National Autonomous University of Mexico
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Mexico's national university: 371,594 students, a 120-question entrance exam and an annual fee of 20 centavos.
- Students
- 371,594
- 231,327 undergraduates
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1910
- QS World Ranking
- #145
- 2027 edition
About UNAM
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) was established in 1910 and is Mexico's largest university: in 2025-26 it had 371,594 students, including 231,327 at bachelor's (licenciatura) level, 33,193 postgraduates and 106,432 in its own high schools. Its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria in the south of Mexico City, is known for its mid-century architecture and murals, including the mosaic-covered Central Library.
Higher education is organised into 16 faculties, 10 multidisciplinary units and 5 national schools, offering 134 bachelor's degrees with 253 study options, alongside 36 research institutes and 14 centres. UNAM also runs national services such as the National Seismological Service, the National Astronomical Observatory and the National Library, and has sites in all 32 Mexican states and abroad.
UNAM charges no tuition, only an annual regulatory fee of 20 centavos plus an optional voluntary contribution. Entry is through a competitive selection exam of 120 questions or, for students from UNAM's own high schools, the pase reglamentado. Selected applicants must also have finished high school with an average of at least 7.0. It suits students who want a comprehensive public university with strong research and a large, politically engaged student community.
Por mi raza hablará el espíritu
“For my race, the spirit shall speak” — university motto
Why students choose UNAM
No tuition: UNAM asks only an annual regulatory fee of 20 centavos, plus a voluntary contribution of your choice.
134 bachelor's degrees with 253 study options across 16 faculties, 10 multidisciplinary units and 5 national schools.
Nobel laureates Mario Molina and Alfonso García Robles are graduates, as is President Claudia Sheinbaum.
340,937 students received scholarships or support in 2025-26.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (Concurso de Selección 2027; dates below are from the 2026 competition)
Selectivity
UNAM does not publish an overall admission rate on its admissions pages. Places are assigned by the number of correct answers (out of 120) relative to demand and capacity at each programme and campus, so required scores vary by degree and year. In the first weekend of the 2026 online exam, 55,840 applicants sat the test.
Typical entry requirements
| Mexican bachillerato | Completed with a minimum average of 7.0 and enough correct answers on the selection exam for the chosen degree and campus |
|---|---|
| Foreign upper-secondary qualification | Revalidation of the complete bachillerato by UNAM's Directorate General for Incorporation and Revalidation (DGIRE), minimum average equivalent to 7.0, plus the selection exam |
Deadlines
- Registration (Concurso de Selección 2026) Non-binding Passed3 February 2026, 16:00 Mexico City time
Registration opened 23 January 2026; exam fee payable until 5 February 2026.
- Online selection exam (2026) Non-binding Passed23 May to 10 June 2026
Each applicant is assigned a date and time; no changes allowed.
- Results (2026) Non-binding Passed17 July 2026
Selected applicants deliver documents 27-31 July 2026.
The call for 2027 entry has not been published; UNAM issues it in January, with the exam in May. A second call in September (exam in November) is only for the open and distance-learning system (SUAyED).
How to apply
Register online at dgae.unam.mx during the January call, pay the exam fee, attend any identification appointment, take the online practice test and then the selection exam on your assigned date. Results are published in July, and selected applicants submit their original bachillerato certificate. UNAM high-school students can enter by pase reglamentado.
What admissions looks for
- As many correct answers as possible out of 120 on the selection exam; the cut-off depends on demand and places at each campus.
- A completed bachillerato with an average of at least 7.0.
- For degrees with prerequisites or indirect entry, the extra requirements set in the study plan.
- Strict compliance with the call's procedures: missed appointments or irregularities cancel the application.
Tips for applying to UNAM
- 1 Download the official study guide included with your exam fee and use UNAM's practice tool (Pruéb@te) to prepare.
- 2 Check whether your degree has prerequisites or indirect entry; you can be excluded even after passing the exam.
- 3 If you studied abroad, start the DGIRE revalidation of your bachillerato early.
- 4 Ignore anyone offering 'guaranteed admission' or leaked questions: UNAM says these offers are false.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in MXN
UNAM does not charge tuition, requesting only an annual regulatory fee of 20 centavos and a voluntary contribution. It runs a large scholarship and support system: 340,937 students benefited from scholarships and support in 2025-26.
- MXN 0.20 (twenty centavos)
- Annual regulatory fee
- 340,937
- Students with scholarships or support, 2025-26
Academics
Chemical Engineering (Facultad de Química)
Mario Molina, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1995, took his BS in chemical engineering at UNAM.
Law (Facultad de Derecho)
Alma mater of Nobel Peace laureate Alfonso García Robles.
Civil Engineering (Facultad de Ingeniería)
Carlos Slim studied civil engineering at UNAM, where he also taught algebra.
Physics (Facultad de Ciencias)
Claudia Sheinbaum took her licenciatura in physics and later a PhD in energy engineering at UNAM.
Film (National School of Cinematographic Arts)
UNAM's film school, formerly the CUEC, where Alfonso Cuarón studied filmmaking.
Research
- 36 research institutes, 14 centres and 15 university programmes; 6,953 academics in Mexico's National System of Researchers (2026).
- Operates the National Seismological Service, the National Astronomical Observatory, the National Library and monitoring of the Popocatépetl volcano.
- 4,533 peer-reviewed articles in science journals in 2025, and 41 national laboratories.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Architecture
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Sciences
- Faculty of Philosophy and Letters
- Faculty of Chemistry
- Faculty of Economics
- Faculty of Political and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Psychology
- Faculty of Accounting and Administration
- National School of Cinematographic Arts
In 2025, 32,419 students completed bachelor's degrees and 28,896 received their licenciatura title.
Student life
Ciudad Universitaria, built in the 1950s in Coyoacán in the south of Mexico City, is almost a city of its own, with the Central Library, the Olympic University Stadium, a cultural centre, an ecological reserve and dozens of schools and institutes. UNAM organised 11,236 artistic and cultural events attended by about 2 million people in 2025, and runs 32 museums and 18 historic venues. The Pumas teams carry the university's name. UNAM also has large campuses elsewhere in the metropolitan area, such as Acatlán, Aragón, Cuautitlán, Iztacala and Zaragoza.
- 32 museums and 18 historic venues run by the university.
- 11,236 cultural and artistic events in 2025.
- 139 libraries holding more than 7.6 million printed volumes.
- Pumas sports teams, including a professional football club.
Location
Mexico City is one of the world's largest cities, with a high altitude, a busy cultural life and long commutes. Ciudad Universitaria is in the south of the city, connected by metro and Metrobús. UNAM also has campuses across the metropolitan area and regional hubs in states such as Guanajuato, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca, Querétaro and Yucatán.
Nearest airport: Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
Notable alumni
- MM Mario MolinaChemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1995 for work on ozone depletion; BS from UNAM
- AG Alfonso García RoblesDiplomat, Nobel Peace Prize 1982; law graduate
- CS Claudia SheinbaumPresident of Mexico; licenciatura, MS and PhD from UNAM
- CS Carlos SlimBusinessman, Telmex and América Móvil; engineering graduate
- AC Alfonso CuarónOscar-winning film director
- RC Rosario CastellanosPoet, novelist and diplomat; studied philosophy and letters
Frequently asked questions
How much does UNAM cost?
UNAM does not charge tuition. It asks for an annual regulatory fee of 20 centavos and a voluntary contribution of whatever amount you choose; you also pay the fee for the selection exam.
How do I get into UNAM?
Register for the Concurso de Selección in January, take the 120-question exam (online in 2026, between 23 May and 10 June) and check results in July. You need a completed bachillerato with at least a 7.0 average.
How many correct answers do you need for UNAM?
There is no fixed score. UNAM says the minimum depends each year on the number of applicants, demand and places at each campus, so aim for as many of the 120 questions as possible.
Can foreign students study at UNAM?
Yes. If you finished high school abroad, you must have your complete bachillerato revalidated by UNAM's DGIRE and take part in the selection process; in 2024, 5,190 foreign students came to UNAM sites through international mobility.
What is the pase reglamentado?
It is the direct entry route to UNAM bachelor's degrees for students from UNAM's own high schools, the Escuela Nacional Preparatoria and the Colegio de Ciencias y Humanidades.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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