PNPA Cadet Admission Test (PNPACAT) Guide: Dates, Requirements, Prep

PNPA Cadet Admission Test: The Complete Guide for Filipino Applicants

The Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) at Camp General Mariano N. Castañeda in Silang, Cavite trains officers for the police, fire and jail services. Admission starts with the PNPA Cadet Admission Test (PNPACAT).

2026 PNPACAT (Class 2031): Sunday, 25 October 2026. Online applications through PNPA's CAT Online Application System (pnpacatoas.com) run from 1 June to 30 September 2026. PNPA has been posting initial lists of qualified examinees in batches (1 July, 1 August and 1 September 2026). Only trust announcements from pnpa.edu.ph and PNPA's official Facebook page — PNPA has warned against unofficial pages posting unverified PNPACAT information.

Note: you apply to PNPA directly. The NAPOLCOM exam is a different test, for entry as a Patrolman — see the NAPOLCOM PNPE guide.

1. Who can apply

From PNPA's official 2026 announcement:

1. Natural-born Filipino citizen
2. 18 to 22 years old before 1 May 2027
3. At least a senior high school graduate with a GWA of at least 85%
4. Single, never married nor pregnant (for females), with no legal obligation to support a child
5. Minimum barefoot height of 5'2" for males and 5'0" for females
6. Normal BMI for your age, height, weight and gender
7. Physically and mentally fit for rigorous training
8. Of good moral character, never convicted in a criminal, administrative or civil case
9. No pending complaint or case involving moral turpitude or crimes against the state
10. Not a former cadet of PNPA or another service academy
11. Never dismissed from private employment or a government position for cause

Documents for the online application: clear scanned copies (JPG, JPEG or PNG) of your PSA birth certificate, a passport-size or 2×2 photo with name tag, and your latest Form 137/138 showing a GWA of at least 85%, plus an active, verified PNPACATOAS account.

2. How competitive it is

The last PNPACAT (for Class 2030) was held on 8–9 November 2025 at 37 testing centres. 21,179 examinees took it (18,153 registered plus 3,026 walk-ins) and 1,627 passed — 7.68%.

The written test is the first stage of PNPA's screening. Passers go on to further evaluations — psychological, medical and physical tests and interviews — before final selection. PNPA doesn't publish how many cadets it takes each year.

3. What's on the test

PNPA doesn't publish an official subject list, item count or time limit for the PNPACAT. Reviewers commonly describe multiple-choice questions in:

• Communication skills — English (and Filipino) grammar, vocabulary and reading — see the verbal review
• Mathematics — see the math review
• Logical and abstract reasoning — see the reasoning review
• General science
• General information and current events — see the general information review

Treat that list as a guide, not an official breakdown, and prepare broadly.

4. What a PNPA career pays

PNPA cadets complete a Bachelor of Science in Public Safety. Graduates are commissioned as Police Lieutenants in the PNP, or as Inspectors in the BFP or BJMP.

Uniformed personnel aren't on the civilian Salary Grade table; they're paid under the separate MUP base pay schedule (EO 107, s. 2025). In 2026:

• Cadet: ₱40,284 a month base pay
• Police Lieutenant / BFP or BJMP Inspector: ₱52,004 a month base pay

See PNPA officer career and pay for the full rank table.

5. A prep plan to 25 October

With about a month to go:

• Weeks 1–2: a timed diagnostic across English, math, reasoning, science and general information; then daily practice on your two weakest areas. Read the news every day for current events.
• Week 3: two timed mixed practice sets; review every mistake.
• Week 4: light review, rest, and prepare your test permit, ID and route to your testing centre.

Starting early for the next cycle? Use six months: two months of foundations, two of daily practice sets, and two of timed practice tests — plus regular running and bodyweight training for the physical tests that follow. The practice test strategy has a detailed schedule.

6. Fees

Third-party sources report that applying and taking the PNPACAT are free. Confirm with PNPA when you apply.

7. PNPA or PMA?

PNPA leads to the police, fire and jail services; PMA leads to the Army, Navy and Air Force. They have different eligibility rules and schedules — see PNPA vs PMA.

8. If you don't pass

• Try again next cycle if you're still within the age limit and meet the other requirements.
• Consider the NAPOLCOM PNPE route to the PNP as a Patrolman — see the NAPOLCOM PNPE guide.
• Consider PMA if a military career appeals — see the PMA entrance exam guide.

Where Super Tutor fits

Super Tutor's PNPAE reviewer is built on the same college-entrance chapters as our UPCAT reviewer — mathematics, science, language proficiency, abstract reasoning and general information — plus PNPA-specific chapters on Philippine law basics and the Bill of Rights, PNPA's organisation and the cadet path, and law-enforcement fundamentals and police ethics. Every chapter comes in 11 study formats, with practice quizzes at three difficulty levels, an AI tutor that explains questions step by step, and a study planner. It doesn't include full PNPACAT mock exams.

Start free — 5-day trial, no card needed. After the trial, plans start from ₱249/month with auto-pay (cancel anytime) — or ₱1,999 for a full year, pay once.