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Senior High School Strand

Abbreviation: SHS Strand

Specialization in Philippine Senior High School (Grades 11–12) — STEM, HUMSS, ABM, GAS, TVL and others, now being replaced by the Strengthened SHS tracks.

SHS strands are the specializations within Philippine Senior High School (Grades 11–12) under the K-12 program.

Academic Track strands:

  • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
  • HUMSS (Humanities and Social Sciences)
  • ABM (Accountancy, Business and Management)
  • GAS (General Academic Strand)

Other tracks: Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), Arts and Design, and Sports.

The 2026 change: DepEd is fully implementing the Strengthened SHS Curriculum from SY 2026–2027. It replaces the strands with two tracks — Academic (with elective clusters such as STEM, Business, and Humanities and Social Sciences) and Technical-Professional (TechPro) — and cuts the core subjects. Ask your school which program applies to your batch.

What it means for you:

  • Choose based on the college course or work you're aiming for
  • Some colleges ask students from a different strand or cluster to take bridging subjects — check the admission rules of your target schools
  • For the DOST-SEI scholarship, all STEM students may apply; others must be in the top 5% of their class

Frequently asked questions

What are the Senior High School strands in the Philippines?
Under the original K-12 SHS program, the Academic Track has STEM, HUMSS, ABM and GAS, alongside the TVL, Arts and Design, and Sports tracks. From SY 2026–2027 DepEd is replacing these with the Strengthened SHS Curriculum's Academic and TechPro tracks.
Which SHS strand is best for college?
It depends on your target course: STEM suits engineering, health and the sciences; HUMSS suits education, communication and social sciences; ABM suits business and accountancy. Check your target colleges' admission rules for any strand requirements.

See also

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