Iloilo City Campus Administration Building

Planning to enter UP?

Step 1 Plan.
First of all select a course you want, it is advisable to select two courses that are offered. Take finances in consideration, it is advisable to take scholarship exams such as DOST. UP also have scholarship programs that you may avail of. A typical semester in UP has 18 units, each unit cost 200 Php plus additional miscellaneous fees and laboratory fees. Cost of living may vary depending on the location, for a typical freshmen in UPV Miag-ao campus: a monthly allowance of 2500 to 3000 Php is advisable which includes for academic and personal expenses such as food and transportation. The additional cost for dorm and boarding fees may range up to 300 Php / month depending on the type of housing.

Note: cost may change without prior notice, please contact the UPV administration / IPO / OSPS for details.

Step 2 Take the UPCAT.
UPCAT stands for University of the Philippines College Admission Test which is given once every academic year, all incoming college freshmen may take the exam only once. Acquire UP Form1 and Form 2 from any UP campus, photocopies are also permitted. Fill up the forms, including the testing area, campus and course of your choice. It is advisable to select the test center near you and mail back to the address provided with your entrance exam fee in postal checks. A letter will be mailed back to you containing the information about the test center and date of the exam. On the day of the exam, bring sets of pencil and a light snack since the exam may take 3 to 5 hours to complete. If you need to travel far to the test centers, it is advisable to travel at least stay 1 day ahead of the exam day. You may have to take a hotel accommodation near the testing center.

If all goes well, a letter will be mailed to you to confirm passing or failing. This includes information of the freshmen registration, seminars and your student number. Your student number identifies you as a student of the UP and is used for all proceeding transactions. Memorize you student number :)

Step 3 Preparing
Upon receiving the letter, it better to start preparing for your freshmen year. If you reside far from the campus you selected, we advise you start looking for boarding houses and dormitories. Starting early also enables you to adjust to your new surroundings and lifestyle. While in the UPV Miag-ao campus, freshmen may stay at the Freshmen Hall 1 dormitory.

There are also many boarding houses and restaurants located around the campus. Since laundry is not permitted in the dormitories, Laundry services are also available. You may inquire at the dorm information desk about this. There is also a cafeteria - CDH located in between the dorms or check out restaurants just across the road. :)