CUNEF Universidad

About

CUNEF Universidad aims not only to educate capable professionals but also to nurture passionate lifelong learners who will become valuable members of society. Our academic strategy is based upon three inspiring principles: specialisation, excellence, and internationalisation.

We have more than 1,700 partnerships with national and international organisations to help our students successfully kickstart their careers. In fact, 98% of our recent graduates land a job less than one year after graduation. CUNEF has been operating as a Higher Education institution since 1973: more than 10,000 professionals have graduated from our university and moved on to careers in leading national and international companies, firms, and institutions. Many of our alumni hold relevant management positions and foster innovation, lead progress, and pursue efficiency and well-being in their respective fields.

Besides a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports and an assortment of student clubs, as a CUNEF student, you will also be given the chance to participate in an international study program at one of our more than 100 prestigious academic partner institutions worldwide.

CUNEF Universidad is ranked as one of the TOP 5 Spanish universities training successful entrepreneurs.

15,000+ alumni
98% of recent graduates find work less than a year after graduation.
On average, CUNEF University graduates worked for almost 10 years before founding the company that brought them success.
Half of them have international work experience, and this trend is increasing.
65% have previous entrepreneurial experience, either as founders or working at another start-up or scale-up.

Over 15,000 alumni who form an active and close-knit community

CUNEF boasts an international network of more than 15,000 graduates whose support and cooperation are essential to the institution’s role in society. CUNEF Universidad’s Alumni Department, created in 2025, offers its services to all our former undergraduate and graduate students. Its main purpose is to strengthen the alumni community, and its key pillars are networking, lifelong learning, and career services.

The Alumni Department fosters graduate employability by providing access to job offers, promoting networking through a wide range of events, and supporting alumni throughout their entire career.

CUNEF Universidad has 4,300 students enrolled in official degrees in AY 2024–2025 and expects to reach 6,500 students in the next 2 years.

Business Case Competition

CUNEF Business Case Competition (BCC) is an initiative aimed at helping our students gain a better understanding of the world of business, giving them the chance to see first-hand how the knowledge acquired in class helps them analyse and solve current real-world problems.

The competition is based on the case method, which combines theory and practice using a real-life business situation. Each event focuses on a case chosen specifically for the occasion, and students work hand in hand with the company selected for each edition, making the experience a true reflection of a current, real-world situation.

The partner company contributes greatly to enriching the learning experience.

Participants face the challenge of solving a real-life case under very similar conditions to those that they will encounter as professionals in the future.

Additionally, finalist teams will have to present their proposals to a jury made up of executives from the partner company and CUNEF professors, allowing them to experience the kind of pressure they will repeatedly have to deal with throughout their careers.

CUNEF Universidad Scholarships (2025-2026)

Scholarship requirements and conditions

To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must accredit a GPA as specified below:

First-year undergraduate students must have an average grade of 8.00 points or higher, calculated using the following formula: 0.6 NMB (average grade in upper secondary education) + 0.4 EvAU (University Entrance Exam), excluding the grades for the optional subjects in the specific phase.
Graduate students must have an average grade of 8.00 points or higher, 7.50 points or higher for students with a scientific or technical undergraduate degree.

Undergraduate students will retain their scholarship in subsequent years only if they maintain a GPA of 7.00 or higher, have successfully completed all the courses they were enrolled in, do not have any failed or not-attended courses from previous years, and meet the family income criteria specified in in the scholarship conditions.

Only students whose family income is below the maximum thresholds established in the scholarship conditions will be eligible for these scholarships.

The scholarship percentage awarded will vary depending on grades and family income, up to a maximum of 100% of tuition fees for students enrolled in Undergraduate Degrees and 50% of tuition fees for students enrolled in Graduate Degrees.

Notwithstanding, meeting the academic and financial requirements does not imply that the scholarship will be automatically awarded, since it will depend on the total funds allocated to the scholarship scheme each academic year.

Undergraduate students who are awarded a scholarship will be required to dedicate between 40 and 140 hours per academic year—calculated based on the amount awarded—to assisting University departments. Any students who do not meet this requirement will lose their scholarship.

General Scholarships for academic year 2025-2026, awarded by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports

These scholarships are aimed at university students pursuing undergraduate or graduate programmes, and at students who wish to start a higher education programme in academic year 2025-2026.

The application period for academic year 2025-2026 starts at 8 a.m. (CET) on 24 March 2025 and ends at 3 p.m. (CET) on 15 May 2025.

Fundación AEB (Spanish Banking Association Foundation) Scholarships (2025-2026)

Fundación AEB offers scholarships for students who wish to pursue undergraduate or graduate studies at CUNEF Universidad in academic year 2025-2026. Eligibility will be based on merit, plurality and non-discrimination, and scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis.

The scholarships are intended for students admitted to CUNEF Universidad who meet the specified family income criteria and have a strong academic record; the scholarship percentage awarded will vary depending on GPA and family income. The scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships or grants awarded by CUNEF.

The scholarships will be awarded by Fundación AEB to those candidates nominated by the CUNEF Universidad Scholarship and Financial Aid Commission, and the final decision is not subject to appeal. Students will retain the scholarship in subsequent years only if they maintain or improve their academic performance.

CUNEF sibling discounts for families with three or more children

Students with siblings in CUNEF are eligible for this discount for as long as they are enrolled simultaneously in any degree:

First child: not eligible for a discount
Second child: eligible for a 20% discount on tuition fees
Third and subsequent children: eligible for a 40% discount on tuition fees

To be eligible for this discount, applicants must show a valid document certifying that they are members of a large family (three or more children), in accordance with Law 40/2003, issued on November 18, on the Protection of Large Families.

The discount cannot be combined with other scholarships or grants.

CUNEF Financial Aid in case of Unforeseen Adverse Events

The following situations are considered unforeseen adverse events:

Death of a parent.
Full permanent disability or severe disability of a parent.
Other unforeseen events with a severe negative impact on family income (for example, a severe impact on the family’s financial status due to COVID-19).

If an unforeseen adverse event occurs, students may apply for financial aid. The Scholarship Commission will analyse their request and decide upon the form and amount of aid.

To apply for aid, students must provide documentary evidence of the adverse event. The decision to grant this aid will be contingent on the existence of sufficient funds and the Scholarship Commission’s assessment.

What documents do I need to include in my scholarship application?

(Fundación AEB Scholarships and CUNEF Universidad Scholarships)

Students enrolled in CUNEF Universidad who wish to apply for a scholarship for academic year 2025-2026 must submit the following documents before the specified deadline:

New-entry students must submit a properly completed scholarship application. Continuing students (Second Year in 2025-2026) must fill out their scholarship application using the CUNEF Service Portal before the specified deadline.
New-entry students must submit a photocopy of the EvAU (University Entrance Exam) card containing an electronic signature and a verification code or, alternatively, a UNEDasiss accreditation (Undergraduate Degrees).
University transcript listing the final grades for each course and the final grade for the degree (Graduate Degrees)
Personal Income Tax Self-Assessment Form 100 filed in 2024 for all members of the family unit.
Last three payslips of the mother, father and any other family member earning an income at the time of applying for the scholarship.
Wealth Tax return for those under an obligation to file it.
VAT returns for 2024 and 2025 (for self-employed professionals and independent contractors)
Separation agreement if parents are separated.
Corporation Tax return when parents hold a stake above 50% in any given company.
Students can include any certificate or document that can serve as proof of family income status.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to submit all the relevant documents before the corresponding deadline.

Applications will be considered based on the documents submitted; once the decision has been made, NO additional documents will be accepted.

The omission of income or wealth data, as well as any false information included in their scholarship application, will make students ineligible for any form of financial aid during their studies at CUNEF Universidad.

How and when should I apply for a scholarship?

New-entry students in academic year 2025-2026: New-entry students must fill out the scholarship application and email it before the specified deadline, together with all the required financial documents in PDF format, via email. No applications will be accepted after the deadline. Applications must be properly registered to be considered.
Continuing students (Second Year) in academic year 2024-2025: Continuing students must fill out their scholarship application using the CUNEF Service Portal before the specified deadline. They must also send all the required documents in PDF format from their CUNEF student email. No applications will be accepted after the deadline. Applications must be properly registered to be considered.

Relevant dates:

Application period for new-entry graduate students: 15 May to 30 June 2025
Application period for all other students: 16 to 30 June 2025
Award decisions: The Scholarship Commission will inform applicants in writing of the final decision on their application from 21 July 2025, onwards.

In compliance with the LOPD (Organic Law on the Protection of Personal Data), no information regarding award decisions will be provided by telephone.

Fulfilling academic and financial requirements does not imply that the scholarship will be automatically awarded, since it will depend on the total funds allocated to the scholarship scheme each academic year.

Current application conditions apply exclusively to academic year 2025-2026 and do not imply the consolidation of the scholarship scheme for future academic years.

Submission of the application implies the applicant’s formal acceptance of the interpretation criteria and decisions of the CUNEF Universidad Scholarship and Financial Aid Commission regarding any ambiguous information, of scholarship conditions and requirements, and of award decisions.

Any award decisions made by the Scholarship and Financial Aid Commission will be final and not subject to appeal.

Tax regime applicable to financial aid

In accordance with article 17.2 h of the Spanish Personal Income Tax Law, scholarships awarded to students by CUNEF S.L. will be considered earned income for the recipients.

Given this, and the fact that CUNEF is a corporate entity, and not a non-profit organisation as described in the terms of Law 49/2002 or a Banking Foundation as regulated by Law 26/2013, the tax exemption for scholarships as provided by article 7 of the Personal Income Tax Law does not apply.

This means that CUNEF will withhold tax on scholarship payments. In accordance with article 86.2 of Personal Income Tax Regulations, the applicable rate, provided that the scholarship is awarded for less than a year, is 2% (19% for EU residents and 24% for non-EU residents).

The tax exemption for scholarships as provided by article 7 of the Personal Income Tax Law applies to scholarships awarded by Fundación AEB (FAEB).

Information regarding personal data processing

In compliance with the provisions of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), all personal information provided by applicants will be processed by COLEGIO UNIVERSITARIO DE ESTUDIOS FINANCIEROS (CUNEF) to process and manage scholarship or financial aid applications submitted in accordance with the conditions of this call. Applicants are required to provide their personal data for this purpose, as otherwise their application will not be accepted and it will be therefore impossible for them to be awarded the scholarship or aid.

CUNEF has a Data Protection Officer (DPO), a legally established figure whose role is to provide information and advice regarding the organisation’s duties in terms of personal data protection and to supervise compliance. The DPO is also the person to contact for any question related to the processing of personal data.

The legal basis that enables CUNEF to process applicants’ data is the contractual relationship between CUNEF and those individuals who apply for a scholarship or financial aid, according to the conditions established in the corresponding call. These data may be transferred to financial institutions in charge of processing the payment of the scholarship or financial aid, as well as to relevant government agencies, for the cases and purposes established by law.

The data will be stored while the scholarship or financial aid is in effect and, after that, until any liabilities related to the granting of the scholarship or aid expire, as per the current statute of limitations.

Within the limitations established by law, applicants have the right to access their data, request that their data be rectified or erased, or refuse the processing or transferring of their data by sending a message to any of the email addresses provided above. If applicants feel that their rights have been breached, they can file a claim with the Spanish Data Protection Agency.

Any individual providing third-party data is solely responsible for having previously obtained consent from said third party authorising CUNEF to process their data, after duly informing them of all the provisions of Article 14 of the GDPR.