URJC Rural Campus 2026: university internships in depopulated areas

Key data

Rural municipalities at risk of depopulation have had since April 25, 2026 a new tool to attract qualified talent: the Rural Campus Program, activated through an agreement between the Government and Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC), published by the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation through the Resolution of April 15, 2026 (BOE-A-2026-9069).

The program allows rural local entities to host URJC university students in paid internships, providing qualified human capital to territories that otherwise have difficulty retaining or attracting professionals. For students, it means practical training in non-urban environments with economic incentive.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution publishes the agreement signed between the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation and URJC to execute the Rural Campus Program. This program has a dual stated objective:

• Offer professional experience to URJC university students in rural environments.
• Provide qualified human capital to rural municipalities threatened by depopulation.

The distribution of responsibilities between the signatory parties is as follows:

The agreement does not specify in the published resolution the number of available positions, the specific remuneration amounts, or the participating municipalities. URJC is the point of contact for operational details of the program.

Economic and operational impact

For rural local entities, the program represents a way to access qualified human capital without the costs associated with permanent employment contracts. Students arrive with institutional backing from URJC, which reduces the administrative burden for the receiving municipality.

For students, internships are paid, although the exact amount is not detailed in the published resolution. This distinguishes them from the usual unpaid internships and can be a relevant incentive to attract candidates to rural environments.

From an operational perspective, URJC assumes the academic and administrative management of the program, which means that municipalities do not have to directly manage the training aspects or university procedures for students. This simplifies participation for local entities with limited administrative resources.

The potential impact is especially relevant for municipalities that need to strengthen areas such as social services, environmental management, communication, administration, or local development projects, where an intern student can provide immediate value.

Who does it affect?

• Rural municipalities and local entities in depopulated areas that want to incorporate university students to strengthen their services or projects.
• URJC university students seeking paid internships in rural environments as part of their training.
• Human resources managers and mayors of rural municipalities managing the incorporation of internship personnel.
• Rural development program managers seeking ways to attract qualified talent to their territories.
• URJC academic departments coordinating the participation of their students in the program.

Practical example

A rural municipality in the Community of Madrid with 800 inhabitants and at risk of depopulation needs support to digitalize its administrative services and manage its presence on social media to attract new residents.

Through the Rural Campus Program, the town council can request from URJC the incorporation of a university student in internship — for example, from a degree in Communication or Business Administration and Management. The student arrives with the academic backing of URJC, which manages all training procedures. The municipality does not assume the costs of ordinary employment contracts, and the student receives remuneration for their internship.

The result: the town council strengthens its operational capacity in a specific area during the internship period, and the student gains real professional experience in a differentiated environment, with economic incentive included.

What should local entities do now?

1. Identify specific needs in the municipality where a university student can provide value: digitalization, communication, environmental management, social services, local development projects.
2. Contact URJC to learn about the accession procedure to the Rural Campus Program, the requirements to be a receiving entity, and the student incorporation schedule.
3. Verify the municipality's eligibility as a rural depopulated or at-risk area, as the program is specifically aimed at these territories.
4. Prepare the student reception plan: define the tasks, the responsible local mentor, and the available resources to make the internship effective.
5. Consult the official resolution in the BOE (BOE-A-2026-9069) and stay informed about specific calls published by URJC or the General Directorate of Policies against Depopulation.