MANILA, Philippines – The University of the Philippines (UP) opened on Monday, March 3, 2025, the application period for the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) 2026.
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| The Oblation in UP Diliman. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO |
The UPCAT for incoming new first-year students for AY 2026-2027 is on August 2 and 3, 2025.
"Current Grade 11 students this SY 2024-2025 who will graduate senior high school by SY 2025-2026, or current Grade 12 students who have not taken the UPCAT in the previous cycles are eligible to apply," the premier state university said.
Online applications will be open from March 3 to 31, 2025.
Applicants must fill out and submit their Form 1 in the online portal.
School officials must fill out and confirm their students in the Form 2A portal from March 3 to April 4, 2025, for applicants to receive their test permit in July 2025.
UP said grades submissions will be accepted after the exam, from August 4 to 25, 2025.
"Applicants must then revisit the portal after the exam, starting 04 August until 25 August 2025, to fill out their grades for Grades 8, 9, 10, and 11 in the Form 2B portal. They must also submit the hard copy certified true copy of their SF-10 or Student Permanent Record to the UP Office of Admissions located inside UP Diliman, Quezon City," UP said.
Applicants can access the online application portal at https://upcat2026online.up.edu.ph/.
Note: Application is not on a first-come, first-serve basis. However, please make sure to submit your application online by the deadline.
Aspiring Isko and Iska should have your valid school ID or any government-issued ID on the day of the UPCAT.
Coverage of exams
The UPCAT is a four-hour long examination consisting of subtests on language proficiency, reading comprehension, mathematics and science. The UPCAT is in English and Filipino.
Selection of applicants
Standardized UPCAT scores are combined with the composite of final grades in Grades 8 to 11 to determine the admission score ("UPG").
UP said the university also considers socioeconomic and geographic factors in its admission process to implement the policy of democratic access.
UPCAT applicants are ranked based on their admission grades which are the combined UPCAT scores, high school grades, and equity factors where applicable.
Selection for a campus and degree program
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.
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.
About UP
The UP is a vast System of 8 Constituent Universities located in 17 campuses in the country: UP Baguio, UP Cebu, UP Diliman, UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga, UP Los Baños, UP Manila, UP Visayas, UP Mindanao and UP Open University.
Every year, thousands of senior high school students take the UPCAT exam at UP constituent units and designated exam centers across the country.
UPCAT 2026 Updates
Update March 1, 2025: The UP Office of Admissions will conduct an orientation for the 2026 UPCAT on March 3, 2025 at 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. It will be conducted via Zoom and will be livestreamed on the Facebook page of Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Mindanao.
"We are inviting all grade 11 students, parents, and school principals to attend the orientation and learn more about the UPCAT application process," UP said.
Posted by UPCAT - U.P. System on Thursday, February 27, 2025
For inquiries, you may visit the online helpdesk from 9 AM - 6 PM (Google Meet Room) and 9 AM - 9 PM (Facebook Page Chat & Email).
- Facebook Page: UPCAT - U.P. System
- Email: upcollegeapplications.oadms@up.edu.ph
