2020 College Entrance Test (CETs) Guide

It’s that time of the year again where high school seniors slowly say goodbye to their high school life and prepare for the next chapter that awaits them–college. 

Only this year, the admissions process is completely different from the previous ones because of all the necessary social distancing protocols due to the on-going threat of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. Everybody’s schedules were indeed disrupted forcing us to adapt to this new situation or this ‘new normal,’ as many would call it. 

So, what does this now mean for our dream school’s respective CETs? Meron pa rin bang exams? Will exams be online? Kailangan pa rin ba magreview? Ano kailangan i-submit? Lahat na ba online???

Given the circumstances, many universities and colleges in the Philippines have already announced their decision to suspend entrance exams for the incoming batch for the school year 2021-2022. 

Below are the important college admissions updates and key dates of some of the country’s top universities you should take note of!

Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU)

On September 1, 2020, Ateneo announced that it would not be administering the traditional Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET) for the academic year 2021-2022. With this being said, all application pathways and requirements are to be done online through the Ateneo College Application Hub, a website the university has established to provide information and updates on its college application process. Students studying in the country will have to pay a Php600 application fee and Php2,500 for applicants studying outside the country. Applicants from public or science high schools in the Philippines are exempted from paying the application and testing fees.

Dates to Remember:

• Application Period: September 1, 2020 to January 15, 2021
• Deadline for Application: January 15, 2021
• Deadline for Scholarship Application: January 29, 2021
• Release of Applicants Results (via email): April 2021

For more information, visit the Ateneo College Application Hub: http://apply.ateneo.edu/college

De La Salle University (DLSU)

Taking the DLSU College Admissions Test (DCAT) is not one of the requirements for incoming freshmen applicants for the academic year 2020-2021. De La Salle University has announced that applications and submission of other necessary requirements will be through their Online Admissions Facility (OAF). There will be a Php600 admissions processing fee for Filipino citizens (including dual citizens) and Php2,500 for non-Filipino citizens.

Dates to Remember:

• Application Period: November 23, 2020 to February 15, 2021
• Deadline for Application: February 15, 2021
• Release of Applicants Results (via http://my.dlsu.edu.ph/students/DCATResult): 3rd week of April 2021

For more information, visit DLSU’s website for Freshmen Application Procedures: https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/admissions/undergraduate/freshmen-procedures/

University of the Philippines (UP)

During regular CETs season, the University of the Philippines is known to be one of the universities to receive the most number of applicants every year. Due to the infeasibility and successive rising COVID-19 cases in the country, UP officially announced on November 10, 2020 its decision to cancel UPCAT 2021. As of now, the university is yet to announce the specific details for its admissions process.

Dates to Remember:

• The UP Board of Regents instructed the Office of Admissions (OAdms) to present a modified freshman admissions system for the academic year 2021-2022 by February 2021.
• OAdms has set the start of the application period in December 2020. The exact date will be announced.

For more information, read the university’s official statement https://www.up.edu.ph/no-upcat-2021-up-admissions-system-undergoing-modification/ and visit https://upcat.up.edu.ph/ and https://www.facebook.com/UPSystemOfficeOfAdmissions for upcoming announcements.

University of Santo Tomas (UST)

University of Santo Tomas announced on August 14, 2020 that there will be no UST Entrance Test (USTET) this year for the academic year 2021-2022. The admissions process would instead be coursed online through the University of Santo Tomas Admission Rating (USTAR) which according to the university’s official announcement is “a score that will be computed from a number of parameters derived largely from the academic performance and record of the applicant.” There is an application fee of Php500 for Filipino students in the Philippines, waiving this fee for public schools applicants belonging to the top 10 of their Grade 11 batch may be done through submitting a certification from their school principal indicating their academic standing.

Dates to Remembers:

• Application Period: August 30, 2020 to December 18, 2020
• Deadline for Application: December 18, 2020

For more information, visit UST’s Online Application website https://ustet.ust.edu.ph/

Far Eastern University (FEU)

For the academic year 2021-2022, FEU decided to replace their annual FEU College Admission Test (FEUCAT) to a new admissions online system FEU Student Placement for Admission to College Education (SPACE) where the basis for freshmen admissions would be their academic performance during Senior High School. The online registration procedure includes a Php500 payment to settle the application fee; however, application fees for public schools applicants belonging to the top 10 of their Grade 11 batch may be waived upon submitting a certification from their school principal indicating their academic standing.

Dates to Remember:

• Application Period: October 15, 2020
• Deadline of Application: TBA
• FEU Preview (Virtual Open House): December 12, 2020 (Registration Deadline: December 10)

For more information, visit FEU Admission Procedures: https://www.feu.edu.ph/index.php/be-an-feu-tamaraw/

University of the East (UE)

The University of the East will be continuing its UE-CET but as an online exam for the time being. All applications will be done online and the examination date will start three days from the date of application. As of now, the schedule of entrance exam dates start on December 4, 2020 and will end on around January 28, 2021. Results will be announced soon after the exam.

For more information, visit UE Online Application for Admissions: https://www.ue.edu.ph/onlineadmission

Good luck with college applications! You got this.