Fundación Iberdrola España launches a new call for athletes with disabilities and expands its scholarships to support their education and future employability
- The call is open to athletes with disabilities who hold High-Level Athlete (DAN) or High-Performance Athlete (DAR) status, or who are part of the ADOP Plan, and who compete in any of the disciplines included in the Summer or Winter Paralympic Games programme.
- These grants of up to €3,500 will cover university studies, Vocational Education and Training (VET), or specialised courses, with the aim of supporting their future integration into the labour market.
The monitoring committee for the collaboration agreement between Fundación Iberdrola España and the Spanish Paralympic Committee has launched the 17th edition of the Fundación Iberdrola España Scholarships, aimed at athletes with disabilities who are undertaking higher education studies during the 2026–2027 academic year.
The scholarship will be awarded as financial support towards education, covering part of the cost of the studies undertaken by the athletes, with the aim of supporting their professional development.
The 2026–2027 call introduces significant new features designed to reach a greater number of beneficiaries and provide training opportunities in new areas. One of the main improvements this year is the expansion of the profiles eligible to apply for the grants. In addition to athletes recognised as High-Level Athletes (DAN) and those who are part of the ADOP Plan, the call is now also open to athletes recognised as High-Performance Athletes (DAR) who compete in any of the 29 Paralympic disciplines included in the Summer or Winter Games, significantly increasing the number of potential beneficiaries.
In addition, this academic year the programme is expanding the range of eligible studies. Alongside university Bachelor’s degrees, double degrees and official Master’s degrees, funding will now also be available for Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes and specialised courses aimed at improving employability, particularly in sectors with strong employment prospects such as languages, technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The scholarships will be awarded according to the principles of equality, merit, objectivity and transparency. Criteria considered will include applicants’ academic records, performance in previous studies, the type of training undertaken and the receipt of other grants or financial support.
Applications
Applicants must submit the scholarship application form, together with their academic transcript from the previous year, proof of enrolment for the 2026–2027 academic year, evidence of expenses paid by the applicant and a declaration of any other scholarships or grants received. They must also provide their sporting CV, certification of their High-Level Athlete (DAN) or High-Performance Athlete (DAR) status, or membership of the ADOP Plan, as well as a copy of their federation licence showing their Paralympic discipline, sport class and/or sport-eligible disability. Applications should be sent to becasfundacioniberdrola@paralimpicos.es.
The deadline for applications is 9 November 2026. The scholarships for this 17th edition will be awarded on 24 November 2026.
A shared commitment to inclusion
Fundación Iberdrola España and the Spanish Paralympic Committee have worked closely together for two decades to promote projects that foster inclusion, equal opportunities, and the personal and professional development of people with disabilities through sport. Through this new scholarship call, both organisations reaffirm their commitment to talent, effort and education as fundamental tools for building a more inclusive society with greater opportunities for everyone.