The UP College Admission Test (UPCAT) is considered as one of the hardest college entrance exams in the Philippines due to the huge volume of applicants and the limited number of slots that can be granted by the University of the Philippines (UP).

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So the UPCAT results have been released and unfortunately, you weren’t able to get a slot or you didn’t get the course or campus you wanted. Luckily, not all of the successful UPCAT applicants proceed with enrolment. This means that there are free slots up for grabs.

So what do you do? You grab them, of course! 

Read on and find out how you can file an appeal for reconsideration and how to get into your dream course or campus in the event your reconsideration gets rejected.

Appeals for Reconsiderations

1. Qualifications

Upon receiving your UPCAT results, your University Predicted Grade (UPG) will be shown. To know if you are qualified to file an appeal for reconsideration, the following must be observed:

• Your UPG must be within or higher than the cut-off grade of your target campus.
• Your target campus must have unfilled slots.

Different UP campuses have different cut-off grades for appeals. For example, here are the cut-off grades for appeals during the 2020 UPCAT:

Note: The cut-off grades for each UP campus may change every year. Always wait for the official list of cut-off grades from the official UPCAT website. Also, UP Diliman usually does not allow appeals for consideration for freshman year. Because of this, you may want to consider transferring later on. For more info, go to the next section of this article.

2. How To Apply

Along with your UPCAT results, you should also have received your Non-Qualifier’s Slip. Check the list of cut-off grades for each UP campus and take note of the deadlines.

Go to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) of the UP campus you want to appeal for and submit the following:

• Your Non-Qualifier’s Slip
• Valid ID of the applicant with photo and signature
• Letter of Appeal (may not be needed but be ready just in case)
• Authorization Letter with applicant’s signature (if the examinee has a representative making the request) and ID of the authorized representative

3. What to do after filing an appeal/reconsideration?

You will just have to wait for the release of the appeal results by the OUR.

Note: Even if your UPG falls within the campus cut-off grade, this does not mean that you will automatically be granted a slot in that campus. Besides the ranking of the UPG of applicants, other factors will also be considered depending on what the UP campus requires.

4. I filed an appeal for reconsideration but it wasn’t accepted. What now?

If your appeal was rejected, you may have to accept that you will need to enroll in another university/campus/course. But if you’re still determined to pursue studying in UP or your dream campus or course, these are the ways you can achieve that:

Shifting (S1 or S2 applications) or Transferring (T1 or T2 applications)

1. What are S1 and S2 applications?

This is for students who passed their target campus but didn’t get their target course. UP designates these applicants as Degree Program with Available Slot (DPWAS). This means that you are able to enroll in the campus under the condition that you enroll in a degree program with available slots.

The list of degree programs with available slots is usually released shortly after the majority of the UPCAT passers have confirmed or renounced their slots.

Shiftee 1 applicants refer to students who are shifting to another degree program also offered in the college they are currently enrolled in. For example, you decided to enroll in BS Biology in the College of Science in UP Diliman. You would like to shift to BS Geology, a degree program also offered by the College of Science in UP Diliman, and so you are considered as an S1 applicant.

Shiftee 2 applicants refer to students who are shifting to another degree program not offered by their current college but still offered within the same campus. For example, you are currently enrolled in BS Geology in the College of Science in UP Diliman but would like to transfer to BS Chemical Engineering, a degree program offered by the College of Engineering also in UP Diliman. You are considered as an S2 applicant.

Speaking from experience, I passed UP Diliman but was designated as DPWAS. The course that I wanted had no available slots and so I decided to enroll in a degree program and applied as an S2 applicant to shift into my target course.

2. What are T1 and T2 applications?

This is for students who could not enroll in their target UP campus or students who have not been granted an admission slot into UP.

T1 applicants refer to students who are planning to shift from one UP campus to another UP campus. For example, you are a UP student currently enrolled in UP Manila and would like to transfer to UP Diliman. You are considered as a T1 applicant.

T2 applicants refer to students who are planning to shift from a different college or university (not UP) to any UP constituent university. For example, you are a student from ABC University and would like to request for transfer to UP Diliman. You are considered as a T2 applicant.

3. When can I shift/transfer?

UP campuses usually only allow shiftees and transferees during the first semester of the academic year. However, this is subject to change. To know more about this, check the official OUR website of the UP campus.

4. How do I shift/transfer?

There are different requirements for each type of shiftee or transferee, but the process is more or less the same.

Step 1. Research early on your target UP campus and/or degree program

Start preparing early by choosing which UP campus and degree program you will be aiming for. Different degree programs and UP college units have different requirements so you should always contact the Office of the College Secretary (OCS) of the UP college unit first to know more.

Here’s a pro tip: you can look for the transferee primer by going to the OUR website or simply by Googling the following keywords: (UP campus) primer (target year of application) to get to the document directly like this:

Note: If the primer for the target year of application is not available yet, you may refer to the previous year’s primer for more details. However, it is important to note that the requirements in the primer are subject to change each year depending on the number of slots available. This means that sometimes, a UP college unit may or may not be accepting shiftees or transferees for that academic year.

Once you’re able to view the primer, you should see something like this:

Take note of the deadlines listed in the primer.

For S1, S2, and T1 applicants: you are generally required to earn and pass at least 30 academic units.

For T2 applicants: you are generally required to earn and pass at least 33 academic units and have a GWA of at least 2.0 or greater (depending on the degree program) according to the UP Grading System. To know the GWA equivalence of your university’s grading system, you may refer to the Primer for College Secretaries found on the official OUR website or simply click here.

Step 2. Set your target GWA and aim as high as possible

When there are shiftees and transferees for a degree program, they are ranked according to GWA, subjects taken, individual subject grades, interviews, and other factors depending on the degree program.

To gain an upper hand against your fellow shiftees and transferees, you aim for a higher GWA than the minimum required. Using the example above, if the BS Math program requires a 1.75 GWA, it’s better to aim for a 1.5 or higher. 

Related: How to Compute GWA in the Philippines: An Ultimate Guide

Step 3. Gather the requirements and apply

Following the example above, since the BS Math program is offered by the College of Science, you will need to contact the OCS of the College of Science through email. You may find out how to contact them by going to the UP college unit’s website.

For S1, S2, T1, and T2 applicants, you generally need the following:

• Accomplished Undergraduate Admission Application Form (at least 2 copies)
• Certified True Copy of Grades (signed and sealed by the Registrar of your school/university, original)
• Two (2) copies of 2×2 Photo ID
• Official Receipt of Application Fee (PHP 100.00) (for T2 applicants)

Another note: Due to the recent pandemic, all shiftee and transferee applications shall be referred to the OUR for processing in the meantime. This is subject to change based on the current situation. Refer to the OUR website of the target UP campus for more details.

Step 4. Wait for the results of the evaluation

Once you’ve submitted everything, you will be asked to wait for the results of the evaluation. If you have qualified for a degree program slot, you will be sent an email containing instructions for admissions and additional requirements. The results usually take around 2 weeks or less to be released.

Tips and Warnings (for Shiftees and Transferees)

• Plan out your subjects. This is mostly for S1, S2, and T1 applicants. If you are shifting to a degree program that doesn’t have much in common with your current course in terms of curriculum, try to enlist in subjects that can be credited in your target course. As much as possible, try to get GEs (general education), PEs, and NSTP subjects that are creditable in the other campus or degree program. By doing this, you may be able to keep your current academic standing after shifting.
• Be prepared for a “fresh” start. This is mostly for T2 applicants. You are likely to start out with a freshman standing again once you’re enrolled in UP. Even if you shifted from a related or similar course, not all of your subjects will be credited. Take note that only GEs, PEs, and NSTP can be credited provided that your GE/s and PE/s have an equivalent subject in UP. Otherwise, they will not be credited. 
• Popular courses are harder to get. This is because of the limited number of slots that open up every year and a large number of shiftees and transferees vying for those slots. Plan out carefully which degree program you want to apply for and make sure your grades are above average.
• Prepare for a fight. There is a level of priority when it comes to shiftees and transferees for a degree program. The list goes in descending order of priority: Shiftee 1 (S1) > Shiftee 2 (S2) > Transferee 1 (T1) > Transferee 2 (T2). If you’re a T2 applicant, don’t be discouraged. I personally know a lot of T2 applicants who made it into their dream course. It’s definitely possible.
• Always ask questions. Even though we’ve compiled a pretty comprehensive guide to shifting/transferring for you, always make sure that you confirm the list of requirements and qualifications with the respective offices. The application process for shifting/transferring is strict so not being able to submit all of the requirements may defer your application.

Related: The Ultimate UPCAT Reviewer (with Free Practice Tests and Answer Keys)