Fulbright Scholarships Ministry of Industry 2027/2028: up to 5 positions for public employees

Key data

Public employees of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism and its dependent organizations have a new training opportunity: up to 5 annual postgraduate scholarships at U.S. universities, within the Fulbright Program, jointly financed by the Spanish Ministry and the U.S. Government. The Resolution of August 26, 2026 publishes the framework agreement that regulates these calls starting from the 2027/2028 academic year.

This new agreement replaces the agreement signed in 2019, which will expire in September 2027, thus ensuring program continuity without interruption.

What does this regulation establish?

The framework agreement formalizes collaboration between the Ministry of Industry and Tourism and the Fulbright Commission for the periodic call for training scholarships in the U.S. These are the key elements of the agreement:

The Fulbright Commission acts as a collaborating entity under the General Subsidies Law, which means it assumes complete operational management: from candidate selection to quarterly payments to scholarship holders and fund justification to the Ministry.

Early processing in the first semester of each year is an essential operational requirement: U.S. universities have admission deadlines well before the start of the academic year, so the call must be launched with sufficient advance notice.

Economic and operational impact

From a budgetary perspective, the agreement implies co-financing between the Spanish Ministry and the U.S. Government to cover up to 5 annual postgraduate scholarships. The agreement does not specify the exact amount per scholarship in the published text, but the Fulbright model typically covers tuition, living expenses and travel.

For the Ministry, the most relevant operational impact is advance planning: calls must be processed in the first semester of each year, which requires that HR departments and training managers of the Ministry and its dependent organizations have the process integrated into their annual calendar.

The replacement of the 2019 agreement with this new one ensures continuity without interruptions of the program: the previous agreement expires in September 2027, just when the new one will already be in force for the 2027/2028 academic year.

Who does it affect?

This regulation directly affects:

• Public employees of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism who wish to apply for a postgraduate scholarship in the U.S.
• Public employees of organizations dependent on the Ministry of Industry and Tourism (including autonomous organizations, agencies and affiliated entities).
• HR and training managers of the Ministry and its organizations, who must manage and disseminate annual calls in the first semester.
• Managers and middle management of the Ministry, who must plan for the possible temporary absence of scholarship-holding employees during the academic year in the U.S.

Any public employee outside the Ministry of Industry and Tourism and its dependent organizations is expressly excluded. This is a restricted access program, not open to the civil service in general.

Practical example

A technician from the State Secretariat for Tourism (an organization dependent on the Ministry of Industry and Tourism) wants to pursue a master's degree in destination management at a U.S. university for the 2027/2028 academic year.

The process would be as follows:

1. In the first semester of 2027, the Ministry launches the annual call for up to 5 Fulbright scholarships.
2. The technician submits his candidacy, which is evaluated by the Fulbright Commission as the collaborating entity.
3. If selected, the Fulbright Commission manages his enrollment at the U.S. university, organizes the quarterly payments of the scholarship and justifies the funds to the Ministry.
4. Financing comes jointly from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism and the U.S. Government, in accordance with the Fulbright Program framework.

This process will be repeated annually for academic years after 2027/2028, with the same early processing scheme in the first semester.

What should interested parties do now?

1. Verify if you belong to the eligible group: only public employees of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism and its dependent organizations can apply. If you have doubts about whether your organization is included, check with your HR department.
2. Mark the first semester of 2027 on your calendar: calls are processed early in the first semester of each year. Don't wait until the second semester to find out.
3. Contact the Ministry's training department: to learn about the specific requirements of each call (academic profile, prioritized subject areas, required documentation).
4. Prepare your academic and language credentials in advance: U.S. universities require specific documentation (accredited degree, English certification, letters of recommendation). These procedures take time.
5. If you are an HR or training manager: integrate the dissemination of this call into the organization's annual training plan and communicate it to employees with the appropriate profile before the first semester of 2027.

Official source

View complete regulation at official source (BOE-A-2026-18275)

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-2026-18275