USTET 2026 Reviewer: Format, UST Cutoffs, 90-Day Plan

USTET 2026: The Complete Guide for Filipino Applicants

The University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test sees about 25,000 applicants per cycle for slots across UST's 22 colleges. UST admits roughly 9,000 freshmen each year, putting the headline acceptance rate around 36% — but the programme-level competition varies enormously, from highly selective health sciences to standard-admission liberal arts.

This guide walks through the exam format, programme cutoffs, the medical-track competition (BS Med Tech, BS Pharmacy, Pre-Med pathways), and a 90-day prep plan that fits parallel UPCAT prep.

For 2026: UST's published schedule typically runs USTET in August–September 2026 with results in November. Application opens via the OFAD portal in June 2026. Verify on ust.edu.ph.

1. What the USTET tests

The USTET is a 4-section paper-based exam, ~3.5 hours total:

1. Mental Aptitude — verbal + numerical reasoning, abstract patterns
2. English Language Proficiency — grammar, usage, vocabulary
3. Reading Comprehension — short + medium passages, inference items
4. Science — biology, chemistry, physics, earth science (lighter than UPCAT, heavier than ACET)

All multiple choice with 4 options. No published negative marking. Total ~150 items.

The Mental Aptitude section is USTET's distinctive feature — it pulls together pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and quick numerical estimation. Most SHS students under-perform here because no high school subject formally covers it. Six weeks of dedicated drill closes the gap.

2. Cutoff bands by programme

UST doesn't publish exact USTET cutoffs but observed admissions patterns by college:

The Pre-Med pathway is UST's signature competitive track. Students who eventually want UST's College of Medicine (post-graduate, 4 years after Bachelor's) typically apply for BS Bio, BS Med Tech, or BS Pharmacy first as Pre-Med feeders. The composite cut for these programmes is highest.

3. The Med Tech + Pharmacy competition

UST is the country's largest producer of Medical Technologists and Pharmacists — historically. Both programmes consistently top the PRC pass-rate tables:

• BS Med Tech (USTET cycle 2024): ~700 applicants for ~300 slots, ~43% acceptance rate at programme level
• BS Pharmacy (USTET cycle 2024): ~900 applicants for ~400 slots, ~44% acceptance rate

Both programmes draw applicants who narrowly missed UP Manila or UP Diliman health sciences cuts. The Pre-Med pathway via UST is competitive enough that "I just want to be a doctor" applicants need 80th-percentile USTET + 90+ SHS GPA at minimum.

4. The 90-day prep plan

Calibrated for SHS graduates running USTET prep in parallel with UPCAT and ACET. Timing assumes ~3 hours/day for 12 weeks ahead of the August–September USTET cycle.

Weeks 1–2: Diagnose

Run one full USTET-format mock (~150 items, 3.5 hours). Most takers score 60–72 cold. The lowest section is typically Mental Aptitude (no formal high school exposure) followed by Science (chemistry depth catches reviewers off guard).

Weeks 3–6: Focused drill

Pair your two weakest sections:

• Mon/Wed/Fri (90 min): Mental Aptitude drill — pattern + sequence + logical reasoning
• Tue/Thu (90 min): Science drill (focus on chem + bio if those came up weakest)
• Saturday (3 hrs): Mixed mock (40 items per section, half-timing)
• Sunday: Off

Mental Aptitude is the highest-leverage section for most takers. It's pattern-driven — drilling 200+ items in 4 weeks reliably lifts the section by 15+ percentile points.

Weeks 7–10: Mock + final review

Two full mocks per week. Wednesday wrong-answer pattern review. Track accuracy by section, not by overall score.

By week 10, your second-pass mock score should be 75+ percentile. If stuck below 70, your weak section needs a different drill format — switch from book-based practice to question-bank-only.

Weeks 11–12: Taper

Cut hours by half. Light maintenance mock 5 days out, then nothing but flashcard review.

5. UST + UPCAT + ACET parallel prep

Most USTET takers also test for UPCAT + ACET. The shared Math + Reasoning + English coverage means one prep cycle covers all three with minor adjustments:

Apply to all three; the prep effort overlaps ~80%. The marginal cost of applying to USTET when you're already prepping for UPCAT is one application fee (~₱700) + one Saturday for the test itself.

6. Financial aid — the Catholic-school-network angle

UST has a tighter aid system than Ateneo or DLSU but still has real options:

• Academic merit scholarships: Top USTET scorers + first-honor SHS graduates get tuition discounts (50–100%)
• Athletic scholarships: UAAP-active programmes (basketball, volleyball, swimming, etc.) offer full scholarships
• Catholic education foundation grants: Several private foundations (CEAP-affiliated) offer need-based aid for UST applicants
• Cardinal Sin Catholic Studies Programme: Full scholarship for theology + philosophy track applicants

Compared to PUP/UP (free under RA 10931), UST is genuinely expensive — annual tuition + fees run ₱85,000–₱120,000 depending on programme. Most full-pay applicants apply through CEAP foundations as backup.

7. What it costs to prepare

USTET fee: ~₱700 application + ₱100–₱300 testing centre fee. Modest compared to ACET's ₱1,200.

The cost-effective path: free past USTET papers (alumni groups have them) + Mental Aptitude drill via a structured online tool. Paid centres add little vs UPCAT, where the science scope is heavier.

8. If you're rejected

About 64% of USTET applicants don't get admitted. Reasonable next steps:

• Apply to DLSU, ADMU as parallel options — similar tier, different cohort selection patterns
• Try Asian Institute of Maritime Studies, Mapua, Adamson University — strong programmes in specific specialties (engineering, maritime, accountancy)
• Take USTET again next cycle — UST permits re-application; gap-year preparation is worth doing if you scored within 5 percentile points of admission
• Lateral admission — UST sometimes accepts transferees from CEAP-affiliated schools after sophomore year

Practise for the USTET

Super Tutor's USTET prep shares Math + English + Reasoning content with UPCAT/ACET/DLSUCET (the CET cluster), with dedicated Mental Aptitude drill. Free at supertutor.ph.