Grades and study results

How do educational institutions assess study results in the Philippines? And what documents do students receive when they have completed a study programme?

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Secondary education study results

In secondary education, schools use a grading system from 0% to 100%. A result of 75% is a pass (passing grade). Results of 65% or below are all listed as 65% on the transcript.

Secondary education documents

The following documents allow students to prove that they have completed Philippine secondary education:

  • the Junior High School Diploma;
  • the official transcript of grade 7 to grade 10;
  • the Grade 12/Senior High School Diploma;
  • the official transcript of grades 11 and 12;
  • a Certification Authentication and Verification (CAV).

Please note:

    • The official transcript is called the Permanent Record (DepEd Form 137-A). The Department of Education (DepEd) issues it.
    • The Certification Authentication and Verification (CAV) is a statement from the DepEd that the documents are in order. Students can apply for a CAV themselves at the DepEd.
    • If students have completed upper secondary education at a private school, there must be an SO number on the Grade 12/Senior High School Diploma or on the list of marks.

Special Order Number (SO number) for private schools

Private schools need to ask the DepEd for permission to let their students graduate. If they get permission, they receive a Special Order number (SO number) for these students. The same applies to private higher education institutions. You can check the SO number on the CAV.

Higher education study results

In Philippine higher education, the grading systems may differ between educational institutions. There is no national grading system. Higher education institutions provide information about their grading system on the transcripts. For example, the University of the Philippines (UP) uses the following grading system:

Grade In words
1.0 excellent
1.25 excellent
1.5 very good
1.75 very good
2.0 good
2.25 good
2.5 satisfactory
2.75 satisfactory
3.0 pass
4.0 conditional
5.0 failure
Inc incomplete

Also, there are often abbreviations on transcripts. We give some examples in the table below.

Abbreviation In words Meaning
NC no credit the student did not receive credits for the course
NG no grade the student did not receive a grade for the course
INC incomplete mark the student did not complete the course

Higher education documents

Students can prove that they have completed higher education with the following documents:

  • the diploma;
  • the official transcript, preferably received directly from the Philippine higher education institution; and preferably
  • a Certification Authentication and Verification (CAV). This is a statement from the CHED that the documents are in order.
    • Students can apply for a CAV from the CHED.
    • If the student is not going to complete the study programme, always request a CAV.

Please note: in case of documents from private higher education institutions, an SO number usually needs to be mentioned.

Special Order Number (SO number) for private higher education institutions

Private higher education institutions must ask permission from the CHED to allow students to graduate. They receive a Special Order number (SO number) for this, just like the private schools in secondary education. This number is mentioned on the transcript, together with the date the diploma was issued. The SO number only applies to the students for which the institution asked permission. You can check the SO number on the CAV.

Please note:

  • The CHED does not require every private higher education institution to apply for permission. Institutions that have received the autonomous or deregulated (‘free of rules’) status byfrom the CHED, do not need to apply for an SO number. They get an exemption. This exemption is mentioned on the transcript and/or diploma. The exemption is valid for 1 to 5 years.
  • Public higher education institutions do not have to apply for an SO number. Their exemption is always mentioned on the transcript or the diploma.