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EBAU 2026-2027: what changes in Spain's university entrance exam
The 2026-2027 academic year is when the new EBAU model finally becomes permanent after several years of transition. Here's a rundown of the changes that directly affect the admission grade.
After a transitional phase that began in the 2023-2024 academic year, the new EBAU model (also called PAU or EvAU depending on the region) becomes permanent as of 2026-2027. In recent weeks the Ministry of Universities has been finalising the details through instructions sent to Spain's regional governments.
The more favourable Maths grade now counts double
One of the changes with the biggest direct impact on the admission grade affects students who sit both Maths II and Applied Maths for Social Sciences II: when both subjects are weighted at the maximum coefficient (0.2) for the degree programme being applied to, only the more favourable of the two grades will count towards the admission grade. This is a significant change for anyone torn between a science degree and a social sciences one.
Spelling mistakes can cost up to 2 points
In the Spanish Language and Literature II exam (or the equivalent co-official language exam), spelling mistakes can now deduct up to 2 points from the final grade. This is one of the changes that has drawn the most public debate, given its weight on the overall score.
More aligned dates across regions
For the 2026 sitting, most of Spain's autonomous communities — Andalusia, Aragón, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Comunitat Valenciana, the Basque Country, Extremadura, Galicia, the Balearic Islands, La Rioja and the Region of Murcia — have aligned on holding the ordinary sitting from 2 to 4 June, and the extraordinary sitting (for those who fail or want to raise their grade) from 30 June to 2 July. Differences between regions still remain, so it's worth confirming the exact date on your university's or regional education department's website.
What this means for the cutoff grade
These changes don't alter the general formula for the admission grade (Bachillerato transcript + weighted optional exam phase), but they can shift it up or down by a few tenths depending on each student's subject combination — and for highly competitive degree programmes, a few tenths can be the difference between getting in or missing out in the first allocation round.
Check the real cutoff grade from the latest allocation round for over 2,000 degree programmes at Vocaria →