economic revitalisation.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact on rural business activity is moderate but positive, according to the assessment included in the regulation itself. For host entities, the programme represents an opportunity to access talent at a significantly lower cost than conventional employment.

For sectors such as agriculture, hospitality and local commerce, which the regulation expressly mentions, the programme can cover seasonal or digitalisation operational needs without increasing the fixed payroll.

Who is affected?

The regulation identifies two main groups of affected parties:

• Rural businesses located in municipalities at risk of depopulation, especially within the area of influence of the Universidad de Vigo.
• Rural self-employed workers in sectors such as agriculture, hospitality and local commerce.
• Local entities and organisations in rural settings that can host intern students.
• University students from the Universidad de Vigo who need to complete practical credits for their degrees.

The geographical scope focuses on rural municipalities at risk of depopulation within the area of operation of the Universidad de Vigo, which primarily includes territories in Galicia and bordering areas.

Practical example

A family winery in a rural municipality in the province of Ourense, with three employees and needs for support in commercial management and digital communication, can register as a host entity for the Campus Rural programme.

A student from the Degree in Business Administration and Management at the Universidad de Vigo completes their curricular internship at the winery for one semester. The business receives support with digital marketing tasks, order management or cost analysis without paying a conventional salary. The student obtains the practical credits required for their degree and real-world experience in the rural agri-food sector.

The process begins by contacting the Universidad de Vigo directly to register as a host entity within the Campus Rural programme.

What should businesses do now?

1. Check whether your municipality is in a rural area at risk of depopulation within the area of influence of the Universidad de Vigo. This is the basic territorial requirement to participate as a host entity.
2. Contact the Universidad de Vigo to request information about the registration process as a host entity for the Campus Rural programme and the available student profiles.
3. Identify which operational or management needs could be covered by an intern student: digitalisation, administration, communications, agronomic techniques, tourism management, among others.
4. Prepare a minimum onboarding plan for the student: specific tasks, an internal tutoring contact and the necessary resources. The university typically requires this framework before formalising the assignment.
5. Consult your labour advisor regarding the implications of the internship agreement in terms of Social Security and the responsibilities of the host entity, as the legal framework for academic internships has its own specific features.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-6954