Is there a test to know which Bachillerato to choose?

No test decides for you, but it does help to sort out what you like and what you are good at. UTalento is a free, guided exploration that shows you paths that fit you, which you can then talk through with your school counsellor.

Do I need maths for every degree?

No. Many humanities, social science or arts degrees don't weigh maths. But engineering, the sciences and much of economics usually do.

I'm torn between two very different degrees. What should I do?

Choose the modalidad that lets you take PAU subjects that weigh for both, and use your electives to try things out. That way you don't have to decide everything at 15.

Can I raise my mark by sitting more subjects in the PAU?

Yes. In the PAU you can sit second-year subjects beyond the compulsory ones, and your admission mark for each degree counts the two that add the most.

Which Bachillerato is the hardest?

None is harder in general. The one with subjects you don't care about usually costs more, so the best clue is which one you feel like studying.

When do I have to choose the modalidad?

Usually during 4º ESO, when your school opens place reservations or enrolment, in spring or early summer. Start thinking about it a few months before.

Which Bachillerato to choose: a guide to deciding calmly

In this article

What Bachillerato modalidades are there?
Does the modalidad close degrees to me?
Which Bachillerato for medicine, psychology, law…?
What mark do these degrees ask for?
What if I don't know which Bachillerato to choose?
Can I change modalidad?
What if I end up preferring FP?
Frequently asked questions

What Bachillerato modalidades are there?

Under the LOMLOE there are four modalidades, and each has a compulsory second-year subject that is examined in the PAU.

Ciencias y Tecnología: Matemáticas II or Matemáticas Aplicadas a las Ciencias Sociales II. Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales: Latín II or Matemáticas Aplicadas a las Ciencias Sociales II. General: Ciencias Generales. Artes has two tracks: Artes Plásticas, Imagen y Diseño, with Dibujo Artístico II, and Música y Artes Escénicas, with Análisis Musical II or Artes Escénicas II.

Around that subject you choose other modalidad subjects and some electives. Not every school offers all four modalidades or every combination, so it is worth checking early what yours and the ones nearby offer.

Does the modalidad close degrees to me?

No: with any Bachiller title you can enter any university degree, whatever modalidad it comes from.

What the modalidad does change is your admission mark. That mark has two parts. The access mark runs from 5 to 10: your Bachillerato average weighs 60% and the PAU access phase 40%. On top of that you can add up to two more subjects, multiplied by 0.1 or 0.2 depending on how related they are to the degree. That is why the maximum is 14.

Those coefficients, the ponderaciones, are set by each university for each degree and can change from one year to the next. If your modalidad includes the subjects that weigh 0.2 for the degree you want, you have an advantage. If not, you can still get in, but with less room to raise your mark.

And there is a way out few people mention: in the PAU you can sit second-year subjects beyond your own to raise your admission mark. So choosing a modalidad today does not lock you into it.

Which Bachillerato for medicine, psychology, law…?

The modalidad that usually fits each degree best, based on the subjects that weigh most. Always check your university's ponderaciones, because they change from place to place and from year to year.

Medicine and Nursing
Ciencias y Tecnología. Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Matemáticas II usually weigh most, and in Medicine every tenth of a point counts.
Psychology
Sciences or Social Sciences, both work. Biology and maths (Matemáticas II or the applied version) often weigh high.
Law and Criminology
Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. History, Economics, Latin or Applied Maths are usually the subjects that add up.
Teaching (Magisterio)
Any. The ponderaciones are usually broad, so choose the modalidad where you feel most at ease and can get the best average.
Computer Science and Architecture
Ciencias y Tecnología. Matemáticas II and Physics weigh a lot, and in Architecture so does Technical Drawing.
Sports Science
Usually Ciencias y Tecnología, mainly because of Biology, but it varies a lot between universities. Here checking the tables is essential.

What mark do these degrees ask for?

The latest cut-off marks at public universities. A cut-off is the mark of the last student admitted, so it changes every year: read it as a guide, not a border.

Degree	Typical cut-off (median)	Range (lowest – highest)
Medicina	12.75	12.23 – 13.34
Enfermería	11.24	7.77 – 12.53
Psicología	9.84	5.13 – 11.41
Derecho	8.05	5.00 – 11.56
Criminología	9.62	5.00 – 11.23
Educación Primaria	7.92	5.00 – 10.15
Ingeniería Informática	8.49	5.00 – 10.76

What if I don't know which Bachillerato to choose?

It is completely normal at your age, and you don't need to know your exact degree to choose well. Try these steps.

Think in families, not degrees
Are you drawn more to health, technology, people, law, making things? Two or three families are enough to start.
Look at the subjects you truly enjoy
Not just the ones you happen to be good at, but the ones where time flies. It is two years, and your average counts for 60%.
Choose the modalidad that keeps the most doors open for you
If you are torn between something scientific and something social, Ciencias y Tecnología with Matemáticas Aplicadas a las Ciencias Sociales II can keep both options alive.
Talk to your school counsellor
They know your school's modalidades and combinations, and they know you. Bring your doubts written down.

Can I change modalidad?

Yes, though it depends on your region (comunidad autónoma) and your school.

During the first year, switching is usually simpler if you ask early. Moving to another modalidad after the first year is also possible, but with conditions: you may need to make up first-year subjects from the new modalidad, or your school may not offer the combination you want.

If you are considering it, ask your school counsellor as soon as you can. Changing is not failing: it is adjusting course with more information.

What if I end up preferring FP?

It is just as valid an option, and it can also lead you to university.

After ESO you can go to an FP Grado Medio, and from there move on to a Grado Superior. With the Técnico Superior title you enter university without sitting the PAU, which you would only need to raise your mark. If Bachillerato doesn't convince you, look at that route carefully before deciding.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a test to know which Bachillerato to choose?
No test decides for you, but it does help to sort out what you like and what you are good at. UTalento is a free, guided exploration that shows you paths that fit you, which you can then talk through with your school counsellor.
Do I need maths for every degree?
No. Many humanities, social science or arts degrees don't weigh maths. But engineering, the sciences and much of economics usually do.
I'm torn between two very different degrees. What should I do?
Choose the modalidad that lets you take PAU subjects that weigh for both, and use your electives to try things out. That way you don't have to decide everything at 15.
Can I raise my mark by sitting more subjects in the PAU?
Yes. In the PAU you can sit second-year subjects beyond the compulsory ones, and your admission mark for each degree counts the two that add the most.
Which Bachillerato is the hardest?
None is harder in general. The one with subjects you don't care about usually costs more, so the best clue is which one you feel like studying.
When do I have to choose the modalidad?
Usually during 4º ESO, when your school opens place reservations or enrolment, in spring or early summer. Start thinking about it a few months before.