Access, admission and enrolment

If you're an upper secondary school (Batxillerat) student who wants to go to university, first you need to find out what courses are on offer at Catalan universities, how they are organized, where they are taught, what the cut-off marks were in recent years, and which career opportunities they provide.

Once you've found the course you need for the job you'd like to do in the future, find out which steps you need to take to obtain a place:

1. To be admitted to university, you must pass the university entrance exam (PAU). 

2. Once you've passed the exam, to apply for admission to Catalan public universities or the University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), you have to complete university pre-enrolment on university admissions portal.

3. In terms of the allocation of places, if you have passed the university entrance exam (PAU), you will be accepted in the general quota of places. If you are a student with a disability, or you are an elite-level or high-performance sportsperson, you will have a place reserved. 

If you are an advanced-level training cycle (CFGS) student, you are eligible to apply for university admission without taking an entrance exam. Your university admission mark will be obtained from the training cycle that you have completed, and will be between 5 and 10 points.

However, if you want to improve your mark to reach 14 points, you must take the specific phase of the university entrance exams (PAU). You should find out which subject areas are weighted for the university degree courses that you want to take. The subjects in which you have taken the exams will be considered as long as you have obtained at least 5 points. The subjects that are weighted are specified in the weighting table.

The admission mark is calculated using the following formula:

Admission mark = CFGS mark + a*M1 + b*M2

M1, M2 = the two subject marks passed in the specific phase which, after weighting, give the best admission mark
a, b = weighting parameters of the subjects of the specific phase (0.1 or 0.2)

To apply for admission to the Catalan public universities or the University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia, you must carry out university pre-enrolment on university admissions portal. Remember that, before the end of the pre-enrolment period, you must submit a certificate of marks for the training cycle that you have completed.

If you have completed an advanced-level training cycle (CFGS), you can officially recognize ECTS credits at Catalan universities. Check the documents you will find below.

Students with an International Baccalaureate or European Baccalaureate and students from education systems in states that are members of the European Union or with whom Spain has signed international agreements of reciprocity, who meet academic requirements in their own education systems to enter universities in their countries.

University pre-enrolment must be processed on the University admissions portal. All information on the university pre-enrolment process can be found in the Pre-enrolment section.

The entrance mark is that recorded in the UNEDasiss accreditation. The entrance mark must be between 5 and 10 points.

There are two options for improving the university entrance mark and calculating the admission mark:

1. The student takes examinations in subjects in the specific/voluntary phase of the upper secondary level examination for university admission (EBAU) / university entrance exams (PAU) at any university in Spain, and the two marks that are highest after weighting are taken into consideration. If the examinations are taken at a Catalan university, enrolment for these tests can be consulted on the calendar.

2. The student takes examinations in subjects of the UNEDasiss specific skill tests (PCE), and the two highest marks after weighting are taken into consideration, as long as these subject areas can be weighted in Catalonia.

Information on which subject areas can be weighted to improve the admission mark for Catalan public universities and the University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia can be found in the weighting table.

Subjects taken at Batxillerat (upper secondary school) level and recognized in the UNEDasiss accreditation are not taken into account.

Students from education systems in states that are not members of the European Union must have final official recognition of the upper secondary school certificate for university admission. They cannot be admitted with a conditional registration slip.

They will not be assigned a definite place until they have official recognition of the upper secondary school certificate, but they can complete university pre-enrolment on the university access website.

University pre-enrolment must be processed on the University admissions portal. All information on the university pre-enrolment process can be found in the Pre-enrolment section.

There are the following university entry pathways:

1. Upper secondary level examination for university admission (EBAU) / university entrance exam (PAU)

• General/compulsory phase. The university entrance mark is calculated using the average mark for the officially recognized upper secondary school qualification (NMB) and the mark for the general/compulsory phase (QFG): 0.6*NMB (official recognition) + 0.4*QFG. This mark is between 5 and 10 points.

• Specific/voluntary phase. The calculation of the admission mark considers the two marks for the subjects passed in the specific phase that give the highest result after weighting. The compulsory subject in the general/compulsory phase, in the PAU exam sittings of 2019 or 2020, will also be considered to calculate the admission mark, as long as the mark awarded for this subject is at least 5 points.

If the university entrance exams (PAU) are taken at a Catalan university, all relevant information can be found at this link.

2. Upper secondary level examination for university admission (EBAU – UNED)

• The UNEDasiss specific skills tests (PCE) must be taken in the following subject areas (general/compulsory phase):

  • Three core subject areas: History of Spain, Spanish Language and Literature and a foreign language (English, French, German, Italian).

  • One core subject for the area of study: to chose between Mathematics, Mathematics for Social Sciences, Latin and Arts.

The University entrance mark is calculated with the average mark for the officially recognised upper secondary school qualification (NMB) and the mark for the general/compulsory phase (QFG): 0.6*NMB (official recognition) + 0.4*QFG. This mark is between 5 and 10 points.

The mark for the general/compulsory phase must be at least 4 points to be averaged with the mark for upper secondary level, and the university entrance mark must be 5 or higher.

• Candidates have two options for improving the university entrance mark and calculating theadmission mark:

  • Take at least two core subjects in the UNEDasiss specific skill tests. The results will be considered in the calculation of the admission mark, as long as these subjects can be weighted in Catalonia.

  • Take subjects in the specific/voluntary phase of the EBAU/PAU at any Spanish university. If the university entrance exams (PAU) are taken at a Catalan university, all relevant information can be found at this link.

The admission marks calculated using the two highest marks for subjects passed in the specific phase/voluntary phase after weighting. 

Information on subject areas that can be weighted to improve the admission mark for Catalan public universities and the University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia can be found in the weighting table.

3. Without an entrance exam for students from education systems outside the EU

The university entrance mark is that recorded on the official recognition of the upper secondary school qualification. In this case, candidates will have the lowest priority in the order of allocating places in the September pre-enrolment period. They cannot pre-enrol for university in the June pre-enrolment period.

If you are over 25, you can gain admission to a university by passing the university entrance exams (PAU) for over-25s.

The university entrance exam (PAU) for over-25s is held once a year. You have an unlimited number of sittings to pass this test and you may take the exam again to improve your mark, if you meet the requirements. The university entrance mark is valid indefinitely.

Requirements:

• You are 25 years old in the calendar year in which the exam is held.

• You have not passed the university entrance exams (PAU) or equivalent.

• You do not hold a qualification as an advanced vocational-training technician, advanced plastic arts and design technician or an advanced sports technician (or the equivalent).

• You do not have a university qualification.

Once you've passed the exam, to apply for admission to Catalan public universities or the University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), you have to complete university pre-enrolment on university admissions portal.

If you are over 45, you can gain admission to a university by passing the university entrance exam for over-45s. This exam is held once a year and you have an unlimited number of sittings to pass this exam. Once you have passed the university entrance exam and if you meet the requirements, you can retake the exam to improve your mark.

In order to attend university, those over 45 must pass a university entrance exam (PAU) and have a personal interview. The university entrance exam, once passed, is valid indefinitely. However, the personal interview, which is obligatory and determines the candidate’s aptitude, is only valid for the year in which it takes place and for one single centre/course. At the same time, you can take the university entrance exam for over-25s. 

Requirements:

• You are 45 years old in the calendar year in which the test is held.

• You do not have a qualification or any other admission requirement that allows you to enter the university.

Once you've passed the exam, to apply for admission to Catalan public universities or the University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), you have to complete university pre-enrolment on university admissions portal.

If you are over 40, you can access the university by providing evidence of your work or professional experience related with the bachelor's degree, as long as you do not have any academic qualification that prepares you for university via another pathway. The university admissions process for over-40s is held once a year and applications may be made for one Catalan university study centre only.

Requirements:

• You must be 40 years old in the calendar year in which you apply to the university.

• You must not be in possession of a qualification which allows them to attend university via other entrance pathways.

• You must have accredited work or vocational experience related to the university bachelor’s degree course on which you would like to be admitted.

Admission for over-40s is divided into two phases:

1. Assessment phase of accredited experience: on the basis of the information and documentation presented, the candidate will complete the enrolment.

2. Personal interview phase: the university will provide information on the date and time of the personal interview via the channels it deems appropriate (web, notice board, etc.).

As the university may have established its own assessment criteria for each phase, this should be verified by checking each university website.
Phase results and final mark: the assessment results from each phase and the final mark will be made public by the universities. Each university will establish the dates on which they will publish the results.

If you already have a university qualification and you want to study for another bachelor's degree you must complete university pre-enrolment on university admissions portal.

Students who have completed university courses (subjects / modules) can apply for credit recognition. The previous studies may have been at the UAB or any other university in Spain or abroad.

Recognition implies acceptance by the UAB of the previous studies, so that the credits recognized are incorporated into the new academic transcript and have the status of successfully completed studies. They are also taken into account when scaling the new transcript.

Application form:

The application must cover all the courses that have been completed and incorporated into the transcript of previous studies, and credits will be recognized by establishing the equivalence between the competences and contents of the previous studies and the competences and contents of the new ones.

The application must be submitted within the period fixed in the academic and administrative calendar and should be addressed to the Academic Management Office of the centre to which the applicant has been admitted to take the new studies. It is delivered to the Academic Management Office of the centre itself, together with the following documents:

• Application form.

• Personal academic certificates, Europass Certificate Supplement or a certified copy of the transcript stating the studies taken, the academic year and the grades.

• Syllabus of the module or subject, stating the competences, the relevant content, and the number of credits or hours/weeks per semester or year, with the stamp of the previous centre.

• Curriculum, or subject or module framework required to pass the previous course, issued by the previous centre, with the corresponding stamp.

• Any other documentation that the institution considers appropriate in order to process the application.

The legislation pertaining to undergraduate studies allows admission to the UAB of persons with partially-completed official studies at a Spanish university.

Requirements:

• 30 or more credits need to be recognized for the course to which admission is requested, pursuant to the criteria established in the regulations on credit transfer and recognition.

• Admission cannot be granted through this path if 75% or more of the total credits for the new course are recognized.

• Admission cannot be granted by this path if the previous academic transcript includes subjects enrolled on three times or more and not passed.

For the purposes of credit recognition and the scaling of the transcript of previous studies, consideration is given to those grades obtained by the student up to the deadline for pre-registration.

Each UAB centre publishes annually the number of places available for every course, as well as general admission criteria and deadlines for carrying out pre-registration. The relevant dates are set out in the academic and administrative calendar that the UAB Governing Council approves for each academic year.

Application:

Applications should be submitted to the EUSS Academic Management Office. Each application can include only one course of study and should comprise the following documents:

• Application form

• Covering letter

• Original and photocopy of identity card, residence permit or passport

• Personal academic certificate or certified copy of the academic transcript, stating, if applicable, the subject area studied

• Curriculum of the previous studies, authenticated by the previous university

• Syllabuses of the subjects studied, authenticated by the previous university

Applications that do not meet legal requirements will be refused. Applications that do meet requirements will be sorted according to the following criteria:

1. First, applicants coming from similar studies to the subject area requested.

2. Second, applicants coming from unrelated studies.

Within each group applications will be ranked according to the scaling of academic transcripts, pursuant to the criteria laid down in the Regulations for admission to the UAB and published by each centre.

On being notified of admission, it is essential for the applicant to request the transfer of the academic transcript from the previous university. Similarly, admission to the UAB is subject to the receipt and verification, on the part of the centre, of the official academic certificates sent by the previous university.

Application for admission by this path is compatible with university pre-enrolment on university admissions portal.

The legislation pertaining to undergraduate studies allows admission to the UAB of persons with university studies within foreign education systems.

• 30 or more credits need to be recognized for the course to which admission is requested.

• Admission cannot be granted through this path if 75% or more of the total credits for the new course are recognized.

• Admission cannot be granted through this path if the previous academic transcript includes subjects enrolled on three times or more and not passed.

For the purposes of credit recognition and the scaling of the transcript of previous studies, consideration is given to those grades obtained by the student up to the deadline for pre-registration.

If 30 or more credits are validated, it is not possible to apply for admission to the UAB, in the same academic year, using another method of university entrance.

If between 1 and 29 credits are validated, you must formalize the application for university pre-enrolment. You can only request the centre that has granted the validation and you will be given a mark of 5 points. The university pre-enrolment is formalized on the Internet, on the university admissions portal, on the dates established in the calendar.

If no credits are validated, University entrance must be obtained through the access paths set out in the current Regulations.

Each UAB centre publishes annually the number of places available for each course, as well as general admission criteria and deadlines for carrying out pre-enrolment. The relevant dates are set out in the academic and administrative calendar that the UAB Governing Council approves for each academic year.

Applications should be submitted to the EUSS Academic Management Office. This must be done for every course of study and centre that is requested and should comprise the following documents:

• Application form.

• Covering letter.

• Original and photocopy of identity card, residence permit or passport.

• Academic transcript.

• Curriculum of the previous studies, authenticated by the previous university.

• Syllabuses of the subjects studied, authenticated by the previous university.

• Grading system used by the previous university.

• Any other documents that the applicant sees fit to attach.

The documentation of foreign studies must meet the translation and legalization requirements established in current regulations.

Applications that do not meet legal requirements will be refused. Applications that do meet requirements will be sorted according to the following criteria:

• First, applicants coming from similar studies to the subject area requested.

• Second, applicants coming from unrelated studies.

Within each group, applications will be ranked according to the scaling of academic transcripts, pursuant to the criteria laid down in the Regulations for admission to the UAB and published by each centre.

Once the ruling on admissions has been signed, the centre publishes a list of authorized applications, those on the waiting list, and those that have been refused.