Record-high 42,000 students to sit university entrance exams June 7 to 9

Almost 42,000 students will be sitting their university entrance exams this week from June 7 to 9, a record-high number.

78% of the students taking what are known as the 'Selectivitat' exams in Catalan have just finished 'Batxillerat' (the last two years of High School), while around 10% graduated from professional training schools.

There will be 211 testing centers in some 30 municipalities across Catalonia, but the first exam will be the same everywhere: Spanish language and literature at 9 am on Wednesday.

This will be followed by an exam in a foreign language at midday and one in a curriculum-based elective at 3 pm.

On Thursday all students will have to sit a history exam in the morning and then two curriculum-based electives, while on Friday they will all have to take Catalan language and literature before another two curriculum-based electives.

Students must take at least five exams, and if their average grade is over 4 out of 10, it will count toward 40% of their university entrance grade – the remaining 60% is their 'Batxillerat' GPA.

Additional exams can increase a student's final grade to 14 at most. Some of the most competitive universities require well over a 10 for enrollment.

And as was the case last year following a 2021 ruling, students will be able to choose the co-official language they wish to be tested in except for when it comes to the Catalan, Spanish, and foreign language exams.

97% of students chose to take the exam in Catalan last year.