General Information for Undergraduate Foreign / International Applicants

General Requirements

A foreign or Filipino applicant who has graduated or is graduating from a secondary school/home school abroad (i.e., international applicant) and has not enrolled in college may apply by automatic admission. Filipino students from Philippine high schools in the Middle East may also apply.

By Automatic Admission

An international applicant may apply for automatic admission if s/he meets the following requirements:

1. Completion of high school program in the country where s/he had secondary education (includes completion of a one- or two-year pre-university education in a country where such is a prerequisite for admission to a bachelor’s degree program); and

2. Qualifications for college admission by any of the following national or international foreign-administered examinations: the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), or the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examination, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, or other equivalent examinations approved by UP.
   • SAT: Redesigned SAT – minimum total score of 1270 (620 in Math and 650 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing); or
     
   • GCE: 2 ordinary (O) level passes and 3 advanced (A) level passes (effective AY 2028-2019; or
     
   • International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

3. In the case of an applicant whose native language or medium of instruction in secondary school is not English, a minimum score (500 if paper-based or 173 if computer-based) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a minimum score of 5.5 in IELTS. For more information about TOEFL and IELTS, you may visit their websites at www.ets.org/toefl and www.ielts.org.

4. Applications through automatic admission of international applicants must be submitted to the respective Office of the University Registrar of the constituent university of choice.

Deadline for Filing of Applications
To have ample time to secure his/her student visa and make necessary arrangements if accepted for admission, a foreign applicant is urged to file his/her application for admission at least four months prior to registration of the semester applied for – i.e., not later than April 15 of each year for first semester admission.

Note: No Second Semester Admission.

Filipino High School Graduates from Abroad

A Filipino who graduated from a secondary school abroad applying for freshman admission to the University must satisfy the same requirements as those for foreign students.

UP College Admission Test

Filipino or foreign graduates from accredited high schools abroad may take the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) if they are unable to satisfy the requirements for automatic admission. They must follow the same UPCAT application process with the required supporting documents as all other applicants, and pay the non-refundable application fee (US$50.00 for non-resident foreign applicants).

If the applicant takes the UPCAT but does not qualify, s/he can no longer be admitted under automatic admission. The student has the option to enter UP as a transferee after satisfying transfer requirements of UP.

Advanced Placement Examination

A qualified freshman applicant who has taken courses at the advanced level will not be given advanced credits for these subjects. However, he may apply to take the Advanced Placement Examination (APE).

Currently, APEs exams are offered for the following subjects:

• College Algebra
• Plane Trigonometry
• Precalculus
• General Chemistry I

Application forms and other information regarding the above mentioned APEs may be obtained from the College Secretary of the College of Science.

Application for Deferment of Enrollment

A qualified freshman applicant who, for a valid reason, cannot enroll during the semester originally applied for may apply for deferment of enrollment to the succeeding semester by writing to the University Registrar. Such applicants must not have taken any academic college subject prior to enrollment.

REQUIREMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED

Only properly accomplished application forms with all the requirements listed below will be processed.

1. accomplished Undergraduate Admission Application Form (UP Form No. 3.1);
   
   
2. a non-refundable application fee of PHP150 for resident foreign students and USD30 for non-resident foreign students in the form of a money order, cashier’s or manager’s check payable to the University of the Philippines;
   
   
3. official transcript of records from each high school and college attended and official examination certificates, if any—one (1) Official Transcript of Records and three (3) photocopies.
   
   For evaluation purposes, photocopies of records may be accepted, provided they are properly authenticated by the school or by the Department of Education, or by duly designated authorities in the country of the applicant. Final admission will be subject to verification of documents submitted against original copies of credentials. Certified English translations should also be submitted, when necessary.
   
   Applications accompanied by photocopies of academic records not properly authenticated will not be processed.
   
   
4. official TOEFL/IELTS results (if English is not the medium of Instruction in previous University)
   
   Note: Other additional and special admission requirements may be imposed by the University and the head of the College/unit or Graduate Office/Committee concerned.

Credentials filed in support of the application become the property of the University of the Philippines and will not be returned to the applicant.

Foreign Transfer Students

Non-Regular

Graduate

Requirements for Submission

Immigration Requirements

Requirements for the Issuance of a Student Visa

Applying for a Student Visa

Application for Conversion to Student Visa