Overview
The Mayores de 25 test is a university entrance route in Spain for adults who do not hold any qualification that already gives access to university. Passing it lets you apply for official Grado (bachelor's) degrees. Under national rules, universities hold a call for the test every year, and the public universities organise it within the framework set by each region's education authority.
Who can apply
You can sit the test if you do not hold any academic qualification that gives access to university by another route, and you are at least 25 years old, or turn 25, in the calendar year of the test. You may sit it at as many universities as you like.
Exam pattern
The test has two phases, a general phase and a specific phase.
General phase (three exercises, plus a fourth in regions with a second official language)
| Exercise | What it tests |
|---|---|
| Text commentary or essay | A commentary on a text, or a developed piece on a general current-affairs topic |
| Spanish language (Lengua castellana) | Written command of Spanish |
| Foreign language | One language chosen from German, French, English, Italian or Portuguese |
In regions that have a second official language, the region can add a fourth exercise in that language. At the Universidad de Alicante, for example, this is the Valencian exercise.
Specific phase
You choose one or more of five options, tied to branches of knowledge:
| Option | Branch |
|---|---|
| A | Arts and humanities |
| B | Sciences |
| C | Health sciences |
| D | Social and legal sciences |
| E | Engineering and architecture |
At the Universidad de Alicante, the specific phase has two or three exercises depending on the branches you choose, and each exercise lasts up to 60 minutes, with some (such as text commentary and artistic drawing) lasting 75 minutes. Durations and contents are set by each region and university, so check your own university's instructions.
You declare your foreign language and your option or options when you register. Your options also decide where you get priority in admission: you have preference at the universities where you sat the test, and for the degrees each university links to your chosen option. You may write the exercises in any official language of the region where you sit them, except the language exercises, which must be written in the language being tested.
Marking and results
Each exercise is marked by the university using criteria set by the region's education authority. The final mark is the average of the general phase mark and the specific phase mark, scored from 0 to 10 and given to three decimal places.
To pass you need a final mark of at least 5. Averaging is not allowed unless you score at least 4 in each of the two phases. After results are published you can lodge a written appeal with the university within the period set by your region.
After the exam
If you pass, you can compete for places in Grado degrees. Spanish rules reserve at least 2 percent of places for people who passed the Mayores de 25 test.
You can sit the test again in later calls to improve your mark, and the new mark counts only if it is higher than the earlier one.
Preparation tips
Get your university's instructions for the current year first, since exercise formats, durations and syllabuses differ between regions.
Practise timed written answers: the general phase rewards clear reasoning and written expression.
Decide your foreign language and your specific-phase option or options before you register, because you declare them at registration.
Can I sit the test at more than one university?
Yes. National rules allow you to take the test at as many universities as you wish.
What mark do I need to pass?
A final mark of at least 5 out of 10, with at least 4 in both the general and the specific phase.
Can I retake the test to raise my mark?
Yes. You may sit later calls, and the new result counts only if it is higher than the previous one.
Do I need to be 25 on the exam day?
No. You need to have reached or reach 25 in the calendar year in which the test is held.