PNPA Entrance Exam Guide: PNPACAT Requirements, Age Limit and How to Apply

To take the PNPA Cadet Admission Test (PNPACAT), you must be a natural-born Filipino, at least a Senior High School graduate with a GWA of at least 85%, single with no children, and within the age limit. For the 2026 cycle, that limit was 18 to 22 years old before May 1, 2027. You apply online at www.pnpacatoas.com.

PNPACAT 2027 had not been announced when we last checked. In 2025 and 2026, applications opened on June 1 and closed on September 30, so watch pnpa.edu.ph and PNPA's official Facebook page from around May.

Who qualifies

These were the rules for the 2026 cycle. Check them again when PNPA posts its next announcement:

• Natural-born Filipino citizen, 18 to 22 years old before May 1, 2027.
• At least a Senior High School graduate with a GWA of at least 85%.
• Single, never married, never pregnant (for females), and with no legal obligation to support a child.
• Minimum barefoot height of 5'2" for males and 5'0" for females, with a normal BMI.
• Good moral character, with no conviction and no pending case involving moral turpitude or crimes against the State.
• Not a former cadet of the PNPA or another service academy, and never dismissed for cause from any job.

What to prepare

You upload clear scans in JPG, JPEG or PNG format:

• PSA Birth Certificate.
• Passport-size or 2x2 photo with name tag.
• Latest Form 137 or 138 showing a GWA of at least 85%.
• An active, verified PNPACATOAS account.

How to apply

1. Confirm you meet every rule, especially age, height, BMI, civil status and GWA.

2. Create and verify your account at www.pnpacatoas.com. PNPA recommends using a computer. On a phone, open the site in an external browser.

3. Fill out the form, choose your test center, and upload your documents before the deadline. Incomplete applications are not processed.

4. Look for your name in the lists of qualified examinees on PNPA's site and Facebook page, and confirm your test center and room.

5. Take the test, then wait for instructions on the medical, physical, neuro-psychiatric and agility phases if you pass.

Why your rank matters

PNPA publishes no fixed passing score. Passers are the top-ranked examinees, based on slots set by PNP National Headquarters. In 2023, 1,031 of 25,418 examinees passed, or 4.06%. So aim to place as high as you can, not just to clear a line.

Cadets who are admitted join a four-year government-paid residential program and earn a Bachelor of Science in Public Safety. Graduates are appointed as Police Lieutenants or as Fire or Jail Inspectors in the PNP, BFP and BJMP.

Apply only through www.pnpacatoas.com and PNPA's official pages. PNPA's 2026 announcement listed no application or exam fee.