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Studies & Degrees in Test preparation

Test preparation courses train students for one specific exam: a university entrance test, a language certificate, or a competitive exam for a job. They do not lead to a qualification of their own. The result that counts is the score or certificate issued by the body that runs the exam, so a good course is built around that exam's official format, timing and marking criteria.

Students revise the content the exam covers, learn the question types, practise under timed conditions and get feedback on mock tests. Language exam courses also train the four skills that the tests measure: reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Types of exams and courses

The exams fall into three groups.

  • University entrance tests. In the United States, colleges use the SAT and the ACT. The SAT has two sections, Reading and Writing, and Math, and lasts 2 hours and 14 minutes, according to the College Board. The ACT includes tests in English, math, reading and science; the science and writing sections are optional. In Spain, the university entrance exam (PAU) is held twice a year, and the access grade has indefinite validity under Royal Decree 534/2024. There is a separate access exam for people over 25.
  • Language certificates. IELTS Academic is intended for people who plan to study in an English-speaking country, while IELTS General Training is aimed at migration and study below degree level. The TOEFL iBT measures the four academic English skills. For Spanish, the DELE diplomas of the Instituto Cervantes cover all CEFR levels, from A1 to C2, and do not expire. German has the TestDaF and the telc exams, and Cambridge English runs exams such as B2 First and C1 Advanced.
  • Competitive exams for public employment (oposiciones). In Spain, career civil servants are selected through an oposición or a concurso-oposición, which must include one or more tests to rank the candidates. Private academies prepare candidates for a specific body, such as the police, health service or administrative staff.

Courses range from a weekend workshop to a full academic year. Intensive language exam courses usually last a few weeks and assume that the student already has the level; preparation for oposiciones can take a year or more. Many courses are available online.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 16 active schools for test preparation. The United States and Spain have 4 each, Canada has 2, and Germany, Italy, Belgium, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Ukraine have 1 each. They are very different kinds of school:

  • Language schools that prepare for certificates. The Hermann-Hesse-Kolleg in Horb am Neckar, Germany, is an examination centre: it offers telc German exams at all levels from A1 to C2 and holds the TestDaF on fixed dates. The Edinburgh School of Language prepares students for Cambridge exams, and the Società Dante Alighieri in Siena teaches Italian.
  • Spanish training centres. Formas Almería prepares for the university entrance exam, the access exam for over-25s in Andalusia and oposiciones such as administrative assistant of the Junta de Andalucía. Centro de Formación C.I.D. in Oviedo prepares oposiciones for the Policía Local, Policía Nacional, Guardia Civil and the army. Aranda Formación in Madrid combines vocational training with courses for oposiciones.
  • College-preparatory schools in the United States. Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania and Lee Academy in Maine are boarding and day schools for grades 9 to 12 that prepare students for university admission as part of the whole curriculum.

Courses are taught in the language of the exam or of the country. Preparation for Spanish oposiciones and the PAU is in Spanish.

What international students should check

First find out which exam the university or employer actually requires, and which score. Then check three things with the school: whether it is also an official test centre (taking the exam where you studied is convenient, but it is not required), whether the exam fee is included in the course price, and how recent its practice material is, because exam formats change.

Students from other education systems who want to enter a Spanish university do not always need the PAU. Students from EU education systems who meet the university entrance requirements of their own country are exempt. Others can take the specific competence tests (PCE) organised by the UNED through UNEDasiss. Admission criteria depend on the university and the country of origin, so UNEDasiss advises checking with the university first.

Oposiciones are open to Spanish citizens and, for most posts, to nationals of other EU member states on equal terms; posts that involve the exercise of public authority are excluded. Each call for applications states the nationality and qualification requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Does a test preparation course give me a qualification?

No. The course prepares you; the certificate or score comes from the exam body, such as the College Board, the Instituto Cervantes or the public administration that holds the exam.

Do I have to take a course to sit the exam?

No. Official exams are open to candidates who register directly with the exam body. A course adds structure, practice tests and feedback.

Which English test do I need for university?

That depends on the university. IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT are both designed for academic study; check the admission page of each university for the accepted tests and minimum scores.

Can foreigners sit Spanish oposiciones?

Nationals of EU member states can apply for most civil service posts on the same terms as Spaniards, except posts involving the exercise of public authority. Other requirements are set out in each call.