The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México will require accepted applicants to take a presencial control exam to confirm their admission for the upcoming year.
This measure follows the detection of significant irregularities in the admission process. The university is attempting to ensure the integrity of its enrollment system after a statistical anomaly suggested widespread cheating or systemic errors.
University officials noted a sharp increase in the number of students achieving perfect scores. According to the UNAM Evaluation Commission, 16.3% [2] of applicants obtained a perfect score in the recent cycle, compared to 3.5% [2] in previous processes.
"Detectamos irregularidades en el proceso de admisión y, por ello, aplicaremos un examen de control presencial para confirmar los lugares de ingreso," said Leonardo Lomelí Vanegas, rector of UNAM [1].
The control exam is not mandatory for every student who applied. It will be administered to those who were already selected for admission, and those who were rejected but still met the historic minimum score for their specific career, campus, and modality [1].
"El examen de control será presencial y se aplicará a los aspirantes que ya cuentan con cupo y a quienes alcanzaron el puntaje mínimo histórico de su carrera," said a spokesperson for the Secretariat of Higher Education (SES) [3].
The decision was announced July 31, 2026 [1]. The university intends to administer these in-person tests across its various campuses before the 2026-2027 academic year officially starts [1].
By moving the verification process to a physical setting, the university aims to eliminate the possibility of remote assistance or digital fraud that may have contributed to the inflated scores. The results of this control exam will ultimately define the final admission spots [1].
“16.3% of applicants obtained a perfect score, a figure that widely exceeds the 3.5% recorded in previous processes.”
The move by UNAM signals a crisis of confidence in digital or remote testing modalities. By requiring a physical re-test for both accepted and high-scoring rejected students, the institution is prioritizing academic merit over administrative efficiency to prevent a potential influx of unqualified students who may have cheated their way into the system.
