Did you know your company can pay for your language learning? Every year, thousands of employees in Spain miss the chance of free training simply because they do not know about it. Subsidised training through FUNDAE (Fundación Estatal para la Formación en el Empleo, the Spanish state foundation for workplace training) allows companies of every size to fund courses for their staff at no additional cost. Best of all, language courses, one of the most valued skills in a globalised workplace, are among the training that qualifies.

Learning a second language not only strengthens a professional profile, it also increases employability, negotiating power and the international reach of both companies and employees. Even so, many organisations still do not know how to use the training credit FUNDAE offers them, or use it inefficiently, wasting a key strategic advantage.

Here we explain, step by step, how to get the most out of this funding to train your team (or yourself) in languages. Find out how to make FUNDAE a strategic ally in your professional growth.

What is FUNDAE and how does it work?

FUNDAE is the Fundación Estatal para la Formación en el Empleo, a body that works alongside Spain’s public employment service, theSEPE. Its mission is to support continuous training for employees by managing the funds companies contribute each month through their social security payments.

Every year companies have a training credit, an amount calculated on the basis of the company’s size and the contributions made the previous year, which they can use to fund courses for their employees in full or in part. Once the course has been delivered and certain requirements met, the company recovers its investment through reductions in its social security payments.

Who can benefit?

FUNDAE is designed to support the training of employees. There are, however, some particularities depending on the type of company or employment situation. Here is the key information on who benefits:

Type of party	Can they benefit?	Conditions / notes
Private company with employees	Yes	Can fund courses for employees registered under Spain’s general social security scheme.
Employee	Yes (through the company)	Only if their company organises and manages the subsidised training. They cannot apply on their own.
Self-employed with staff	Yes	Can manage the funding as a company for the staff they employ.
Self-employed without staff	No	Cannot access FUNDAE. They can look for other grants or individual schemes.
Cooperatives and worker-owned companies	Yes	Provided the members work as salaried staff.
Public companies	Limited	They can only take part through certain specific programmes, not through direct funding.
Employees on a temporary lay-off scheme (ERTE)	Yes	They can receive subsidised training if they are partly active or through specific programmes.
Employees on leave of absence or sick leave	Generally no	They must be registered with the company when the course begins.
Special employment centres	Yes	Funding is valid if staff are employed under the general social security scheme.
Trainees and interns	Depends on the contract	Only if they are employed as workers (not collaboration agreements without an employment relationship).
Newly created companies	Yes	From the moment they start paying vocational training contributions.

Why use the funding for language courses?

Language courses are particularly worth funding, not only because demand keeps growing but because of their direct impact on business competitiveness. Here are several reasons why this option is highly strategic:

Advantages for the company:

• Better communication with international clients and suppliers.
• Easier expansion into new markets.
• Higher motivation and staff retention.
• Better return on the FUNDAE credit.

Benefits for employees:

• Greater employability.
• Better performance at work.
• Development of key intercultural skills.

Language courses also comfortably meet FUNDAE’s requirements on duration, delivery format and certification, which makes them a simple and effective way of using the training credit.

How much FUNDAE credit does your company have? A rough calculator

One of the most common mistakes is assuming that only large companies have access to subsidised training. In fact, almost every company that pays vocational training contributions is entitled to an annual credit, even the smallest ones. That credit depends on the contributions made the previous year and on the size of the workforce.

Here is an indicative table to help you estimate how much credit your company has:

Number of employees	Applicable percentage	Minimum credit guaranteed by law	Note
1–5	100%	420 €	Guaranteed minimum
6–9	100%	No	There is no legal minimum
10–49	75%	No	Depends on contributions made
50–249	60%	No	Depends on contributions made
250 or more	50%	No	Depends on contributions made

What does this mean?

In the table above we note that companies with 1 to 5 employees have a guaranteed minimum credit of €420, and it is worth stressing that this is not an estimate but an official provision established by FUNDAE. In other words, even if these small companies paid less than that amount in contributions the previous year, they are automatically entitled to that minimum.

For companies with 6 employees or more, there is no minimum credit guaranteed by law. Their annual credit depends solely on two factors:

1. The total paid in contributions for vocational training the previous year.
2. The percentage that applies to them according to the size of their workforce (100%, 75%, 60% or 50%).

For example, a company with 10 employees that paid €2,000 in contributions the previous year is entitled to a credit of 75%, that is, €1,500. But if it only paid €600, its credit will be €450. There is no guaranteed floor as there is for micro-businesses.

This distinction is key to making a realistic estimate and making the most of the credit before it expires.

• The credit is not a grant: you recover it as a reduction in your social security payments.
• If your company has only 3 employees and paid around €400 in training contributions last year, this year it has €420 guaranteed to spend.
• It cannot be carried over: if you do not use it within the calendar year, you lose it.

What if you do not know how much you paid in contributions last year?

You can easily ask your payroll advisers for that information, or use a digital certificate to log in to the FUNDAE platform and check the exact credit.

Tip: Most companies do not use even half of the credit available to them. Do not let it go to waste.

Steps to fund a language course correctly

Here is a step-by-step guide to managing FUNDAE funding properly:

1. Work out the credit available

Check through the FUNDAE platform or with your advisers how much training credit your company has for the current year.

2. Choose an accredited training provider

Make sure the centre delivering the course is registered with FUNDAE as an organising or delivering body.

3. Notify FUNDAE of the training

This must be done at least two days before the course starts . The notification includes details of the course, its format, its duration and the participants.

4. Delivering and monitoring the course

It is essential that the course has attendance control, monitoring and assessment. Classes must be recorded and evidenced.

5. Close the course and report it

Once it ends, the provider or the company must report completion and process the reduction in that month’s social security payments.

Key requirements for funding

Here is a checklist to make sure your language training meets the requirements:

• The course is related to the job or professional activity.
• It lasts at least 2 hours.
• It is delivered by a body accredited with FUNDAE.
• It was notified at least 2 days before the start date.
• It has attendance control and assessment.
• The employee is registered with the company throughout the course.
• Costs and supporting documentation are handled correctly.

How to choose the best language course to fund

Success is not only a matter of administration; it also depends on choosing a course that genuinely adds value. Here are some factors to consider:

• The learner’s level: run a level test beforehand so that the course is genuinely useful.
• Specific objectives: is it for negotiation? Handling phone calls? Legal English?
• Flexible format: online, in person or hybrid, depending on the team’s availability.
• Workable duration: make sure it fits around the working day.
• Certification: go for courses with official recognition or that issue a certificate.

Turn language training into an investment, not an expense

Using FUNDAE funding for language courses is about far more than saving money: it is an investment in human capital, productivity and business competitiveness. As we have seen, though, it calls for organisation, knowledge of the procedure and a strategic choice of training.

In an increasingly globalised working world, command of a language can make the difference between a company that stalls and one that expands. Using the available resources well, such as training credits, is a smart way to grow without adding costs.

So if you have not yet used your company’s training credit this year, now is the perfect moment to start. A language can be a barrier, or a springboard. It is up to you.

Would you like help managing the funding or choosing the best course? Get in touch and we will advise you with no obligation.

If you would like to read more on related topics, take a look at our other articles:

• FUNDAE: language training for employees, free of charge
• The 5 courses most often funded by FUNDAE: why languages are key for your company in Valencia and online
• FUNDAE: free language classes for companies (FAQ)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)