Find out everything about Enem 2026, what the test is like, correction criteria, use of grades and other questions

The countdown to Enem 2026 has begun, one of the main gateways to higher education in Brazil. Initially created to evaluate students' performance at the end of basic education, the exam gained new functions over the years. Knowing its structure is one of the first steps towards efficient preparation.

With their Enem grades, candidates can compete for places in public institutions through Sisu, compete for scholarships through Prouni and request financing through Fies. The results are also accepted by Portuguese higher education institutions that have an agreement with Inep.

To help students, the report gathered answers to some of the main questions about Enem 2026, from the format of the tests to the different ways to use the scores.

WHEN WILL ENEM 2026 BE?

The tests will be administered on the 8th and 15th of November, on two consecutive Sundays.

On both days, the gates will open at 12pm and close at 1pm, Brasília time. The exam will begin at 1:30 pm.

WHAT SUBJECTS WILL BE COVERED IN THE ENEM?

Enem consists of four objective tests, divided by areas of knowledge, in addition to writing.

The areas evaluated are:

Human sciences and their technologies: history, geography, philosophy and sociology;Natural sciences and their technologies: biology, physics and chemistry;Mathematics and their technologies;Languages, codes and their technologies: Portuguese language, foreign language — English or Spanish —, literature, arts, physical education and information and communication technologies;Writing.HOW IS THE ENEM TEST MODEL?

The exam contains 180 multiple-choice questions, 45 for each of the four areas of knowledge, in addition to writing.

On the first Sunday, participants answer 90 language and human sciences questions and produce their essay.

On the second day, 90 mathematics and natural science questions are applied.

HOW LONG IS THE TESTING?

On the first Sunday, November 8, participants will have five hours and 30 minutes to complete the questions and essay.

On the second day, on November 15, the duration will be five hours. Considering only the objective questions, the candidate will have, on average, just over three minutes to answer each item.

HOW IS THE ENEM GRADE CALCULATED?

Objective questions are corrected using Item Response Theory, known by the acronym TRI. The method not only considers the total number of correct answers, but also the degree of difficulty of the questions and the coherence of the participant's performance.

Therefore, two candidates who answer the same number of questions correctly may receive different grades. A student who answers easy and medium questions correctly, but gets the more difficult ones wrong, tends to present a more coherent pattern than one who gets difficult items right and gets several things considered simple wrong.

The system seeks to identify the consistency of answers and reduce the impact of random hits, popularly called “guesses”.

WHAT IS TRI?

Item Response Theory is the methodology used to calculate objective test scores. The model evaluates characteristics of each question, such as level of difficulty, power of differentiation between participants and possibility of a random answer.

Therefore, the score does not directly correspond to the number of correct answers.

WHAT SKILLS ARE EVALUATED IN WRITING?

The essay is corrected based on five skills. Each one is worth up to 200 points, which allows the candidate to reach a maximum score of one thousand points.

The skills assessed are:

Demonstrate mastery of the formal written form of the Portuguese language;Understand the proposal and develop the theme within the structure of a dissertation-argumentative text;Select, relate, organize and interpret information, facts, opinions and arguments in defense of a point of view;Demonstrate knowledge of the linguistic mechanisms necessary to construct the argument;Prepare an intervention proposal for the problem presented, respecting human rights.HOW IS THE WRITING CORRECTION MADE?

After being digitized, the essay is analyzed independently by two evaluators.

Each broker assigns between zero and 200 points for each of the five skills. The participant's initial score corresponds to the arithmetic mean of the total scores given by the two evaluators.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS A DIVERGENCE BETWEEN NOTES?

When the difference between the total scores of the two correctors exceeds 100 points or when the divergence in one of the skills is greater than 80 points, the essay is forwarded to a third evaluator.

The final grade will be the average of the two closest total scores. If the divergence continues, the text will be analyzed by a panel made up of three evaluators, who will define the final score.

In 2025, only ten participants achieved the maximum grade in the essay. It was the second consecutive edition with a historically low number of texts evaluated with a thousand points. In 2024, 12 candidates achieved the maximum score.

HOW DOES SPECIALIZED SERVICE WORK IN ENEM 2026?

In 2026, Enem expanded access to specialized care. Among the participants included are people with fibromyalgia and mental disorders, such as anxiety disorders, ADHD and OCD.

Depending on the condition reported and the documentation presented, the candidate may request accessibility resources provided by Inep.

The presence of a guide dog or emotional support dog is also permitted, as long as the service has been requested and approved. The participant must bring their own materials necessary for the care and stay of the animal.

Candidates who were already entitled to specialized care continue to be covered. The group includes, among others, people with physical, visual, hearing or intellectual disabilities, deaf, deafblind, people with dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, diabetes, pregnant women, lac