Undergraduate

A. Through the UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT)

You are qualified to apply as a freshman to UP through the UPCAT for SY 2020-2021 if:

  • You are a high school graduate from 2019 or earlier and have not taken any college courses, Or, you are a senior high school student expecting to graduate before SY 2020; AND
  • You have final grades for three (3) high school years preceding the year of graduation; AND
  • You have not taken the UPCAT before.

The UPCAT consists of 4 subtests: Language Proficiency (in English and Filipino), and Reading Comprehension (in English and Filipino), Science, and Math. Standardized UPCAT scores are combined with the weighted average of the last 3 years of high school final grades to determine the UP admission grade (UPG). To implement the policy of demographic access, UP also considers socioeconomic and geographic factors in its admission process. 

For more information on the UPCAT, contact the Office of Admissions:

Office of Admissions
University of the Philippines
Kalaw Corner Quirino Streets,
UP Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101


B. Through 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 freshman automatic admission (i.e. without having to take the UPCAT) for SY 2020-2021, as provided by the Iskolar ng Bayan Law of 2014. The law also requires that you comply with other admission requirements of the university and enroll in a UP Campus that is in the same region as your high school.

  • You are entitled to free tuition and other school fees for the first year of college.
  • Application forms for the Iskolar ng Bayan program may be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) or Office of Scholarships and Student Services (OSSS) of the campus you wish to enroll in.
  • There are limited slots per campus for the Iskolar ng Bayan Program.


C. Through International Qualifications


D. Transfer Admissions (Not for Freshmen)

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.

  • BA (Communication & Media Studies)
  • BA (Community Development)
  • BA (History)
  • BA (Sociology)
  • BA in Communication and Media Studies
  • BA in Literature
  • BA in Political Science
  • BA in Psychology
  • BS (Biology)
  • BS Accountancy (4.5 yrs)
  • BS Applied Mathematics
  • BS Business Administration (Marketing)
  • BS Chemical Engineering
  • BS Chemistry
  • BS Computer Science
  • BS Economics
  • BS Fisheries
  • BS Food Technology
  • BS Management
  • BS Public Health
  • BS Statistics

Transfer from Other Institutions

A transfer student may be admitted provided that:
     1. he must have obtained an average grade of 2.0, 86%, or B, or better, for all the collegiate academic units he has earned outside of this University [Art 359, UP Code 1975];
     2. he must have completed at least 33 units of academic courses [1997 UP Diliman Academic Information from 965th BOR meeting on 23 February 1984];
     3. he will have to complete in this University no less than 50% of the units required for his program [Art 359, UP Code 1975]; and
     4. the quota set by the Dean of the college or school concerned for the course to which he seeks admission, has not yet been filled up. [Art 359, UP Code 1975]

A transfer applicant, however, must take note of the following additional rules for transfer:
     1. The computation of the general weighted average required of transfer students shall exclude vocational subjects [1997 UP Diliman Academic Information: As amended at the 933rd BOR meeting, 30 October 1980];
     2. The grade requirement is generally waived for a bachelor’s degree holder, but not for those who have earned only a title below a baccalaureate degree (e.g., Certificate in Fine Arts) [1997 UP Diliman Academic Information];
     3. A college may require a higher weighted average than that prescribed above.

Any or all of the above rules may be set aside in exceptional cases upon the recommendation of the Dean concerned and upon the approval of the Chancellor. [Art 359, UP Code 1975]

Contact the Office of Student Affairs:

Office of the University Registrar (OUR)

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