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?
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.
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.