USTET makes a comeback for Academic Year 2023-2024 admissions

WRITTEN BY : Kim Dator and Kateleen Vicente

After two years of utilizing the University of Santo Tomas Admission Rating (USTAR) Score as a basis for admission, the University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test (USTET) has returned nationwide for all aspiring Thomasians in the upcoming Academic Year 2023-2024.

The examination administered to all applicants of the Education High School (EHS), Junior High School (JHS), Senior High School (SHS), Learning-Enhanced Accelerated Program for Medicine (LEAPMed) and College level covered English, Mathematics, and Science, and included an additional subtest in Mental Ability.

“Pressured po kasi nasa amin ulit yung panibagong standard… Kumbaga from online class, switch agad ng face-toface na entrance exam,“ Laurence Korbito, one of the USTET takers, shared when asked about his experience in taking the exam.

Meanwhile, Gian Manzano honestly answered, “Masaya po kaso mukhang babagsak.”

An applicant’s overall rating is composed of the USTET scores, with a percentage weight of 80 percent, and 20 percent for their computed average grade in Math, Science, and English as stated in their application forms.

The application was done online through the official website of the UST Office of Admissions (OFAD), where the registration and submission of requirements also took place.

The University provided multiple provincial testing centers from Luzon to Mindanao for Senior High School and College Applicants. These were as follows: Baguio, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Mindoro, Albay, Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, General Santos, and all of Region III except Aurora.

Aspiring international applicants were also allotted testing centers located in Doha, Qatar; Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE); Manama, Bahrain; and Al-Khobar, Riyadh, and Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition, international applicants who are not residents of the provided international testing areas were instructed to contact Dr. Ryan O. Cayubit, PhD, RPsy, RPm from the Department of Psychology.

Although both vaccinated and unvaccinated students were welcomed as applicants, the University still recommended full vaccination against COVID-19 to support the nationwide booster vaccine campaign of the Department of Health (DOH).

In accordance with Circular 25 released by the UST Office of the Secretary-General last October 14, 2022, the USTET was and will be facilitated on the following Sundays: October 23, December 4, December 11, 2022, and January 22 and May 7, 2023.