Do you have to sit the Spanish university entrance exams (PAU)?

Key rules

• Who sits: Foreign applicants from systems without an agreement must sit the UNED tests to compete for places in competitive degrees.
• Optional tests: With an EU or agreement system you can apply on your school mark alone and sit the tests only to raise it.
• Validity: Your exam pass never expires, but subject marks for weightings last the current year plus two more.

Do you have to sit them?

It depends on your school system. If you studied in Spanish bachillerato or a close equivalent, you sit the PAU. If you come from a foreign system, you sit the UNED specific tests (the UNED is Spain's national distance university, and it runs them for foreign applicants).

• EU systems and countries with an agreement with Spain (for example the IB and the European Baccalaureate): you can apply with your school mark alone. The tests are optional, and you sit them to raise your mark up to the 14-point maximum.
• Other countries without an agreement: you need the UNED credential and must sit the tests to compete for places in competitive degrees.

The list of accepted systems changes, so check your country on the UNED list before you decide. The checklist below walks you through this.

What the tests look like

Each exam is a written test of about 1 hour 30 minutes, marked from 0 to 10. If you are not a Spanish speaker, the Spanish language test is part of the exam. Beyond that, you pick subjects that match the PAU, such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History of Spain, Economics, Geography, Art, Philosophy and languages. The exam phase can add at most 4 points to your admission mark. The subject list and structure can change each year, so confirm them with UNED.

How the subjects count

If your mark in a subject is at least 5, it is multiplied by that figure and added to your admission mark. Subjects with 0.2 matter most. Each university publishes its table by degree, usually on its admissions website and through the regional university coordination body. Look up your degree before you choose subjects. How the final admission mark is built is set out in the page on the admission mark.

Dates and where to sit them

UNED usually holds two sessions a year: one in spring (around April to May) and one in June to July. An autumn session is often offered too. You can sit the tests at UNED centres in Spain and at UNED centres, embassies or schools abroad, especially in Europe and Latin America. Confirm the current dates and your nearest centre with UNED.

Fees

You pay a fee for each subject, plus a fee for the credential and processing. UNED sets the amounts each year. Reductions exist for large families and for disability. Ask UNED for the current figures before you register.

How long your marks last

Your pass in the exam phase does not expire. The subject marks used for weightings count in the current academic year and the next two, so three years in total. Plan your sessions so the marks are still valid when you apply.

Timeline and deadlines

• Sit the spring session of the UNED tests: around April-May

• Sit the main summer session of the UNED tests: June-July

• Sit the autumn session, if UNED offers one: often in autumn

Check the exact session dates and registration deadlines with UNED.

Checklist

• Check whether your school system is on the UNED list of EU and agreement countries.

• Decide if you need the UNED tests to compete for places in competitive degrees, or only want to raise your mark.

• Look up the subjects with a 0.2 or 0.1 weighting for your chosen degree on the university's admissions website.

• Pick your subjects, including the Spanish language test if you are not a Spanish speaker.

• Find the UNED centre nearest to you, in Spain or abroad, and its session dates.

• Ask UNED for the current fee per subject, plus the credential and processing fee, and any reduction you qualify for.

• Note how long your subject marks stay valid: the current academic year and the next two.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip the entrance exams if I finished school abroad?

Yes, if you studied in an EU system or one with a reciprocal agreement (such as the IB or European Baccalaureate), your school mark alone gives you the general admission mark. The tests are then optional and can raise your mark by up to 4 points of the 14-point maximum.

How many years can I use my exam subject marks for admission?

Your subject marks used for weightings count for the current academic year and the next two, so three years in total. The pass in the compulsory part does not expire.

How do I find out which subjects matter for my degree?

Each university publishes a table of weightings by degree on its admissions website. A subject with a 0.2 weighting matters most, and a subject only counts if you score at least 5 in it.

How long is each UNED specific test?

Each UNED specific test is a written exam of about 1 hour 30 minutes, marked from 0 to 10. If you are not a Spanish speaker, you also sit a compulsory Spanish language test.