When I applied at the University of the Philippines during my freshman days, I received notification that I had been waitlisted as far as my chosen quota course was concerned. The university informed, me, however, that I had the option of going for a non-quota course if I wanted to.
There appears to be some confusion regarding what quota courses are. Let’s clear things up a little.
Definition of Terms
The phrase “quota course” simply refers to a course that’s in high demand—there are only a limited number of slots available and a lot of students trying to get into it. Because of the higher cut-off requirements, high-ranking applicants with respect to the UPCAT and their UPGs call first dibs on these courses.
In the past, the university reportedly determined whether a course was quota or non-quota based on enrollment statistics. A course sometimes moved from quota status to non-quota status and back depending on how things went. The word going around these days, however, is that U.P. no longer makes this distinction between courses.
There’s the Rub
There’s a reason for this change. Apparently, some people put non-quota courses as their first choice on the U.P. application form, even if that course isn’t what they really want. The idea is that it’ll be easier for them to get into the university that way but its not true [read this post to learn more].
In lieu of this, a wise forum poster offered sound advice: don’t worry whether your course is a quota or a non-quota one. Just write down the exact course that you want on the application form and do your best on the UPCAT.
I did that, and to this day, I don’t regret it.
** If you insist on looking for a list of Quota and Non-Quota courses in UP though, well here is the last list they have released about that one:
U.P. Diliman | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Architecture (5 yrs) | BA Anthropology | |
BS Biology | BS Applied Physics (5 yrs) | |
BA Broadcast Communication | BA Araling Pilipino | |
BS Business Administration | BA Art Studies | |
BS Business Administration & Accountancy (5 yrs) | BS Chemistry | |
BS Business Economics | BS Clothing Technology | |
BS Chemical Engineering (5 yrs) | BA Communication Research | |
BS Civil Engineering (5 yrs) | BS Community Development | |
BS Computer Engineering (5 yrs) | BS Community Nutrition | |
BS Computer Science | BA Comparative Literature | |
BS Economics | BA Creative Writing | |
BS Electrical Engineering (5 yrs) | B Elementary Education | |
BS Electronics & Communications Engineering (5 yrs) | BA English Studies | |
BS Hotel, Restaurant & Institution Mgmt. | BA European Languages | |
BS Industrial Engineering (5 yrs) | BS Family Life & Child Development | |
BS Mathematics | BA Filipino | |
BS Mechanical Engineering (5 yrs) | BA Film & Audio-Visual Communication | |
BS Molecular Biology & Biotechnology | B Fine Arts* | |
BA Political Science | BS Food Technology | |
BA Psychology | BS Geodetic Engineering (5 yrs) | |
BS Psychology | BS Geography | |
BS Geology | ||
BA History | ||
BS Home Economics | ||
B Interior Design | ||
BA Journalism | ||
B Landscape Architecture | ||
B Library & Information Science | ||
BA Linguistics | ||
BA Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino | ||
BS Materials Engineering (5 yrs) | ||
BS Metallurgical Engineering (5 yrs) | ||
BS Mining Engineering (5 yrs) | ||
B Music (5 yrs)* | ||
BA Philosophy | ||
B Physical Education | ||
BS Physics (5 yrs) | ||
BA Public Administration | ||
B Secondary Education | ||
BS Social Work | ||
BA Sociology | ||
BA Spanish | ||
BA Speech Communication | ||
B Sports Science (5 yrs) | ||
BS Statistics | ||
BA Theater Arts* | ||
BS Tourism |
U.P. Manila | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Biochemistry | BA Behavioral Sciences | |
BS Biology | D Dental Medicine (6 yrs)** | |
BS Computer Science | BA Development Studies | |
BS Nursing*** | BS Industrial Pharmacy (5 yrs) | |
BS Occupational Therapy | BA Organizational Communication | |
BS Physical Therapy (5 yrs) | BS Pharmacy | |
BS Public Health | BA Philippine Arts | |
BS Speech Pathology | BA Political Science | |
BA Social Sciences (Area Studies) |
U.P. Los Baños | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Chemical Engineering (5 yrs) | BS Agribusiness Management | |
BS Civil Engineering (5 yrs) | BS Agricultural Chemistry (5 yrs) | |
BS Computer Science | BS Agricultural Economics | |
BS Economics | BS Agricultural Engineering (5 yrs) | |
BS Electrical Engineering (5 yrs) | BS Agriculture | |
BS Industrial Engineering (5 yrs) | BS Applied Mathematics | |
BS Applied Physics | ||
BS Biology | ||
BS Chemistry | ||
BA Communication Arts | ||
BS Development Communication | ||
BS Food Technology | ||
BS Forestry | ||
BS Human Ecology | ||
BS Mathematics | ||
BS Mathematics and Science Teaching | ||
BS Nutrition | ||
BA Philosophy | ||
BA Sociology | ||
BS Statistics | ||
D Veterinary Medicine (6 yrs) |
U.P. College Baguio | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Computer Science | BA Communication | |
BA Language & Literature | ||
BS Mathematics | ||
BS Physics | ||
BA Social Sciences | ||
BS Biology |
U.P.E.P. Pampanga | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Business Management | ||
BA Economics | ||
BA Psychology |
U.P. Cebu College | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Management | BS Biology | |
B Fine Arts (Painting) | ||
BS Computer Science | ||
BA Mass Communication | ||
BS Mathematics | ||
BA Political Science | ||
BA Psychology |
U.P. Tacloban College | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Computer Science | BS Biology | |
BS Accountancy (5 yrs) | BS Management | |
BA Communication Arts | ||
BA Social Sciences (Economics) | ||
BA Social Sciences (Political Science) | ||
BA Social Sciences (Psychology) |
U.P. Visayas | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Accountancy (5 yrs) | BS Applied Mathematics | |
BS Biology | BS Aquaculture | |
BA Broadcast Communication | BA Community Development | |
BS Business Adm. (Marketing) | BS Fisheries (Fisheries Business Management) | |
BS Chemistry | BS Fisheries (Fish Processing Tech.) | |
BS Computer Science | BS Fisheries (Marine Fisheries) | |
BS Economics | BA History | |
BS Food Technology | BA Literature | |
BA Political Science | BS Management | |
BA Psychology | BA Sociology | |
BS Public Health | ||
BS Statistics |
U.P. Mindanao | Quota | Non-Quota |
BS Applied Mathematics | ||
BS Architecture | ||
BS Biology | ||
BA Communication Arts | ||
BS Computer Science | ||
BA English (Creative Writing) | ||
BS Food Technology | ||
BA Social Sciences |
* The College of Music, College of Fine Arts and the BA Theater Arts program of the College of Arts and Letters require their prospective freshmen who qualify through the UPCAT to pass a talent test to determine their suitability for the profession.
** A screening examination will be given by the College of Dentistry after the second year to determine fitness and manual dexterity.
*** The College of Nursing requires its prospective freshmen who qualify through the UPCAT to pass an interview and/or an aptitude test. Only qualifiers who belong to the upper 40% of their graduating class will be admitted.
Related posts:
- UPCAT Science Portion Tips and Strategies
- Transferring Courses or UP Campuses Right after the UPCAT
- UP Certificate in Theater Arts Program Admission Basics
- Will Choosing a “Non-Quota” Course Increase my Chances of Passing the UPCAT?
- UPCAT Review – Your Ultimate Guide
- Top Universities of the Philippines: CHED’S Center of Excellence and Center of Development(As of Oct. 4, 2010)
- BS Computer Engineering: Career Outlook and Global Demand
- College Entrance Exams: General Science Coverage
- BS Civil Engineering: Course Description
- BS Computer Engineering: Course Description
- BS Computer Science: Course Description
- Types of UPCAT Results
- Looking Ahead to a Recession-Proof Career
- The Current Most Popular College Courses in the Philippines [2011-2020]
- Are There Still Quota and Non Quota Courses in UP?
hi! I’m entering high school. I’m already planning my college years and I want to have a good course. Is there an astronomy course? If there is please let me know the name of the course and the amount of years to study for it. On BA Creative Writing how many years would it take to study for it? Thanks for the help!
Pingback: UPCAT Review – Your Ultimate Guide
Is this true? B.S bio in UPlb a non-quota course? and also UPb’s b.s bio. alam ko quota course yun.
is it true that we should have a Quota and One non-Quota in the application form??
Tip ko lang for New UPCAT-takers: Write down the course you really, really want to get in. Kasi, if ever you got in kasi Non-Quota yung course mo, pero you don’t like that course naman, mawawalan ka rin nang gana in studying that course kahit for the first year lang. So, sayang din.
Kung for your 2nd choice of course naman, choose something you like too, kung wala ka nang gusto, choose something that is quite related/relevant with your 1st choice, para if ever you opted to shift to your 1st choice of course after a year, at least hindi ka na mabibigla kasi same lang halos yung background ng tinatake-up mo.
Good Luck. =))
is it true that we should need One Quota and a Non- Quota in the application form?
is it true that the UPCAT is right minus wrong ?