BEE vs BSEd: Which LET Track Matches Your Degree?

The bee vs bsed question trips up more LET applicants than it should. Most education graduates already know which level they're on — their degree decides it — but some reach PRC's filing window unsure whether they should file for Elementary or Secondary. This guide walks through who takes which level, how the two exams differ in structure, and what the review rotation should look like for each.

The One-Line Rule

If you graduated with a Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd, also written BEE or BSEEd), you file for LET Elementary. If you graduated with a Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) with a major, you file for LET Secondary. That's the rule in PRC's list of requirements for professional teachers.

What if your degree isn't an education degree? Under RA 9293 and PRC's requirements, a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences (or an equivalent degree) plus at least 18 units of Professional Education makes you eligible for Secondary — not Elementary. Many non-Education graduates earn those units through a teacher certificate programme. We cover that path further down.

How the Two Exams Actually Differ

Both levels fall under the PRC Board for Professional Teachers, and both are held on the same Sunday. In 2025 and 2026 PRC ran the LET in March and September. Both use the same passing rule: a 75% general average with no test below 50%. But the structure inside the test booklets is different in ways that matter for review.

LET Elementary — Two Parts

• General Education — 40% of the rating. 150 items in 2 hours across ten equally weighted areas, including Purposive Communication, Malayuning Komunikasyon, Readings in Philippine History, Mathematics, and Science and Technology.
• Professional Education — 60% of the rating. 150 items in 3 hours: the teaching profession; curriculum, methods and educational technology; child and adolescent learners; assessment of learning; and field study and teaching internship.

No major-field paper in the standard Elementary exam. (PRC's programme also has a separate track for elementary examinees with specialization, weighted 20/40/40, for graduates of certain specialised programmes.)

LET Secondary — Three Parts

• General Education — 20% of the rating.
• Professional Education — 40% of the rating.
• Specialization — 40% of the rating, 3.5 hours. Majors with published tables of specifications include English, Filipino, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Values Education, MAPEH and TLE.

The Specialization paper is the differentiator. It's why two BSEd graduates with the same Prof Ed score can land on opposite sides of the passing line — their majors carry as much weight as Prof Ed.

The Passing-Rate Gap

Secondary has passed at a higher rate than Elementary in every recent sitting. In March 2026, 56.03% of Elementary examinees passed against 73.10% of Secondary examinees. Across the last four sittings, Elementary ranged from 45.51% to 56.03% and Secondary from 56.88% to 73.10%.

That gap doesn't mean you should pick a level by pass rate — you can't. Your degree decides your level. What it does mean: Elementary takers shouldn't assume the exam is easy just because there's no major paper.

Who Should Sit Which

Match your degree to the level. That's the answer for almost everyone. The edge cases:

Holders of Non-Education Bachelor's Degrees

You'll need at least 18 units of Professional Education. After that, your degree shapes your Secondary major. A BS Math graduate usually files under Mathematics; a BS Biology graduate usually files under Science.

LET Elementary isn't open to you on the 18-unit route — that route is for Secondary only.

BEEd Graduates Considering Secondary

Some BEEd graduates later want to teach high school. That means meeting the Secondary eligibility rules first. It's usually not the first move: sit Elementary, get licensed, then look at Secondary later if you decide to teach high school.

BSEd Graduates Without a Strong Major

If your major was shaky in college, the Specialization paper is your bottleneck. You can't switch to Elementary as a workaround — your degree is BSEd. The fix is targeted review of your major.

Review Rotations Differ

The structural difference between the two papers means your review schedule should look different too.

BEEd Review Rotation

With Prof Ed at 60% and Gen Ed at 40%, you'll put more time into both than a Secondary candidate would. A typical 16-week rotation:

• Weeks 1–6 — Gen Ed daily blocks across all ten areas, heaviest on your weakest. Gen Ed review strategy covers the rotation in detail.
• Weeks 7–13 — Prof Ed daily blocks. Cover all five Prof Ed areas with weekly timed practice.
• Weeks 14–16 — Mixed timed practice at exam pace. See the final-month guide.

BSEd Review Rotation

Your major has the same weight as Prof Ed, so split your time three ways from early on:

• Weeks 1–4 — Gen Ed on a maintenance schedule (45 min/day, four times a week). It's 20% of the rating.
• Weeks 5–10 — Specialization daily blocks alongside Prof Ed. Both get equal time. The Major Field strategy guide covers the major-specific rotations.
• Weeks 11–14 — Prof Ed deep coverage with weekly timed practice. The Prof Ed coverage map breaks down the area weights.
• Weeks 15–16 — Mixed timed practice at exam pace.

The Application Process Is the Same

Whether you're BEEd or BSEd, the PRC application flow is identical: apply online through PRC's LERIS system, submit your documents (PSA birth certificate, PSA marriage contract for married female applicants, and a transcript of records with a scanned picture and the remark "For Board Examination Purposes") within the filing window, and pay the ₱900 fee. Your school and building assignment is posted before the exam. The LET application timeline guide covers the full process.

The Next LET

PRC held the 2026 LET on 15 March and 20 September; results for the September sitting are targeted for 27 November 2026. The next LET is expected around March 2027, but PRC has not yet published its 2027 schedule — watch prc.gov.ph for the date and filing window.

What Many Applicants Get Wrong

• Underestimating Gen Ed for BEEd — Prof Ed is 60% of the Elementary rating, but Gen Ed is still 40%, and no test may fall below 50%. A weak Gen Ed area can still sink you.
• Underestimating the major for BSEd — college coursework doesn't automatically carry you through the Specialization paper. It tests licensure-level mastery, not class-grade familiarity.
• Rushing the first sitting — filing for the next sitting without a realistic review window is a common regret. Plan your review first, then pick the sitting.

How Super Tutor Maps to Each

Super Tutor has a separate reviewer for each level. The LET Elementary reviewer covers Gen Ed and Prof Ed with chapter content in 11 study formats, practice quizzes at three difficulty levels, an AI tutor, a study planner, and full mock exams drawn from 4,400+ questions. The LET Secondary reviewer has the same study formats, quizzes, AI tutor and planner, without full mock exams. Plans start at ₱249 a month with auto-pay (cancel anytime) or ₱299 to pay once, and ₱1,999 covers a full year, paid once.

For the broader strategy, see the Complete LET Guide 2026. For the last four weeks, see the final-month sprint. For how to read PRC's national and school results, see the passing rate guide.

FAQ

Can I sit both LET Elementary and LET Secondary?

Not in the same sitting — both levels run on the same Sunday at the same times. You can take one, get licensed, then file for the other in a later sitting if you meet its eligibility rules.

What if my degree doesn't clearly fit either level?

Check PRC's list of requirements for professional teachers and ask the PRC before you file. Eligibility is checked against your transcript.

Does my major affect what I can teach?

Your major is what you're tested on in the Specialization paper. For which posts you can apply to afterwards, check DepEd's current hiring guidelines or the school's own requirements.

Is Elementary easier than Secondary?

Not by pass rate — Secondary has passed at a higher rate in every recent sitting. Either way, your degree decides your level, not perceived difficulty.

Next Steps

• Complete LET Guide 2026
• LET Gen Ed Review Strategy
• LET Secondary Major Field Strategy
• Super Tutor's LET Elementary Reviewer
• Super Tutor's LET Secondary Reviewer