--- title: Competence Domains url: "https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/" date: 2025-10-31 modified: 2026-01-09 lastUpdated: 2026-01-09 --- # Competence Domains Performance tests in the PISA study follow the concept of **literacy**, which refers to **functional basic education**. In the context of PISA, the term ‘functional’ comprises two aspects: On the one hand, functional basic literacy enables students to apply knowledge and skills which they have acquired to their current situation in life. On the other hand, it ensures social and cultural participation in their post-school life and forms the basis for lifelong learning. Both aspects are particularly important when measuring educational outcomes towards the end of mandatory schooling. In the domains examined, PISA assesses the knowledge and skills which form **prerequisites for continued learning** in the respective area. It also examines the extent to which, at the time of testing, young people had acquired skills both in and outside of school in order to become **literate** in the areas examined. An overview of PISA domains ----------------------------- [ ![Pictogram symbolising reading literacy. A person reading a book.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/BW4_ntBtKSRBxhryjI0lZ360Tamo8kwDFU_62o_2gpA/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9MZXNlbl9icmVpdF84ZmNkYmI2MGZh:t/cb:74d81c3ddb2e9cac9f42319b471c6becd2df17d9/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX0xlc2VuX2JyZWl0LnBuZw) ### Reading Literacy ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencies/readingcompetence/) [ ![Pictogram symbolising mathematical literacy. A person is looking at a blackboard with sine curves and an equation.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/haY1XtBrfRraFVcszhyfuyMadX99CgGsG9Kn9ksrZaw/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9NYXRoZV9icmVpdF9hNzc4NzdhZGEw:t/cb:eba72ef3c9b1a9d7851b8285b1395ccbf19d53dc/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX01hdGhlX2JyZWl0LnBuZw) ### Mathematical Literacy ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/mathematical-literacy/) [ ![Pictogram symbolising scientific competence. A person looking into a microscope.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/KLj3NkksmKxSzGPRXNuZ5ENZHcPsYPii5OgH17XkJEg/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9OYVdpX2JyZWl0X2IxYzBhYWFjYjU:t/cb:19111b68f6cb3744588bc402740406e38eb08822/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX05hV2lfYnJlaXQucG5n) ### Scientific Literacy ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/science-literacy/) [ ![Pictogram symbolising learning in the digital world. A person is looking at a tablet computer with binary code.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/hOEgp_aLbXJuXU2v7Nha-xiMSGrMscp_r8v4fo8IF7E/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9MRFdfYnJlaXRfNmFhZWZkYjg0Ng:t/cb:ee5682b1e86f1e33e00d901961f78103339dca37/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX0xEV19icmVpdC5wbmc) ### Learning in the Digital World ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/learning-in-a-digital-world/) [ ![Pictogram symbolising foreign language proficiency. A person appears to be talking to others. The speech bubble of the person speaking contains the word ‘Hello’, another speech bubble contains a seemingly incomprehensible word.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/pa1bon-NYR9e8icD7MWHhqVMmbUfzabQx-SqW-ZUF6A/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9TcHJhY2hlbl9icmVpdF8zMWIwMDFiMzJh:t/cb:4c8b56b6ae19f880cf3e6a739a64f7f6fb3ba185/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX1NwcmFjaGVuX2JyZWl0LnBuZw) ### Foreign Language Proficiency ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/foreign-language-literacy/) [ ![Pictogram symbolising creative thinking. Above a person's head is a pen and a circle with rays, suggesting a new idea.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/GAMcpRWIm4fTMlwTpm3m0JAp_ZnxIOxNBCfJEWJ5d1E/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9LcmVhX2JyZWl0XzViNzdkYzk0ZTA:t/cb:c8cd6077e1b70b6b20a4035731f1b6e24990fc13/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX0tyZWFfYnJlaXQucG5n) ### Creative Thinking ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/creative-thinking/) [ ![Pictogram symbolising global competence. A person wearing glasses is looking at a globe.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/qy5h5ObYxKIrWwMYXVkKD5dJjY5GSmD3kNxP4-a_WyE/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9HbG9iYWxfQ29tcGV0ZW5jZV9icmVpdF8zOTY5YTUzM2U1:t/cb:9f0fcb5fd722b6a8ad063c9b7a9d2b7f8931c0a1/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX0dsb2JhbF9Db21wZXRlbmNlX2JyZWl0LnBuZw) ### Global Competence ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/global-competence/#c4915) [ ![Pictogram symbolising collaborative problem-solving skills. Speech bubbles can be seen between two people. A glowing light bulb indicates the solution to a problem.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/02isHUUzyKYxXO_WN7w85bzKh6qb7AfMrYn2GnauPzE/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9Lb2xsYWJvcmF0aXZlc19Qcm9ibGVtbG9lc2VuX2JyZWl0X2QyYTBmNTY1YWI:t/cb:74874e0fdd0dd35f5c4d7a3e3be7691fcb6a2020/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX0tvbGxhYm9yYXRpdmVzX1Byb2JsZW1sb2VzZW5fYnJlaXQucG5n) ### Collaborative Problem Solving ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/collaborative-problem-solving/#c4918) [ ![Pictogram symbolising complex problem-solving skills. A person is looking at a grid cube.](https://www.zib.education/_assets/processed/wsU0Y4q7pXZJWKOzRFVITeuGJwb8NAazuZX8bs6BJOc/q:85/c:728.99999999999:449.99999999999:fp:0.5:0.5/rt:force/w:325/h:201/fn:Y3NtX1BJU0FfSWNvbl9Lb21wbGV4ZXNfUHJvYmxlbWxvZXNlbl9icmVpdF85YzU5ZTMzNDEw:t/cb:807ffb331cfd527bfcf86e1a6a47bf1cbec3501d/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi9CaWxkZXIvS29tcGV0ZW56ZW4vUElTQV9JY29uX0tvbXBsZXhlc19Qcm9ibGVtbG9lc2VuX2JyZWl0LnBuZw) ### Complex Problem Solving ](https://www.zib.education/en/pisa/competencedomains/complex-problem-solving/#c4921)