UP cancels UPCAT for AY 2021-2022 due to Covid-19

FILE: University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City (Photo by Ramon FVelasquez/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

MANILA – The University of the Philippines on Tuesday announced it will not hold the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) for the Academic Year 2021 to 2022 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a post on the university’s website, the University Councils of the eight constituent universities (CUs) of the UP System unanimously decided to cancel the admission test for the incoming school year.

“As stated in a memorandum issued by the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs on 30 October 2020, the University Councils of the CUs unanimously voted not to administer UPCAT in light of logistical issues in the paper-and-pencil testing of about 100,000 17-year old applicants,” the state university said.

The university will instead come up with a modified freshmen admissions system for the incoming school year by February next year.

It added that the University Councils are vested with the power to “fix the requirements for admission to any college or unit, graduation and grant of honors subject to minimum system-wide requirements”.

UP said interested freshmen students are advised to monitor the university’s official website and social media accounts for updates and more announcements on its application process.

The application period, it said, will start in December 2020 with the exact date yet to be announced.