Campus Rural USC 2026: opportunity for rural Galician companies

Key data

Companies and entities located in rural municipalities in Galicia have had since April 1, 2026 a new way to incorporate university talent: the Campus Rural Program, articulated through an agreement between the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation and the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC). The resolution that officially publishes it appeared in the BOE on April 13, 2026 with reference BOE-A-2026-8200.

The program is not a direct subsidy to companies, but it does represent a concrete operational opportunity: access to university students on internships without the usual recruitment costs, within an institutional framework that regulates responsibilities and financing.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement formalizes the collaboration between the central Government and USC to implement the Campus Rural Program. Its main elements are:

• Collaboration framework: Defines the responsibilities of each party — General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation and University of Santiago de Compostela — in the management and coordination of the program.
• Financing: The agreement establishes the financing scheme between both institutions, although the published document does not detail specific amounts.
• Destination of internships: Rural municipalities within the scope of USC's operations, within the framework of national policy on demographic challenge and territorial cohesion.
• Host entities: Town councils, companies and entities in the rural Galician environment that host the students.
• Strategic objective: Combat rural depopulation by temporarily attracting qualified young population to these areas.

The program is framed within the national policy of demographic challenge and territorial cohesion, which indicates that it may have continuity and expansion in subsequent years if results are positive.

Economic and operational impact

For companies located in rural Galicia, this program represents mainly an opportunity to access qualified talent with reduced incorporation costs, as the institutional framework and part of the financing are managed by USC and the Government.

The most relevant operational impacts are:

• Incorporation of university profiles in areas where there is usually a shortage of qualified candidates.
• Local economic dynamization: The presence of students on internships generates consumption and activity in the host municipality.
• Regulated framework of responsibilities: The agreement establishes who is responsible for what, which reduces legal uncertainty for host entities.
• No direct recruitment cost for participating companies, as program management falls to USC.

The agreement does not specify amounts of economic compensation for host companies nor detail whether there is any type of grant or remuneration for students. To learn about these specific conditions, interested companies should contact USC directly.

Who does it affect?

• Companies located in rural municipalities in Galicia that want to host university students on internships.
• Town councils of rural municipalities in Galicia that seek to boost their economic and social fabric.
• Entities in rural Galicia (associations, cooperatives, foundations) that can offer a formative internship environment.
• University students from USC who want to carry out their academic internships in rural environments.
• Local development managers and technicians who work on territorial cohesion or demographic challenge policies.

Practical example

An agri-food company based in a rural municipality in the province of Lugo wants to incorporate a student of Business Administration and Management to support its management area during a semester.

Under the Campus Rural Program, this company can register as a host entity through USC. The agreement establishes the framework of responsibilities between the university and the company, so that the company does not directly manage the internship contract with the student, but does so in coordination with USC. The financing of the program is the responsibility of the agreement between the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation and the university, which can reduce or eliminate the administrative cost for the host company.

The result: the company accesses a qualified university profile during the internship period, contributes to retaining young population in the territory and positions itself as an entity committed to rural development in its area.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify if your company is in an eligible rural municipality: The program is aimed at rural areas in Galicia within USC's scope. Check if your location meets the program's criteria.
2. Contact the University of Santiago de Compostela: USC is the program's managing body. Request information about the registration process as a host entity, available profiles and specific conditions for internships.
3. Review the agreement published in the BOE: Consult the official resolution (BOE-A-2026-8200) to learn about the framework of responsibilities that applies to host entities.
4. Identify what university profiles you need: Define in advance what areas of your company could benefit from a student on internship (administration, marketing, engineering, environment, etc.) to speed up the selection process with USC.
5. Monitor calls for proposals: The program may publish specific calls with deadlines. Stay informed through USC and the BOE to not miss participation windows.

Official source