O ENEM It remains one of the main ways to enter higher education in Brazil. However, in 2026, the exam underwent important changes that impact everything from registration to the use of scores in selection processes.
Among the new features are changes related to the participation of students from the public school system, new possibilities for using the score in undergraduate access programs, and adjustments that reinforce the role of the exam within the Brazilian educational system.
Given so many updates, it's natural for questions to arise: who needs to register? Has the exam format changed? Can previous scores still be used? What changes in the essay grading?
In this guide, you will understand the main changes to... ENEM 2026, How do they affect candidates, and what is important to know to prepare more confidently for the exam?.
Enjoy your reading!
The main change: ENEM integrated with Saeb.
The biggest news from ENEM 2026 It's not about the format of the exam, but about the role it comes to play within Brazilian education.
In addition to remaining one of the main ways to enter higher education, the exam will now also be used to assess the quality of basic education in the country. With its integration into the Saeb (Basic Education Assessment System), the results of graduating students from the public school system will contribute to the analysis of the performance of schools and state education networks.
In practice, the ENEM takes on a broader role.In addition to measuring the individual performance of candidates, it also helps to produce indicators that guide public policies and decisions related to education.
For those taking the exam, the main objective remains the same: to use the score to compete for places in universities, scholarship programs, and student loans. The difference is that the results now have greater relevance for educational institutions and for monitoring the quality of education in the country.
From 2027 onwards, the data generated may be considered in mechanisms for distributing resources allocated to basic education, further increasing the importance of the exam within the Brazilian educational system.
Automatic enrollment: who benefits and what still needs to be done
This is the most practical change for those who are in their 3rd year of public high school in 2026. The school systems send student data directly to INEP, which pre-registers these students for the exam, even if they do not access the Participant Page within the official deadline (May 25 to June 12).
But note: automatic registration no This means the action is waived. The student still needs to access the platform to:
• Confirm registration details and participation;
• Choose a foreign language (English or Spanish);
• Complete the Socioeconomic Questionnaire;
• Request specialized assistance, if necessary.
Exemption from the fee of R$85 is automatic For those in the public school system. Those who completed all of their high school education in a public school or a private school on a full scholarship and have a family income of up to 1.5 minimum wages per capita are also entitled to free tuition. The same applies to those enrolled in... CadÚnico and beneficiaries of Sock-and-Penny.
Official ENEM 2026 Calendar
The National Institute for Educational Studies and Research (Inep) published Notice No. 64 on May 22, 2026. The confirmed dates are listed below:
| Step | Date |
| Publication of the notice | May 22, 2026 |
| Registration period | May 25 to June 12, 2026 |
| Payment of the fee | Until June 17, 2026 |
| Application — Day 1 | November 8, 2026 |
| Application — Day 2 | November 15, 2026 |
| Answer key released | Until November 30, 2026 |
| Individual result (forecast) | January/February 2027 |
The registration fee is R$85 for those who are not eligible for exemption. Payment can be made via Pix, card, or at bank branches.
The evidence hasn't changed, and it's important to make that clear.
With so much noise about the institutional changes, a legitimate question arose: has the exam become more difficult or shorter? The answer from the MEC (Ministry of Education) and INEP (National Institute for Educational Studies and Research) is direct: the structure of the exam has not changed. The 2026 ENEM (National High School Exam) maintains the two days of testing, the... 180 multiple-choice questions distributed across the four areas of knowledge, and the argumentative essay.
What may change in the medium term is the format of some questions, with a gradual advancement of the testlet model, blocks of questions that share the same base text. This format is already used in the digital ENEM exam and requires continuous and strategic reading. However, for 2026, there is no official reduction in the number of items nor any change in the division by subject areas.
The structure of the areas is as follows:
• Day 1: Languages and Codes (45 questions), Human Sciences (45 questions) and Essay Writing;
• Day 2: Natural Sciences (45 questions) and Mathematics (45 questions).
Writing: what became more rigorous
The essay structure hasn't changed: there are still five competencies, each worth up to 200 points, totaling 1,000 points. What has changed is the practical interpretation of these competencies by the examiners, based on the guidelines published in the 2026 exam announcement.
The point of greatest concern is the so-called "pocket repertoire"—those ready-made phrases and memorized quotes that circulate in preparatory courses. Examples such as "as Rousseau would say, man is good by nature" used without a real connection to the argument do not contribute to Competency 2 (application of repertoire) and may even weaken Competency 3 (selection and organization of information).
Competency 5, which evaluates the proposed intervention, now requires even greater clarity regarding who will execute it, how, and with what expected results. Generic interventions such as "the government should invest in education" rarely achieve high scores.
In short, the text needs to demonstrate intellectual autonomy: a point of view developed through original reasoning, not assembled from pre-prepared pieces.
SISU, Prouni and Fies: what changes in the use of the grade
One of the changes most favorable to the candidate is in SISU. Starting in 2026, the system began accepting scores from the last three editions of... ENEM2023, 2024 and 2025. This means that those who took the exam in previous years can use their best score to compete for places in federal universities without having to retake the test.
In practice: if you obtained an average score of 750 on the 2024 ENEM exam and 720 in 2025, SISU will automatically use your 2024 score to calculate your ranking in your chosen course. This rule applies to any combination of the three editions, as long as the candidate did not participate as a practice test taker.
Prouni and Fies remain under the previous rules: a minimum score of 450 points on the objective tests and a score above zero on the essay for Prouni; for Fies, 450 points are required in at least two areas of knowledge.
Who can participate and how to register?
The 2026 ENEM exam is open to anyone who has completed or is completing high school, regardless of age. There are three main profiles:
- Graduates from the public school system in 2026: Automatic registration and fee waiver, but participation must be confirmed on the Participant Page;
- Other candidates entitled to exemption: They completed all of their high school education in a public school, or are full scholarship recipients at a private school with a family income of up to 1.5 minimum wages per capita, or are registered in the CadÚnico (Single Registry for Social Programs).;
- Candidates without exemption: They pay R$85 and register normally through the gov.br portal, with a deadline of June 12th.
Registration requires registration on gov.br. You will need to provide your CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID), date of birth, information compatible with the Federal Revenue Service, email, phone number, postal code, and your high school status. If you require specialized assistance (separate room, additional time, Braille), the request must be made during registration with supporting documentation in PDF, PNG, or JPG format up to 2 MB.
Other new things worth knowing about
In addition to integration with Saeb and changes related to the use of scores, the 2026 ENEM also presents other new features that deserve the attention of candidates. See what they are and understand how they may influence your participation in the exam.
Trainers with clearer rules
The 2026 announcement clarified who qualifies as a "trainee": candidates under 18 years old on the first day of the exam who will complete high school after the 2026 school year. These participants can take the exam for self-assessment, but the score cannot be used for Sisu, Prouni, or Fies.
Possible application in Mercosur countries.
Inep is studying the application of the ENEM exam in Mercosur countries, such as Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. There is no confirmed schedule yet, but the measure would integrate the exam into the regional educational integration agenda.
High school certification is back.
The Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC) confirmed that the 2026 ENEM exam can be used to certify the completion of high school for people over 18 years old who did not finish their studies at the regular age. This reinstates a function that had been suspended in previous editions.
How to prepare for the ENEM 2026
With exams on November 8th and 15th, those who start studying now have just over five months ahead of them. This time is sufficient for those who set priorities.
The most effective preparation combines four fronts:
- Reading and text interpretation: ENEM tests comprehension, not memorization. Regularly reading newspapers, articles, and literary texts already improves performance in Language and essay writing;
- Solutions to previous exams: The ENEM reference matrices change little. Questions from 2020 to 2025 accurately reflect the pattern of questions asked.;
- Essay writing with applied repertoire: Write at least two essays per week and ask a teacher for feedback. A vocabulary unrelated to the argument is detrimental in competency 2;
- Competency-based review: Organize your studies by the five competencies of each knowledge area, not by isolated subject.
Anyone thinking of using the ENEM exam to get into a quality college in São Paulo will find it at... ESEG College, From the Etapa Group, undergraduate courses are offered, including Law, Business Administration, Economics, Computer Engineering, Production Engineering, and Teacher Training degrees. Check out the options for... undergraduate courses at ESEG And see how your grade can open that door.
Frequently asked questions about the ENEM 2026
The 2026 ENEM exam integrates with SAEB and becomes a census-based exam for graduates of the public school system, with automatic registration. The exam maintained 180 multiple-choice questions and an essay covering the five competencies, but the essay grading criteria became more explicit regarding the use of relevant knowledge and the proposed intervention.
The registration period for the 2026 ENEM exam runs from May 25th to June 12th, 2026, through the Participant Page on the gov.br portal. The registration fee is R$$85 for those who are not eligible for exemption.
Students graduating from public high schools in 2026 are guaranteed automatic enrollment by INEP. Even so, they need to access the Participant Page to confirm their information, choose a foreign language, and complete the Socioeconomic Questionnaire.
Yes. SISU 2026 accepts scores from the last three editions of ENEM: 2023, 2024, and 2025. The system automatically considers the most favorable score for each course, provided the candidate did not participate as a practice test taker.
The ENEM 2026 exams will be administered on November 8th and 15th, 2026. The answer key will be released by November 30th, and individual results are expected in January or February 2027.
ENEM 2026 is more than just a test; it's a map that defines which doors will open the following year. Understanding the changes is the first step to using them to your advantage. If you already know you want a quality education in São Paulo, the ESEG Blog There's more content about careers, college entrance exams, and everything involved in the path to graduation. And when the time comes to choose a course, the ESEG College It's ready to welcome you.
