Overview
Pruebas Nacionales are the official exit examinations that the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Education (MINERD) applies at the end of Secondary level and at the end of Basic and Secondary education for young people and adults. They are compulsory for every student finishing the last year of Secondary, across the Academic, Arts and Technical-Professional modalities, as well as the Youth and Adult Education modality. For the 2026 cycle, MINERD called more than 111,000 Secondary and Youth/Adult students to the first convocatoria alone.
Who can apply
Pruebas Nacionales are for students enrolled in the final year of Secondary level (historically called 4to de Bachillerato, typically around 17-18 years old) at a MINERD-recognised educational centre, in the Academic, Arts or Technical-Professional modality, plus students finishing the equivalent final year of Basic or Secondary Education for Young People and Adults. Students are registered for a convocatoria by their educational centre or Educational District; there is no separate open application for outside candidates.
Exam pattern
The test covers four subject areas, each a separate multiple-choice booklet with four answer options per question:
| Area | Items | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lengua Española (Spanish Language) | 42 | 1h 50m |
| Matemática (Mathematics) | 42 | 1h 50m |
| Ciencias Sociales (Social Studies) | 42 | 1h 50m |
| Ciencias de la Naturaleza (Natural Science) | 42 | 1h 50m |
All four tests for a convocatoria are applied on the same scheduled days, simultaneously, across MINERD's accredited test centres nationwide (270 centres for the 2026 second convocatoria).
Marking and results
Each subject's final grade combines two parts: the student's accumulated school grade ("nota de presentación"), weighted 70%, and the Pruebas Nacionales score for that subject, weighted 30%. To pass each of the four areas at Secondary level, a student needs a combined final grade of at least 70 points out of 100. A student who falls short in one or more subjects retakes only those subjects at a later convocatoria, not the full set of four exams.
Important dates
MINERD runs Pruebas Nacionales in more than one convocatoria within a school year. For the 2026 cycle: the first (ordinary) convocatoria ran in the second half of June 2026, covering more than 111,000 Secondary and Youth/Adult students; a second convocatoria followed on 6-9 August 2026 for about 28,000 students retaking subjects from the first sitting; and a third convocatoria for students with subjects still pending was called for 12-15 November 2026. Exact dates are announced separately each year on MINERD's website and change from year to year.
Fees
Pruebas Nacionales, and the certifications issued after passing them (Basic-level certification and Bachiller/Secondary-level certification), are free of charge for students registered through their educational centre or Educational District.
How to apply
Students do not apply individually for the ordinary convocatoria; their educational centre or Educational District submits the list of eligible students ahead of each sitting. Students with subjects still pending from an earlier convocatoria can register directly through MINERD's online form for students with pending Pruebas Nacionales. Each convocatoria has its own registration window, announced beforehand by MINERD.
After the exam
MINERD publishes results by convocatoria on its results-consultation portal, broken down to the level of the individual student and educational centre. A student who reaches the 70-point combined mark in all four areas receives the Secondary-level certification and the corresponding Bachiller diploma from MINERD; this diploma, together with the student's academic transcript, is among the documents Dominican universities ask for at admission. Separately, most Dominican higher-education institutions also require incoming students to sit the POMA (Prueba de Orientación y Medición Académica), an academic-placement test run by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MESCyT) rather than MINERD.
Preparation tips
Because the school-year grade already carries 70% of the final mark, steady classroom performance across the year matters more than a single strong test day. Students should still practise each of the four subject areas under timed conditions close to the real 1-hour-50-minute format, since all four areas must individually reach the 70-point combined pass mark — a weak result in just one subject means a retake at a later convocatoria.
Who has to take the Pruebas Nacionales?
Every student finishing the last year of Secondary level in the Academic, Arts or Technical-Professional modality, and every student finishing the equivalent final year of Basic or Secondary Education for Young People and Adults, at a MINERD-recognised educational centre.
How is the final grade in each subject worked out?
The student's accumulated school grade counts for 70% of the final mark and the Pruebas Nacionales score for that subject counts for 30%. A combined final grade of at least 70 points is needed to pass each of the four subject areas.
Is there a cost to take the Pruebas Nacionales?
No. The exam and the certifications issued after passing it are free for students registered through their educational centre or Educational District.
What happens if a student fails one subject?
Only the subjects not yet passed need to be retaken, at a later convocatoria (MINERD typically runs a second convocatoria a few months after the first, and a third for students who still have subjects pending), rather than all four exams again.