Since 2024, History of Philosophy is once again a core subject in high school and university entrance exams. You're probably preparing for the 2026 university entrance exams. We'll tell you what the exam is like and give you some tips to prepare for it in the best way. Don't miss it!
What will the 2026 PAU Philosophy exam be like?
New from 2026 onwards, the Philosophy exam will present two texts, from one of the philosophers on the syllabus.
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- Plato.
- Aristotle.
- San Agustín
- St Thomas
- Discards.
- Hume.
- Lace
- Rousseau
- Marx.
- Nietzsche.
- Ortega y Gasset.
- Hannah Arendt.
You will have to Choose one of the two texts, and answer 4 questions about it., each of them with a maximum score of 2,5 pointsThese questions will relate to identifying the author's thesis, and concepts such as ethics, morality, or politics.
The correction criteria place special emphasis on the importance of using precise vocabulary.
General format
- Duration: 90 minutes.
- Amount: 10 points.
- Structure: 4 questions, 2,5 points each.
How to respond
- Duration: 90 minutes.
- Amount: 10 points.
- Structure: 4 questions, 2,5 points each.
Exact structure of the exam
Question 1: about the chosen text. It has two parts:
- Identify and explain the main thesis of the text.
- To put into dialogue the issue of the text with another author or philosophical movement, from the same or another era, through a short explanatory text.
Question 2You choose one of two issues of ancient or medieval times:
- The problem of human being.
- The problem of society and/or politics. (For example)
Question 3You choose one of two issues of modern era:
- The problem of reality and/or knowledge.
- The problem of ethics and/or morality. (For example)
Question 4You choose one of two issues of Contemporary age:
- The problem of ethics and/or morality.
- The problem of God (for example).
How do they correct
In question 1, it is valued:
- Identify the thesis of the text: up to 1 point;
- Analyze it critically from the perspective of another author or school of thought: up to 1 point;
- Use precise vocabulary: up to 0,5 points.
In the questions 2, 3 and 4, it is valued above all the correct exposition of the philosophical problem chosen from the corresponding author or movement (up to 2 points) And the use of precise vocabulary (up to 0,5 points).
5 tips to obtain the best results in the Philosophy exam
If you want to go for a 10 in the 2026 PAU History of Philosophy exam, don't miss our tips:
- Read a lot exam models so that you become familiar with the type of exercises that they can give us.
- Create your own notes. Divide them by eras, and in each era summarize the most important authors. For these notes, use all the sources you have available: class notes, books, PowerPoint presentations, external resources. Remember that the essential thing is that you completely understand the author and, for this, all help is little.
- When you summarize each author, divide their theory into problems to make it easier to study: human being, god, knowledge, ethics, politics (world or society).
- One of the most difficult points of the exam is the text commentary. So that you go with confidence, make sure you read and analyze enough texts by each author. It is recommended that you can read solved models of comments too.
- Don't forget to check all the exam models solved by our teachers that you can find in our YouTube channelIt will help you a lot if you try it yourself, timing yourself and then comparing your answers with the teachers'. And you, what grade would you give yourself?
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In addition to following these tips, it is also important that you avoid making the most common mistakes in philosophy exams. You can see them in the article they have written on our collaborator's page, Bravosol Academy, in which they tell you the 4 most common mistakes to avoid in the Selectividad exams, both PAU and PCE UNEDasiss.
Do not doubt Contact us through our official channels or social media. If you still have questions or need help preparing for your philosophy exam, whether for the university entrance exam (PAU) or the PCE, you can also fill out the form in this post and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. That's all for now, Vivers. We hope we've helped. Good luck!
33 comments on “Philosophy PAU Madrid 2026 | What the exam will be like and 5 tips”
Hello, so they've replaced Habermas with Hanna, but can her theory still be included in the essay questions, especially regarding the ethics of a contemporary author?
Hello, Pepe:
Considering that the philosophical landscape is very broad, but the commentary focuses on specific authors, it is possible to allude to an author like Habermas or any other author who is not included in the text commentary in a short question.
A greeting.
Hello. Do you know if Ortega y Gasset is included in the text comment section?
Hello, Mario:
Yes, Ortega y Gasset can be included as a text comment.
A greeting.
In the first question of this year's Pau model, they give you the choice between medieval and ancient. Is there a possibility that they don't give you the choice and just put medieval?
Hi marcos:
Although we don't know for sure, it would be logical for the question to follow the same structure as the model since it has never been asked exactly that way.
A greeting.
Hello, should we include an introduction in the philosophers' development questions?
Hello, Olivia:
Our recommendation is that you always include a brief introduction. This introduction should include the name of the author of the text, the period it dates from, and some simple information. An example might be the following:
"This text belongs to Aristotle, a philosopher of the Ancient Age, disciple of Plato."
Good luck on your exams and best regards.
A QUESTION.
In the model, in question 2, you're given the choice between the ancient period and the medieval period. Do you know if this will also be the case in the University Entrance Exams (PAU), or if the choice of periods can be between two other periods?
Thank you very much.
Hi Javier:
In the exam, the choice will be between two eras from all those included in the syllabus, not necessarily the same ones as the model.
A greeting.