Moroccan Students at the Forefront of Scholarship Repayments in Spain
In a recent report, it has come to light that Moroccan students are leading the charge in scholarship repayment demands issued by Spain's Education Ministry. According to figures obtained through a transparency request by Libre Mercado, the ministry has called for the repayment of a staggering total of €446.2 million in grants awarded over eight academic years, spanning from 2018/2019 to 2025/2026. Notably, foreign students are responsible for €33.6 million of this amount, with Morocco at the forefront, required to return €7.88 million, followed closely by Romania at nearly €5.9 million.
This significant demand for repayment was detailed in a resolution signed by Abelardo de la Rosa Díaz, the Secretary of State for Education. The documentation outlines general scholarship calls applicable to both university and non-university post-compulsory studies. It is crucial to differentiate between two processes involved in this context: a denial, which indicates that an application never received funding, and a 'reintegro' or clawback, which refers to financial aid that has already been granted but is now being reclaimed by the administration. The total amount of €446.2 million represents what has been demanded rather than what has been collected; the resolution does not specify how much has actually been recovered or returned to the public treasury.
Understanding the Scale of Scholarship Funding and Repayment
For context, the ministry's official figures from July 2026 reveal that total scholarship funding for the academic year 2024/2025 is set at €2.565 billion, benefiting approximately 1.49 million students. This data reflects the national scholarship system and cannot be directly compared with the repayment figures. Morocco's prominent position in this landscape is indicative of its substantial representation among foreign scholarship recipients. Throughout the eight academic years, Morocco has recorded the highest number of foreign scholarship students, totaling 61,774 individuals, which constitutes 20.10% of all foreign beneficiaries. Romania closely follows with 61,129 students, representing 19.89%, while China, Italy, and Venezuela round out the top five.
The repayment breakdown by nationality reveals that Morocco is responsible for €7,886,541.02, which accounts for 23.46% of the total amount demanded from foreign students. Romania follows with €5,893,253.61, or 17.53%, while Venezuela, Italy, and Colombia complete the top five in repayment amounts. The primary reasons for these clawbacks are overwhelmingly linked to students discontinuing their studies. The abandonment of non-university studies was the leading cause, with 126,016 cases recorded, equating to 52.53% of the total 239,884 counted. Of these, 116,045 involved Spanish nationals and 9,971 were foreign students. Moreover, the abandonment of university studies added another 91,201 cases, representing 38.02% of the total, with 86,023 Spaniards and 5,178 foreigners.
As we analyze the yearly totals over the years, we observe significant fluctuations. In the 2018/2019 academic year, the ministry reclaimed €35.1 million, a figure that dipped to €24.9 million the following year. However, it surged to €67.3 million in 2020/2021, peaking at €81.9 million in 2021/2022, before easing to €74.8 million and then €69.25 million in the two subsequent years. As of 2024/2025, the reclaimed amount is projected at €72.3 million, while the provisional total for 2025/2026 currently stands at €20.6 million. This figure cannot be directly compared to previous years as the academic year remains ongoing and processes are still underway.
As reported by moroccoworldnews.com.
