Guide · Updated 15 November 2026 · 9 min read
2026 guide: finding an internship in Spain
In France, an internship longer than two months must pay at least €4.50 an hour. In Spain, the law sets no minimum. The bill meant to change that, the Estatuto del Becario, lapsed when the Cortes were dissolved in October 2026.
Otherwise, a student at a French school starts out in a good position: no visa, no work permit, a recognised agreement and a few appointments on arrival. This guide explains what changes, how to search, and what to do once you have accepted an offer.
Key points
Pay is negotiated. There is no legal minimum: have the amount and summer hours written into the agreement.
Your French agreement is enough. You stay covered by French social security, with no Spanish registration.
The Erasmus+ grant matters. €375 to €700 a month for Spain, on top of what the company pays.
How much does an intern earn in Spain?
Whatever the company decides to pay. No rule sets a minimum for a student internship, and the amount varies a lot between companies. Large international groups and tech companies generally pay more than local SMEs.
If your school takes part in Erasmus+, the grant changes the maths. Spain is in group 2 of the programme: the basic grant ranges from €225 to €550 a month, and a traineeship adds €150 a month.
In Spain, the Erasmus+ grant can match France’s minimum internship pay
Monthly amount for a full-time internship, in euros
Erasmus+ traineeship grant in Spain, top of range
Minimum internship pay in France
Erasmus+ traineeship grant in Spain, bottom of range
Legal minimum in Spain
View the figures
| Amount | Per month |
|---|---|
| Erasmus+ traineeship grant in Spain, top of range | 700 € |
| Minimum internship pay in France | 693 € |
| Erasmus+ traineeship grant in Spain, bottom of range | 375 € |
| Legal minimum in Spain | 0 € |
At the top of the range, the grant alone exceeds the minimum pay for an internship in France. ENCPB in Paris, for example, pays €550 plus €150 a month for an internship in Madrid. Each school sets its own amount, places and deadlines: ask your international office as soon as you set your sights on Spain. Source: ENCPB, 2026 rates.
What changes compared with an internship in France?
| Topic | Spain | France |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | No legal minimum, amount to negotiate | At least €4.50 an hour beyond two months |
| Framework | Convenio de prácticas between the student, the company and the school | Three-party agreement under the Education Code |
| Social security | Interns registered since 2024, except students of a foreign school | The intern stays in the French system |
| Summer | Jornada intensiva is common, until 3 pm, and August is very quiet | Usual hours |
| Timing | One to three months ahead for local companies, from winter for large groups | Offers published four to six months ahead |
Words used in listings
- Prácticas, becario
- Internship and intern. The word becario can sound slightly pejorative.
- Prácticas curriculares
- An internship that is part of the degree and earns credits. That is your case with a French school agreement.
- Prácticas extracurriculares
- A voluntary internship outside the degree.
- Contrato formativo para la obtención de la práctica profesional
- A real employment contract for recent graduates. It is not an internship.
When searching, combine “prácticas”, “becario”, “intern”, “internship” and “trainee”.
What happened to the Estatuto del Becario?
The Council of Ministers approved the bill on 3 March 2026 and sent it to Parliament. It would have changed four things for interns: Source: La Moncloa.
- mandatory compensation for travel, housing and meal costs;
- a 480-hour cap on extracurricular internships;
- supervision by an academic tutor and a company tutor;
- fines of up to €225,018 for companies.
On 26 May 2026, the Constitutional Court struck down the provision of the 2021 labour reform that required the government to adopt this statute. On 6 October, Royal Decree 806/2026 dissolved the Cortes and called a general election for 29 November. Dissolution makes bills under examination lapse: the next government will have to table a new bill to revive the reform.
For an internship starting in 2027, work from the current rules, and check before signing whether a new bill has been tabled.
How do I find the internship?
Allow about six months between starting your search and leaving.
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Choose the city, six months ahead
Madrid has the most offers: headquarters of large groups, banks, consultancies and big tech companies. Barcelona has the most international start-up scene, with many roles in English. Valencia, Málaga and Bilbao are growing, with cheaper housing.
In Madrid and Barcelona, housing takes a big share of the budget. Do the maths with the pay on offer before you accept.
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Adapt your application, five to six months ahead
A one-page CV, in English for international companies and in Spanish for local ones. A photo is still common on a Spanish CV, except in international groups. The cover letter, carta de presentación, fits in three paragraphs.
Put the internship dates on your CV and state that your school provides the agreement. The company has nothing to set up, and that is a selling point.
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Look for offers, from five months to one month ahead
LinkedIn for international companies, InfoJobs, Spain’s leading job site, for local companies, and Indeed and Glassdoor for volume. Also keep an eye on the careers pages of the companies you are targeting.
Spanish subsidiaries of French companies and the Franco-Spanish Chamber of Commerce and Industry know the French internship agreement. They are often the easiest way in.
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Write to someone at the company
Spanish companies post their offers late, and many SMEs do not post any. A message to an alumnus of your school based in Spain, or to the team manager, often gets more replies than an online application.
Screeningpass finds a person in the team linked to the offer and their work email, and drafts a message from your CV. It can also look for alumni of your school at the company. Why write to a person.
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Prepare for interviews
In international companies, interviews are often in English. Decent Spanish is still a real advantage, and often essential in local companies. In Barcelona, Catalan is generally not required at internationally oriented companies.
Before signing, discuss the ayuda or bolsa de prácticas and summer hours. No law covers them: only what is written in the agreement protects you.
What paperwork once you have accepted the offer?
The internship agreement
Spanish law requires an academic internship to be covered by an agreement between the student, the company and the home institution. Your French school’s three-party agreement serves that purpose. If the company also asks for its own template, have your school approve it before you sign. Source: UAM.
The NIE and the registration certificate
For a stay of less than three months, nothing is mandatory. If the company needs it, apply for an NIE, the foreigner identification number, with form EX-15.
Beyond three months, apply for the certificado de registro de ciudadano de la UE, which includes your NIE, within three months of arriving. Book an appointment (cita previa) on the government portal under “Policía – Certificado de registro de ciudadano de la UE”. Bring form EX-18, your ID, your agreement and proof of payment of fee 790-012, about €12. The certificate is issued the same day. Source: Policía Nacional.
Slots are scarce in Madrid and Barcelona. Check several times a day, ideally early in the morning.
Social security
Since 1 January 2024, interns from Spanish institutions must be registered with Spanish social security, whether the internship is paid or not. This does not apply to you: criterion 3/2024 of Spanish social security excludes students of a foreign institution “en todo caso”. Source: Seguridad Social.
You therefore stay covered by French social security. Before leaving, request the European Health Insurance Card from your Ameli account, and check with your school who covers workplace accidents during the internship.
Housing
Search on Idealista, Fotocasa and, for flatshares, Badi. Never pay a deposit before you or someone you trust has visited the place: scams often target foreigners. Once settled, registering with the town hall, the empadronamiento, is useful for some procedures.
What should I check before leaving?
- Offer accepted, pay and summer hours written into the agreement.
- Agreement signed by the company, the school and you.
- Erasmus+ or other mobility grant application submitted to the school.
- European Health Insurance Card requested.
- Workplace accident cover confirmed with the school.
- Housing found, visited or checked.
- Appointment for the registration certificate booked, if the internship lasts more than three months.
Your questions
Do I need a visa for an internship in Spain?
No, not as a citizen of the European Union. There is no visa and no work permit. If you stay longer than three months, you only need to apply for the EU citizen registration certificate, which includes your NIE.
Is my French school’s internship agreement enough?
Yes. Spanish law requires an agreement between the student, the company and the home institution, and the French three-party agreement serves that purpose. If the company adds its own template, have your school approve it before you sign.
Does an internship in Spain have to be paid?
No. Spanish law sets no minimum amount for a student internship. The allowance, called ayuda or bolsa, is negotiated with the company and should be written into the agreement.
Do I need to register with Spanish social security?
No, if you are enrolled at a French institution. Criterion 3/2024 of Spanish social security excludes students of foreign institutions from intern registration, whether the internship is paid or not. You remain covered by French social security: request your European Health Insurance Card.
Can I receive both the Erasmus+ grant and the company’s pay?
Yes. The Erasmus+ traineeship grant comes on top of what the company pays. For Spain, it ranges from €375 to €700 a month depending on your school, traineeship top-up included.
Where to start?
Choose the city, then shortlist about ten companies there that take interns. The Screeningpass catalogue lists internship offers published in Spain, with the city and company for each one.