The University of Santo Tomas (UST) is set to welcome over 10,510 applicants for the first batch of the UST Entrance Test (USTET) on Sunday, Oct. 22.
"More than threefold the nearly 3,000 examinees in the same period last year," said UST’s Office for Admissions (OFAD) as published on Oct. 20 by "The Flame," the official student publication of the UST-Faculty of Arts and Letters.
OFAD Director associate professor Imelda Dakis highlighted the increase in applicants compared to last year, saying it was "much higher" due to the return of onsite test-taking following the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
"Last year was a transition year not only for the University, in terms of resuming the administration of the entrance tests, but also for [its] major stakeholders—the applicants and their families," Dakis explained to The Flame.
She added the USTET results are expected to be released in April 2024.
Of the total applicants, 7,185 are vying for college admission, including 665 for the Learning-Enhanced Accelerated Program for Medicine (LEAPMed).
The remaining 3,325 examinees are applying for senior high school (SHS) admission.
To accommodate a large number of examinees, the university said it has designated nine testing areas: the Main Building, Beato Angelico Building, Miguel de Benavides Building, Thomas Aquinas Research Complex, St. Raymund Peñafort Building, San Martin de Porres Building, Albertus Magnus Building, Fr. Roque Ruano, O.P. Building, and BI. Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building.
Examinees will be granted entry to the campus upon presenting their test permits and through designated gates based on their assigned testing areas.
The España Boulevard gates will be open for USTET takers assigned to the Roque Ruaño building (Gate 1), Albertus Magnus building (Gate 2), and Main Building (Gate 3).
Meanwhile, Gate 6 on P. Noval Street will be open for applicants in the Beato Angelico and BGPOP buildings.
Moreover, the USTET 2024 schedule for the Manila campus is on Oct. 22, Nov. 19, Nov. 26, Dec. 10, Jan. 21, and Feb. 4.
The university added that provincial testing centers for the USTET will be set up in Tagbilaran, Bohol, Iloilo City, Zamboanga City, and Davao City on Nov. 11.
Kalibo, Aklan, and Mandaue in Cebu and other testing centers will host the test on Nov. 12 and General Santos City on Jan. 13, 2024.
As of Oct. 17, 45,396 applicants have filed for the USTET for college admission, while 8,174 are seeking SHS admission, including those from the UST Angelicum College.