Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Fuentes Medina, head of selection at the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in Matanzas, emphasized this week that young individuals entering as "own cadets" into the universities of that institution are exempt from taking the entrance exams required for other higher education applicants in Cuba. This statement was made during an interview with TV Yumurí aired last Thursday.
The officer stated, "Own cadets studying at the military educational centers of the Ministry of the Interior and the Armed Forces do not take preparatory exams, meaning they are not subjected to assessments in mathematics, Spanish, and history."
Instead of traditional entrance exams, MININT implements its own selective process, involving psychometric tests and evaluations of physical and mental aptitude, while also requiring a minimum academic average of 85 points or higher for military-oriented careers.
Accessible Pathway for Young Aspirants
Fuentes Medina described this selection process as approachable, saying, "A young person who is open-minded and constantly studying finds it manageable to pass the battery of tests we apply. Those who become own cadets do not face this hurdle, making it a favorable option for them."
The opportunity to become own cadets is available to students who complete the twelfth grade in pre-university institutes or the fourth year in polytechnic institutes in the province of Matanzas.
MININT's Higher Education Structure
The official elaborated that the Higher Institute of MININT, based in Havana, is divided into three faculties: the Technical Faculty, which offers courses in cryptology and operational informatics; the Law Faculty—described as the largest—covering criminal investigation, criminalistics, penal instruction, public security, and a bachelor's degree in social sciences for political-ideological work; and a third faculty focusing on DTI and counterintelligence.
All cadets undergo a month of preliminary military training before commencing their studies.
Alternative Educational Routes
MININT also utilizes another educational pathway, allocating spots granted by the Ministry of Higher Education in civilian universities—such as the University of Matanzas or CUJAE—for specialties not taught in its own institutes. Students following this route must take entrance exams and score at least 60 points in each subject: Mathematics, Spanish, and Cuban History.
Additionally, MININT offers basic and intermediate courses in a semi-presential format for young adults aged 18 to 35 with at least a ninth-grade education, in fields such as criminal investigation, DTI, counterintelligence, penal instruction, criminalistics, canine techniques, and law enforcement.
This announcement comes just before the entrance exams for higher education for the 2026-2027 academic year, scheduled for June 5 (Mathematics), June 9 (Spanish), and June 12 (Cuban History), with 96,305 university seats available nationwide.
The backdrop is telling: only 46.4% of applicants passed the entrance exams in the previous year, highlighting the severe educational crisis in Cuba after decades of decline under the dictatorship. In this context, the MININT pathway—without exams for its own cadets—emerges as a privileged route to university education, albeit one leading directly into the regime’s repressive structures.
Understanding MININT's University Admissions
What are the entrance requirements for MININT universities?
MININT universities require prospective cadets to undergo a selective process including psychometric testing and evaluations of physical and mental fitness, in addition to maintaining an academic average of at least 85 points for military-related programs.
How does MININT's educational pathway differ from civilian universities in Cuba?
Unlike civilian universities, which require entrance exams in subjects like Mathematics, Spanish, and Cuban History, MININT's pathway for own cadets bypasses these exams, offering a more direct route into military and security-focused education.