Cash for kids: Axarquía village offers payouts to stop rural flight
Canillas de Aceituno launches new subsidies for students and new parents as the battle against depopulation in inland Malaga intensifies
Eugenio Cabezas
Tuesday, 10 March 2026, 15:15
In a bid to save the village from becoming a "ghost town," Canillas de Aceituno has announced a fresh wave of financial incentives to keep its residents from fleeing to the coast.
The town hall, led by Mayor Vicente Campos, is putting its money where its mouth is by offering cash to students and new parents as part of a fight against rural depopulation.
At a glance: What can you claim in Canillas de Aceituno?
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Student Grant: €400 per year for those studying university or vocational courses outside the village
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Baby Bonus: €750 for every new birth or adoption to cover essential care costs.
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The Deadline: Student applications are open from 4 March to 4 April 2026.
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Eligibility: You must have been a registered resident (empadronado) for at least 6 months for the student grant and 1 year for the baby bonus.
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Academic Rules: Students must pass 80% of units to qualify for the travel cash.
The first of the two calls for applications provides for an annual grant of 400 euros per student to cover part of the travel expenses of students attending university or vocational training outside the village.
The town hall has said that the measure has been in place for some years now as part of municipal policies aimed at supporting families and stabilising the population in rural areas, a growing concern in many inland towns and villages in Malaga province.
Mayor of Canillas de Aceituno, Vicente Campos, said, "This aid is a clear example of our government team's commitment to families, as is the aid for the birth or adoption of children that we offer annually."
Eligibility
To be eligible for the grants, applicants must have been registered as residents of Canillas de Aceituno for at least six months and be enrolled in a public university or higher education programme. University students must also have passed at least 80 per cent of their subjects or credits from the previous academic year.
The rules governing the call for applications can be consulted in the Official Bulletin of the Province of Malaga, as well as on the notice board and the town hall website, where the application forms and the necessary documentation for processing these grants are also available. The deadline for submitting applications will remain open from 4 March to 4 April 2026, during which time interested students can formalise their request at the town hall iteself.
Canillas de Aceituno town hall has other initiatives to support families as part of its strategy to combat depopulation. These include a 750-euro grant for each birth or adoption, available to residents who have been registered in the municipality for at least one year.
As explained by the mayor in a statement, this subsidy will cover basic expenses related to baby care, such as pharmacy products, baby food, hygiene products and nappies. The mayor said that the measures reflect the town hall's "commitment to supporting families and promoting the birth rate in the municipality".
Interested families can submit their applications within three months of the birth or adoption, consulting the terms and conditions and required documentation at the town hall or on its website.
