Peru 2026 Scholarship Program: 291 new opportunities offered in 15 regions

The National Scholarship and Educational Credit Program (Pronabec), under the Ministry of Education of Peru, has officially launched the second application period for the 'Beca Perú 2026' program for Peruvian citizens who have graduated from high school to pursue vocational training at universities or private institutes. Under this new call, a total of 291 scholarships will be provided to study in 15 different regions of the country, and candidates must complete their applications by 23:59 on Wednesday, July 8. The application process is conducted entirely digitally, and no fee is requested from candidates.

The scope of the program has been kept quite broad, with scholarships distributed covering a wide variety of branches such as engineering, health, economics, and technical fields. The capital, Lima, stands out as the center offering the most scholarship opportunities with 212 quotas, and the education provided here includes modern and strategic fields such as Big Data and Data Science, Biomedical Engineering, Agricultural Management, and Mining Management. Outside of Lima, the city of Piura offers opportunities for departments such as Environmental Engineering, Economics, Architecture, and Educational Sciences with 22 quotas, while Junin has 16, and Cusco and Arequipa open their doors to candidates in the second and third stage regions with 9 quotas each.

In addition to the intense interest in and around Lima, regions such as La Libertad and Lambayeque also offer important educational opportunities for local students with seven quotas each. In these regions, besides departments addressing social needs such as Agricultural Technology, Journalism, Nutrition, and Dietetics, technical programs targeting tourism like International Business Management and Hospitality are also included in the scholarship scope. Furthermore, a certain number of quotas have been allocated in cities such as Ayacucho, Áncash, Callao, Huancavelica, Puno, San Martín, and Tacna, aiming to increase the accessibility of education to every corner of the country.

One of the most striking aspects of the scholarship program is its financing model; all educational expenses and the scope of the scholarships are financed by these institutions as a result of private protocols signed between Pronabec and private educational institutions. Each educational institution can determine the scope, validity conditions, and application criteria of the scholarship offered within its own body differently; however, according to statements by Pronabec, the scholarships are generous enough to cover all academic costs of the selected program in the vast majority. This situation creates a significant opportunity for equality in higher education for successful students with limited financial means.

Candidates interested in the process until the application deadline can access detailed information through the official website, and they can convey their questions using the institution's official Facebook page, WhatsApp line, and the 0800 free telephone consultation line. Minister of Education María Esther Cuadros emphasized that this program is a strong example of cooperation between the state and the private sector, expressing how critical a role public-private partnership plays in expanding access to higher education.