Overview
The Ciclo Básico Común (CBC) is the mandatory first year shared by every degree programme (carrera) at the Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA). Every student admitted to a UBA degree completes the CBC before starting the specific coursework of their chosen career.
Who can take it
Admission to UBA is open and unrestricted, with no entrance exam. Undergraduate study at UBA is free for both Argentine and foreign citizens. To enrol in the CBC, applicants need a valid Argentine national ID (DNI); those without one yet can enrol provisionally. Applicants who completed secondary school abroad must have their qualification validated or recognised through Argentina's Ministry of Education process and legalised by UBA before finishing the CBC, and non-Spanish-speaking-country applicants must also show a minimum level of Spanish.
Structure
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Six per standard degree: two chosen by orientation, two specific to the career, and two common subjects |
| Technical degrees (tecnicaturas) | Between one and four subjects |
| Architecture, Design and Urbanism careers | Six subjects plus one additional subject |
| Maximum load | Up to three subjects per four-month term (cuatrimestre), unless the career requires otherwise |
| Assessment per subject | Two partial exams (exámenes parciales), graded pass/fail |
If a student passes both partial exams in a subject, they go on to the final exam. If they pass one and fail the other, they can take a complementary (make-up) exam; passing it gives access to the final exam. If they fail both partials, they must retake the subject (recursar). Final exam grades run from 0 to 10.
What it covers
Which six subjects a student takes depends on the specific career and its orientation group; UBA's Carreras section lists the subject combination attached to each degree programme.
Scoring and results
Each CBC subject is completed subject by subject, with its own partial exams, optional complementary exam, and a final exam graded 0–10, as described above. Completing all required subjects for a given career finishes the CBC for that student.
Recognition
The CBC is specific to UBA: completing it is what allows a student to move on to the second year and the specific coursework of their chosen UBA degree. It is not a standalone credential outside the university.
How to register
Enrolment runs through UBA's online Plataforma de Inscripciones. The process has three stages: Preingreso a la UBA (an online pre-registration), submission of the required secondary-school documentation, and selection of campus (sede) and shift (turno) for in-person attendance, all within the periods published in the CBC's Calendario de Ingresantes. First-time UBA students have their CBC subjects assigned automatically.
Preparation tips
UBA's CBC site also lists an Orientación vocacional (vocational guidance) resource and leveling courses (cursos de nivelación) through "La Previa de la UBA," aimed at students preparing to start the CBC.
Do I need to pass an entrance exam to start the CBC?
No. Admission to UBA is open and unrestricted, with no entrance exam.
How many subjects does the CBC normally have?
Six for most careers: two by orientation, two specific to the career, and two common subjects. Technical degrees (tecnicaturas) have between one and four, and Architecture/Design/Urbanism careers have six plus one extra.
What happens if I fail a CBC subject?
Failing both partial exams in a subject means retaking (recursar) that subject; failing only one gives access to a complementary exam before the final.
Is CBC study free?
Yes. UBA undergraduate study, including the CBC, is free for both Argentine and foreign citizens.