ACET, DCAT and USTET Compared: Entrance Exams for Ateneo, La Salle and UST
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Study in Southeast Asia
ACET, DCAT and USTET are the separate entrance exams for Ateneo, La Salle and UST. All three test English, math and science through multiple choice questions, but each weighs abstract reasoning, timing and high school grades differently.
📩 ACET adds a dedicated abstract reasoning section and puts heavy weight on verbal reasoning under time pressure.
DCAT covers math, science, language and abstract reasoning across separate timed sections.
USTET tests English, math, science and mental ability, and combines your score with your high school grades on an 80/20 weighting.
Architecture applicants to UST sit an added drawing or aptitude task.
⏱️ Apply to more than one school, since each exam runs independently of UPCAT and of each other.
Why Filipino applicants take more than one entrance exam
UPCAT admits a small share of applicants relative to how many students take it every year. Because of that, most Filipino Grade 12 students sit at least one private university entrance exam alongside UPCAT, as a backup or as their main route into a strong program. Ateneo de Manila , De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas each run a separate exam, at a separate cost and schedule from UPCAT and from each other.
Applying to more than one does not hurt your standing at any of the schools. Each admissions office scores and decides independently, so a lower result at one school has no bearing on your file at another.
ACET: Ateneo College Entrance Test
ACET covers English proficiency, mathematics, science and abstract reasoning. Ateneo puts real weight on the abstract reasoning section and on verbal reasoning under time pressure, which trips up applicants who prepare only for math and science content. The exam runs across a full day with multiple timed sections rather than one continuous block.
Your ACET result combines with your high school academic record when Ateneo's admissions committee reviews your file, so a strong exam score does not offset a weak transcript on its own.
DCAT: La Salle's entrance exam
DCAT, La Salle's admission test, runs across math, science, language and abstract reasoning in separate sections, taking roughly two to three hours in total. Like ACET, it uses multiple-choice questions throughout.
La Salle also reviews your senior high school grades and, depending on your intended program, may require supplementary requirements such as a portfolio for design-related courses or an interview for select programs.
USTET: UST's entrance exam
USTET tests foundational English, math, science and mental ability, an abstract reasoning subtest. UST folds your USTET result together with your high school grades to produce a combined admission score, weighted 80 percent entrance test and 20 percent high school grades, similar in spirit to how UP builds its UPG, though the exact formula is UST's own.
Applicants to Architecture and a handful of other UST programs sit an added aptitude component, such as a drawing task, on top of the standard USTET sections.
How the three compare at a glance
| Exam | School | Core sections | Distinct feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACET | Ateneo de Manila University | English, math, science, abstract reasoning | Heavy weight on verbal and abstract reasoning under time pressure |
| DCAT | De La Salle University | Math, science, language, abstract reasoning | Roughly 2 to 3 hours across separate timed sections |
| USTET | University of Santo Tomas | English, math, science, mental ability | 80/20 combined with high school grades; added drawing task for Architecture |
How to prepare for each
Build your math and science review around your regular Grade 11 and 12 coursework first, since all three exams draw heavily from the standard senior high school curriculum rather than obscure content. Add targeted practice for abstract and logical reasoning items, since this is the section that catches applicants who only reviewed subject content.
Time yourself on full-length practice sets before test day. All three exams run multiple sections back to back, and pacing across a long test day matters as much as knowing the material.
Keep your senior high school grades strong through the application period. Every one of these schools factors your transcript into the final decision, so a weak final semester can undercut a good exam score.
What a passing result actually gets you
Passing ACET, DCAT or USTET puts you on the list eligible for the specific program you applied to, not a blanket admission to the university. Competitive programs such as nursing, medicine-track courses or engineering carry a higher internal cutoff than the minimum passing mark for the exam itself, so check your target program's specific requirement rather than the general passing threshold.
None of these results transfer between schools. A passing ACET score has no standing at DLSU or UST, so budget separate exam fees, registration steps and travel time for each school you apply to.
Deciding which exams to sit
Pick schools based on your intended course, location and cost, then work backward to which exams you need. Confirm each school's current application window and exam schedule directly on its own admissions office page, since dates and fees change from cycle to cycle and are not standardized across schools the way UPCAT is.