This article lists the frequently asked questions about admission to the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU).


Please note that admission and enrollment are two different processes in UPOU. Admission is when you apply for a program, while enrollment or registration is when you are accepted as a UPOU student and are enrolling for courses.


Please read each item carefully.


You can click on any item in the Table of Contents to directly navigate you to the information you need. Kindly read through the Table of Contents first to check whether your questions are included.


TABLE OF CONTENTS



I want to study at UPOU. Am I qualified to enroll?

Only the following students are eligible to enroll at UP Open University:


Newly admitted students;

Continuing students;

Cross-Enrollee students; and

Non-Degree students.


For more information about enrollment at UPOU, go to the following resources:


Article on UPOU Enrollment FAQs

Office of the University Registrar webpage for Enrollment


For information about admission qualifications, visit our articles on "How do I apply for a UPOU degree program?"



Does UPOU accept non-UP graduates or affiliates? Foreign applicants? OFWs? Foreigners in the Philippines?

UPOU's degree, Associate, and Certification programs are open for admission. Admission to UPOU is open to the following:


  • Philippine-based and offshore-based applicants
  • Foreign nationals
  • Undergraduate transfer students (from another UP unit or university to UPOU)


Any person seeking admission into a program must satisfy the minimum admission requirement specified in the program applied for and must not be a current student (enrolled, on residency, LOA, AWOL) of another university or college. UPOU requires applicants to submit the hard copy of all admission documents.


With regard to foreign applicants who would like to apply for a student visa, UPOU does not require its students to be in residence in the Philippines; hence, it could not assist in the issuance of Student Visa (9F).


These admission guidelines, however, do not apply for UPOU's Continuing Education Programs (CEP) and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). For more information about the CEP and MOOCs, please visit this link.



I am a high school student/graduate. Can I study in UPOU?

You can apply for admission to UPOU. Please read through this page (General Information Bulletin on Undergraduate Admissions) to know the qualifications and process.



I graduated from high school many years ago. I want to pursue college education. Can I study in UPOU?

You can apply for admission to UPOU. Please read through this article (General Information Bulletin on Undergraduate Admissions) to know the qualifications and process.


I was a college student many years ago, but did not finish my studies due to some matters. Can I study in UPOU?

Whether you were from UP or another university, if you have college units, and you have your records with you, you can apply as transferee to UPOU. Do note of the guidelines and requirements in this page: Transfer of Credits.



I was a UP student in another campus years ago, but did not finish my studies. What should I do?

If you wish to study in UPOU, you can apply as transferee. Do note of the guidelines and requirements in this article: Transfer of Credits.



I want to transfer to UPOU, what is the process?

Read about the guidelines and requirements of transferring to UPOU in this article: Transfer of Credits.



I want to transfer to UPOU, but my grades do not meet the requirements. What should I do?

Please send an email to the UPOU Admission Section via the UPOU Helpdesk (https://helpdesk.upou.edu.ph).



I was accepted to UPOU before, but I was not able to continue with my enrollment due to some matters. What should I do?

Please send an email to the UPOU Admission Section via the UPOU Helpdesk (https://helpdesk.upou.edu.ph).



I did not finish college. Can I apply for UPOU Graduate (Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Master's, Doctorate) programs?

Unfortunately, UPOU Graduate programs require applicants to be at least college graduates. You can apply for non-formal courses instead: Continuing Education Programs or Massive Open Online Courses.



How much is the tuition fee? Are there scholarship grants available?

Tuition is Php 1,000.00 per unit. Read more about the breakdown of tuition and other fees in this link.

You can view this page for the summary of fees in a semester or trimester: Sample Assessment of Fees.


There are no installment plans for paying tuition and other fees. Fees are paid in full. However, you may want to check information about the Student Loan program.


For scholarship grants and other financial assistance services provided by the UPOU, please visit this link: What are the student financial assistance programs that we can avail to support our studies through remote learning?



What are the courses or programs offered at the UPOU?

UPOU offers 3 undergraduate, 2 graduate certificate, 11 graduate diploma, 12 master’s, and 2 doctorate programs. A Professional Teaching Certificate program, Continuing Education Programs, and Massive Open Online Courses are also offered.


Visit this link (https://www.upou.edu.ph/academics/) for more information about UPOU degree programs and UPOU non-formal courses.



Does UPOU offer courses and programs every semester or every trimester?

Please take note of the following admission schedules:


Only open every 1st Semester: Diploma in Computer Science, Graduate Certificate in ASEAN Studies, Master of ASEAN Studies, Master of Information Systems, Master of Development Communication, Diploma in International Health, Master of International Health, Master of Arts in Nursing, and Doctor of Communication


Only open every 1st Trimester: Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies


Open every semester: The rest of the graduate programs


Open every trimester: Associate in Arts, Graduate Certificate in Distance Education, Master of Distance Education, and Professional Teaching Certificate


For the Continuing Education Programs, you can check the schedule of course offerings in this link: https://fmds.upou.edu.ph/academics/cep/schedule-of-continuing-education-program-course-offerings/


For the Massive Open Online Courses, kindly check the 2021 MOOCs calendar: https://model.upou.edu.ph/mod/page/view.php?id=2292



Is an admission exam/entrance exam required for UPOU applicants? Is it required to take the UPCAT?

The UPCAT is only required for applicants of the BAMS and BES program. However, for BAMS and BES applicants, we suggest you read through this page first: General Information Bulletin on Undergraduate Admissions, to know if you do not have to take the UPCAT.


Meanwhile, only the following programs have admission exams:

Associate in Arts - Undergraduate Admission Test

Bachelor programs - UPCAT (check the UPCAT website [https://upcat.up.edu.ph/htmls/aboutupcat.html] to know who can take the UPCAT)

Master of Arts in Language and Literacy Education - MALLE Qualifying Exam

Master of International Health - MIH Qualifying Exam

Master of Public Management - MPM Graduate Admission Test

Master of Social Work - MSW Qualifying Exam

Doctor of Philosophy in Education - Doctoral Admission Test in Education


To know the admission requirements and procedures to these programs, please visit this link: https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/admission/


Read through this FAQ article to check whether some of your questions regarding admission exams are addressed: https://helpdesk.upou.edu.ph/support/solutions/articles/48001147560-faqs-on-upou-admission 



What are the admission requirements and procedures to UPOU degree programs?

We have prepared solution articles for this. Please visit them here: https://helpdesk.upou.edu.ph/support/solutions/48000150395


You can also visit the UPOU Office of the University Registrar website (https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/admission/) for more details.



What are the admission requirements and procedures to the Professional Teaching Certificate program?

We have prepared a solution article for this. Please visit it here: https://helpdesk.upou.edu.ph/support/solutions/articles/48001146927-professional-teaching-certificate


You can also visit the UPOU Office of the University Registrar website (https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/admission/) for more details.



What are the admission requirements and procedures to the Continuing Education Programs?

We have prepared a solution article for this. Please visit it here: https://helpdesk.upou.edu.ph/support/solutions/articles/48001019592-continuing-education-programs


You can also visit the UPOU Faculty of Management and Development Studies website (https://fmds.upou.edu.ph/academics/cep/) for more details.



What are the admission requirements and procedures to the Massive Open Online Courses?

We have prepared solution articles for this. Please visit these articles:

Massive Open Online Courses

FAQs on MOOCs and MODeL


You can also visit the UPOU Massive Open and Distance e-Learning platform (https://model.upou.edu.ph/) for more details.



When will I be informed of the status of my application? How will I know if the UPOU Admission Section received my requirements?

Kindly wait for an email from the Office of the University Registrar about the admission results. Results of the evaluation will be released after the evaluation of the respective Admissions Committee of the program and before the registration/enrollment period of the applied term.



What is the coverage of the UPOU admission exams (UgATATE, etc.) What should I prepare for taking the exam?

Details of and instructions for taking an admission exam will be emailed by the UPOU Admission Section. Kindly wait for their email.



What is the coverage of the UPCAT? What should I prepare for taking the exam?

Please refer to the official UPCAT website (https://upcat.up.edu.ph/) for information about coverage, qualifications, requirements, procedures, etc. The UPCAT is administered by the UP Office of Admissions, UP Diliman.



When will I be informed of the results of the admission exam?

Kindly wait for an email from the Office of the University Registrar about the admission results. Results of the evaluation will be released after the evaluation of the respective Admissions Committee of the program and before the registration/enrollment period of the applied term.


For UPCAT results, please visit the official UPCAT website (https://upcat.up.edu.ph/). 



What are the admission deadlines? Can I still submit my requirements beyond the admission deadline?

Please always refer to the UPOU admission deadlines, which you can view here: https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/admission-deadlines/

It is best to submit your applications with complete documentary requirements before the deadline.



Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is an online submission of application available?

Please visit this link for details of the online application for UPOU degree programs: https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/admission/



Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what will happen to the sit-down and proctored admission exams?

Details of and instructions for taking an admission exam will be emailed by the UPOU Admission Section. Kindly wait for their email.



What are the procedures for successful UPCAT applicants to UPOU?

Successful UPCAT applicants to UPOU are senior students (i.e. Fourth Year, Grade 12, Senior 6) who have chosen and confirmed to study at UPOU under the BAMS or BES program and have taken and passed the most recent UPCAT.


Please refer to the Office of the University Registrar website for updates on the procedures: https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/



What are the procedures for UPCAT appeals and reconsideration in UPOU?

The UP Open University is open to appeals for reconsideration to applicants whose UP Predicted Grade (UPG) is 2.800 or better.


Please refer to the Office of the University Registrar website for updates on the procedures: https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/



I am enrolled in a degree program from another university. Can I still apply for a UPOU degree program?

The UP System does not allow concurrent enrollment in two or more degree programs. In that regard, you must complete your current program first before you can be admitted to your desired UPOU program. 



I am enrolled in a degree program from another university. Can I still apply for a UPOU non-degree program or course (PTC, CEP, MOOCs)?

Yes, you can apply for a UPOU non-degree program or course even if you are enrolled in another degree program.


However, for an applicant who is applying for PTC and another UPOU program, both applications can be processed. In a case where both applications are approved by the respective program admission committee, the student should choose which program they would pursue in the University. If they should choose to pursue PTC, they should be considered as non-degree student and should not be allowed to apply for a degree program in the University unless, they would sever themselves from the PTC program. Severing from the PTC program should be done through a clearance.


For current students of UPOU programs need not apply to PTC if she or he wished to enroll in PTC courses. They can enroll in PTC courses as extra courses of their program in the University. However, their enrollment to the PTC courses should have a prior approval from both program chair of her/his degree program and the program coordinator of PTC.




Contact information of UPOU Admission Section

UPOU Admission
(6349) 536-6001 local 441/199
https://registrar.upou.edu.ph/admission/
https://helpdesk.upou.edu.ph