The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has taken the top spot in Catalonia’s university admission rankings. Its double degree in Law and International Relations (Derecho y Relaciones Internacionales) recorded a first-allocation cut-off score of 12.972, overtaking Physics and Mathematics (Física y Matemáticas), which had held the top position for years. The UAB double degree’s score rose by about 0.2 points from the previous year.
Figures published by the Department of Research and Universities of the Generalitat de Catalunya after the first round of seat allocations put Physics and Mathematics at UAB at 12.924, down by about 0.3 points. The same programme at the University of Barcelona (UB) scored 12.812, also about 0.3 points lower. Engineering in Aerospace Technologies at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) recorded 12.694, roughly 0.3 points lower. Medicine at UB’s Campus Clínic fell to 12.684. Mathematics at UPC stood at 12.552, about 0.1 points lower. The scores use a 14-point admission scale, where differences of a few tenths can affect access to highly sought-after programmes.
These figures offer a first-allocation snapshot, not necessarily the year’s final cut-offs. A cut-off is the admission score of the last applicant assigned a place in a particular allocation round; it is not a fixed academic requirement. It can shift with applicant scores and preferences, the number of available places, and how the allocation process works. Later rounds may produce different thresholds as students decline offers or receive places in higher-ranked preferences.
The Department’s release covers Catalonia’s seven public universities and the Universitat de Vic. The allocation process matches applicants’ admission scores with their ordered programme preferences, then assigns available places. The rise in the law-and-international-relations threshold may point to strong demand for the degree, but the cut-off alone cannot explain why preferences changed. Similarly, lower first-round scores in several programmes do not by themselves indicate changes in quality, employment prospects, or long-term popularity.
For prospective students and families, the thresholds show how competitive places were in that allocation round. They can inform decisions about accepting an offer, remaining in subsequent rounds, or considering alternatives. The UAB double degree’s 12.972 threshold sets a higher bar for applicants assigned a place in the first round, while lower scores in other programmes may have changed access for applicants near last year’s cut-offs.
In Spain, university admission scores combine school results with entrance-exam performance, while each programme’s final threshold reflects demand and capacity. The annual figures draw close attention across Catalonia because they shape access decisions and education planning. Regional shifts have also appeared in other sectors, including politics, where far-right parties have made impressive gains in the Catalan Parliament.
