Fundación Occident strengthens its commitment to equal opportunities in the 3rd edition of the Jesús Serra Undergraduate Scholarships

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• The Jesús Serra Undergraduate Scholarship programme is aimed at young people who want to overcome all barriers and be the first in their family to attend university, or the first women in their family to graduate in a STEM degree.

• This year, Fundación Occident is introducing two new places reserved for people with a disability of 33% or more, further reinforcing its commitment to equal opportunity.

 

For the third consecutive year, Fundación Occident is launching a new edition of its Jesús Serra Undergraduate Scholarship programme, designed to help exceptional students overcome social and economic barriers to become the first generation in their family to attend university. Through this programme, the Foundation aims not only to promote equal opportunities in accessing high-quality higher education, but also the labour market when the time comes.

In addition, this year Fundación Occident is strengthening its commitment to equity by increasing the number of scholarships from 12 to 14, with two places reserved for people with a disability of 33% or more. These 14 young people will join the 24 previous scholarship holders – 12 from each of the previous editions – who are already part of the Jesús Serra Scholars community.

“With the launch of the third edition of the Jesús Serra Undergraduate Scholarship programme, we are reinforcing our commitment to equal opportunities by expanding the scheme with two new places for people with disabilities”, explains Laura Halpern, President of Fundación Occident.

To ensure equity in selection, the programme includes an expert on disability on its evaluation committee, in collaboration with Fundación Prevent, an organisation dedicated to promoting the employment of people with disabilities, helping to break down stereotypes and support inclusive environments.

As in previous editions, applications are open to students in their final year of secondary education or advanced vocational training (CFGS), with an average grade of 7 or above and a limited family income (not exceeding threshold 2 established for the general scholarship by the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports). The programme offers two routes of access:

• The first route, First Generation of University Students, provides 7 scholarships for students who are the first in their family to obtain a university degree;
• and the second, First Generation of Women in STEM, will award 7 more scholarships for female students who will be the first in their family to graduate in a degree in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics.

The Jesús Serra Undergraduate Scholarships are designed to support young people in vulnerable situations. They therefore include coverage of the public tuition fees, financial support tailored to family income and distance – up to €2,000 per academic year – and an additional allowance – up to €3,000 – linked to the effective use of the scholarship, as well as support for supplementary training and academic materials.

However, what makes these scholarships unique is their mentorship programme, which aims to connect scholars with professionals from various fields who act as role models and help them overcome barriers and seize emerging opportunities. This mentorship is built on three pillars: a personalised mentoring programme based on each scholar’s field of study and interests; an online and in-person training programme focused on developing soft skills and building their first professional network; and, new this year, an emotional wellbeing programme developed by Aurela Health, a company specialising in mental health with an innovative approach, to support scholars in caring for their emotional wellbeing and developing key personal resources.

“My mentor Diego has been very important during this new stage. University is worlds apart from high school: I have new subjects, new routines, new teachers and classmates, and in my case, even a new city. At first I had many doubts, but he helped me organise myself better, learn to prioritise, and understand how to tackle new challenges. He not only supported me with my studies, but also gave me confidence and reassurance to move forward, which has helped me a lot”, explains Dídak Camats Setó, a scholar from the second edition of the Jesús Serra Undergraduate Scholarships, studying Mathematical and Physical Engineering at Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona) and co-star of the campaign promoting the 3rd scholarship edition.

Applications can be submitted from today and until 29 May at 14:00 CET. Applications must be made through the website (www.fundacionoccident.org/becas-jesus-serra), where the programme guidelines, the evaluation guide, and a document with FAQs are also available.

For more information about previous Jesús Serra scholars, please consult the website: https://www.fundacionoccident.org/becas-jesus-serra/becados-jesus-serra