The Paraguayan Government Scholarship Programme will administer the Basic Skills Test (BST) 2026 on 31 January. The test encompasses basic maths and Spanish-language skills. Information on schedules and daytime shifts will be advertised in the coming days. Exactly 18 locations will be available for test takers to sit the exam. The number for 2026 exceeds 2025 as two more locations were chosen for this year. The increase in venues seeks to facilitate access and improve evaluation conditions for applicants.
According to official data, over 18,000 students are eligible to take the Basic Skills Test. This is a key step in the selection process. The Guide to Terms and Conditions (Guía de Bases y Condiciones) states that absent individuals are immediately excluded from the academic competition.
Main evaluation centre
The Department of Engineering of the National University of Asunción (FIUNA) is the main evaluation centre. Headquarters are located in San Lorenzo, only 12 kilometres from the capital, which has the highest number of applicants. The Technological Innovation Centre (CITEC) in Luque will also authorise a test venue.
Basic Skills Test will be conducted in the departments of Concepción, San Pedro, Cordillera, Guairá, Caaguazú, Caazapá. Additionally, test will be realised in Itapúa, Misiones, Paraguarí, Alto Paraná, Amambay, Canindeyú, Presidente Hayes, Boquerón and Ñeembucú. The cities of San Estanislao in San Pedro and Curuguaty in Canindeyú are among the newest BST authorised locations.
Basic Skills Test requirements
Participants must be present on the date indicated on their application. Date changes will not be available. Previous versions of the Basic Skills Test can be viewed on the Paraguayan Government Scholarship Programme website for reference.
Applicants are only permitted to use calculators previously authorised by FIUNA. Devices with programming functions, equation solving, matrices, graphing, or integral and derivative calculation are strictly prohibited. Smartwatches, smart glasses, headphones, phones, and tablets will also be considered fraudulent. Approved calculator models can be reviewed in detail on the Paraguayan Government Scholarship Programme website.
The programme was established in 2024. Paraguay’s Basic Skills Test is available thanks to the collaboration of the Ministry of Education (MEC), the National Youth Secretariat (SNJ), ITAIPU, and the Binational Entity Yacyretá (EBY). The objective of the programme is to offer academic opportunities to the brightest minds in the country.
