UPCAT

UPCAT AY 2024-2025 will be held on June 2023

Students can apply for UPCAT (for the school year of 2024-2025) on March 2023. The test will be held on June 3 and 4 2023 and will be held at several testing centers throughout the country.


How to pass the UPCAT

What determines if you will be qualified for UP is your UPG (otherwise known as University Predicted Grade). While a part of this is comprised of your grades during high school, a bigger percentage of your UPG is computed with your UPCAT results.


Make a schedule, and manage your time

Since UPCAT covers a wide range of topics, you’d want to start studying for the test as soon as you can. Don’t expect to be able to learn all the information you need in one day! There are a lot of free reviewers available online, so it’s manageable to study by yourself.


Consider looking for tutors or review centers

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the topics or you think you need guidance, it’s a good idea to look for tutors that specialize in college entrance tests.


Practice taking simulated tests

It’s best to try to imitate the exam atmosphere so you’ll be comfortable on the actual day of the exam. This will also help lessen nerves. You can figure out how to be more efficient in solving questions and skimming paragraphs to find the required information.

It’s always a debate whether you should guess the answers to UPCAT questions since UPCAT is known to implement a “right minus 1/4 wrong” system. However, there are some helpful tips for answering multiple-choice questions. For example, if you can eliminate some of the options, you’ll have a higher chance of guessing the correct answer. This would make the chances of getting it right near 50/50. A lot of people still recommended guessing even if the test has a penalty for wrong answers since the risk is less compared to the rewards.


Visit the building beforehand

UP is a very big campus, so it’s easy to get lost if you’re not familiar with your surroundings. Try to pay a visit to your assigned testing area so you’ll know what to expect on the actual day of your exam. This will also help you to assess what you’ll need. For example, if you’re taking the test in an air-conditioned room, you might want to bring a jacket in case the temperature is too cold on exam day.


Keep it simple

Finally, UPCAT consists of questions that a normal high school should’ve taught in its curriculum. Therefore, it will not make sense to study highly advanced topics in preparation for UPCAT.

If you have a firm grasp of your high school subjects, then you shouldn’t be too worried about taking the test.


How many take the UPCAT each year ?

Around 100,000 students apply for UPCAT yearly, but of course, the amount varies every year. For example, there were 140,593 applicants for UPCAT 2019, and it was estimated that only 13% of those who ended up taking the exam qualified for UP admission.


Another thing to take note of is that nearly half of the total UPCAT applicants are for UP Diliman. 


Is UPCAT "right minus wrong"

UPCAT is known to implement a “right minus 1/4 wrong” system.

There are no penalties for leaving a question blank.


What is an oblation scholar

An oblation scholar is a phrase that's used for students who are among the top 50 UPCAT qualifiers. These exemplary scholars will avail of various perks such as a free UP tuition fee and various allowances. They'll receive a stipend every month as well. 


Oblation scholars can choose any of the UP colleges. They'll also take their pick from the undergraduate degree programs the school offers as long as they qualify for the requirements of the program of their choice.


Some scholars are also selected to give a welcome speech in their freshman assembly.

How hard is UPCAT

UPCAT covers subjects from the basic high school curriculum, so don’t be nervous! The more challenging part of UPCAT is how comprehensive it is since it covers a lot of topics that can be difficult to completely answer in the given time frame.


With practice and effort, you’ll have a good understanding of these topics as well as be able to answer exam questions quickly and efficiently.


UPCAT coverage

UPCAT consists of four main sub-tests, namely Language Proficiency, Science, Math, and Reading. It's worth noting that Language Profiency and Reading feature questions in English and Filipino.


Language Proficiency (85 items, around 50 minutes)


Science (60 items, around 50 minutes)


Math (60 items, around 75 minutes)


Reading (90 items, around 60 minutes)


How effective is a review center in taking entrance exams?

Going to a review center is a great boost if you’re serious about passing your college entrance test. In addition to their high passing rates, studying in a review center can present multiple benefits, such as:



However, enrolling in a review center isn’t necessary, and a lot of people have passed UPCAT without one. You may opt to self-study instead; a good advantage to self-studying is that you’re in charge of your schedule and can learn at your own pace. Still, you’d have to be independent and responsible enough to pull it off.