Program Overview

International Volunteering Program of the Public Universities of the Community of Madrid

The program offers social or environmental volunteering projects in developing countries for three or six months. The volunteering is linked to the academic field of undergraduate and graduate students at public universities in Madrid and takes place in a social organization or university in the developing world. This program is co-financed by the Community of Madrid.

Program Objective

The program's objective is to raise awareness and provide training in the values necessary for the holistic development of students. Furthermore, it aims to encourage student participation in international projects and thus promote volunteer work among young people. International University Volunteering seeks to broaden students' professional prospects and foster the acquisition of skills derived from volunteer work. Likewise, the program offers host organizations the opportunity to provide young students or recent graduates with advanced technical knowledge from Madrid's public universities, which can strengthen the partner organizations.

Program Details

• The program is open to students enrolled in a Bachelor's or Postgraduate degree who are willing to collaborate in University Volunteering for Development during the period stipulated according to the position, obtaining personal experience and work practice in the university environment.
• Students participate for 3 or 6 months (depending on the position) in specific social and/or environmental volunteering projects, developed by universities or non-profit entities in Latin America, Africa, and Europe.

Requirements to Participate

1. Be a student at one of the public universities in the Community of Madrid and enrolled in a Bachelor's or Postgraduate degree at the time of submitting the application.
2. Not having previously participated as a volunteer in the "International Volunteering Program of the Public Universities of the Community of Madrid".
3. Having a great capacity to adapt to a foreign country, motivation, and commitment.
4. Good technical knowledge of the specific area defined for each of the positions you are applying for.
5. Experience, training, or interest in issues related to volunteering and development cooperation.
6. Pass an in-person interview before the Pre-selection Committee of the Autonomous University of Madrid.
7. Must be available for MANDATORY in-person attendance at the Training Seminar before departure.

Documents Required to Participate

1. Application form.
2. Signed consent form, attached to the application form.
3. Additional or supplementary documentation:

• Academic enrollment or document accrediting that you are enrolled in the public university of the Community of Madrid corresponding, at the moment of presenting the application.
• Curriculum Vitae adapted to the application.
• Letter of motivation specific for the chosen position (option 1), detailing knowledge, experience in tasks similar to those requested in the position, as well as the interest for the application of the position in question. The letter must clearly indicate the name and number of the project to which it is opted.
• Letter of motivation specific for the second chosen position (option 2) if a candidacy is requested for another position, detailing the same aspects as those mentioned in the previous point for the letter of option 1.
• Photocopy of the passport in force and valid during the international volunteering stay.
• Negative certificate of the Central Registry of Sexual Offenders of the Ministry of Justice of the Government of Spain (application with sufficient notice in person or by mail; more information on the official website).

Selection Process

• The application period opens on May 12, 2025, and ends at 14:00 h on May 23, 2025.
• The application must be submitted to the General Registry of the University addressed to the "Office of Solidarity Action and Cooperation" and within the deadline.
• The provisional resolution will be published on June 10, 2025.
• For those applications that have errors to correct, the applicant will be required to do so within ten (10) days.
• The final resolution of admitted and excluded applicants will be published on June 16, 2025.