Kindergarten check scholarship application: frequently asked questions 2026

Like every year, many families have heard about the Cheque Nursery scholarship, although they have many doubts about this child aid for families aimed at facilitating the reconciliation, education and care of the little ones. As this is a situation that is repeated every year, we have prepared an article of frequently asked questions to support families in preparing the documentation that they must present with the application for this financial scholarship for children from 0 to 3 years old.

What is the scholarship for 0 to 3 years or Nursery Check?

It is an aid for the schooling of children under three years of age in the first cycle of Early Childhood Education in authorized private children's centers.

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How do I know if a center is authorized?

To find out if a private center that teaches the first cycle of Early Childhood Education is authorized by the Community of Madrid, you can check it in the center search engine on the Community of Madrid website.

What families can benefit from it and what requirements are necessary to apply for the scholarship?

In order to be one of the beneficiaries, a child between 0 and 3 years old must first be enrolled in an authorized private nursery school or have made an enrollment reservation. Likewise, if your child is still on the way, you can also apply for the Check Nursery scholarship. Of course, the probable delivery date in previous years had to be scheduled before November 1 of the current year.

Another important fact to keep in mind is that families who wish to access this aid must have incomes that do not exceed the limit of 25,000 euros per capita.

Where can I apply for the scholarship for 0 to 3 years?

The request for the Nursery Check can be done in person or electronically if you have an electronic DNI or digital signature certificate recognized by the Community of Madrid.

How can I submit the application electronically?

If the application is submitted electronically, it must be signed by both parents. In the event that one of the parents does not have a digital signature, a document from the other must be attached authorizing the submission of the application on their behalf.

On the other hand, if the application is submitted physically, it must be signed by both parents.

In short, and in case of possible doubts, the authorization document should only be attached to applications that are submitted electronically.

What technical requirements are necessary to submit the application electronically?

Yes, you can submit the application online by clicking on this link or through the same link that also appears in the procedure sheet on the institutional website of the Community of Madrid.

What do I need to apply online?

It is essential to have any recognized or qualified electronic signature certificates that are operational in the Community of Madrid installed on your computer, to make it easier. 
You can check the complete list of certificates recognized by the Community of Madrid at this link.

What documents do I need?

1. You must always present a copy of the complete Family Book (that is, of the pages in which the parents appear and in which all the children appear) or complete official documentation proving the family situation, even if it has already been presented in previous years.
2. Police officers, agents of the armed forces, civil servants of the state, and officials serving in the administration of justice must provide a certificate of services provided or fees issued by the Personnel Unit to which they are assigned, Paying Service or Corresponding Body.
3. For self-employed workers not required to be registered with Social Security, a receipt supporting payment of the corresponding mutual benefit assimilated to the Special Regime for the Self-Employed must be provided.
4. In the case of unborn children: Medical certificate of probable date of delivery.
5. While foreign families will need a copy of the passport, if they do not have a NIE.

What to do if the State Tax Administration Agency does not have data on my income for the 2019 financial year?

In this case, a certificate issued by the State Tax Administration Agency will be provided proving that there is no income data in 2019 accompanied by one of the following documents:

• Payroll or certificate from the current employer determining the worker's income, which will be compared with the Social Security Work Life Report.
• Quarterly declarations, in the case of self-employed workers.
• Certificate issued by the Municipal Social Services, duly signed and sealed, stating the intervention of said social services and the estimated amount of annual income available to the family unit.

If I enroll two or more children in the same authorized private educational center, how many applications and documentation do I have to submit?

If you enroll more than one child in the same nursery school, you only have to submit one application (including the information of each of them) and a single copy of the requested documents.

What is the situation of single parenthood and how is it accredited?

Very simple, when both father and mother appear in the family book or documentation proving the family situation, but you only want one of them to be taken into account in the evaluation of the application, it is necessary to justify such a situation of single parenthood in the following way:

• If a marriage exists or has existed, the situation will be accredited by means of a death certificate that certifies the death of one of the parents if that were the case or by a court ruling of legal separation or divorce, or by the regulatory agreement stating the custody of the minor.
• If there has not been a marriage, by means of a flyer or certificate of collective registration in which all the people registered in the family home appear, with the aim of verifying that the parent, guardian or foster person who appears in the family book and who therefore does not appear in the application does not live at said home.

The search for a future nursery school must begin as soon as possible and, now, it is much more important given that the application period for the nursery check scholarship will soon open. Despite the situation, the vast majority of educational centers have the admission period open for the 2020/2021 academic year through virtual visits.

If you are interested in finding out about a nursery school based on your home or work area, I recommend this school search engine in the Community of Madrid, where you will find a telephone number and email address to request information about the center's educational project and specific admission deadlines.

Article prepared by Denise Zarruk, director of the El Mundo de Mozart children's centers.