Students and families in southern Spain are preparing for a critical transition as the academic calendar for the 2025-2026 cycle takes shape. The PAU 2026 en Andalucía: Fechas, admisión a Grados y cupos de acceso represents the primary gateway for thousands of students seeking entry into the public university system, with a rigorous schedule of examinations and application windows already established.
The university entrance process, known as the Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad (PAU), serves as the benchmark for academic placement. For the current cohort, the timeline is tightly structured to ensure that results are processed and placements are adjudicated before the start of the next academic year. This system is designed to manage the high demand for degree programs across the region’s public institutions.
Central to this process is the Distrito Único Andaluz (DUA), the electronic portal where students manage their applications. The DUA acts as a centralized hub, allowing candidates to submit a single, binding request for multiple degree programs in order of preference. This streamlined approach is intended to reduce administrative friction and provide a transparent method for allocating limited university seats based on academic merit.
With the ordinary and extraordinary exam windows now defined, students must align their study schedules and application deadlines to avoid missing the critical windows for enrollment. The following details outline the precise dates and procedures governing the 2026 admission cycle.
Examination Dates and Result Timelines
The academic journey for the 2025-2026 cohort begins with the ordinary exam session. The ordinary convocatoria is scheduled to take place on June 2, 3, and 4, 2026. These dates are the primary opportunity for students to secure the grades necessary for their preferred degree programs.
Following the conclusion of the exams, there is a brief window for grading, and processing. The official results for the ordinary session will be made public on June 11, 2026. This date is pivotal, as it marks the transition from the testing phase to the active application phase for university placement.
For those who are unable to complete the ordinary session or wish to improve their marks, an extraordinary convocatoria is provided. This second window of testing is scheduled from June 30 to July 2, 2026. The results for this extraordinary session will be released on July 9, 2026, triggering a separate application timeline for those candidates.
The Admission Process for Degree Programs
The window for submitting applications to study degree programs (enseñanzas de grado) in the Andalusian public system opens immediately upon the release of the ordinary results. From June 11, 2026, students can begin submitting their requests, with the deadline for these applications closing on June 22, 2026 .
The application process is handled through a single electronic form available on the DUA. This request is binding throughout the entire admission process. Because the system operates on a preference-based hierarchy, It’s essential for students to include a sufficient number of degree options in their desired order of priority to maximize their chances of placement.
For candidates participating in the extraordinary session, the application window opens on the same day their grades are released: July 9, 2026. This ensures that those taking the later exams have an equitable opportunity to apply for available seats.
Adjudication and Seat Allocation
The allocation of university seats happens in several stages, known as adjudications. For the ordinary phase, the first adjudication of places will occur on July 3, 2026. A second adjudication is scheduled for July 16, 2026.
Following these primary rounds, the system manages “resultas,” or remaining vacant seats. For the ordinary track, a window for these vacancies is established between July 24 and October 8, 2026, allowing for up to five separate lists of remaining spots to be filled.
The extraordinary track follows a different adjudication timeline. The first adjudication for these students is set for July 24, 2026, followed by a second adjudication on September 3, 2026. The final lists of vacancies (resultas) for the extraordinary session will be published between September 11 and October 8, 2026.
Comparative Timeline for PAU 2026
| Event | Ordinary Session | Extraordinary Session |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Dates | June 2, 3, 4 | June 30 – July 2 |
| Results Published | June 11 | July 9 |
| Application Window Starts | June 11 | July 9 |
| First Adjudication | July 3 | July 24 |
| Second Adjudication | July 16 | September 3 |
| Final Vacancy Lists (Resultas) | July 24 – Oct 8 | Sept 11 – Oct 8 |
Navigating Cut-off Marks and Preferences
To assist in the decision-making process, the Distrito Único Andaluz provides historical “notas de corte” (cut-off marks) from previous years. While these figures are provided for informational and orientational purposes only and do not guarantee entry, they serve as a vital tool for students to gauge the competitiveness of specific degrees.
The strategic ordering of preferences on the DUA form is the most critical step for the student. Since the application is binding, students cannot simply change their minds mid-process; they must rely on the order of preference established during the initial application window to secure a spot in the public system.
Broader Educational Context in Andalusia
While the PAU governs university entry, the Andalusian educational landscape is also evolving in other sectors. For example, the regional government has recently updated the framework for vocational training. According to Decreto 147/2025, issued on September 17, 2025, the region has established the organization of teachings for Grados D and E within the Professional Training System (Sistema de Formación Profesional). This includes basic, intermediate, and higher-level training cycles (Grados D) as well as specialization courses (Grados E), providing alternative academic pathways for those not pursuing a traditional university degree.
This diversification of the educational system ensures that students have multiple routes to professional qualification, whether through the competitive university admission process of the PAU or the structured vocational tracks defined by the Consejería de Desarrollo Educativo y Formación Profesional.
The next confirmed checkpoint for students in the ordinary track is the release of results on June 11, 2026, which will immediately trigger the opening of the DUA application portal. We encourage students and parents to share this timeline and preserve a close watch on the official DUA portal for any real-time updates.