The 6 big college entrance tests in the PH side by side: subjects, item counts, fees, application windows, and how grades count. Checked November 2026.
Mariano Luiz King
Published November 6, 2026 · Updated November 9, 2026
The six big college entrance tests (CETs) in the Philippines, the UPCAT, ACET, DCAT, USTET, PLMAT, and PUPCET, don't test the same things. Only some have Filipino, some have abstract reasoning, and their application windows open months apart. This post puts all six side by side so you can see which ones to take and what to review, as of November 2026.
After reading this, you can pick your CETs and plan your review around the subjects they actually share.
The fees, dates, and grade weights come from each school's official admissions page or announcement, checked in October and November 2026. The subjects and item counts mostly come from my coverage posts, which are compiled from public Reddit and Facebook posts by past test takers, not confirmed by the schools. Each row links to the full guide with its own sources.
I took the PLMAT and other CETs myself a few cycles ago, but the details below are from the current cycle, not my memory.
| Exam | School | Subjects | Fee (Filipino, local school) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPCAT | University of the Philippines | Language Proficiency, Reading Comprehension, Science, Math | Free |
| ACET | Ateneo de Manila | Math, English, Mental Ability and Reasoning, General Information, plus an essay | ₱600 (free for public school students) |
| DCAT | De La Salle University | Mental Ability, Reading Comprehension, Math, Statistics, Science | Around ₱800 (reported by applicants) |
| USTET | University of Santo Tomas | Mental Ability, English, Math, Science | ₱600 |
| PLMAT | Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila | English, Science, Math, Filipino, Abstract Reasoning | No fee announced by PLM |
| PUPCET | Polytechnic University of the Philippines | Math, Science, English, General Information, Abstract Reasoning | Free (no fee on PUP's official page) |
Three things jump out:
Schools don't publish much about format, so here's what's known:
Each coverage post has the full format for its exam.
Some schools mix your high school grades into your final score. That changes how much the test itself matters.
| Exam | How the school ranks you |
|---|---|
| UPCAT | UPCAT scores combined with Grades 8 to 11 grades into the UPG. UP's president put it at 60% test, 40% grades |
| USTET | 80% USTET score, 20% your average in English, Math, and Science (UST) |
The other four schools don't publish a formula. So for the UPCAT and USTET, your grades are already part of the score before you walk in. The test is the part you can still move. More detail is in UPCAT requirements and USTET requirements.
Based on the last cycle, here's the rough order. Exact dates change every year.
| Exam | Applications usually open | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| UPCAT | Around March | Grade 11 |
| DCAT | Around July | Grade 12 |
| ACET | Mid-year, closing around August | Grade 12 |
| USTET | Around August, open until about January | Grade 12 |
| PLMAT | Around August | Grade 12 |
The UPCAT is the trap. It opens in March of Grade 11, about five months before most other CETs. Many students only start looking in Grade 12 and miss it. Remember that you only get one UPCAT.
The exact dates from the last cycle are near the end of this post.
If you're from a private school and money is tight, check RA 12006. It can waive the ACET, DCAT, and USTET fees for students who qualify.
I won't rank them by difficulty. No school publishes passing scores in a way that makes a fair comparison possible, and "easy" depends on your strengths.
What I'd do instead:
I built prepPH, so I'm biased, but it lets you switch between all six CETs and practice the shared subjects once. The full plan is in how to review for the CET.
These are for students entering college in AY 2027-2028. Most of these windows have closed. Use them to estimate the next cycle.
| Exam | Application window (AY 2027-2028) | Test date | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPCAT | March 3 to April 13, 2026 (in Grade 11) | August 1 to 2, 2026 | First half of 2027 |
| ACET | Until August 17, 2026 | Per your permit | By May 2027 |
| DCAT | July 15 to September 30, 2026 | November 8 and 15, 2026 (Manila); November 27, December 4 and 11, 2026 (online) | To be announced |
| USTET | August 8, 2026 to January 8, 2027 | Remaining: December 6, 2026 and January 24, 2027 (Manila) | Second quarter of 2027 |
| PLMAT | August 14 to October 4, 2026 | — | — |
As of November 6, 2026, the USTET is the only one of the six whose regular application is still open for AY 2027-2028. DLSU's page also lists a separate "Special DCAT" application for the same year, so check it if you missed the regular DCAT window.
The six CETs overlap more than they differ. Math, English, and Science are the core. The real differences are the extra sections and the calendar. Put every application window in your calendar first, then build your review around the core subjects and add each test's extras a few weeks before it.
The UPCAT (inside Language Proficiency and Reading Comprehension) and the PLMAT (a separate Filipino section). Past ACET takers say it has no Filipino section, and past takers don't report one for the DCAT, USTET, or PUPCET.
The UPCAT is free for Filipino applicants, and PUP's official page lists no PUPCET fee. PLM hasn't announced a PLMAT fee. The ACET is free for public school students.
The UPCAT. Its application opens around March of Grade 11.
The PLMAT and the PUPCET have it as a section. Past takers say the USTET's Mental Ability subtest and the ACET's Mental Ability and Reasoning section include abstract reasoning questions too. See abstract reasoning patterns and examples.
There's no fair answer. Schools don't publish comparable passing scores, so any ranking you see online is opinion.
To compare free review tools, see Best Free CET Reviewer 2027. Each exam also has a free reviewer page: UPCAT, ACET, DCAT, USTET, PLMAT, and PUPCET.
