UPCAT 2018 Exams Moved To October, Important Dates To Remember

UPDATE – July 12: The UPCAT Online Application website (https://upcatonline.up.edu.ph/)has been updated. You may now get details about requirements and how to apply.

The University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) for this year has been scheduled in October, instead of September. According to a post by the UP Office of Admissions, the new schedule is slated for October 21 and 22, the third weekend of the month.

Last 2017, the exams were given on one day only, September 18. This year, however, it is scheduled for two days. According to a Philippines Star report, two exam days are allocated this year as the first batch of senior high school graduates will finish this year.

More UPCAT Examinees Expected This Year

Due to the implementation of the K-12 program in the Philippines, the first batch of students finishing Grade 12 will only be ready to go to college in the academic year 2018-2019. The university expects that because of this, there will be more examinees this year, compared to the past two years.

UPCAT continues to be one of the most taken admission tests in the country, with the number of examinees increasing every year. The last two years were an exception because of the K-12 program. Of the 6,000 who took the exam in 2016, only 1,591 passed and were accepted into the university’s different campuses and programs.

According to the report, the university is taking “affirmative steps in its admission process to enhance the access of disadvantaged students to high-quality education.” This is also in reaction to reports and observations that most passers usually come from private schools and well-to-do families.

Important Dates To Remember

For those applying to the UPCAT, the application period starts on July 17, 2017. Last year, online applications were accepted via the UPCAT Online Application website, but it is not yet known if this will be implemented this year.

Private schools in Metro Manila only have until August 18 to file their applications, while public schools in Metro Manila have until August 25. All other schools and applications done through regional filing centers have until September 1 to file their applications.

Please check the UPCAT website for announcements on requirements and designated testing centers.