The PCE exams, and how to sit the right ones
The PCE are the UNED exams that turn a foreign school record into a grade Spanish universities can compare. Passing them is not the goal. The mark is, and so is choosing the subjects that carry the most weight for your degree.
- Live online classes
- Real marking criteria
- Subjects for your degree
The exam itself
What the PCE actually are
The PCE are subject exams run by UNED for students with a foreign secondary education. You choose which subjects to sit, each one is marked out of 10, and the results build the grade you compete with for a university place.
Passing them is the easy part. The hard part, and the part almost nobody plans for, is choosing the right subjects. Every degree weights subjects differently, so two students with identical marks can end up more than a point apart on their admission grade.
Who has to sit the PCE
Students whose secondary education comes from an education system that accesses Spanish university through homologation. If your system accesses through accreditation, the PCE are optional and only serve to raise your admission grade.
How many subjects you need
Four passed subjects is the usual minimum on the homologation route, and some universities ask for six. On the accreditation route, two well-weighted subjects are normally enough to reach the ceiling.
How the papers are marked
Each subject is marked out of 10 and you need a 5 to pass. A result below 5 does not count towards your access grade and does not count for weighting either.
When you can sit them
UNED runs the PCE in two sessions each year, an ordinary one in late spring and an extraordinary one in the summer. You register through UNEDasiss, not through the university.
Where you sit them
In UNED centres in Spain and in associated centres abroad. Your registration decides your exam centre, so check the list for your country before you register.
How many times you can repeat
You can sit a subject again in a later session to improve your mark, and the best result counts. Your accreditation is issued for the academic year you apply in.
Subjects you can prepare with us
Choose by destination, not by comfort. The right combination is the one that covers the minimum your route asks for and gives you two subjects weighted at 0.2 for the degree you want.
Sciences
For medicine, engineering, biotechnology and similar degrees.
- Mathematics II
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Technical Drawing
Social sciences
For business, economics, marketing and similar degrees.
- Applied Mathematics
- Geography
- Economics
- History of Art
- History of Philosophy
Humanities
For law, history, philology and similar degrees.
- Latin
- History of Art
- History of Philosophy
Arts
For fine arts, design and audiovisual degrees.
- Artistic Fundamentals
- History of Art
Languages
Compulsory subjects and support options.
- Spanish Language and Literature
- English
- Latin
- Catalan / Valencian
Core subjects
The ones almost every profile has to sit.
- Spanish Language
- Foreign Language
- History of Spain or Philosophy
Before you register
- You need between four and six subjects, depending on your route and your university.
- The subjects weighted at 0.2 for your degree are the ones that raise your grade.
- We work out exactly which ones you need, before you register.
What our Students say about Atlas
Discover the experience of students who already prepared their university entrance exams with Atlas.
See testimonialsBefore you register, read these two
The maths
How your grade converts
Why your four best PCE results can be worth almost half of your access grade, and what happens to your school record on the homologation route.
Read moreThe full picture
The complete path to Spain
Where the PCE sit among the other seven steps: language, homologation, university applications, student visa and enrolment.
Read more
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the PCE?
The PCE, Pruebas de Competencias Específicas, are official subject exams run by UNED through UNEDasiss. They exist so students with a foreign secondary education can access Spanish universities. They turn your school record into a grade Spanish universities can compare, and they are the grade you compete with for a place.
Who has to sit the PCE?
Anyone accessing Spanish university through homologation. If your education system accesses through accreditation, PCE exams are optional and only serve to raise your admission grade above 10. Even when they are optional, they are worth sitting if you are aiming at a degree with a high cut-off mark such as Medicine, Business, Architecture or Psychology.
How many subjects should I take?
On the homologation route you need at least four passed subjects, and some universities ask for six. On the accreditation route, two well-weighted subjects normally take you to the ceiling of 14. More exams is not automatically better. The right number is the one that covers your minimum and gives you two subjects weighted at 0.2 for your degree.
Which subjects raise my grade the most?
The ones your destination university weights at 0.2 for the degree you want. That parameter is published by each university and it changes between degrees and between universities. This is why a 6 can beat a 9: a 6 weighted at 0.2 gives you 1.2 points, while a 9 weighted at 0.1 gives you 0.9.
What is the difference between PCE and Selectividad?
Selectividad, also called PAU, EBAU or EVAU, is for students who finish secondary school in Spain. The PCE are the equivalent route for students with a foreign education. Same destination, different door, decided by where you studied and not by where you live now.
When and where can I sit the exams?
UNED runs two sessions each year, an ordinary session in late spring and an extraordinary one in the summer. You can sit them at UNED centres in Spain and at associated centres abroad. You register through UNEDasiss, not through the university, and your registration decides your exam centre.
What happens if I fail a subject?
A result below 5 does not count towards your access grade and does not count for weighting. You can sit the subject again in a later session, and your best result is the one that counts.
How do you prepare me for the PCE?
Live online classes with teachers who specialise in each PCE paper, past exams marked with the real criteria, and a study plan built around your session date. We also help with the strategic part: choosing which subjects to sit, based on the weighting table of the degree you want.
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