Galician Students Tackle New-Format University Entrance Exams

Galician Students Face New Challenges in University Entrance Exams Galicia, Spain – June 3, 2025 marked the start of the PAU, the university entrance exams, for nearly 13,000 students across Galicia. This year's exams introduced significant changes, prompting anxiety among students. The new format places a greater emphasis on competency-based questions, and stricter rules prohibit electronic devices. "I was a little nervous because people said it was very complicated with this new change," said one student. The added pressure of the new format was evident in the students' comments. Another student commented on the difficulty of the critical commentary section, stating, "The critical commentary seemed complicated, difficult to understand, because it was very concentrated." Despite initial concerns, many students reported that the exam was manageable. Exam officials implemented measures to ensure academic integrity, using frequency detectors to prevent cheating. "We have frequency detectors. We pass them when the exams begin. They know that having an electronic device can be grounds for total suspension of the test," stated Maite Flores, President of the CIUG (Interuniversity Commission of Galicia). The first exam, Spanish Language and Literature, included texts by notable authors like García Márquez, Almudena Grandes, and Valle-Inclán, along with a piece on the migrant crisis. The success of the first day suggests the new format, while challenging, may not be as overwhelming as initially feared. The exams are being held simultaneously across Spain, excluding Catalonia, for the first time.