Selectivity Catalonia 2026: a complete guide for students

Selectivity in Catalonia, also known as the PAU (University Entrance Examinations) or selectivity exams, is a key step for students who want to access university in Spain. Every year, thousands of students face this process with questions about how the exam works, what options are available depending on their academic profile, and which procedures must be completed before and after the exams.

If you need to check the official dates for Selectivity Catalonia 2026, you can find them in our dedicated guide with the full PAU exam calendar.

During selectivity in Catalonia 2026, students must demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired throughout upper secondary education in order to obtain the required score to access their chosen university degree and institution.

Selectivity in Catalonia is organised into two exam sessions: the ordinary session and the extraordinary session, which together form part of the university admission process.

The ordinary session is the main one and is aimed at students who have successfully completed upper secondary education or who meet the access requirements before the exams begin.

The extraordinary session is intended for students who were unable to sit the ordinary session, did not pass it, or wish to improve their admission score in the following available exam sessions.

In selectivity Catalonia 2026, the ordinary session is usually held in June, while the extraordinary session takes place in September, unlike in other Spanish regions where it is organised earlier in the summer.

If you need to check the official dates for selectivity Catalonia 2026, including the full exam calendar for each session, you can consult our dedicated guide on PAU 2026.

In selectivity Catalonia 2026, exams are not organised only by days and timetables, but by types of subjects and assessment blocks that directly affect both the university access score and the admission score, through the different exam papers.

Although the official calendar may vary each year, the content of the exams and the way subjects are distributed follow a common structure, based on the general phase and the specific phase, which is important to understand in advance in order to plan PAU preparation effectively.

In general terms, the subjects assessed in selectivity in Catalonia are grouped into the following blocks, according to the official subject guidelines published each year:

• Common subjects, which must be taken by all students and are used to calculate the university access score within the compulsory phase.
  
• Subjects linked to the upper secondary education pathway, which depend on the academic track followed (science, humanities, social sciences or arts).
• Specific subjects, which allow students to improve their admission score for certain university degrees. The weighting of these subjects varies depending on the university and the chosen degree, and they form part of the voluntary phase.

In Catalonia, students are also required to take an exam in Catalan Language and Literature, as it is a region with a co-official language. This represents a key difference compared to other autonomous regions in Spain and is an important aspect to consider when preparing for the exam.

As an additional reference, some official portals publish exam models and PAU 2026 exam models, which can be useful for understanding the exam format, although they do not replace the official assessment criteria.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.: Student Registration
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: Spanish Language and Literature
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.: Foreign Language
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.: Break
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Choir and Vocal Technique / Physics / Artistic Foundations / Geography / Geology and Environmental Sciences / Dramatic Literature

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.: Student Registration
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: History / History of Philosophy
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.: Musical Analysis Technical Drawing Applied to Visual Arts and Design / General Sciences / Latin Language and Culture / Mathematics
1:30 – 3:00 PM: Break
3:00 – 4:30 PM: Biology / Design / Business Operations and Business Model Design / Catalan Literature / Technology and Engineering

Thursday, June 11, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 AM: Student Information Check
9:00 – 10:30 AM: Catalan Language and Literature
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Break
12:00 – 1:30 PM: Performing Arts / Artistic Drawing / Greek Language and Culture / Mathematics Applied to Social Sciences / Cultural and Artistic Movements
1:30 – 3:00 PM: Break
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Technical Drawing / History of Art / History of Music and Dance / Spanish Literature / Chemistry / Graphic and Plastic Expression Techniques.

Tuesday, June 16, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.: Student Registration
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: Spanish Language and Literature
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.: Foreign Language
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.: Break
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Technical Drawing / History of Art / History of Music and Dance / Spanish Literature / Chemistry / Graphic and Plastic Expression Techniques

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.: Student Registration
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: History / History of Philosophy
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.: Musical Analysis / Technical Drawing Applied to Visual Arts and Design / General Sciences / Latin Language and Culture / Mathematics
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Break
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: Biology / Design / Business Operations and Business Model Design / Catalan Literature / Technology and Engineering

Thursday, June 18, 2026

8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.: Student Registration
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Catalan Language and Literature
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Performing Arts / Artistic Drawing / Greek Language and Culture / Mathematics Applied to Social Sciences / Cultural and Artistic Movements
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Break
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Technical Drawing / History of Art / History of Music and Dance / Spanish Literature / Chemistry / Graphic and Plastic Expression Techniques

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.: Student Registration
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: Spanish Language and Literature
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.: Foreign Language
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.: Break
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Choir and Vocal Technique / Physics / Artistic Foundations / Geography / Geology and Environmental Sciences / Dramatic Literature

Thursday, September 3, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.: Student Registration
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.: History / History of Philosophy
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Break
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.: Musical Analysis / Technical Drawing Applied to Visual Arts and Design / General Sciences / Latin Language and Culture / Mathematics
1:30 – 3:00 PM: Break
3:00 – 4:30 PM: Biology / Design / Business Operations and Business Model Design / Catalan Literature / Technology and Engineering

Friday, September 4, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 AM: Student Data Verification
9:00 – 10:30 AM: Catalan Language and Literature
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Break
12:00 – 1:30 PM: Performing Arts / Artistic Drawing / Greek Language and Culture / Mathematics Applied to Social Sciences / Cultural and Artistic Movements
1:30 – 3:00 PM: Break
3:00 – 4:30 p.m.: Technical Drawing / History of Art / History of Music and Dance / Spanish Literature / Chemistry / Graphic and Plastic Expression Techniques

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For students who need to sit the selectivity Catalonia 2026 exams under a special tribunal or an incident tribunal, the following information should be taken into account.

During selectivity Catalonia 2026, there are two specific tribunal options —the special tribunal and the incident tribunal— designed to address particular situations that may affect the normal development of the exams.

The special tribunal is intended for students who can prove a disability level of 33% or higher, as well as for those who, due to their personal or educational circumstances, require specific accommodations during the selectivity exams in Catalonia. Students assigned to this tribunal are granted an additional 30 minutes per exam, along with any other accommodations that have been previously authorised.

To apply for assignment to a special tribunal in selectivity Catalonia 2026, students must submit the following documentation within the established deadlines:

The incident tribunal is intended for cases in which a student is unable to sit one or more exams on the scheduled date due to a justified reason during either the ordinary or extraordinary session of selectivity in Catalonia.

In such cases, the student must submit the corresponding application and supporting documentation to the University Access Office within the deadline indicated after the incident occurs.

Situations that may lead to assignment to an incident tribunal include, among others, accidents, illness, or justified incidents affecting access to the exam sessions.

In all cases, the student must report the incident as soon as possible and submit a general request application to the University Access Office, including their personal details, the reason for the incident, and the relevant supporting documentation. 

Students with specific educational support needs (SEN) —such as dyslexia, learning disorders, ADD or ADHD— may request specific accommodations for taking the selectivity Catalonia 2026 exams.

These accommodations may include, among other measures, additional time per exam and the application of adapted marking criteria in certain subjects, especially Catalan Language and Literature and Spanish Language and Literature.

To request these accommodations, the student must submit an application to the University Access Office within the deadlines established for enrolment, together with:

• Documentation proving SEN status.
  
• A report or document detailing the required accommodations for taking the exams.
  

Once the application has been reviewed, the University Access Office will contact the student by email to communicate the decision and the authorised measures.

To take part in selectivity Catalonia 2026, all students must complete the registration and enrolment process, which is managed centrally through the official channels provided by the educational authorities.

This procedure is mandatory both for students currently studying the second year of upper secondary education (Batxillerat) in Catalonia, and for those accessing through other pathways, such as higher vocational training programmes, independent enrolment, or studies completed outside Catalonia, including cases where study homologation is required.

The pre-registration and enrolment deadlines for selectivity Catalonia 2026 vary each year and depend on the student’s profile.

For this reason, it is important to distinguish between the registration process itself and the specific dates, which are officially published every year.

In general terms, the access process to selectivity Catalonia 2026 includes:

• Pre-registration for students studying the second year of upper secondary education (Batxillerat) in Catalonia.
• Enrolment for students who already hold a Batxillerat qualification or an equivalent certificate (independent enrolment).
• Enrolment for students coming from higher vocational training programmes.
• Enrolment for students accessing from outside Catalonia or from foreign education systems.

To check the exact dates for each of these procedures, as well as the official registration and enrolment deadlines for selectivity Catalonia 2026, we recommend visiting: https://www.unihabit.com/en/selectividad-2026-dates/

Registration and enrolment for selectivity Catalonia 2026 are completed online through the University Access Portal, where students must create an account, select the corresponding exam session, and complete the required academic information.

Once the process is completed, the same portal allows students to check the status of their enrolment and download the necessary confirmation documents.

To check the official dates for registration, enrolment and exams for selectivity Catalonia 2026, we recommend consulting the dedicated guide with the most up-to-date information about the PAU.

Selectivity marks the beginning of a new academic and personal stage for many students.

Once the PAU exams are completed, it is time to consider which university studies you want to pursue, review the admission cut-off scores, and attend university open days in order to make an informed decision before completing the university pre-registration process.

In addition to academic procedures, it is also important to plan practical aspects such as university accommodation, especially if you will be studying away from your home city.