Canary Islands PAU Business & Business Model Design (ULPGC / ULL)
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ExploreAbout this exam
Empresa y Diseño de Modelos de Negocio is one of the optional subjects in the Spanish university entrance exam (PAU/EBAU) as administered in the Canary Islands, offered through the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and the Universidad de La Laguna (ULL). Candidates take it to raise their university admission score, above all for degrees in business administration, economics, marketing, accounting and finance, tourism management, and engineering programmes with a management component. It is also chosen by students who simply want a rigorous introduction to how firms actually work. The syllabus moves from the nature of the firm and its stakeholders, through the Business Model Canvas and competitive strategy, into marketing, operations and productivity, financial appraisal and financing, human resources and organisational design, and finally entrepreneurship and legal forms. The exam is written and constructed-response in style: you will typically be asked to define and relate concepts, interpret short business situations, and solve quantitative exercises on break-even, productivity or investment appraisal, with some sessions including test-type items. Preparation works best in three passes: build the vocabulary and diagrams (Canvas blocks, Ansoff matrix, cost structures), then drill the numerical routines until they are automatic, then practise writing short, structured answers under time pressure using past papers from your regional university. This page is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with either university.
What you'll study
About Canary Islands PAU Business & Business Model Design (ULPGC / ULL) preparation
Who sets and administers the exam?
The PAU in the Canary Islands is coordinated by the ULPGC and the ULL under the regional education authority. They publish the current syllabus, exam structure and instructions for each session. Always download the official documents for your year rather than relying on older material, because the model can change between sittings.
How long is the exam and how many questions does it have?
The official bodies publish the current structure and timing for each session, so check the ULPGC and ULL PAU pages for the year you are sitting. Do not plan your timing from older papers: the number of questions and their weighting have been revised in the past, and the instructions on the cover of your paper are the ones that count.
What score do I need to pass, and does this subject count for my degree?
The passing threshold and the weighting each degree gives this subject are set officially and published each year. Weightings differ by degree and by university, so check the admission parameters for the specific programme you want before deciding whether to take it. Your secondary school's guidance department can confirm these figures.
Can I retake it, and how many times?
Retake rules are set by the regional PAU regulations and the official bodies publish the current conditions, including which sittings are available and how long results remain valid for admission. Confirm the rules for your cohort on the ULPGC or ULL PAU site before you plan a resit, since validity periods are not the same for every candidate.
How difficult is it compared with other optional subjects?
The conceptual load is moderate, but the exam rewards precision: definitions must be accurate, and numerical exercises must be shown step by step. Students who lose marks usually do so through vague wording or arithmetic slips, not through lack of knowledge. If you are comfortable with percentages, ratios and short structured writing, it is a manageable choice.
Do I need to memorise the Business Model Canvas?
Yes, in the sense that you must be able to name and explain its blocks and apply them to a real or described company. Expect to justify why a given block matters for a specific case, not just list the nine areas. Practise sketching the canvas for familiar local businesses such as a hotel, a banana exporter or a delivery app.
How should I organise my study over the year?
Work in three passes. First, learn the vocabulary and diagrams for each topic and make one-page summaries. Second, drill the calculations, especially break-even, productivity, ratios and investment appraisal, until you can do them without notes. Third, write full answers to past papers under timed conditions and have someone mark them against the official criteria.
Which topics cause the most lost marks?
Three recurring problems: confusing accounting and financial concepts, mixing up productivity and profitability, and answering case questions generically instead of using the data given. Another common error is ignoring the command word, for example explaining when asked to compare. Read the question twice and underline what is being demanded before writing.
What should I bring and how should I use the reading time?
Follow the instructions on your official exam call, which list permitted materials. In the first minutes, scan the whole paper, identify the quantitative questions and estimate how long each will take. Start with the questions you are most confident about, leave space to return to harder ones, and reserve a few minutes to check units and calculations.
Is this page an official source?
No. This is an independent study resource written for candidates preparing the subject. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the ULPGC, the ULL or the Canary Islands education authority. For anything binding, such as dates, structure, scoring or regulations, use the official university and government websites.