Your company contributes to it every month. Most HR managers never touch it. And at the end of the year, it disappears. If your team in Barcelona needs Spanish — for meetings, emails, daily office life, or client calls — there’s a legal way to cover 100% of the cost. It’s called FUNDAE, and here’s everything you need to know.
What is FUNDAE and why does it matter for language training?
FUNDAE (Fundación Estatal para la Formación en el Empleo) is the Spanish government body that manages employee training funds. Every company registered in Spain pays a vocational training contribution as part of their monthly Social Security payments.
That money doesn’t disappear into the state treasury — it accumulates as a training credit your company can spend on courses, including language training. Spanish, English, Catalan: if it’s connected to your team’s professional needs, it qualifies.
The catch? It resets annually. If you don’t use it, you lose it.
Is FUNDAE training actually free?
Yes — in the form of a direct deduction. Your company pays for the course upfront, then deducts the cost from the following month’s Social Security payment. Depending on your company size, you can recover between 75% and 100% of the investment.
For many companies in Barcelona — especially international ones with teams that need Spanish — this is effectively free language training.
Who is eligible?
Any employee working for a private company in Spain and contributing to Social Security is eligible. That includes:
- International staff who need Spanish to communicate with clients, suppliers, or local colleagues
- Management teams at multinational companies operating in Barcelona
- Mixed teams where some employees need Spanish and others need English
Note on freelancers (autónomos): The FUNDAE system works differently for self-employed workers. If that’s your situation, contact us and we’ll clarify what’s available to you.
Why use FUNDAE for Spanish — not just English?
Most corporate language programs in Barcelona default to English. But Spanish is the language your international team actually needs to function in this city.
Think about it: vendor calls, local administration, landlord communications, medical appointments, conversations with the cleaning crew, lunch orders. For expat employees, not speaking Spanish creates friction every single day — and that friction affects retention, wellbeing, and productivity.
Spanish courses for your international team via FUNDAE are not just a training investment. They’re a relocation support benefit that costs your company nothing.
Why choose Freeda Language Space as your FUNDAE provider?
Finding a language school in Barcelona is easy. Finding one that’s a registered FUNDAE organizer, works with international teams, and actually understands what expats need to learn first — that’s a shorter list.
At Freeda Language Space, we offer:
- Spanish and Catalan courses built for real Barcelona life — not just grammar exercises. Your team will learn to handle the conversations that matter: at work, with neighbors, at the doctor’s office.
- Instituto Cervantes-accredited teaching at two central locations: El Born and Gràcia.
- Flexible formats: in-person, online, or hybrid — scheduled around your working hours.
- Small groups focused on speaking, not just studying.
- Full FUNDAE management: we handle the paperwork, the platform registration, the attendance records, and the certificates. You do nothing except show up.
How much paperwork does this involve for HR?
Realistically? Very little. We manage the entire administrative process:
- We calculate your available FUNDAE credit based on your company’s CIF.
- We register the course on the FUNDAE platform.
- We track attendance and issue all required documentation.
- You receive the deduction on your next Social Security payment.
The only thing we need from you to get started: your company’s CIF and a conversation about what your team needs.
How to get started: 3 steps
Step 1 — Check your credit Send us your CIF. We’ll tell you exactly how much training budget your company has available this year.
Step 2 — Define your team’s goals Do they need Spanish for daily integration? For client meetings? For written communication? We design the course around that.
Step 3 — Start learning We set a schedule that works for your team. Classes at our schools in El Born or Gràcia, online, or at your office.
Stop letting your training budget expire
Every month, your company contributes to a fund specifically designed for moments like this. There’s no application process, no competition for grants, no bureaucracy on your end.
There’s just a budget that exists, a team that needs Spanish, and a school that knows how to connect the two.
Contact us for a free credit calculation and course consultation
