Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of October 5, 2026, from the General Secretariat of Vocational Training |
|---|---|
| Publication | October 15, 2026 |
| Entry into force | October 15, 2026 |
| Affected parties | 15 autonomous communities, public VET centers, VET students and teachers |
| Category | Education / Vocational Training |
| Total amount | €31,296,070 |
| Execution period | September 1, 2026 — August 31, 2027 |
| Co-financing | ESF+ funds (ÉFESO program) and extended 2023 budgets |
| Excluded | Basque Country and Navarre (special tax regime) |
€31.3 million reaches Vocational Training centers throughout Spain for fiscal year 2026. The Resolution of October 5, 2026 from the General Secretariat of Vocational Training publishes the agreement of the Sectoral Education Conference of September 18, 2026, which sets both the amount each autonomous community receives and the four eligible lines of action.
The funds come from extended 2023 budgets and are co-financeable by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) through the ÉFESO program. The execution period runs from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027.
What does this regulation establish?
The resolution approves the territorial distribution of funds intended for the Promotion and Quality of Vocational Training for 2026. The distribution criteria among communities are not arbitrary: they are based on objective variables such as the number of enrolled students, the volume of teaching staff, the number of public VET centers, gender gap, poverty risk and geographic dispersion of the territory.
The funds are structured in four lines of action with differentiated amounts:
| Line of action | Assigned amount |
|---|---|
| Skills competitions (professional competencies) | €7,200,000 |
| VET project implementation | €13,400,000 |
| Training courses and internships | €9,600,000 |
| Student mobility | €1,000,000 |
| TOTAL | €31,200,000 (approx.) |
The line with the greatest weight is VET project implementation (€13.4M, 42.8% of the total), followed by training courses and internships (€9.6M, 30.7%). Skills competitions receive €7.2M (23%), while student mobility has €1M (3.2%).
Basque Country and Navarre are excluded from the distribution as they manage their own educational resources under their special tax regimes.
Economic and operational impact
For autonomous communities, these funds represent a direct injection into their VET systems, with the capacity for European co-financing through ESF+. The distribution by community reflects differences in size and socioeconomic context:
| Autonomous Community | 2026 Allocation |
|---|---|
| Andalusia | €5,600,000 (approx.) |
| La Rioja | €355,578 |
| Remaining 13 AC | Between both extremes, according to distribution criteria |
The criteria that penalize or benefit each community are: number of students enrolled in VET, volume of teaching staff, number of public centers, gender gap, poverty risk and geographic dispersion. Communities with larger student populations, more public centers or higher poverty rates receive proportionally more funds.
From an operational perspective, VET centers that want to benefit must coordinate with their education departments, as the management and justification of funds falls on the autonomous communities, not directly on the centers.
Who does it affect?
- Education departments of the 15 recipient autonomous communities: they are responsible for managing, distributing and justifying the funds to the Ministry and ESF+.
- Public Vocational Training centers: can receive financing for projects, participation in Skills competitions, mobility programs and training internships.
- VET students: directly benefit from mobility and training internship lines, as well as from participation in Skills competitions.
- VET teachers: can access training courses and internships financed with these funds.
- Companies collaborating with VET centers: indirectly, through VET implementation projects that may involve public-private collaboration.
- Basque Country and Navarre: are excluded from the distribution due to their special tax regimes.
Practical example
Imagine a public VET institute in Andalusia, the community that receives the largest allocation (approximately €5.6 million). The Andalusian education department will distribute those funds among its centers based on the four available lines.
A center that wants to participate in Skills competitions (line allocated with €7.2M at the national level) must submit its application through the education department. If the center has students interested in international mobility, it can opt for the student mobility line (€1M national), which covers travel and internships abroad.
On the other hand, a center in La Rioja (€355,578 total for the entire community) will have a much more limited margin, which requires prioritizing lines with greater local impact. In this case, the VET project implementation line (the most allocated with €13.4M nationally) may be the most accessible as it has distribution criteria based on number of students and centers.
What should communities and centers do now?
- Verify the allocation assigned to your community: consult the resolution published in the BOE of October 15, 2026 to find out the exact amount corresponding to your autonomous community.
- Identify applicable lines: analyze which of the four lines (Skills, mobility, VET projects, training and internships) are priorities for your center or department, taking into account distribution criteria.
- Coordinate with the education department: centers do not receive funds directly; they must arrange their participation through the corresponding regional education department.
- Plan execution within the deadline: the execution period runs from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027. Projects and expenses must be justified within that timeframe.
- Consider ESF+ co-financing: the funds are co-financeable by the ÉFESO program of ESF+, which can expand the scope of actions. Consult with the education department about eligibility requirements and European justification.
- Document selection criteria: given that the distribution is based on variables such as gender gap and poverty risk, centers must keep their statistical information updated for future distributions.
Frequently asked questions
How much money does each autonomous community receive for VET in 2026?
The resolution distributes a total of €31,296,070 among 15 autonomous communities. Andalusia is the largest beneficiary with approximately €5.6 million, while La Rioja receives the lowest allocation with €355,578. The distribution is based on criteria such as number of enrolled students, teaching staff, public centers, gender gap, poverty risk and geographic dispersion. Basque Country and Navarre are excluded due to their special tax regimes.
What can the 2026 VET funds be used for?
The funds are structured in four lines: Skills competitions (€7.2M), VET project implementation (€13.4M, the most allocated line), training courses and internships (€9.6M) and student mobility (€1M). Each community distributes its allocation among these lines according to its priorities and the conditions established in the agreement.
Until when is there a deadline to execute the 2026 VET funds?
The execution period runs from September 1, 2026 to August 31, 2027. All expenses and actions financed with these funds must be carried out and justified within that period. The funds come from extended 2023 budgets and are co-financeable by ESF+ through the ÉFESO program.
Why don't Basque Country and Navarre receive funds from the 2026 VET distribution?
Basque Country and Navarre are excluded from the distribution because they have special tax regimes that grant them their own competencies and financing in educational matters. Therefore, they manage their resources for Vocational Training independently from the territorial distribution system approved by the Sectoral Education Conference.
Can VET centers request these funds directly?
Not directly. The funds are transferred to the autonomous communities, which are responsible for their management and distribution among public VET centers in their territory. Centers must coordinate with their education department to access the corresponding calls and financing lines.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Disclaimer: This article is purely informational in nature 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-2026-21515
