Overview
The Universidad Nacional de Asunción (UNA), Paraguay's national public university, admits students through faculty-run preparatory admission courses rather than a single centralised exam. At the Facultad Politécnica, this is called the CPA (Curso Preparatorio de Admisión); other UNA faculties, such as the Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, run their own equivalent probationary admission courses (sometimes referred to as CPI, Curso Probatorio de Ingreso) under their own regulations. Because each faculty designs and names its own course, the details below describe the Facultad Politécnica's CPA 2026 as a documented example.
Who can take it
At the Facultad Politécnica, applicants must first pass the Examen de Conocimientos Básicos (Basic Knowledge Exam) and secure a place under Article 63 of the faculty's General Admission Regulations before joining the CPA.
Structure
| Feature | Facultad Politécnica CPA 2026 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 23 February to 13 May 2026 |
| Schedule | Monday to Friday, 7:00 to 20:00 |
| Orientation A & B (engineering, informatics) | 600 combined places |
| Orientation C (hospitality management, information sciences) | 80 places |
| Formative assessments | 20–24 April 2026 |
| Final convalidation exams | May 2026 |
Passing the final convalidation exams admits the candidate to the corresponding degree programme.
What it covers
Content is tied to the orientation the candidate is preparing for (engineering and informatics for Orientations A and B; hospitality management and information sciences for Orientation C), preparing candidates for first-year coursework in that area.
Scoring and results
Admission depends on passing the formative assessments and the final convalidation exams held in May; candidates who pass are admitted to the corresponding bachelor's degree programme.
Fees
At the Facultad Politécnica, degree enrolment costs following the CPA range from 200,000 to 650,000 Paraguayan Guaraní for 2026, depending on the programme chosen.
How to register
Registration is managed faculty by faculty, through each faculty's own admission page (for example, the Facultad Politécnica publishes its CPA convocatoria, admission regulations and results separately from other UNA faculties).
Preparation tips
Because the CPA/CPI structure and content is set independently by each faculty, prospective students should check the admission page of the specific UNA faculty and career they are applying to, rather than assuming a single university-wide format.
Is CPI/CPA the same course at every UNA faculty?
No. Each UNA faculty designs and names its own preparatory admission course; the Facultad Politécnica calls its version the CPA (Curso Preparatorio de Admisión).
Do I need to pass an exam before joining the CPA at Facultad Politécnica?
Yes. Candidates must first pass the Examen de Conocimientos Básicos and secure a place under the faculty's admission regulations.
What happens after the CPA?
Candidates take formative assessments and final convalidation exams; passing admits them to the corresponding bachelor's degree programme.