Chile PAES exam adaptations

The Technical Access Committee extended the registration deadline for the 2026 PAES university entrance exam after a severe climate emergency disrupted classes in the Atacama, Coquimbo and Valparaíso regions, giving applicants until 27 July to complete registration, select venues and download identification cards.

In late July, the Rancagua municipality officially launched a school‑enrollment campaign at Colegio España, promoting the city’s 36 municipal schools and outlining efforts to improve attendance and learning outcomes ahead of the Ministry of Education’s school admission system that opens on 4 August. The same period saw a strong response in the Valparaíso Region, where 30,378 students—10.1 % of the national total—registered for the PAES Regular 2026 exam.

Continuing its support for applicants, the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile’s Villarrica campus, in partnership with Cpech, offered free PAES practice exams on 1 August, providing both in‑person and online sessions for reading and mathematics competencies and hosting a vocational‑guidance fair for students and parents.