THE pre-baccalaureate exams are taken in preparation for the baccalaureate exams, which allow students to seek admission to any university or institution of higher education in the European Union. The pre-baccalaureate normally takes place in December. It is important because the grades that students score in these exams are the ones that count in the baccalaureate exams, the final step, which will decide whether they can go to a university or not. The pre-baccalaureate and baccalaureate exams are marked in percentages out of 100. The pass level of these exams is set at 80 percent. Up to 5 percent of participants fail the baccalaureate exams each year.