UPCAT

OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES: HONOR AND EXCELLENCE

The University of the Philippines (UP) as the National University is mandated to perform its unique and distinctive leadership in knowledge creation and public service. The UP is a vast System of 8 Constituent Universities located in 17 campuses, and UP students are from all regions of the country. They stand shoulder to shoulder to create a community of varied ideas, experiences and cultures. This is Tatak UP – a celebration of both diversity and unity.

  • UP Baguio in the mountain province of Benguet is a leading institution in the Northern Philippines in the areas of science, mathematics, social sciences, and the humanities. It is internationally noted for its Cordillera Studies program.

  • UP Cebu is the 8th constituent university and is located in Cebu City, a significant center of commerce and education in the Central Visayas. It offers 10 undergraduate programs under 4 colleges with a strong focus on its information technology and business programs.

  • UP Diliman in Quezon City with its sprawling campus provides an eclectic and dynamic learning atmosphere with around 1,500 faculty and close to 24,000 students. There are 70 undergraduate programs, 7 Associate in Arts, 7 minor programs, 1 undergraduate diploma, 1 Juris Doctor, 1 BA-MA Honors, and 178 graduate degree programs across 26 colleges, centers & institutes, among which are 26 CHED Centers of Excellence.

  • UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga located at the Clark Special Economic Zone offers three undergraduate programs with a focus on business and industry, and provides research opportunities on the development of indigenous people in Clark and Subic.

  • UP Los Baños at the foot of Mt. Makiling is the country's recognized leader in agriculture, forestry and environmental management. It has 9 CHED Centers of Excellence: agricultural engineering, agriculture, biology, forestry, information technology, environmental science, statistics, veterinary medicine, and development communication.

  • UP Manila in the Ermita District is the premier institution for the health sciences with extension campuses of its School of Health Sciences established in Luzon (Baler, Aurora and Tarlac), Visayas (Palo, Leyte), and Mindanao (Koronadal, South Cotabato). It offers 18 undergraduate programs through its 9 degree-granting units.

  • UP Visayas, with beautiful campuses in Iloilo City, Iloilo; Miag-ao, Iloilo; and Tacloban, Leyte, is the acknowledged authority in marine science education and research, fisheries, and aquaculture in the country.

  • UP Mindanao in Davao City has 10 undergraduate programs offered by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Science and Mathematics, and the School of Management, providing affordable quality education to diverse, marginalized and deserving sectors in the Southern Philippines.

  • UP Open University is the nation's most comprehensive distance education institution with online degree programs at the baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral levels, plus certificate and diploma programs, and continuing education courses. At the undergraduate level, it offers an Associate in Arts degree (AA), pioneering Bachelor's degrees in Multimedia Studies (BAMS) and in Education Studies (BES) using online teaching technologies.

In line with the guiding spirit of ONE UNIVERSITY ONE UP and the university's commitment to high standards of academic excellence, qualification in undergraduate degree programs in UP is highly competitive. UP as the National University also takes affirmative steps in its admission process to enhance the access of disadvantaged students to high quality education. Tuition is free in UP pursuant to the provisions of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017.

UPCAT2024 will be administered nationwide on June 3 & 4, 2023.

ADMISSION INTO THE UNIVERSITY

A. Through the UP College of Admission Test (UPCAT) - CHOICE OF CAMPUS AND DEGREE PROGRAM

You are eligible to apply for first-year admission to UP through the UPCAT for SY 2024-2025 if:
  • You are a senior high school student expecting to graduate in 2024 in time for the opening of SY 2024-2025, OR you are a senior high school graduate from 2023 or earlier provided you have not taken any college courses before the opening of SY 2024-2025; AND
  • You have final grades in Grades 8 to 11 by end of SY 2022-2023; AND
  • You have not completed your application in UPCA 2021, UPCA 2022 and UPCA 2023 nor taken the UPCAT before.

The UPCAT consists of 4 subtests: Language Proficiency (in English and Filipino), Reading Comprehension (in English and Filipino), Science, and Mathematics. Standardized UPCAT scores are combined with the composite of final grades in Grades 8 to 11 to determine the admission score ("UPG"). To implement the policy of democratic access, UP also considers socioeconomic and geographic factors in its admission process. (https://upcat.up.edu.ph)

SELECTION for a Campus

Admission into UP is very selective due to high demand. Applicants come from very diverse backgrounds but they are all ranked based on indicators of academic preparedness for university life.

  • Selection for admission to a campus is based on the applicant's rank, campus quota and/or cut-off grade.
  • A successful applicant can receive an offer of admission to only one of the applicant's UP campus choices.
SELECTION for a Degree Program

The successful applicants for a given campus are ranked according to grade predictors and quotas of their chosen degree programs. Some degree programs are more competitive due to high demand.

  • Applicants should choose only degree programs they are interested in. If an applicant is not successful for his/her first choice of campus, the process continues in order of priority of the remaining choices.
APPLICATIONS

All forms for UPCAT shall be submitted online (except for certain regional areas). Applicants shall electronically accomplish Form 1 (Personal Data Sheet) in March 2023 and Form 2B (High School Record) in September 2023, and upload their photo and electronic signature. Some questions in Form 1 will be used for research and have no bearing in the evaluation for admission. However, we encourage applicants to fill out information as completely as they can to enable the University to conduct better analyses of data. High Schools shall be requested to (i) log on to the School Profile link in March 2023 to accomplish Form 2A (High School Profile) to inform and/or update the university on the most recent school information relevant to the application, and (ii) submit to UP in September 2023 a certified copy of the applicant's Student Permanent Record/Form137/SF10, signed by the authorized school representative and enclosed in a sealed envelope with a wet signature of such representative on the flap.

APPEALS

In the event you are not admitted into the degree program and/or UP campus of your choice, the UPCAT portal will provide you with access to the DIWA Portal which indicates degree programs with available slots and/or UP campuses for which you are eligible to apply. This portal, which is also managed by the UP Office of Admissions, makes use of the same email address and password that you used for submitting your UPCAT application. In order for UP to process your appeal, we will require you to indicate two (2) degree programs and/or a UP campus through such portal. In case your appeal is successful, you will be required by this portal to state whether you are accepting or declining the slot within a specified deadline, and if applicable to you, your assigned learner reference number (LRN).

  • Some campuses may not be open to appeals.
  • Each campus may have additional criteria in processing appeals.

B. THE ISKOLAR NG BAYAN PROGRAM

If you are a Filipino public high school graduate in the Top Ten of your graduating class, you may apply for the Iskolar ng Bayan Law of 2014 (INB) program. You must obtain a UPG better than or equal to the designated minimum for an applicant to qualify for the UP campus where you will file an INB application which must be in the same region as your high school (except for UP Open University). You must also comply with all the requirements of the degree program you have indicated in your INB application form offered by such UP campus. In order to guide your choice of degree program, the relevant UP campus will provide a list of priority programs.

  • Application forms for the INB program may be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) or Office of Scholarships and Grants (OSG) of the campus you wish to enroll in.
  • There are limited slots per campus for the Iskolar ng Bayan Program.

C. INTERNATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Foreign OR Filipino applicants who have graduated or are graduating from a secondary school abroad (i.e., international applicant) and have not enrolled in college before SY 2024-2025 may be admitted as first year students by automatic admission, provided they meet other admission requirements, including qualifications for college admission by national or international foreign-administered examinations. For details, please see the information below and visit https://upcat.up.edu.ph.

D. TRANSFER ADMISSIONS (NOT FOR FIRST YEAR APPLICANTS)

Students from other universities may apply for transfer to a UP campus after earning 33 academic units in another school with a weighted average of 2.00 or better on the UP marking system. Information regarding transfer procedures to UP may be obtained from the Office of the University Registrar of the respective UP campuses.

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION FOR SY 2024-2025

I. MINIMUM APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Senior high school student expecting to graduate before SY 2024-2025 from a DepEd-accredited high school or an accredited secondary school abroad; OR
  2. Graduate of a DepEd-accredited high school or accredited secondary school abroad; AND
  3. Must have final grades for Grade 8, 9, 10 and Grade 11;
  4. Must not have taken any college subject/s prior to the opening of SY 2024-2025;
  5. Must not have taken the UP College Admission Test in the AY 2020-2021 intake or earlier; AND
  6. Must not have applied and completed the UP College Application for the AY 2021-2022 (UPCA 2021), AY 2022-2023 (UPCA 2022), or the AY 2023-2024 (UPCA 2023) intake.
DATES TO REMEMBER
START OF ONLINE APPLICATION PERIOD 8 March 2023
DEADLINE FOR FILING OF APPLICATIONS: 15 April 2023

II. CHECKLIST OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please be mindful of the following steps in filing your application. Upon completing Form 1 in the Online Portal and clicking on 'Submit Form 1', a request will be sent to your high school to verify your enrollment. After SY 2022-2023, when all final grades in Grades 8 to 11 are available, your school will be requested to provide you with a copy of your school record either in digital or hardcopy. You are encouraged to follow up this request to expedite your application. Upon receipt, use this document as reference in filling out Form 2B in the same portal. A certified true copy of your grades placed inside a sealed envelope authenticated with a wet signature of an authorized school official on the flap should also be provided to UP by your high school.

CATEGORY OF APPLICANT   REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
All applicants   Fully accomplished Forms:
Form 1 Personal Data Sheet (filled out by the applicant in March-April 2023)
Form 2A (filled out by high school in March-April 2023)
Form 2B High School Record (filled out by applicant in September 2023 provided the applicant took the UPCAT)
A certified true copy of the Permanent Secondary School Record (F137/SF10) signed in wet signature of the authorized school personnel (sealed in an envelope with wet signature on the flap) should be submitted to the UP Office of Admissions.
IF High school graduate High school diploma
IF Graduating in 2024 from a local HS DepEd Certificate of Recognition or Permit to Operate
(to be submitted by the high school)
ONLY IF Transferee (i.e. has taken subjects from another high school) Certified clear photocopy of the Permanent Secondary School Record (F137/SF10) from other school with all the grades earned therein
For Foreign Applicants Only Proof of payment of application processing fee

III. HOW TO APPLY

For ONLINE application: Go to https://upcat2024online.up.edu.ph.

    • You will need a valid email address for logging on to your application account and for receiving notifications about your application status and results. We encourage use of a personal email address (not school-related email address) to facilitate application. Please make sure that you correctly encode your full name and date of birth as shown in your birth certificate, and your school name. If your school is not in the choices provided, please send an email to [email protected].
    • We strongly encourage the use of secured e-mail accounts preferably with two-step verification to better protect your right to data privacy.
    • Do not create multiple accounts as these will cause much delay in accessing your application forms.
    • You are required to read the UP Privacy Notice for Applicants for First Year Admissions Academic Year 2024-2025 before creating your account and filling out Form 1.
    • Make sure you have a stable internet connection.
    • Fill out Form 1 completely and accurately.

DO NOT FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND PASSWORD!!!!

  • Only a duly authorized school official may fill out this form.
  • You will be notified accordingly once your high school has accomplished Form 2A.
  • For updates in the school email address in our database, the authorized school official must send a request to [email protected] for the correct email format.

The non-refundable Application Fee is:

  • P450 for resident foreign applicants studying in the Philippines
  • US$50 for non-resident foreign applicants

MODES OF PAYMENT: The application fee may be paid through any of the following:

  • Land Bank (LBP) Account No. 1462-2220-13 (only for peso payments)
    • Account Name: UPS Trust (UPCAT)
  • Land Bank (LBP) Account No. 3074-0029-26 (for US dollar payments)
    • Account Name: UPS Trust (UPCAT)
    • Swift Code TLBPPHMM with Address:
      Landbank UP Diliman Branch
      2nd Floor PNB Bldg.
      Apacible St., UP Campus Diliman
      Quezon City Philippines

NOTE:

  1. Landbank will be charging a service fee of P25 for every application;
  2. Different banks have also set their own fees for the purchase of Manager's Checks and Cashier's Checks.
  3. Send a picture or scanned copy of the proof of payment to [email protected].

Upon filing your UPCAT application, you will be asked to indicate how to claim your test permit. Please choose from the following options:

  1. in person at the Office of Admissions
  2. through an authorized representative who will be required to present and provide a copy of her or his government issued ID, letter of authorization from you and your school ID or any valid government issued ID card and a copy thereof
  3. return courier pouch you will provide
  4. at the Regional Test Center a day before your examination schedule

Go to your designated Test Center on the date specified in your Test Permit: June 3 or 4, 2023. Be there by 6:30am (morning session) or 12nn (afternoon session).

  • Bring only your Test Permit, School ID or any valid government issued ID card, 2 good quality pencils, sharpener, rubber eraser and snacks.
  • The test administration will last about five hours.

The use of cellphones, calculating devices, and/or cameras during the test is strictly prohibited.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to observe minimum public health standards at all times.

If you are a member of an Indigenous People's Group, please obtain an official certification (i.e., National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos) and submit when you take the UPCAT during your assigned test date to your proctor.

APPLICATION WILL NOT BE PROCESSED AND NO ADMISSION SCORE WILL BE COMPUTED FOR APPLICANTS WHO DID NOT TAKE THE TEST.

Do this once you receive a copy of your High School Records and your final grades in Grades 8 to 11 are complete. Go to https://upcat2024online.up.edu.ph. You will need the email address and password you used for signing up in the application portal to log on to your application account.

APPLICATION WILL NOT BE PROCESSED AND NO ADMISSION SCORE WILL BE COMPUTED FOR UPCAT-TAKERS WHO DID NOT FILL OUT FORM 2B.

  • You will be notified by email regarding the status of your application.
  • You may also monitor the status of your application by logging on to your UP College Application online account (https://upcat2024online.up.edu.ph).

Visit https://upcat.up.edu.ph regularly for announcements and updates regarding your application for admission.


Please check with your school if a copy of your school record (sealed in an envelope with wet signature on flap) has been sent to UP. Non-submission will render your application incomplete and shall not be processed.

IV. APPLICATION RESULTS

Check the UP website https://upcat.up.edu.ph for announcements on the application results. You will need the same email account that you used for application to view your application results. If you qualify for admission to UP, register according to the instructions provided by the college or unit to which you have been accepted.

UP MANILA RETURN SERVICE AGREEMENT

UP Manila launched a Return Service Program in 2001 for students of its Health colleges to sign a contract that requires them to work in the Philippines for a period of not less than 2 years within 5 years after graduation.

The Return Service Agreement (RSA) covers the different courses offered by: College of Allied Medical Professions, College of Dentistry, College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Public Health, and School of Health Services.

Under the RSA, graduates are mandated to serve in the country, preferably in accordance with the roles and nature of their respective professions and along the three major functions of the university, but not limited to education/training, research, and direct service. For further information on the RSA, please visit this page in the UP Manila website, https://www.upm.edu.ph/node/56.

FIRST YEAR ADMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS (FROM SECONDARY SCHOOLS ABROAD)

A foreign OR Filipino applicant who has graduated or is graduating from a secondary school/home school abroad (i.e., international applicant) and has not enrolled in college may apply by automatic admission. Filipino students from Philippine high schools in the Middle East may also apply.

By Automatic Admission

An international applicant may apply for automatic admission if s/he meets the following requirements:

  1. Completion of a high school program in the country where s/he had secondary education (including the completion of a one- or two-year pre-university education in a country where such is a prerequisite for admission to a bachelor's degree program); AND

  2. Qualifications for college admission by any of the following national or international foreign-administered examinations: the SAT, OR the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examination, OR the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB), OR other equivalent examinations approved by UP.

    1. SAT: (scores must not have been taken more than 4 years before application)
      MINIMUM SAT SCORES OLD SAT REDESIGNED SAT
      TOTAL SCORE 1200 1270
      SECTION SCORES    
      Math 600 620
      Critical Reading 600 -
      Evidence-based Writing +
      Critical Reading
      - 650

    2. GCE: 2 ordinary (O) level passes/GCSE/IGCSE and 3 advanced (A) level passes; OR
    3. International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

  3. In the case of an applicant whose native language or medium of instruction in the secondary school is not English, a minimum score (500 if paper based or 173 if computer based) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
  4. Application through automatic admission of international applicants must be submitted to the respective Office of the University Registrar of the constituent university of choice.

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT UP STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The University of the Philippines is highly committed to admitting the best students and providing increased access to quality higher education. For SY 2024-2025, all eligible students will be granted free tuition and miscellaneous fees when they enroll in the University of the Philippines, in accordance with the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017. In addition to tuition and other fee subsidies given by the National Government, the University also provides other forms of financial assistance to qualified students. These are grouped according to financial needs they address:

Programs that provide subsidy for tuition and other school fees
  • Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017
  • Grants-in-Aid Program (GIAP)
  • Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES)
  • Other Scholarship and Grant Programs that waive tuition and other school fees offered by UP's constituent universities
Programs that provide living allowance on monthly or per semester basis
  • Student and Graduate Assistantships (SAGA)
  • Grants-in-Aid Program (GIAP)
  • UP Presidential Scholarship
  • UP Presidential Leadership Grant
  • Other student programs that grant cash allowances offered by UP's constituent universities
Programs that defer cash payments during the semester
  • UP Tuition Loan Program
  • Other tuition loan programs offered by UP's constituent universities

GRANTS-IN-AID PROGRAM (GIAP). UP created the Grants-in-Aid Program (GIAP) to reduce the cost paid by students during enrollment based on the household's paying capacity to which a student belongs. Through the GIAP, UP may subsidize a portion of the full cost required during enrollment and, in some instances, grant additional subsidy to waive miscellaneous fees and grant monthly cash allowances.

TERTIARY EDUCATION SUBSIDY (TES). The Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) is a financial assistance program managed by the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST). The TES grants cash allowance for one academic year to undergraduate students from low-income households. To process applications to TES, Scholarship personnel use the information submitted by students in SLAS Online. The University endorses SLAS Online applicants who meet the TES requirements of UniFAST.

STUDENT AND GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS (SAGA). The UP's SAGA is a program for upperclassmen and graduate students to gain experiences on leadership and ethics in the workplace; in the course of assisting UP in fulfilling its teaching, research, and public service functions. Student Assistants (SAs) are given allowances based on hours rendered: Currently at P60/hour for undergraduate students, P100/hour for MA/MS, and P140/hour for PhD.

UP TUITION LOAN PROGRAM Students may avail of short-term loans through the Student Loan Board. Loans must be settled before the end of the semester or trimester.

UP PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP AND UP PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP GRANT PROGRAMS. These programs are competitive scholarship programs awarded to students with outstanding academic accomplishments and leadership achievements. Undergraduate students with a general weighted average of at least a "1.75" and "2.75" are eligible to apply for the scholarships, respectively. The total number of scholars is limited to the number of slots that are vacant every academic year.

Other scholarships, study grants, and awards provided by government, private companies or individuals are also available. Please visit https://slasonline.up.edu.ph for more information. For further inquiries, please email the UP System Office of Student Development Services at [email protected] or [email protected]. You may also check the websites of the Office of Student Affairs/Office of Scholarships and Student Services of the different UP campus units.