The National Competitive Examination is back!

After its 3-year pause due to the pandemic, the National Competitive Examination is back! This is for aspiring Grade 7 scholars for S.Y. 2024-2025 vying for a slot in the Philippine Science High School. The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Science High School System (DOST-PSHSS) announces the comeback of the National Competitive Examination (NCE) on December 2, 2023 to assess the scientific ability, quantitative ability, abstract reasoning, and verbal aptitude of aspiring Pisay scholars.

Eligible students who can apply for the examination are current Grade 6 students (2023-2024) who have the following:

• have a final grade of 85% or better in Science and Mathematics, evidenced by the student’s report card; If the student’s grades in Science or Math are below 85%, then, he/she must provide evidence that he/she belongs to the upper 10% of the batch.
• a Filipino citizen with no pending or approved application as an immigrant to any foreign country;
• have at least a satisfactory rating (or its equivalent) in his/her Character Rating in his/her report card (SY 2022 – 2023);
• have not previously applied for admission to PSHS; and
• preferably, be in good health and fit to undergo a rigorous academic program

Interested Philippine Science High School applicants may apply directly to the nearest PSHS campus, DOST Regional Offices, and Provincial Science and Technology Offices or apply online through https://nce.pshs.edu.ph/.

The Examination Permit will be issued to the applicants upon completing all documents by the PSHS campus where the application was processed. For applications filed in the DOST offices, the exam permits will be mailed to the applicant, or to the School Principals for distribution to student applicants from their schools. To those who applied online, the exam permits will be auto-generated at the end of the application.

The application period for the 2023 NCE will begin on July 3. The deadline for applications is on October 27.

AHEAD offers a Philippine Science High School Review program for students who want to study in the country’s top high schools. AHEAD provides a student-centered approach to help the students be more efficient in answering entrance tests. For our schedule and rates, visit https://www.review.ahead.edu.ph/junior-high-school-review/.

Written by: Lovely Lauron
Edited by: Chin de Chavez