2026 University Entrance Exam Schedule

Are you taking the university entrance exam in 2026? If so, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is the exact dates so you can plan ahead and study strategically.

To help you, at Stephouse we have prepared a clear guide that brings together the scheduled dates for the 2026 university entrance exams, the differences between regions, and the real meaning of all those confusing names.

Here you will find all the information that normally requires a thousand searches, explained in one place.

One of the first questions that comes up when you start looking for information is whether EBAU, EvAU, and PAU are the same thing. The answer is yes.

Although each region has its own name, all the acronyms refer to the same university entrance exam.

This is the name used in Asturias, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Extremadura, the Balearic Islands, La Rioja, and Murcia.

If you search for EBAU 2026 dates or EBAU Castile and León 2026, you will be looking for exactly the same test that is known as EvAU or PAU in other regions.

This is the name used in Madrid, Castile-La Mancha, Aragon, and Navarre.

Searches such as EvAU Madrid 2026 or EvAU dates 2026 refer to an exam with content, structure, and purpose identical to those of any other region.

This is the traditional name that has been used for decades in Spain. Since June 2025, the Ministry has officially reinstated this acronym. That’s why you’ll see queries such as: PAU 2026 Catalonia, PAU Catalonia 2026 dates, PAU Asturias 2026…
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what your region calls it. The exam is the same and opens the same doors. What really matters is how you prepare to take it with confidence and assurance.

Pending official publication, all regions maintain a very similar calendar each year. This allows us to offer you an accurate forecast so you can start planning your studies now.

Take note:

Regular exam session

• Asturias: early June.
• Basque Country: first half of June.
• Andalusia: second week of June.
• Castile and León: first half of June.
• Valencian Community: first week of June.
• Galicia: a schedule very similar to that of the other communities.
• Catalonia: first half of June (usually between the 3rd and 12th).

If you are studying the International Baccalaureate or only need to take the specific phase, the centers usually publish adapted schedules within the same time frame.

Special exam session

The special exam session is held in July in most regions. This allows students who are retaking a subject to still access the summer university admission process.

Knowing the calendar is just the starting point. What will determine your final grade is how you prepare from today onwards.

At Stephouse, we see a clear pattern every year among those who get the best results:

1. They know how to prioritize.
2. They manage pressure well.
3. They practice with real exams.
4. They have a stable plan.
5. They rest and take care of their study environment.

We can guarantee that when you organize your preparation, the university entrance exam ceases to be a source of stress and becomes a 100% achievable challenge.

After graduation, new cities, new friends, new experiences, and a future full of opportunities await you. And along the way, where you live will make all the difference.

At Stephouse, we offer you a place to study, relax, feel supported, and enjoy your first years at university in comfort and safety.

Our university residences in Spain are designed to help you move forward. They feature:

• Modern rooms designed to help you concentrate.
• A community that is going through the same stage of life as you.
• Quiet and safe environments so you can focus on what’s important.
• Common areas where you can connect with students from all over Spain and abroad.

And much more!

Your university life is about to begin. Choose where you want to start your story.

Between the first and second week of June, depending on the autonomous community.

No. Each community publishes its own calendar, although they all take place in similar weeks.

None. They are different names for the same test.

Since 2025, the test has reverted to the name PAU.

In July, in most autonomous communities.