SENA job openings: when they open and how not to miss the deadline

There's a recurring scene in the neighborhoods where we work: someone decides to study, looks for the program, and discovers that registration closed four days ago. They didn't lack the will or the requirements. They simply didn't know that the window of opportunity lasts less than a week. SENA calls for applications They are not lost through carelessness, they are lost because almost no one explains how the calendar works internally, and here we take it apart with the official schedule in hand.

When do SENA's application periods open?

SENA's calls for applications don't have a fixed annual date. The institution opens several each year, each with its own schedule, which is published individually, not annually. Only one or two days pass between the publication of the program offerings and the opening of registration, and registration remains open for five to six days.

That's what changes everything: it's not a one-month deadline that you can put off. It's a short window, and those who find out after it's already started usually only have two or three days to decide on the program, schedule, and training center.

How many SENA job openings are there in a year?

There are two parallel series, each with its own numbering: the modality series in-person and remote and those of modality virtual. During 2025, the official numbering reached up to Call V in face-to-face and distance learning, and up to Call IV in virtual learning: nine registration windows spread throughout the year, alternating between the two modalities.

This information is useful for planning. If you missed one opportunity, you don't have to wait twelve months: another one will open up in weeks or a few months, often in the other format. What you shouldn't do is get complacent, because the program offerings change between the two formats.

Why do I miss the date even though I'm keeping track?

Because the useful notice arrives late. In the actual timeline of the two calls for applications that SENA published for 2026: for the in-person course, the offer was released on January 27 and 28, and registration opened on the 29th. One day's margin. For the online course, the offer was released on February 17, and registration opened on the 19th. Two days.

You only find out what programs are available, at which center, and on what schedule when it's already time to register. That's why the key isn't keeping track of the registration deadline, but rather... the publication of the offer, the signal that arrives first.

Dates from the official SENA schedule on the SOFIA Plus portal. These are the only two calls for applications for 2026 published to date.

One important point: As of today, SENA has not published the schedule for the following calls for applications in 2026.. Any website that gives you exact dates for the rest of the year is making assumptions. The actual dates are released for each call for applications, in the official schedule.

Which platform do you sign up on now?

Here's a change that's confusing a lot of people. Today, SENA divides the process: program searches and registration are done in Betowa, SOFIA Plus, which is defined as the space "solely for offering and registration services," continues to operate for administrative procedures and for consulting the schedule.

If someone sends you a link that isn't from a SENA domain, be suspicious. And keep in mind something the institution explicitly states: the comprehensive vocational training it provides. It's free. No one should charge you for registering or for "guaranteeing" your spot in the test. If they charge you, it's a scam, just like the others. They circulate with state subsidies.

What happens after you register?

Registering doesn't guarantee acceptance. The selection process comes next, and many people are eliminated because they didn't read the entire schedule. The tests are administered. according to the last digit of the identity document: In the 2026 face-to-face call, those ending in 0 to 4 and those ending in 5 to 9 had their slot between February 6 and 9.

In the face-to-face modality there is also a second phase (a controlled web test or a workshop) that the virtual one doesn't have. And complaints and claims are addressed. just one day, until 5:00 pm.

Common mistakes that cost people their spot

• Wait for the registration notification. By the time it arrives, it's already underway. The signal to follow is the publication of the offer.
• Sign up and never look at the schedule again. The test is scheduled according to the last digit of your ID card; if you do not show up on your date, you will be excluded.
• Let the day of complaints pass. It's a one-day event with a closing time. The next day there's no recourse.

What does studying have to do with having decent housing?

It's all connected. In the families we support, the obstacle to accessing housing is almost never a lack of willingness to work: it's an informal income that no bank or credit union can interpret as proof of ability to pay. A free technical degree changes that conversation, because it changes the type of employment the family can aspire to and, with it, their chances of... maintain one's own home.

If you already know when they open, the next step is... Step-by-step registration. And if there's a young person in the house, it's worth taking a look at them too. Youth Income and the ICETEX requirements, which can be added together.

Frequently asked questions about SENA calls for applications

How much does it cost to register for SENA's calls for applications?

Nothing. SENA explicitly states that the comprehensive vocational training it provides is free. Registration is done through the official platform and requires no intermediaries or payments of any kind.

How many days does registration last?

In the two sessions held in 2026, the in-person and distance learning formats lasted six days, and the virtual format lasted five. It's advisable to decide on the program before it opens.

If I missed one, do I have to wait all year?

No. SENA has several application periods each year, in two different formats, so another opportunity usually opens up within weeks or a few months. What changes between each period is the range of programs offered.

Where can I find the official date?

In it official SENA schedule, which publishes each call for applications with all its stages, and in sena.edu.co. No other page is a source.

How Hepacom accompanies you

At the Hechos Para la Comunidad Foundation, we work for the right to decent housing, and that right isn't sustained by bricks alone: it's sustained by stable income. That's why we help families take advantage of opportunities like the SENA (National Learning Service) programs, which already exist but are often missed simply due to a lack of information.

If you are supporting someone through this process and have any questions, please write to us at donaciones@hepacom.org or by our contact page.

Last updated: August 2026.

Information guide. The process is handled by the official entity. Verify the dates on the official SENA channel before taking any action, as each call for applications publishes its own schedule. Hepacom does not charge fees or process payments.