The UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test) is the entrance exam for all UP campuses nationwide. This guide breaks down all four subtests, a week-by-week prep timeline, and the questions students ask most — plus a free, timed mock exam that matches the real format.
See exam formatSource: UP Office of Admissions (upcat.up.edu.ph) · Updated July 2026 · figures are for the current admissions cycle and change each year.
Four subtests, taken back to back in one sitting. Here's what each one covers and where students most often lose points.
Vocabulary, grammar, and sentence construction in both languages.
Tip: Filipino items show up here and in Reading Comprehension — don't skip reviewing it just because English feels safer.
Understanding and analyzing passages under real time pressure.
Tip: Read the questions before the passage so you know exactly what to look for on the first pass.
Application-based questions across all four science strands.
Tip: Coverage is spread fairly evenly across strands — a narrow review leaves gaps an even spread would have caught.
Problem-solving built on your full senior high school math sequence.
Tip: Algebra dominates this subtest by a wide margin — if your review time is limited, start there.
You don't need this exact schedule, but you do need a plan — this is a reasonable default if you don't already have one.
Sit a full-length mock under real conditions before you review anything. It's a map of your gaps, not a grade.
Work one subtest at a time, weighted toward your weakest scores from the diagnostic. Keep a running log of topics you keep missing.
One timed, full mock per weekend, scored honestly. Spend the following week drilling only what you missed — not re-reading what you already know.
Stop new material. Light review only. Confirm your test center, required IDs, and what you're allowed to bring on test day.
The UPCAT (University of the Philippines College Admission Test) is the entrance exam used to select incoming undergraduates across UP's constituent universities. It's administered once a year by the UP Office of Admissions.
The UPCAT for AY 2027–2028 is scheduled for August 1–2, 2026. Exact dates shift slightly each cycle, so confirm the current schedule on the official UP Office of Admissions site before finalizing your prep plan.
You need to be a Filipino citizen (or meet UP's separate requirements for foreign or dual-citizen applicants), currently finishing Grade 12 or its equivalent in the school year of the test, and not previously enrolled in any undergraduate degree program. Applications open online through the UP Office of Admissions during the announced application period. Exact eligibility rules and required documents can shift slightly each cycle, so confirm the current requirements on the official UP Office of Admissions site before applying.
Four: Language Proficiency, Reading Comprehension, Science, and Mathematics, taken over roughly five hours in one sitting, with no essay component.
There's no fixed passing score. UP combines your UPCAT results with your Grade 8–11 grades into a single ranking called the UP Admission Grade (UPG), then admits top-ranked applicants per campus and program. Socioeconomic and geographic factors are also considered.
It's free for Filipino citizen applicants. Only non-Filipino applicants pay an application fee set by the UP Office of Admissions.
Your Test Permit, a school ID or valid government-issued ID, two good-quality pencils, a sharpener, an eraser, and snacks. Arrive by 6:30 AM for a morning session or 12:00 NN for an afternoon session.
Start with a full diagnostic mock exam to see where you actually stand, then review in proportion to your weak spots rather than your strongest subject. Weekly timed mocks in the final months matter more than re-reading notes.
Create a free account and run a full, timed UPCAT mock exam — you'll get a topic-by-topic score breakdown right after. Racing the clock? See UPCAT prep →