Access from foreign education systems

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.

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.