Are you applying for higher education? Learn how to calculate your secondary school weighted average and find out if you can get into your desired educational institution.

For students who complete secondary school this school year and plan to enroll in higher education, it is important to know how to calculate their final secondary school average - the average for access to higher education will then vary according to the result of the final national exams that serve as an entrance exam to enter a particular course and institution.

As explained by the Directorate General of Higher Education (DGES), in annual subjects (of the 12th year), only the internal assessment is considered for the final classification of the subject (CFD).

Also, this academic year, as in previous years, in all two-year and three-year subjects, the final grade of the subject is the simple arithmetic average of the annual attendance grades:

- Biennial subjects: 10^th + 11^th /2;

- Three-year subjects: (10^th + 11^th + 12^th) /3;

- Self-proposed students: the final classification of the subject is the one obtained in the exam.

In terms of national exams, according to the DGES, students take national final exams only in the subjects they choose as entrance examinations to apply to higher education.

For the purposes of assessment, approval of subjects and completion of secondary education, including subjects that require national final exams, only the internal assessment is considered.

Final classification of scientific-humanistic courses

The final classification of these courses is the simple arithmetic average, rounded to the nearest unit, of the final classification obtained in all subjects of the student's pathway, except for the subject of Moral and Religious Education.

If the student's goal is to apply to higher education, the final classification of the current secondary level courses, scientific-humanistic courses, vocational courses, and specialized artistic courses is calculated to the tenths, without rounding, and converted to a scale of 0 to 200.

Who can apply for higher education in 2023?

For the 2024/2025 academic year, students may apply to higher education if they:

- Have passed a secondary education course in the conditions for further studies, when existing, or hold a legally equivalent qualification;

- Have taken the entrance examinations in 2022 and/or 2023 and/or 2024, set for the institution/course pair and have obtained in these examinations a classification equal to or higher than the minimum classification required;

- Have fulfilled the prerequisites, if they have been established for the institution/course pair;

- Have an application classification equal to or higher than the minimum fixed for the institution/course pair.

It is important to know that if you intend to enter higher education, you should choose the secondary education course that best suits your goal, considering the higher education courses to which you intend to apply.

National Exams 2024: important information and dates

This year, students with the purpose of applying to public or private higher education must take the national final exams for the purposes of passing subjects and concluding secondary education, as well as the national final exams corresponding to the entrance examinations for the higher education courses to which they intend to apply, if they have not taken them in 2022 and or 2023.

Students can also improve their previous grades, which might be important to improve their chances of admission to higher education.

The entrance exams required for each course are determined by the higher education institutions for each of their courses (they can be found here). There can, however, be no more than two. There may also be alternative sets of exams, up to a maximum of three.

Higher education institutions require a minimum score in the exams taken as entrance examinations of 95 or more points on a scale of 0 to 200.

However, the national final exam taken as an entrance exam is only valid for this purpose if its classification is equal to or higher than the minimum classification required for each institution/course pair.

Regarding the dates of the national exams in 2024:

- The 1^st phase takes place from June 14^th to June 28^th, 2024;

- The 2^nd phase takes place between July 18^th and July 26^th, 2024.

You can access the date of all national exams here.

About NOVA IMS

The undergraduate courses offered by NOVA IMS aim to train higher education professionals prepared to face the challenges of the globalized and competitive market in which we are present and to fulfill the new roles that the information society has created. Get to know our educational offer and find the ideal course for you.

The Undergraduate options at NOVA IMS are divided into the areas of Data Science, Information Management and Information Systems and Technologies.

Bachelor´s Degree in Data Science

The Bachelor´s Degree in Data Science is a course that explores modern artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques aimed to analyze Big Data. The goal is to train data scientists capable of extracting knowledge and using advanced models to deal with large volumes of data. The course aims to train specialized professionals who enable organizations to strengthen the intermediate step between data collection and decision making based on it. This is technical training that provides in-depth knowledge of the fundamental methodologies and concepts in the field of Data Science, qualifying students to keep up with the rapid evolution of the sector.

The entrance exams required to finalize the application must correspond to one of the following sets:

Mathematics A (19) - National Exam 635

Mathematics A (19) and Economy (04) - National Exam 635 (Mathematics A) and 712 (Economy)

Mathematics A (19) and Descriptive Geometry (10) - National Exams 635 (Mathematics A) and 708 (Descriptive Geometry)

Bachelor´s Degree in Information Management

The Degree in Information Management combines management and Data Science to train managers capable of dealing with the complexity of modern business and transforming data into useful information. The demand for professionals in this area is high, due to the increasing amount of data generated by companies, and to meet such demand, the course trains students to collect, organize, and analyze information that guides decision making, using modern techniques and tools. The objective is to train professionals who understand the strategic value of information in organizations.

According to data from the 2019 ObipNOVA Independent Report, the employability rate of the Degree in Information Management corresponds to 100%, and the average monthly net salary is around 1,394€.

The entrance exams required to finalize the application must correspond to one of these options:

Economics (04) - National Exam 712

Mathematics (16) - National Exam 635 (Mathematics A) or 735 (Mathematics B)

Bachelor´s Degree in Information Systems

In the Information Systems Degree, students learn to analyze, design, and implement information systems, including artificial intelligence, programming, app and web systems development, and mobile computing. The course also covers the use of tools that support companies' business processes. This is Europe's first degree accredited in Information Systems by ABET, a world-leading agency for quality certification and academic innovation in applied science, computing, engineering, and related technology. Students acquire skills in information processing, storage and retrieval, building computer applications and managing networks and information systems. This is an innovative degree that is highly relevant to the national and international job market.

The entrance exams required to finalize the application must correspond to one of the following options:

Economics (04) - National Exam 712

Mathematics (16) - National Exam 635 (Mathematics A) or 735 (Mathematics B)