Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): El estudiante que obtenga la nota más alta recibirá una medalla dorada. - The student who gets the highest grade will receive a golden medal.

que here is a relative pronoun meaning “who.” It introduces a defining (restrictive) relative clause that specifies exactly which student we’re talking about: the one who gets the highest grade.

Why is obtenga in the subjunctive rather than the indicative?

Because the clause refers to an unknown or not-yet-determined student—the one “whoever may get” the highest grade. Spanish uses the present subjunctive after superlatives or indefinites when the existence or identity is not yet confirmed.

Why is there la before “nota más alta”? Couldn’t it just be “nota más alta”?

The definite article la is required with superlatives in Spanish: la nota más alta = “the highest grade.” It marks it as a specific, unique item in the context.

Why is recibirá used instead of recibe or “va a recibir”?

Recibirá is the simple future tense, which is common in formal or written Spanish to express what will happen.

Recibe (present) would imply a habitual or immediate action, not a future reward.
Va a recibir is also future, but more colloquial and less formal than the simple future.

Why is the adjective dorada feminine here?

Adjectives in Spanish must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Medalla is feminine, so dorada (feminine form of dorado) agrees with medalla.

Could you say medalla de oro instead of medalla dorada? Any difference?

Yes. Medalla de oro (“gold medal”) is equally correct and very common.

Medalla dorada literally means “golden medal” and emphasizes the color/golden quality.
Medalla de oro focuses more on the material or category (like Olympic medals).

What type of relative clause is “que obtenga la nota más alta”?

It’s a restrictive (defining) relative clause. It limits the reference to exactly one student—the student who will obtain the highest grade—and is essential to identify which student will receive the medal.