1. Application to the University of Santo Tomas is done online. 

2. Only College applicants who are currently enrolled in Grade 12 and Senior High School applicants who are currently enrolled in Grade 10 may apply. 

3. The following applicants may apply provided they first secure a clearance from the UST Office of the Registrar before paying the application fee:
   >  Out-of-school youth passers of the Philippine Educational Placement Test
       and Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency (PEPT/ALS
       A&E certificate is required)
   >  Applicants who are graduates of previous school years (original Form 138-
       Report Card is required)
   >  Applicants from foreign schools (Form 137-Transcript of Records is
       required)
   >  Foreigners graduating from local schools (passport and ACR I-CARD are
       required)

         * You may email the documents with your full name and reference number to
            ofad@ust.edu.ph (Subject: Request for Clearance - Surname, Given Name)
            for our assistance. 

4. College applicants are allowed to choose two programs. Senior High School applicants are allowed to select one track/strand.

            *  Priority Program. This is the program that the applicant prefers to be
                admitted to. This is their primary interest in which they intend to further
                their knowledge and skills.
            *  Alternative Program. In case the applicant does not meet the criteria of
                his/her priority program, they will be considered in this program subject to
                the criteria set by the College. Once an applicant qualifies in their priority
                program, the alternative program is no longer processed.
            *  Track and Strands. These are Senior High School programs that equip for
                employment, business, or further education. Select a track/strand that is
                aligned to your college plans or career goals. 

5. Passing the USTAR is not the sole basis for admission to some Colleges. Some Colleges may require additional entry assessment in the form of an interview, talent test (e.g. audition, drawing), or other similar activities. 

6. Application fees are as follows:
         Php    500.00 – Filipinos studying in the Philippines
         Php    500.00 – Filipinos studying abroad
         Php 1,000.00 – Foreigners studying in the Philippines
         Php 3,000.00 – LEAPMed Applicants
         USD 30.00 or Php 1,650.00 – Foreigners studying abroad
         USD 50.00 or Php 2,750.00 – Through International Credentials

*  Application fees of applicants for College or SHS belonging to the TOP 10 of their batch (based on their Grade 11 and Grade 9 academic standing, respectively) may be waived upon submitting a certification from their school principal indicating their academic standing. This applies only to candidates coming from the public schools in the Philippines. 

7. The following are grounds for disqualification, forfeiture of slot, and/or debarment:
    >  Misrepresentation of information entered in the application portal
    >  Violation of the application instructions
    >  Nonpayment of reservation fee, if qualified
    >  Non-submission of documents on time to confirm one’s enrollment, if qualified 

8. Deadline of application is December 18, 2020. An applicant must complete their online application by this date to be considered an official applicant. 

9. Applicants are advised to visit regularly the Office for Admissions website (https://ofad.ust.edu.ph) for updates and announcements. 

10. Feel free to email us at ofad@ust.edu.ph for any question or clarification.

1. Click Register and select the program you are applying for.
   >  College
   >  Senior High School – UST Manila
   >  Senior High School – UST Angelicum College, Quezon City
   >  Junior High School 

2. Fill out the Pre-registration form to get your Reference Number, Application and Conforme Form, and Application Payment Slip. 

3. Log back in to your application portal and encode your application data.
   3.1.  Complete the Grades Tab
   3.2.  Complete the Co-curricular and Extracurricular Tab
   3.3.  Complete the Information Survey Tab

4. Prepare the needed documents for uploading:
   > Signed Application and Conforme
   > PSA/NSO Birth Certificate or Passport
   > Certified True Copy of Form 137 or Form 138
          [Grade 10 & 11 for College applicants; Grade 8 & 9 for SHS applicants]
   > Student Ranking Certification
          [Grade 11 for College applicants; Grade 9 for SHS applicants]
   > Proof of Payment (or certification for Top 10 applicants from public schools)
   If applicable:
   > Honors Class Certification/s [Grade 10, 11, and/or 12 for College applicants;        Grade 8, 9, and/or 10 for SHS applicants]
   > Leadership Certification/s [Grade 10, 11, and/or 12 for College applicants; 
         Grade 8, 9, and/or 10 for SHS applicants]
   > Awards Certification/s [Grade 10 and/or 11 for College applicants; 
         Grade 8 and/or 9 for SHS applicants]
   > International Credential Certification (College applicants only)
   > Baptismal Certificate (SHS/JHS applicants only) 

4. Pay the application fee. Proceed to any Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) branch to pay, over the counter, the non-refundable application fee indicated in the Application Payment Slip. (We shall advise again soon when payment through Metrobank will resume.)

5. Upload your application documents. 

6. Click the "Complete" button in the Documents Uploading Tab. 

7. Visit the Activity Log in your USTAR application portal to view the notification after 10 working days from completing your application to download your Application Receipt. 

8. Download your Application Receipt. Your Applicant Number is found here.  You become an official applicant once you have an Application Receipt with an Applicant Number.
    

• Results shall be announced in 2021. Date to be announced later.

A Filipino or a foreign applicant who graduated or is graduating from a foreign school or from an international school here in the Philippines may apply through the submission of international credentials, provided that the following criteria are satisfied:

For International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma:

• The school that they belong in is not on its first year of administering the IB.
• For graduates, the IB Diploma was awarded within the last two years.
• For applicants still in Grade 12, the IB predictive grade during Grade 11 must be at least 28 points (excluding Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge).

For Cambridge General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level:

• For graduates, the A Level GCE was awarded within the last two years.
• For graduates, a Cambridge AICE Diploma or an A Level GCE with at least 3 A Levels with a minimum grade of C.
• For applicants still in Grade 12 (equivalent to Year 13), GCE with at least 3 AS Levels having a minimum grade of c. (For those who opted not to take the AS level exam, submit predicted A Level grades.)

      * GCSE, O Levels, and N Levels holders must have completed their A Levels or
         are completing their A Levels to be eligible to apply for the degree programs
         offered by the University.

For Advanced Placement (AP) International Diploma: 

• The school that they belong in is not on its first year of administering the AP courses.
• For graduates, an AP International Diploma or 3 AP Courses with a minimum grade of 3.
• For applicants still in Grade 12, at least 3 AP Courses having a minimum grade of 3.

For Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), General Achievement Test (GAT), and Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR): 

• The school that they belong in is not on its first year of administering the GAT.
• For graduates, the VCE was awarded within the last two years.
• For graduates, an ATAR of at least 70 or VCE with no Study Score lower than 30.
• For applicants still in Grade 12, GAT with no Study Score lower than 30.

For Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT): 

• The SAT must have been taken within the last 2 years before application.
• If the SAT is taken more than once, applicant must submit the most recent score.
• The Total Score must be at least 1200, with both Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math Scores not lower than 600.

For American College Test (ACT):

• The ACT must have been taken within the last 2 years before application.
• If the ACT is taken more than once, applicant must submit the most recent score.
• The Composite Score must be at least 27, with no subject score lower than 24.

Important Reminders: 

• These international credentials are only used as an admission requirement.  Other entry assessment such as interview, talent examination, and the like may still be required in case the applicant’s credentials are accepted.  Also, none of these shall be used as basis for credits in any of the college courses.  

• Applicants must submit an authenticated copy of their credentials, either by their school, testing center, or consulate. 

• An applicant must have completed 13 years of basic education or are completing their 13^th year to be eligible to apply at UST. 

• Applicants who do not meet the criteria set above may still apply through the USTAR. 

• Applicants who have applied through the USTAR may no longer apply through submission of international credentials. The USTAR will be considered for processing of application. 

• LEAPMed applicants are required to apply through the USTAR. Qualification through international credentials shall not apply to LEAPMed applicants.

What is LEAPMed?

The Learning-Enhanced Accelerated Program for Medicine or LEAPMed is a 6-year academic program that leads to a Medical Degree.  Qualified students will undergo a 2-year BS Basic Human Studies program before proceeding to the 4-year medical program leading to their Medical degree, earning 2 degrees in 6 years.

Who may apply for LEAPMed?

Graduating Grade 12 students from the STEM strand (Thomasians or non-Thomasians) or GAS-Health Allied strand  (Thomasians only) with a General Average of no less than 90.00 in Grade 11 may apply.   Graduates of previous school years are not qualified.

How do I apply for LEAPMed?

In the Program Preference of your application portal, indicate your interest by selecting Yes to the question:  Are you interested in applying for the LEAPMed program of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery?   You then continue with selecting your Priority Program and Alternative Program.

Who gets in to LEAPMed?

The top 200 applicants based on the USTAR shall undergo an interview process to assess their preparedness for the LEAPMed program.  Finally, only ninety (90) students will be accepted to the program.

How much is the application fee?

Application fee for LEAPMed applicants is P3,000.00.  This is similar to applying to UST Med school. 

What if I do not qualify in LEAPMed? What will happen to my application?

Your application will be processed first to qualify you for LEAPMed.  In case you do not qualify for LEAPMed, your application will then be processed in relation to your Priority Program and then to your Alternative Program.

Please be advised of the following:

1.  Upon registering, enter your UST Manila Student Number and your birthday.  This will carry your academic record to the USTAR application system.  There is no need to enter your Grade 11 grades. 

     1.1.  You only need to enter your Grade 10 grades if you did not finish your Junior
      High School in UST-Manila.

     1.2.  In the Documents Uploading tab, upload a copy of your Student ID instead
      of the required Form 137 or Form 138.

2.  If you answered YES to the question, “Did you finish Grade 10 at University of Santo Tomas – Manila”, enter your Junior High School student number.  Your student number in Senior High School is different from your student number in Junior High School. 

      2.1. Since you are a UST Senior High School student and finished Grade 10
      also in UST, the Grades tab will not appear in your application portal.

      2.2.  In the Documents Uploading tab, upload a copy of your current
      school Student ID instead of the required Form 137 or Form 138.

3.  For Student Ranking, enter “1” for Rank and “1” for Total Students on both Track/Strand-wide ranking and Batch-wide ranking.  The system will automatically generate the ranking upon processing of the USTAR.  There is no need for you to request your ranking from the UST Senior High School Office.  In the Documents Uploading tab, upload a copy of your Student ID instead of the Student Ranking Certificates. 

      3.1.  If you have a student ranking certificate, you may either enter the numbers
      indicated in the certificate or simply enter "1" on the spaces provided.  In either
      case, the system will still automatically generate the ranking upon the
      processing of the USTAR.

4.  Qualifying through the exemption criteria shall apply for AY 2021-2022.

About the USTAR

1.  What is the USTAR?

The projected prolonged threat of the COVID-19 situation will not allow the administration of the University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test (USTET) during the current application period, as it imposes health risks to both our applicants and the University staff.

Instead, admission to UST for the AY 2021-2022 shall be through the University of Santo Tomas Admission Rating (USTAR). The USTAR is a composite score derived from several data points largely from the academic performance and record of the applicant.

2.  Why not online USTET?

Conducting the USTET online has several challenges, both on the part of the applicant and the University. 

• The USTET takes hours to administer. Maintaining internet connection for that long would be difficult for many. Moreover, it disenfranchises many applicants who do not have continuous access to the internet.
• Assuring the integrity of the test results is difficult since we would not know how applicants will be answering the questions without a proctor monitoring them. Installing online proctoring software is impractical and only adds cost to both the applicants and the University. Also, it would disenfranchise the many applicants who do not have the means to purchase them.

3.  How do I qualify based on my USTAR?

The accepting academic units (Faculties, Colleges, Institutes, and Schools) shall set an USTAR cut-off score for their programs.  Programs may have different cut-off scores depending on the level of competency they require of their students especially considering that many of them are CHED Centers of Excellence, CHED Centers of Development, or PAASCU Level IV.  You qualify to the program you applied for if your computed USTAR reaches the cut-off score set by the academic unit for that program. 

4.  Should my Track/Strand be aligned to the program I am applying for?

An applicant may apply to any program regardless of their track or strand.  It must be remembered, however, that the Senior High School tracks and strands are preparatory course work to the courses in college.  Applicants whose Senior High School track or strand is aligned to the program they are applying for shall have an advantage over

applicants coming from a different track or strand.  Nevertheless, we recommend that you apply to the program that you truly aspire for regardless of your track or strand. 

       4.1.   Are students of General Academic Strand (GAS) in a disadvantage?

Not necessarily, because we shall also look into the individual subjects an applicant has taken in preparation for their college program.  If their electives are aligned with the program they are applying for, their USTAR will be higher than others’.

5.  There are applicants who have high grades but, sadly, the quality of education that was provided to them is not yet as excellent as others. Does the USTAR consider this?

Yes.  This is why several data are requested in your application.  All these data, including your school’s past performances in the many years of the USTET shall be taken into consideration.

(This is the reason why the USTET is administered. The USTET provides an evaluation of all applicants using a standard measure that determines an applicant’s cognitive aptitude and academic competencies based on what is expected of an incoming college or senior high school student of the University. But because of the risks brought about by the pandemic, we are suspending it for now.)

6.  Sometimes, a student gets a grade they feel or believe they do not deserve. How will this affect their USTAR?

The USTAR looks at all of the information submitted by the applicant.  It is the applicant’s consistency of performance that will qualify them into the program they apply for.  One or two grades, whether it is higher or lower than was expected, shall not be the determining factor whether one will qualify or not.  This is the reason why we require the academic performance record of the applicant in the past two years.

Regarding the Application Procedure

7.  I forgot my reference number. May I know my reference number?

Your reference number is automatically sent to your email address after the initial registration in the online application.  Check your spam box in case it is not in your inbox.  In case you were not able to receive the message, kindly send an email request to ofad@ust.edu.ph (Subject: Request for Reference Number – Surname, Given Name) indicating therein your complete name, address, and birthday.

8.  I keep getting the error “duplicate entry detected” when I submit my basic information. What should I do?

Very likely you were already given a reference number.  Check your email (including your spam box) to find your reference number.  Use this to continue your pre-registration.

9.  I am a Grade 12 transferee. I also shifted to a different strand.  Which school and what strand should I indicate in my application?

Indicate your (current) Grade 12 school and Grade 12 strand in your application. 

10.  What do I do if my school is not listed?

Very likely your school name is in the list.  Kindly follow these tips for searching your school:

• Use key words in searching your school’s name instead of the full name (e.g. “Tomas” instead of “University of Santo Tomas”)
• Use the correct spelling when searching your school’s name (e.g. “Santo” instead of “Sto.”)
• After writing your key word, do not hit Enter; click the “Search” button.
• For schools outside the Philippines, tick the box for international school first before clicking “Search”.

If your school is not found in our school database, please follow this procedure:

• Click the SCHOOL NOT FOUND button beside the SEARCH button.
• Click the REQUEST A SCHOOL button.
• Enter your school’s complete and official name. Refer to your ID or Registration Form.
• Enter your school’s complete and official address. Refer to your ID or Registration Form.
• Click SUBMIT.
• Click CHOOSE FILE to upload a .JPG picture of your school ID, Registration Form, or school letterhead for our reference.
• Click UPLOAD FILE. Your request will be sent after your file has been uploaded.
• Allow for 1 to 3 working days to find your school on the list by clicking SEARCH when you log in again. 

11.  Why am I not able to upload my ID picture?

Please check if the picture you are uploading is in .jpg format and is below 2MB.

12.  I am a General Academic Strand student and my subjects are not in the listed subjects. What should I do?

GAS students, except for Work Immersion, shall select their subjects listed in the other strands.

13.  How do I encode my subject grade if I had a failing mark?

Encode the same subject two times:  first indicating the initial grade, then indicating the passing grade on the other.

14.  What do I do if I could not get a certification from my school related to my co-curricular and extra-curricular activities?

Only data that can be validated will be used for the USTAR.  Indicating something that has no official reference or is different from the submitted reference document shall be grounds for disqualification of application.

15. I made a mistake in my entry of data. What should I do?

• If you have not yet clicked the “Complete” button, click the “Cancel Application” button found at the lower part of the Activity Log in your application portal.  You may then restart your application.  If you have paid your application fee already, write your new reference number in the deposit/payment slip before uploading it.
• If you have clicked the “Complete” button already, email ofad@ust.edu.ph (Subject:  Request for Edit - Surname, Given Name) indicating therein your full name, birthday, reference number, the reason for the request for edit, and the changes you are requesting to be made.  Once approved, you will get an email from us indicating either we have made the edit for you or you will be the one to update your online application.  If it is the later, you will need to click the “Complete” button once again to finally resubmit your application for processing.

16. I uploaded the wrong document/s. What should I do?

• If you have not yet clicked the “Complete” button, simply upload a new document in place of the one you earlier uploaded.
• If you have clicked the “Complete” button already, email ofad@ust.edu.ph (Subject:  Request for Reuploading of Documents - Surname, Given Name) indicating therein your full name, birthday, reference number, and the reason for requesting a reuploading of documents.  Once approved, you may update your online application.  Click the “Complete” button once again to finally resubmit your application for processing.

17.  What grades are needed for the USTAR?

The USTAR will look into your performance in the last 2 academic years.  For college applicants, all your Grade 10 and Grade 11 grades are required. For Senior High School applicants, all your Grade 8 and Grade 9 grades are required.

18.  What is an Honors Class?

Honors classes are special classes offered to academically exceptional students.  Not all schools offer them.

(Being part of a cream section is not an honors class.  It also does not mean being part of the honor roll.)

        18.1.  Does belonging to a Special Science Class (SSC) or to a Science, 
        Technology and Engineering (STE) program considered as Honors
        Classes?

Yes. SSC or STE are considered as Honors Classes.

19.  What awards are considered for the USTAR?

Winning in an international, national, regional, or in a school division level competition is a remarkable feat.  The USTAR will consider these achievements in your application.  Landing in first, second, or third place, as well as receiving a special citation in these levels of competition are the ones given consideration.  This only applies to awards received in the last 2 academic years.

       19.1.  Do they have to be individual competitions?   Can I include it if I was
       a member of the team when we joined the competition?

You may include it whether it was an individual or a team competition.

        19.2. Can we include awards related to sports or culinary or other 
        non-academic competition?

You may include them considering that there are programs in the University that value these achievements, for as long as they are international, national, regional or school division level.

        19.3.  What would be considered as special citations?

Special citations are given to selected participants for exemplary performance.  Examples are:  Best Robotics Design, Best in Dish Presentation, Most Valuable Player, among others.

20.  What leadership roles are considered in the USTAR?

Having a good academic record while at the time being able to lead and be of service to your school community is an admirable accomplishment.  As all leadership roles are important, the USTAR will consider leadership roles at the level of president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer (or their equivalent) at the level of student council or club/organization in the last 2 academic years.

21. I share the same rank as another student (example: 1.5 or 5.33) but the application system only accepts whole numbers for ranking. What should I do?

For cases like this, round up to nearest whole number.

22. My number days present is not a whole number (example: 195.5) but the application system only accepts whole numbers for attendance. What should I do?

For cases like this, round up to nearest whole number.

23.  My school is requiring a proof that the certificates I am request are indeed needed for the USTAR. What should I present them?

You may present your Application and Conforme form to your school wherein the requirements are indicated.  You may also refer them to the Application Procedure tab in the application website where the requirements are also indicated for their information.

24.  How do I get a clearance from the UST Office of the Registrar considering the quarantine restrictions?

You may email your documents with your full name and reference number to ofad@ust.edu.ph (Subject: Request for Clearance - Surname, Given Name) for our assistance.

25.  Is online payment allowed?

For those with BPI online accounts, you may pay the USTAR application fee through their Bills Payment facility.  Under Billers, select UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS [USTSCH]. 

        25.1. How can I enroll in BPI Biller?

                1. Log in to BPI Online and go to “Other Services.”
                2. Select “Manage Recipients.”
                3. Click on “Add recipient.”
                4. Select Biller as the type of recipient.
                5. Confirm the details of your enrollment. Click on “Confirm.”
                6. Enter the One-Time PIN (OTP) then select “Submit.”

      Important Reminder:  Online transfer to the BPI account number indicated in  
      the Payment Slip are not allowed since this will not be recognized by our system.

Other than this, only over the counter payment is allowed with the USTAR application fee account with BPI and Metrobank.   

26.  Metrobank is not accepting our payments [September 01, 2020].  What should I do?

Please proceed to BPI for your payments.  We shall advise when Metrobank is again ready to accept payments.  Another advisory shall be released on September 29 regarding this matter.  Thank you.

27.  How do I pay the application fee if I am outside the Philippines?

Applicants outside the Philippines may remit the payment of the non-refundable application fee using the following details:

Account Name         :    UNIVERSITY of SANTO TOMAS
Account Number      :    0154-0068-77 (Dollar account)
Name of the Bank    :    Bank of the Philippine Islands (España – UST Branch)
Bank Address          :    España, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
Swift Code               :    BOPIPHMM

28.  How can I apply if my international credentials do not meet the minimum requirements stated in the guideline for Application Through International Credentials?

You may still apply through the USTAR.

29.  Is the Applicant Number different from the Reference Number?

Yes, they are different.  You are given an Applicant Number only after you have fully completed your online application.  Having an applicant number means that you are now considered an official applicant.  The Reference Number allows you access to your application portal.  Only those with Application Numbers will have access to the Results Portal later on.

Other frequently asked questions

30.  If I passed or have taken the USTET already but did not enroll this year, do I still need to apply through the USTAR?

USTET results are valid only for the academic year they are applied for.  You need to apply again, this year through the USTAR.  Your credentials will be assessed based on the standards of the program set for the year and compared with the batch you are now hoping to enter with. 

31.  If I enter a different university this year and hope to transfer to UST next year, can I apply through the USTAR?

The USTAR is only for freshmen applicants who have not entered any tertiary level education.  If you have entered another university, even for a while, you are no longer eligible to apply through the USTAR. You become a transfer applicant.  Some programs are open for transfer applicants starting June 2021.

32.  What will I do if I lost my BPI or Metrobank deposit/payment slip?

You may request for a second copy of the payment slip from the bank. In case it is not retrieved, you must submit a notarized affidavit of loss.

33.  About how much is the tuition fee in UST?

• College:  approximately PhP 50,000 to 60,000 per semester.
• Senior High School:  approximately PhP 55,000 per semester 
• Junior High School:  approximately PhP 100,000 per year.
• Education High School:  approximately PhP 30,000 per year.

34.  When do I apply for scholarships?

Kindly inquire with the Office for Student Affairs after the release of the USTAR results.

35.  "Why do I still need to study if there is no more USTET?"

You study because you want to learn.  At every stage of your education, do your best because each step prepares you for the next regardless of your past.  You do not study to pass exams.  You study to learn.  Also, you need to graduate first before you are allowed to enroll in any College or in Senior High School.  Do your best always.  We wish you well.

[Updated:  September 25, 2020]