The Cuban Ministry of Higher Education (MES) defended on Wednesday that entrance exams remain "the best method" for organizing university admissions, just a day after announcing their temporary suspension for the 2026-2027 academic year due to an energy crisis crippling the nation.
René Sánchez Díaz, the Director of Admissions and Job Placement at the MES, held a press conference broadcast by Canal Caribe to clarify the new admission process. He acknowledged the contradiction between what the regime considers ideal and what the country's current situation allows.
"We continue to believe that entrance exams are the best method for organizing access to higher education. We have never questioned that, and we have no doubts about it. However, we are facing a very challenging situation," the official stated.
Sánchez Díaz explained that, given the inability to conduct the exams, the MES decided to rank applicants based on their pre-university grades, meaning their accumulated academic index, combined with the list of preferred majors each student has already submitted.
"The most appropriate, the most representative, and the fairest approach for students is to use their pre-university grades. Nothing is better than that. Ideally, this would be combined with entrance exams. But given the circumstances, this is the best option," he argued.
The official claimed that pre-university grades "reflect the student's trajectory," are "recognized" by the students themselves, and are "transparent since everyone is aware of their own grades."
Sánchez Díaz also assured that this year there are enough university spots for all those aspiring to pursue a degree: "Everyone who wants a university spot will have one, numerically speaking."
The Cuban government announced the exceptional suspension of entrance exams on Wednesday, a decision made alongside the early conclusion of the school year, as reported by Radio Angulo.
This decision marks a sudden shift: in March 2026, the MES had confirmed that exams would take place on June 5th (Mathematics), June 9th (Spanish), and June 12th (Cuban History).
The suspension is not an isolated event. In April, the IPVCE Federico Engels in Pinar del Río had already canceled its exams due to a fuel shortage, replacing them with a ranking system based on academic records, foreshadowing what would later be implemented nationwide.
The deterioration of the university admission system has been ongoing. In 2024, only 50.4% of the 21,942 applicants passed all three exams. In 2025, merely 51.5% of the 18,402 who took the tests—out of a total of 22,804 registered—managed to pass all subjects, with Mathematics consistently yielding the poorest results.
Since 2020, the MES has progressively eased access: that year, Sánchez Díaz himself stated that "passing the entrance exams is not essential to secure a spot," and in 2021 and 2022, degrees were awarded even to those who failed or did not sit the exams.
"There is no better way, if entrance exams are unavailable, to organize access to higher education than this," concluded the official, encapsulating the paradox of the Cuban educational system: defending as ideal what the regime's own crisis has rendered impractical.
Understanding Cuba's University Admission Challenges
Why were the university entrance exams in Cuba suspended?
The exams were suspended due to an energy crisis that has severely affected the country's ability to conduct them as planned.
How will students be admitted to universities without entrance exams?
Students will be ranked according to their pre-university grades and their submitted list of preferred majors.
Are there enough university spots for all applicants in Cuba?
Yes, the government assures that there are enough university spots for all students who wish to pursue higher education.