Derecho y Relaciones Internacionales tops Catalonia's 2026 university cut-off marks with 12.972

New leader emerges

The double degree in Law and International Relations at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has become the most competitive programme in Catalonia’s 2026 university admissions, with a cut-off mark of 12.972 out of 14. The figure, published by the regional Department of Research and Universities on Friday, places the 20-place degree ahead of the longtime leader, the joint degree in Physics and Mathematics, which fell to 12.924 at UAB and 12.812 at the University of Barcelona (UB). El Periódico reported the Law degree’s mark as 12.924, a discrepancy to note. This is the first time in years that the top spot has changed hands, and also the first year in recent memory that no degree reached a cut-off of 13.

Top scores across public universities

Among programmes with 40 or more places, the highest cut-off belongs to the bachelor’s in Aerospace Technologies plus the master’s in Aeronautical Engineering at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), with 12.694 for 60 spots. Medicine at the UB’s Clínic campus follows with 12.685 for 200 places, down from 12.850 last year. Mathematics at UPC scored 12.552 (for 75 places, according to one report), while Medicine at Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) reached 12.534, down from 12.650. The combined degree in Industrial Technologies and Economic Analysis with the master’s in Industrial Engineering at UPC and UPF stood at 12.508.

The general shift was downward. Medicine saw lower cut-offs at every public faculty: Bellvitge dropped to 12.5 (from 12.650), Reus to 12.426 (from 12.576), UAB’s Medicine to 12.354 (from 12.494), Lleida to 12.344 (from 12.467), and Girona to 12.302 (from 12.453). Physics and Mathematics likewise slipped by about three tenths of a point.

Why marks fell

The fall is linked to a sharply lower average in the university entrance exam, especially in Mathematics. The PAU 2026 phase saw an overall average of 6.403, the lowest in five years, continuing a trend from 6.856 in 2022 to 6.440 in 2025. The Mathematics exam, which many students described as impossible to finish, posted an average of just 4.18, two points lower than in 2025, and weighed heavily on degree courses where it is a core module.

The pass rate nonetheless rose slightly: 95.68% of candidates passed the PAU, compared with 94.97% last year. Núria Montserrat, the Catalan Minister of Research and Universities, called the result good news.

It is good news.

Enrollment snapshot

A total of 59,653 students pre-registered for the eight public universities and the University of Vic-Central de Catalunya. Of those, 48,185 (80.78%) received a place in one of their choices, a figure nearly identical to last year’s 48,157. The share securing their first preference was 60.53% (29,167 students). Those assigned their first choice must complete enrollment between 14 and 17 July. Students not placed in their first preference will wait for subsequent allocation rounds; the second allocation is scheduled for 23 July.

Broader picture

Across 560 university programmes, 22 achieved a cut-off mark of 12 or higher, 45 recorded marks between 11 and 11.99, 62 between 10 and 10.99, and so on. At the other end, 147 programmes filled all applicants and still had open places, carrying a cut-off of 5. The interest in international relations degrees was notable, with the English-taught International Studies in Economics and Business at the UPF also scoring highly. Meanwhile, a cooperative degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics offered by the UPF, UAB, Autonomous University of Madrid and Carlos III University of Madrid had a cut-off of 12.106.