Ourense City Council rejects majority of school aid requests

The Ourense City Council has released provisional lists for school dining hall scholarships and textbook assistance for the 2026-2027 academic year, revealing high rejection rates. Approximately 78% of applications for textbook and school material aid were denied, with only 152 applicants receiving support from a pool of over 700 requests.

Regarding school dining hall grants, the council approved 415 beneficiaries, while 550 applications were rejected and 77 children remain on a waiting list. The acceptance rate for dining hall support stands at just over 39%.

Local authorities attributed the denials to applicants failing to meet specific requirements. These include the necessity for all family members to be registered residents (empadronados) in Ourense and the absence of sufficient movable or immovable assets. A particularly controversial criterion is the income limit, which restricts eligibility to families with an annual income not exceeding 4,000 euros. Other factors contributing to rejections include incomplete documentation and the requirement for families to have a confirmed dining hall placement at their school at the time of the grant's award.