The University of the Philippines (UP) has announced that 18,350 examinees passed the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) for Academic Year 2026-2027, representing 12.44% of the 147,437 who took the exam nationwide in August 2025. This figure is an increase from the previous year, with a higher passing rate of 13% for UPCAT 2025. The results show a growing trend of public school students qualifying, with 57.1% of passers coming from this sector, and greater geographic representation, including an increase in qualifiers from indigenous communities and underserved regions like CAR and BARMM. UP is emphasizing inclusivity, with 21.45% of qualifiers from low-income households and 12.7% being first-generation college students, and is expanding admission pathways and testing center accessibility to reach more students.