MANILA, Philippines – Applications for the 2027 UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) officially opened on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the University of the Philippines (UP) announced.
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| The Oblation in UP Diliman. Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO |
The UPCAT for incoming first-year students for Academic Year 2027–2028 will be conducted on August 1 and 2, 2026.
Important Dates and Timeline
- March 3–30, 2026 – Application period
- July 2026 – Release of digital test permits
- August 1–2, 2026 – UPCAT examination dates
- August 3–24 2026 – Submission of grades
Application Process
Applicants must accomplish and submit Form 1 through the official online portal from March 3 to March 30, 2026. Those who successfully apply will take the UPCAT on August 1 and 2, 2026.
Eligible to apply are current Grade 11 students in School Year 2025–2026 who are expected to graduate from senior high school by School Year 2026–2027, as well as current Grade 12 students who have not taken the UPCAT in previous application cycles.
School officials are also required to complete and confirm student records through the Form 2A portal from March 3 to April 10, 2026. This step is necessary for applicants to receive their test permits, which will be released in July 2026.
After taking the examination, applicants must return to the portal between August 3 and August 24, 2026 to submit their Grades 8, 9, 10, and 11 records via Form 2B. They are also required to send a certified true copy of their SF-10 or Student Permanent Record to the UP Office of Admissions in UP Diliman, Quezon City.
The online application portal may be accessed at https://upcat2027online.up.edu.ph/. UP clarified that applications are not processed on a first-come, first-served basis, but students are encouraged to complete their submissions before the deadline.
Aspiring Isko and Iska must bring a valid school ID or any government-issued ID on the day of the UPCAT.
Coverage of the UPCAT
The UPCAT is a four-hour examination consisting of subtests in language proficiency, reading comprehension, mathematics, and science. The examination is administered in English and Filipino.
Selection of Applicants
Standardized UPCAT scores are combined with the final grades from Grades 8 to 11 to compute the applicant’s University Predicted Grade (UPG).
UP said it also considers socioeconomic and geographic factors in its admissions process to promote democratic access to education.
Applicants are ranked based on their combined UPCAT scores, high school grades, and applicable equity factors.
Selection for Campus and Degree Program
Admission to the University of the Philippines is highly competitive due to the large number of applicants from diverse backgrounds. Selection for a campus is based on the applicant’s rank, campus quota, and/or cut-off grade.
A successful applicant may receive only one offer of admission, corresponding to one of their chosen UP campuses.
Within each campus, applicants are ranked according to grade predictors and degree program quotas. Some degree programs are more competitive due to high demand.
About the University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines is a system of eight constituent universities across 17 campuses nationwide: 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 at UP constituent units and designated examination centers across the country.
UPCAT 2027 Updates
For official announcements and updates, follow the UPCAT – U.P. System Facebook page.
— The Summit Express