How to access university from vocational training: options and recommendations

After finishing school, whether secondary or high school, everyone chooses their own path. Many people decide to study Vocational Training because it offers a fast track into the world of work and provides hands-on learning. Centres like iFP are a good example of how vocational education has evolved into a modern, practical option connected to the real needs of businesses. And yet, over time, the idea of going to university sometimes appears. It doesn’t happen for the same reason in every case. Sometimes it’s a new interest, other times an unexpected opportunity, or simply the desire to continue growing.

In reality, moving from a vocational training programme to a university degree is a fairly natural step. After working with technical content, discovering the areas you enjoy most and seeing how they fit into the real world, it’s normal to want to go deeper, broaden your horizons or aim for positions that require a university qualification.

That’s why it’s so important to understand the options, the access routes, how the grading system works, which degrees relate to each professional field and what steps to follow. At Planeta Formación y Universidades, we want to help you understand how to access university from vocational training, what decisions matter most and where you can find support and guidance, including through our institutions.

Can you access university from a higher vocational qualification without taking the EBAU?

The short answer is yes, it’s possible. With a Higher Vocational Training qualification, you can access university directly using the average grade from your programme. This route is regulated across Spain and applies to any public or private university. You don’t need to repeat Baccalaureate, take the full University Access Exam (EBAU) or pursue alternative pathways.

In practice, it works like this: at the end of your programme — for example, a Higher Vocational Training Certificate in Marketing and Advertising, a Higher Technician Certificate in Early Childhood Education or Multiplatform Application Development (DAM) — you obtain an official Level 1 qualification under the Spanish Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. This qualification automatically makes you eligible for university studies.

The admission score: 10-point base from your training program

Your average grade in the vocational training programme is your access grade. It is calculated using the weighted average of all modules taken. It is not rounded up or down: if your average is 7.63, your access grade is 7.63. This grade allows you to apply for any degree whose cut-off mark is equal to or lower than that.

And this is an important point, as many degrees have cut-off marks below 8, especially in social sciences, non-medical health sciences, certain engineering fields or the humanities.

Are there reserved spots for students coming from vocational training?

Yes, although not in every region. Most public universities reserve a percentage of places for vocational training graduates within the general admission quota. This is usually between 10% and 20%, and places are assigned before freeing up remaining slots for other access routes.

This means that applicants coming from vocational training compete among themselves for that quota, which can be very beneficial in high-demand degrees.

For example, in Nursing, where the cut-off mark is very high, some universities reserve a specific quota for vocational training graduates in health-related fields, such as Higher Technician in Oral Hygiene or Higher Technician in Radiotherapy.

At this point, having expert guidance can be very helpful. If you want to explore which degrees, pathways or specialisations best match your vocational training, you can take a look at the university and higher education programmes available at Planeta Formación y Universidades, where you’ll find updated options by professional area.

How is the admission score calculated for entering a degree program?

The admission grade is the sum of:

• Your average grade in vocational training (max. 10 points)
• The subjects taken in the specific phase of the EBAU, if you decide to sit it (up to 4 additional points)

In other words, you can reach a maximum of 14 points, just like a Baccalaureate student.

The role of the EBAU specific phase to improve your score

This phase is optional for vocational training students and allows you to add up to 4 extra points. You only take the two subjects that carry the greatest weighting for the degree you want to study.

For example, if you want to study Physiotherapy and you have a vocational training qualification in Sports, many universities give a high weighting to Biology (0.2) and Chemistry (0.2). You would only take those two subjects. If you get an 8 in Biology and a 7 in Chemistry, you would add (8 × 0.2) + (7 × 0.2), meaning you would gain 3 extra points.

Is there a minimum score required to be admitted to a degree program?

There is no official minimum at state level. What exists is a cut-off mark, which is simply the grade of the last student admitted the previous year. Therefore, a degree with a cut-off mark of 9.0 does not “require a 9”; it simply reflects the grade of the last student admitted that year. If students with an 8.7 are admitted the following year, the cut-off mark will decrease.

Is it possible to transfer vocational training subjects to university?

Yes, although there is no unified catalogue: each university decides what it recognises. Credit transfers are usually approved when vocational training modules are clearly equivalent to university subjects.

Which university degrees can be chosen from each vocational branch?

In theory, you can apply for any university degree, but some combinations work better and make credit transfers more likely. Here are some examples by field:

• Health
  Nursing
  Physiotherapy
  Human Nutrition
  Occupational Therapy
  Chiropody
• Information technology and communications
  Computer Engineering
  Software Engineering
  Data Science
  Cybersecurity
  Applied Mathematics
• Sociocultural services
  Social Work
  Early Childhood Education
  Social Education
  Pedagogy
  Psychology (no credit transfers, but a common pathway)
• Administration and Management / Commerce and Marketing
  Business Administration and Management
  Marketing
  Advertising and Public Relations
  Human Resources
  Economics
• Image and sound
  Audiovisual Communication
  Film, Television and Entertainment Production
  Digital Design
  Fine Art

Steps to follow to apply for a spot and where to seek guidance

1. Check the cut-off mark for the degree at your chosen university.
   Each region publishes updated official lists every year.
2. Check the specific EBAU weighting.
   Each university publishes its weighting tables. If you need to raise your grade, these tables will show you which subjects to prepare.
3. University pre-registration.
   It is an online mandatory process. It is done by autonomous community, within specific periods (June–July).
4. Submit your application within the deadline.
   You can list several degrees in order of preference.
5. Check whether you can request credit recognition before starting.
   Each faculty has its own procedure and deadlines.
6. Ask for guidance if you need it. 
   From Planeta Formación y Universidades, we can help you analyse your case, calculate your actual grade and identify the options that best align with your goals and career path.

Taking the step from higher vocational training to university is much easier to understand when you know what to focus on: your programme grade, the options for improving your score, the places available, potential credit transfers and the degrees that best fit your professional trajectory. With clear information and a bit of guidance, a change that now seems overwhelming becomes achievable — even exciting — because it opens the door to professions and specialisations you may not have considered when you began your vocational training.

And if you need extra help finding the studies that suit you best, you can try our recommendation test, designed to guide you towards the next step with clarity and confidence.