Selectividad Countdown

The Selectividad, officially known as the EvAU (Evaluación de Acceso a la Universidad) or EBAU depending on the region, is Spain's university entrance examination. It is taken after completing the Bachillerato (upper secondary education) and determines access to public universities.

The exam consists of a compulsory phase and a voluntary phase. The compulsory phase covers Spanish Language and Literature, History of Spain, and a foreign language. Students also sit exams in their chosen Bachillerato modality subjects. The voluntary phase allows students to take additional subject exams to raise their admission grade above the 10-point compulsory-phase maximum up to a potential 14 points.

Strong Selectividad preparation combines regular past-paper practice with systematic content revision. Each autonomous community sets its own exam questions, so download past papers specifically from your region — Andalucía, Cataluña, Madrid, and Valencia each have different formats for some subjects.

Create a revision timetable that allocates at least 90 minutes per subject per day in the final two months. Focus on subjects in the voluntary phase that align with your target degree, as these can boost your admission score significantly. Practice writing essays under timed conditions, and use official marking criteria to self-assess your answers.

Your university admission grade (nota de corte) is calculated from your Bachillerato GPA (60%) and your Selectividad compulsory phase grade (40%), giving a base score out of 10. Voluntary phase subject grades are converted and added — up to a maximum total of 14 points.

Cutoff grades vary enormously by degree and institution. Medicine routinely requires 12.5+ out of 14, while many humanities programs accept students with grades around 5–6. Knowing how many days remain before the June sitting is essential for realistic study planning and subject prioritization.