USTET Cutoff and Admission: What UST Actually Publishes
USTET Cutoff and Admission: What UST Actually Publishes
"What's the USTET cutoff for Nursing?" or "What's UST's acceptance rate?" — UST doesn't publish either. There are no official USTET cutoffs by programme and no official admission rate. Tables online giving programme-by-programme rates and "target scores" are guesses.
This post covers the real numbers that exist and how to plan. The USTET pillar guide covers the test and dates.
The real numbers
For AY 2025–26, The Varsitarian (UST's student paper) reported about 46,700 USTET takers in total. That figure includes around 10,000 basic-education applicants (senior high, junior high and elementary), so college applicants numbered about 36,700. 11,236 freshmen passed. UST didn't publish the applicant pool or passer count for AY 2026–27.
That works out to roughly three in ten college applicants passing that year — an overall figure that says nothing about any specific programme.
Your grades are part of the result
UST says a portion of your USTET result comes from your grades. So the USTET score isn't only about test day: your academic record counts too.
Planning your programme choices
Without published cutoffs:
- Start from the programme you genuinely want.
- Expect popular programmes to be harder to enter — more applicants per slot — but don't trust any specific "target score" you see online.
- Include a choice you'd genuinely be happy with that's less in demand.
- Test early if you can. UST Manila's dates are 18 October 2026, 6 December 2026 and 24 January 2027, but the system assigns your date — register early to keep your options open.
Where Super Tutor fits
Super Tutor won't predict whether you'll clear a cutoff — UST doesn't publish them. Super Tutor's USTET reviewer helps with the preparation: the same college-entrance chapters as our UPCAT reviewer, each in 11 study formats, with practice quizzes at three difficulty levels, an AI tutor and a study planner. Start free — 5-day trial, no card needed.
What to read next
The USTET pillar guide covers the prep. The UST health sciences guide covers the health programmes.
Start your USTET review free
Super Tutor's USTET reviewer has every chapter in 11 study formats, practice quizzes at three difficulty levels, an AI tutor for the questions you get stuck on, and a study planner. Start with a 5-day free trial, no card needed.
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