The Andalusia PAU, currently known as the PEvAU (Prueba de Evaluación de Bachillerato para el Acceos a la Universidad), is the definitive standardized examination for students wishing to enter public universities within the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. This high-stakes test is designed primarily for students finishing their second year of Bachillerato (Spanish High School) or equivalent vocational training (Formación Profesional de Grado Superior). It assesses the knowledge and competences acquired during these studies and is the critical bridge leading to higher education.
The PEvAU is not a taught course itself, but rather an examination of the entire Bachillerato curriculum. It consists of two distinct phases that students must prepare for diligently.
The mandatory General Phase (Fase de Acceso) includes four exams: Spanish Language and Literature II, History of Spain or History of Philosophy (student’s choice), a first Foreign Language II (typically English, French, German, or Portuguese), and one core subject related to the student's Bachillerato modality (e.g., Mathematics II, Latin II, or Fundamentals of Art II).
The voluntary Specific Phase (Fase de Admisión) allows students to take up to four additional exams on modality-specific subjects (such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Economics, Geography, etc.) to increase their final score. Only the two highest scores in this phase that align with the chosen university degree's weightings (ponderaciones) will count towards the admission score.
The PEvAU is a set of rigorous, physical, handwritten examinations proctored over three consecutive days. Each individual exam has a strict time limit of 90 minutes (1 hour and 30 minutes).
The format varies significantly by subject; for instance, the Spanish Language exam requires text analysis and essay writing, while Mathematics or Chemistry exams focus on problem-solving and application of theoretical concepts. Students usually have limited choice within the exam paper (often selecting one option out of two offered scenarios).
The General Phase is scored out of 10 points. A student must achieve a minimum average of 4/10 in the General Phase, which, combined with their average Bachillerato mark (accounting for 60% of the entrance grade), must result in a final entrance grade (Nota de Acceso) of at least 5/10.
The Specific Phase can add up to 4 additional points, bringing the maximum possible university admission score (Nota de Admisión) to 14. The weightings (0.1 or 0.2) applied to these voluntary subjects are crucial and vary by university and degree program.
Successful preparation requires a structured and active study plan. We strongly recommend creating a balanced schedule that covers all subjects, with dedicated time for active recall, summarization, and concept mapping rather than passive reading.
The most essential resource is practicing with actual past PEvAU exams from previous years, which are publicly available through the official portals of Andalusian universities. Solving these papers under timed conditions is the best way to understand the question structure and time management requirements. Students should also focus heavily on the official weightings (tablas de ponderación) of their target university degrees to prioritize their effort in the voluntary phase.
The final PEvAU exams are coordinated by the Distrito Único Andaluz and are taken physically at designated testing centers managed by the eight public universities of Andalusia. These universities are: University of Almería (UAL), University of Cádiz (UCA), University of Córdoba (UCO), University of Granada (UGR), University of Huelva (UHU), University of Jaén (UJA), University of Málaga (UMA), and the University of Seville (US).
The specific center assignment usually depends on the location of the Bachillerato high school where the student registered. There are no official online portals to take the actual PEvAU final exam; it is exclusively a physical, proctored test. Registration is typically handled through the student's high school or through the online student portal of the assigned Andalusian university.
Successfully passing the PEvAU is not a professional qualification, but rather the essential passport to accessing higher education. It unlocks countless career paths by granting admission to university degrees (Grados). While the exam itself doesn't offer direct jobs, it is the fundamental requirement to become:
Medical Doctor, Nurse, or Surgeon
Civil, Industrial, or Aerospace Engineer
Architect
Lawyer, Prosecutor, or Judge
Economist or Business Administrator
Journalist or Communications Specialist
Primary or Secondary School Teacher
Psychologist or Social Worker
Biochemist, Biotechnologist, or Researcher
Veterinarian
Software Developer or Data Scientist
Pharmacist
Chemist, Physicist, or Mathematician
Architectural Technician (Arquitecto Técnico)
And thousands of other specialized professions requiring a university degree.
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