Following the summer break, the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council has unveiled its Basque language course offerings for the upcoming academic year. A total of 732 places will be available for diverse groups: parents, individuals over 55 years old, foreign residents, and professionals in the commerce and hospitality sectors. The courses will be delivered by euskaltegis (Basque language schools) in various city locations, including civic centers, the BIZAN network, and some educational institutions. Interested individuals can register from September 7th to 16th at the Citizen Attention Offices.
The enrollment campaign for the 2026-2027 academic year was presented at the Izaskun Arrue Kulturgunea under the slogan 'Start breathing in Basque'. Participants included the Councilor for Basque Language, María Nanclares; the Provincial Deputy for Equality, Basque Language, and Governance, Iñaki Gurtubai; and the representative of the euskaltegis and director of IKA, Imanol Miranda.
Nanclares highlighted the evolution of Basque language learning in Vitoria-Gasteiz: "In the 1980s, the percentage of Basque speakers in our city was 3.5%, and today it is close to 30%. It has multiplied tenfold in 45 years." She explained that "through these courses, the City Council continues to facilitate Basque language learning and bring it closer to different profiles and areas of daily life. The challenge is to keep advancing so that more and more people can incorporate Basque into their daily routines."
This year, the four course modalities offered in previous years are maintained: courses for parents (166 hours, HABE-certified), courses for those over 55 (90 hours, costing 55.60 euros), courses for people of foreign origin (60 hours, 10.35 euros per quarter), and courses for commerce and hospitality workers (60 hours, 51.35 euros per semester).
Furthermore, the City Council is allocating 150,000 euros to financial aid for promoting Basque language study, having received 564 applications. The Provincial Council of Álava, for its part, will allocate 100,000 euros to facilitate adult Basque language learning through grants to reduce matrícula fees.
