Catalonia denied essential scholarships to nearly half of all students aged 16 to 18 living in poverty last year, a stark new report from the Jaume Bofill Foundation has revealed. These findings expose a significant gap in the support system, which the foundation argues directly contributes to Catalonia’s high school dropout rates among its most vulnerable young people.

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The report, detailed by news outlets including Europa Press, reveals that during the 2024-2025 academic year, 82,688 students in this age group were living in poverty. While 41,507 received a scholarship to continue their studies in programmes such as bachillerato (the equivalent of A-levels) or vocational training, an almost identical number – 41,181 – did not.

A System in Transition

This failure to provide support is directly linked to educational outcomes. According to the foundation’s analysis of the latest Survey of Living Conditions (ECV), the premature school-leaving rate among students from impoverished households is 25.3%, seven times higher than the 3.8% rate for those from the wealthiest families.

“We are clearly seeing that this profile of young people, with fewer economic resources, is the one that abandons their studies the most,” stated Miquel Àngel Alegre, head of projects at the Bofill Foundation. He emphasised that when scholarships are well-funded and widely available, they are proven to reduce dropout figures.

Significantly, the report comes at a critical moment. Since January, the Generalitat de Catalunya has assumed full control over managing these non-university scholarships, a power transferred from the Spanish central government. The Bofill Foundation describes this as an “unbeatable opportunity” for Catalonia to develop a robust and effective scholarship policy tailored to its own needs.

An ‘Insufficient’ and ‘Residual’ Policy

The foundation currently labels Catalonia’s scholarship policy as “residual.” It accounts for just 1% of the Department of Education’s budget, significantly below the Spanish state average of 1.7%. Researchers argue that the existing model, based on state-level criteria and funding amounts, fails to address local realities.

“The current model does not adjust to the cost of living or the social situation in Catalonia,” the report states.

Crucially, this mismatch means that an estimated 16,200 young people living in poverty do not even qualify for the at-risk category under the current rules. The high cost of living in the region, where some households spend over 43% of their income on basic bills, further exacerbates the financial pressure on families deciding whether their children can afford to stay in education.

Furthermore, the foundation highlights the “non-take-up” phenomenon, where eligible individuals do not apply for aid due to bureaucratic hurdles, a lack of clear information, or the digital divide. Simplifying the application process is a crucial step to ensure support reaches those who need it most.

A €134 Million Proposal for Reform

To rectify this, the Bofill Foundation has put forward a clear roadmap. It calculates that the Generalitat must add €134 million to the €77 million it receives from the central government, guaranteeing a scholarship for every young person in poverty studying post-compulsory courses. This would cover a total of 58,745 students in bachillerato and vocational training (PFI) programmes.

The proposal urges the government to expand coverage to align with Catalonia’s youth poverty rate, which stands at 30%. Beyond simply increasing the number of recipients, the foundation calls for more substantial aid.

“It’s not just that there are more scholarships, but that they are better funded,” Alegre explained, suggesting that students should receive €3,000 to €4,000 annually depending on family income. He added that receiving a scholarship also has a positive psychological effect. “The boys and girls who get a scholarship feel a responsibility to make the most of their schooling, and this also has an impact on improving their results.”

The foundation’s long-term vision includes creating a solid, comprehensive scholarship policy by 2028 and expanding scholarships to students from the fourth year of ESO (the final year of compulsory education), a move that would require an additional investment of €81.5 million.

“If we want more powers, it is so that the country can be more competent,” said Ismael Palacín, director of the Bofill Foundation, summarising the urgent need for the Catalan government to leverage its new authority to build a more equitable education system.