UPCAT

GENERAL INFORMATION BULLETIN ON FIRST YEAR ADMISSIONS

Academic Year 2025-2026

• THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES: HONOR AND EXCELLENCE
• ADMISSION INTO THE UNIVERSITY
  1. THROUGH THE UP COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST (UPCAT) - CHOICE OF CAMPUS AND DEGREE PROGRAM
  2. THE ISKOLAR NG BAYAN PROGRAM
  3. INTERNATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
  4. TRANSFER ADMISSIONS (NOT FOR FIRST YEAR APPLICANTS)
• APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION FOR SY 2025-2026
  1. MINIMUM APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
  2. CHECKLIST OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
  3. HOW TO APPLY
  4. APPLICATION RESULTS
• UP MANILA RETURN SERVICE AGREEMENT
• FIRST YEAR ADMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS (FROM SECONDARY SCHOOLS ABROAD)
  • By Automatic Admission
• GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT UP STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

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 and one autonomous college 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, located in the Creative City of Baguio, is a leading institution in the Northern Philippines offering courses in science, social sciences, humanities and the arts. Internationally known for its niche in Indigenous Studies, it is also a Center of Development for Biology, Mathematics and Physics. Its BS Mathematics and BS Management Economics programs are AUN-QA accredited.

• UP Cebu is the 8^th constituent university and is located in Cebu City, a significant center of commerce and education in the Central Visayas. It offers 9 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 27,000 students and a faculty complement of 3,000. There are 67 undergraduate programs, 17 minor programs, 105 in the master's, 1 Juris Doctor, 1 BA-MA Honors, and 55 in the doctoral level. UPD offers 24 pre- and post-baccalaureate certificates and diplomas 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 and Miag-ao Iloilo, is the acknowledged authority in marine science education and research, fisheries, and aquaculture in the country.

• UP Tacloban offers 10 undergraduate degree and three graduate programs. Most distinguished are the programs in Accountancy, Biology, Computer Science, Management, and Psychology. It is home to the Leyte-Samar Heritage Center and the Regional Environmental Information Systems (REIS) for Eastern Visayas.

• UP Mindanao in Davao City has 11 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.

UPCAT2025 will be administered nationwide on August 10 & 11, 2024.

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 2025-2026 if:

• You are a senior high school student expecting to graduate in 2025 in time for the opening of SY 2025-2026, OR you are a senior high school graduate from 2024 or earlier provided you have not taken any college courses before the opening of SY 2025-2026; AND
• You have final grades in Grades 8 to 11 by end of SY 2023-2024; AND
• You have not completed your application in UPCA 2021, UPCA 2022, UPCA 2023, UPCAT 2024 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 the period April 15 – May 15, 2024 and Form 2B (High School Record) on August 12 to September 15, 2024, 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 beginning April 15, 2024 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 beginning August 12, 2024 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 2025-2026 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.

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/admissions-rsa.

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.

The University of the Philippines is highly committed to admitting the best students and providing increased access to quality higher education. For SY 2025-2026, 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.