Law and international relations makes the 'sorpasso' and is the highest cut-off grade

BarcelonaNeither mathematics, nor physics, nor the much-desired medicine. The university degree with the highest cut-off mark in Catalonia this 2026 is the degree in Law and International Relations at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). In this way, with a 12.97, the degree makes the sorpasso to the degree in Physics and Mathematics, also from the UAB, which has topped the podium of Catalan cut-off marks in the last three academic years.

The second and third positions, now indeed, are occupied by the degrees in physics and mathematics from the Autònoma (12.92) and the University of Barcelona (UB) with 12.81. The university top 5 is completed by the degree in engineering in aerospace technologies + university master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and medicine at the UB's Clínic Campus. In fact, both tie with 12.69.

Finally, the top 10 most requested university degrees – here we must consider not only the number of students applying to enter a degree, but also that degrees with few places play a key role – are completed by mathematics at the UPC, with 12.55; medicine at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), with 12.53; the joint degree and master's between the UPC and UPF in industrial technologies and economic analysis + master's degree in industrial engineering, with 12.51; medicine at the UB in Bellvitge, with 12.50, and aerospace vehicle engineering at the UPC, with 12.43.

Six out of ten have entered their first choice

80% of the 59,653 students who have applied for university admission already have a place assigned in one of the degrees they requested. Of these, six out of ten (60.53%) have entered the course and university they requested as their first choice. The percentage is slightly higher than last year, when 58% of students entered the degree they preferred. Regarding the number of students who will enter each university, the center with the most new students will be the UB (11,707), followed by the UAB (9,406), the UPC (6,311), the UPF (4,181), and the University of Vic-Central de Catalunya (UVIC-UCC), with 3,855 new admissions.

Beyond the cut-off grades – which are determined by the number of places a degree offers and student demand – the most requested studies are medicine at Clínic (UB), with 1,547 applications for 200 places; dentistry at UB, where there have been up to 1,042 students who applied to enter despite an offer of only 120 places, and medicine at UAB, with 1,013 applications for 385 places. The top 5 most requested centers are completed by Business Administration and Management at UB (1,005 applications for 780 places) and Psychology at UB with an offer of 432 places and up to 996 applicants who have requested to enter these studies as their first choice.

Less interest in education

Another of the thermometers of university pre-enrollment is to see how many future university students are interested in being teachers. This year this profile of students has been slightly reduced. The degree in early childhood education has received fewer first-choice applications than last year, going from 715 to 552. Requests to study early childhood education and primary education simultaneously have also fallen, going from 391 last year to 369 this year. On the other hand, primary education is slightly increasing, going from 1,059 to 1,177 applications.

For the first time in a decade, 13

Another notable feature of this year's admission cutoffs is the decrease in scores. In fact, the most telling statistic is that, for the first time in a decade, there is no university degree that requires a 13 out of 14 to gain access. This shows the decline in selectivity scores: the average PAU score in June was the lowest in the last nine years, and the average mathematics score was also the lowest of the decade.

Another example of this decline in scores is that the cutoff score to access medicine at UB at Clínic (12.69), although very high, is the lowest at least since before the pandemic. The same applies to the degree in physics and mathematics, both at UB and UAB, which in recent years has always required more than 13 to be able to access one of the twenty first-year places offered each academic year.

In fact, the high scores that are always required to enter medical studies have long concerned the Government and the medical sector. To the point that, as announced by the Minister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat to ARA, the executive has a new system on the table to make access to these studies more equitableMinister of Research and Universities, Núria Montserrat to ARA, the executive has a new system on the table to make access to these studies more equitable. One of the key factors in this regard is to find a way for Catalan students not to be disadvantaged by the large number of students from other parts of the State who wish to study medicine in Catalonia.

However, in general terms, this interest from students from other communities to come and study here has decreased this year. While last year up to 9,773 students from outside Catalonia applied to enter a Catalan university, this year this figure has fallen to 7,673 students.