University of the Philippines
Unibersidad ng Pilipinas
The Philippines' national university: eight constituent universities, one entrance exam, and free tuition for Filipino students.
- Students
- 66,248
- Tuition
- ₱51,000
- 2024-25
- Founded
- 1908
- QS World Ranking
- #402
- 2027 edition
About UP
The University of the Philippines was established on 18 June 1908 by Act No. 1870 and was designated the country's national university by the UP Charter of 2008 (Republic Act No. 9500). What began as a single campus in Manila with seven colleges is now a system of eight constituent universities and one autonomous college: UP Diliman, Los Banos, Manila, Visayas, Open University, Mindanao, Baguio and Cebu, plus UP Tacloban College. QS ranks the system as a whole.
UP enrolled 66,248 students in 2024-25 across 205 undergraduate and 413 graduate programmes. Each campus has its own strengths: Diliman in Quezon City is the largest (26,716 students) and broadest, Los Banos leads in agriculture, forestry and environmental management, Manila is the health sciences campus and runs the Philippine General Hospital, and UP Visayas is known for marine science and fisheries.
Getting in is the hard part. Almost everyone enters through the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT), and in 2023 the system reported 111,128 applicants and 17,527 qualifiers. Once in, eligible students pay no tuition under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017. UP suits students who want a public, nationally minded university and are ready for a very competitive entrance process.
Honor, Excellence, Service
University motto
Why students choose UP
Tuition and miscellaneous fees are free for eligible students under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017, confirmed again for AY 2027-2028.
One application covers the whole system: UPCAT applicants rank campus and programme choices and can receive an offer from one campus.
Specialised campuses let you study where a field is strongest, such as agriculture and forestry at Los Banos, health sciences at UP Manila and marine science at UP Visayas.
UP has 41 national institutes and centres, including the Philippine Genome Center and the Marine Science Institute, plus 30 CHED Centers of Excellence.
Admissions
UPCAT 2027, for entry in AY 2027-2028
Selectivity
In UP College Admissions 2023, 17,527 of 111,128 applicants qualified (about 16%). UP says admission is very selective, with campus quotas and cut-off grades; the minimum admission score for appeals is a UPG of 2.800.
Typical entry requirements
| UPCAT (Philippine senior high school) | Grade 11 students or senior high school graduates with complete Grades 8-11 records who have not taken college courses or the UPCAT before; ranked by UPG against campus and programme quotas |
|---|---|
| SAT (international applicants) | Redesigned SAT total of at least 1270, with Math 620 and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650; scores no older than 4 years |
| GCE / IGCSE | 2 O-level (GCSE/IGCSE) passes and 3 A-level passes |
| IB | IB Diploma |
| English language | International applicants whose native language or school language is not English need a TOEFL score of at least 500 (paper-based) or 173 (computer-based). No iBT or IELTS equivalent is published. |
Deadlines
- UPCAT 2027 online application (Form 1) Non-binding Passed13 April 2026 (extended from 30 March 2026)
Closed. Applications opened 3 March 2026.
- UPCAT 2027 exam Non-binding Passed1-2 August 2026
Past. Held nationwide at UP campuses and designated test centres.
- Form 2B and hard-copy school records Non-binding Passed21 September 2026 (extended from 24 August 2026)
Past. Results for UPCAT 2027 are due in the first half of 2027.
All UPCAT 2027 deadlines for AY 2027-2028 entry have passed. UPCAT 2026 results came out on 22 April 2026 with a 16 May 2026 reply deadline, so expect UPCAT 2027 results around April 2027. The next application cycle (UPCAT 2028) is likely to open around March 2027; check the UPCAT site.
How to apply
Apply online through the UPCAT portal (Form 1), with your school submitting Form 2A and a certified copy of your Form 137/SF-10. Non-Filipino applicants pay an application fee of USD 50 (PHP 450 if resident in the Philippines). After the exam, you submit Form 2B with your Grade 8-11 grades. Applicants from schools abroad using SAT, GCE or IB results apply directly to the University Registrar of the chosen constituent university.
What admissions looks for
- Strong UPCAT performance across language, reading, science and mathematics.
- High final grades in Grades 8 to 11, which are combined with UPCAT scores into the UPG.
- Socioeconomic and geographic diversity: UP factors these in so its students better represent the country.
- For some programmes, talent or skill in a second screening, such as auditions and music theory exams for B Music or a dexterity exam for Dental Medicine.
Tips for applying to UP
- 1 Pick campus and programme choices carefully: you can receive an offer from only one campus, and UP advises choosing only programmes you really want.
- 2 If you are waitlisted or not placed, use the DIWA portal to appeal or choose a programme with available slots, as long as your UPG is at least 2.800.
- 3 If you studied abroad, check whether your SAT, A-level or IB results qualify you to skip the UPCAT, but note that you cannot use this route after taking the UPCAT and not qualifying.
- 4 Health science students at UP Manila sign a Return Service Agreement to work in the Philippines for at least 2 years within 5 years of graduating.
- 5 Public school graduates in the top ten of their class can apply under the Iskolar ng Bayan programme during the appeals period.
Costs & financial aid
2024-25 · figures in PHP
Tuition is free for eligible students. The Grants-in-Aid Program lowers enrolment costs based on household income and can add a monthly allowance, and the Tertiary Education Subsidy gives cash grants to low-income students. The Lingap Iskolar Program supports UPCAT qualifiers from remote, disadvantaged areas, and UP Presidential Scholarships reward high achievers.
- Free under RA 10931
- Tuition for eligible students (AY 2027-2028)
- PHP 60 per hour for undergraduates
- Student assistantship pay (SAGA)
- Families earning PHP 135,000 gross a year
- Lingap Iskolar income ceiling
- USD 50 (non-resident) or PHP 450 (resident)
- UPCAT application fee for non-Filipinos
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters
Agriculture and Forestry (UP Los Banos)
Los Banos is UP's leader in agriculture, forestry and environmental management, with 9 CHED Centers of Excellence including agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicine.
Medicine and Nursing (UP Manila)
UP Manila is the health sciences campus, runs the Philippine General Hospital, and holds CHED Centers of Excellence in medicine and nursing.
Marine Science and Fisheries (UP Visayas)
UP Visayas in Iloilo is the country's lead campus for marine science, fisheries and aquaculture.
Engineering (UP Diliman)
Diliman holds CHED Centers of Excellence in chemical, electrical, geodetic and metallurgical engineering, among 26 Centers of Excellence on that campus.
Music and Fine Arts (UP Diliman)
Admission needs a second screening on top of the UPCAT, with auditions and theory exams for music and a talent test for fine arts.
Research
- The Philippine Genome Center and the National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology are among UP's 41 national institutes and centres.
- UP Manila hosts health institutes such as the National Telehealth Center, Institute of Human Genetics and Newborn Screening Reference Center.
- UP recorded 1,161 publications recognised under its International Publication Awards in 2024.
- The Philippine General Hospital served 473,385 patients according to UP's at-a-glance figures.
Schools & faculties
- UP Diliman
- UP Los Banos
- UP Manila
- UP Visayas
- UP Open University
- UP Mindanao
- UP Baguio
- UP Cebu
- UP Tacloban College
UP says its graduates consistently took top places in the 2024 Professional Regulation Commission licensure examinations, which cover 49 clusters.
Student life
Student life depends on the campus. UP Diliman is a large, green campus in Quezon City with about 27,000 students; its Academic Oval draws joggers every morning and Quezon Hall with the Oblation statue is the university's landmark. Los Banos sits at the foot of Mount Makiling, UP Baguio is in the mountain city of Baguio, and UP Visayas has campuses in Iloilo City and Miag-ao. Students come from every region of the country, and UP describes its culture as Tatak UP, a mix of diversity and unity.
- The Oblation statue in front of Quezon Hall at Diliman is UP's best-known symbol.
- Eight constituent universities and one autonomous college across 23 campuses nationwide.
- Paid student assistantships (SAGA) let undergraduates work on campus for PHP 60 an hour.
- 585 international partnerships, including membership of APRU and the ASEAN University Network.
Location
UP's flagship campus, Diliman, is in Quezon City in Metro Manila, the country's busiest urban region, while UP Manila sits in the Ermita district of the capital near the Philippine General Hospital. Other campuses give very different settings, from the cooler highlands of Baguio to Cebu City, Davao City, Iloilo and the foot of Mount Makiling in Los Banos.
Nearest airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
Notable alumni
- MR Manuel RoxasPresident of the Philippines; law degree from UP (1913)
- FM Ferdinand MarcosPresident of the Philippines; studied at the UP College of Law
- MD Miriam Defensor SantiagoSenator and judge; BA from UP College Iloilo and UP College of Law
- LR Leni RobredoVice President of the Philippines; BA Economics from the UP School of Economics
- FD Fe del MundoPioneering pediatrician; studied at UP Manila and the UP College of Medicine
- LB Lino BrockaFilm director; studied at UP Diliman
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into the University of the Philippines?
Very competitive. In 2023, 17,527 of 111,128 applicants qualified, about 16%, and each campus and programme has its own quota.
When is the UPCAT for 2027 entry?
UPCAT 2027 was held on 1-2 August 2026, and applications closed on 13 April 2026. Results are due in the first half of 2027.
Is tuition free at UP?
Yes for eligible students: UP says all eligible students in AY 2027-2028 get free tuition and miscellaneous fees under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017.
Can international students apply to UP without the UPCAT?
Yes, if you finished secondary school abroad: you can apply to a constituent university's registrar with an SAT total of 1270 or more, GCE A-levels or the IB Diploma. You cannot use this route after taking the UPCAT and not qualifying.
How much does UP cost for foreign students?
At UP Diliman, foreign undergraduates pay PHP 1,500 per unit, about PHP 51,000 a year at 17 units a semester. On top of that come other school fees and an Educational Development Fee of USD 300 per semester for non-resident foreigners.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
- UP Office of Admissions: UPCAT home and announcements
- UP Office of Admissions: General Information Bulletin on First-Year Admissions AY 2027-2028
- University of the Philippines: Admissions
- University of the Philippines: UP at a Glance
- University of the Philippines: UP by the Numbers 2025-26 (PDF)
- UP Diliman Office of the University Registrar: Schedule of semestral fees for undergraduates, 2024-2025 (PDF)
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to UP in the QS World University Rankings 2027.