FAQs

• What is the School’s minimum entrance mark?

The School does not set a minimum entrance mark. Available places are assigned to candidates who have applied for them from the top mark down. The minimum mark will be that of the last person on the list of successful candidates.

Therefore, the minimum mark will not be known until it is known how many people have applied to enter the School, and their marks in the university entrance examination. If there are a lot of applications one year, the minimum mark will probably be pushed up, whilst if there are fewer applications, the minimum mark will probably go down.

The minimum marks in past years may serve as a guideline, but there is no guarantee that it will be the same the following year. The best way of securing a place at the FIB is to work hard now on your schoolwork and get a good mark.

• Do I need to know a lot about informatics before starting the course?

No. You will not be expected to know anything about informatics in the first year. We will teach you about informatics from scratch in the set course subjects.

Any prior knowledge you may have about informatics will obviously be welcome. You will save yourself time if you have a basic knowledge about how PCs work, and if you know how to use a word processor and an Internet browser. However, we do not expect you to know anything about programming or digital circuits.

• Do I need to know English? Are any of the subjects on the course taught in English?

You do not need English in the first year. In the second year, you will gradually be expected to read technical language in English, mainly technical books and manuals. In theory, you do not have to know how to speak English to pass the course, but it will be essential in your working life.

None of the subjects on the FIB’s curricula are taught in English. However, you can opt to take one of the two free-elective subjects taught at the School on technical English (Spoken English for Technical Professions and Written Communication in English for Informatics Professionals.

The UPC also has agreements with external schools that offer English courses at special prices.