The three key factors

If you have completed upper secondary education outside Spain and want to study at a Spanish university, the first thing you need to know is that, in most cases, you will have to take the PCE exams (Pruebas de Competencias Específicas). These exams play an essential role in the university admission process.

The second important point is that the PCE subjects you need to take depend on three main factors:

1. Your educational background, including whether you studied within the European Union, completed the International Baccalaureate (IB), or come from a country with a university admission agreement with Spain.
2. The Spanish province where you plan to study, as the requirements may vary between Autonomous Communities.
3. The university degree you want to study, as each degree has certain subjects that carry a higher weighting.

The four PCE pathways

Here is how they work:

This infographic shows the four main PCE pathways, each designed for a different situation and set of objectives:

• The Voluntary PCE pathway
• The PCE Bachillerato pathway
• The Flexible PCE pathway
• The PCE PAU/EBAU pathway

Each pathway has a different number of subjects and its own specific requirements:

• For the Voluntary PCE pathway, you only need to take two specialist subjects.
• For the PCE Bachillerato pathway and the Flexible PCE pathway, you need to take four subjects. The Bachillerato pathway also has specific requirements regarding core and pathway subjects.
• For the PCE PAU/EBAU pathway, you generally need to take six subjects, following the traditional university entrance structure used in certain Autonomous Communities.

It is important to note that the exam for each subject is the same across all pathways. For example, if you choose Biology, the exam content will be identical. What changes is the number of subjects you need to take and whether your pathway requires particular subjects.

Use the infographic to identify the pathway that best suits your situation.

What does each PCE pathway involve?

Below, we explain each of the four main PCE pathways in detail. Understanding the features and specific requirements of each route is essential when planning your admission to a Spanish university and choosing the option that best suits your educational background and academic goals.

Voluntary PCE pathway

The Voluntary PCE pathway means that you do not have to take UNED exams when your upper secondary school grade, calculated out of 10, is already high enough for the university course you want to study. However, for highly competitive degrees, where the entry grade is often above 10, you will need to take additional exams to increase your admission score to a maximum of 14 points. You do this by voluntarily taking several specialist subjects. The university will apply the relevant weighting to your two highest grades, according to the weighting coefficients established for your chosen degree.

Students who have completed a European secondary school qualification or the International Baccalaureate (IB) may be able to apply for subject recognition. This means that some subjects you have already studied may be officially recognised and count directly towards your admission score out of 14. This can reduce the number of PCE subjects you need to take or allow you to focus on the subjects in which you are most likely to achieve the highest grades.

If you are unfamiliar with this process or unsure how to apply, do not worry. We have prepared a complete guide explaining step by step how subject recognition works, the requirements you need to meet and how this option can help you improve your chances of university admission.

📌 Read the full article here and find the answers to all your questions =).

PCE Bachillerato pathway

You need to take four subjects:

• One core subject, chosen from History of Spain or History of Philosophy, Spanish Language and Literature, or a foreign language. We recommend choosing English if you already have a good command of the language.
• One core pathway subject, depending on the Bachillerato pathway you need to certify: Artistic Drawing, Mathematics, Mathematics Applied to Social Sciences, General Sciences or Latin.
• Two specialist subjects. You should choose the two subjects with the highest weighting for your intended degree.

The table further down the page shows the subjects available for each field of study.

Requirements for the Bachillerato pathway:

1. Number of exams: You may take a maximum of six subjects. To certify a Bachillerato pathway, you must choose at least one subject from each required group, depending on your selected pathway.
2. Ways to certify the pathway: There are two options for meeting the requirements:
   • Option 1: Pass three subjects with a minimum grade of 5 out of 10, choosing at least one subject from each required group for your selected pathway.
   • Option 2: Achieve an average grade of 5 across four PCE subjects, including at least one subject from each required group for your selected pathway.
3. Exception for Murcia and the Basque Country: In these Autonomous Communities, you only need to pass two PCE subjects to meet the requirements.

Flexible PCE pathway

To achieve the highest possible score, you need to take four subjects. The structure is flexible, which means that you do not have to choose a core subject or a core pathway subject. You only need to consider which subjects carry the highest weighting for your intended university degree. We generally recommend choosing at least two or three subjects with a weighting of 0.2.

You can find more information in this article.

PCE PAU/EBAU pathway

The PAU/EBAU structure means that you must take at least four subjects, although students generally take six in order to obtain the additional weighted points required by the university:

• Three core subjects: History of Spain or History of Philosophy, Spanish Language and Literature, and a foreign language, usually English or French.
• One core pathway subject: Artistic Drawing, Mathematics, Mathematics Applied to Social Sciences, General Sciences or Latin.
• Two additional specialist subjects to reach the maximum university admission score of 14 points. As with the other pathways, you should select the two specialist subjects with the highest weighting.

*These universities use the NMB provided by UNED

*These universities do not use the NMB provided by UNED and either perform their own calculations or require official recognition of the student’s upper secondary qualification

PCE subject list by field of study

Glossary of PCE terms