TL;DR: Two things changed and both save you trips. Under DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025, the PSA birth certificate is submitted once for the entire K to 12 journey, and listed secondary documents are accepted at enrollment until October 31 of the school year if the birth certificate is not yet available. Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2025, the Kindergarten cut-off is five years old on or before October 31, and private schools must follow it.
Introduction
Enrolling a child in a Philippine private school means satisfying two different lists at once: the baseline DepEd requires of every school, public or private, and whatever the individual private school adds on top. Most of the friction and most of the repeat trips come from not knowing which is which.
This guide separates them. Everything in the first section is DepEd policy that applies to your school whether it advertises it or not. Everything in the second is discretionary and varies by institution.
What DepEd Requires of Every School
DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025, the Revised Basic Education Enrollment Policy, standardised documentary requirements across public and private schools and Alternative Learning System community learning centres.
The one mandatory document
- PSA or NSO-issued birth certificate — original or certified true copy, submitted once for the whole of K to 12. The receiving school keeps it on file. You should not be asked for it again at each re-enrollment.
If the birth certificate is not yet available
DepEd accepts secondary documents at enrollment, with the birth certificate to follow, and sets October 31 of the current school year as the outside date:
- National ID (PhilSys)
- PSA-issued Certificate of Live Birth
- Barangay Certification
- Marriage Certificate of the parents
- PhilHealth ID
- PWD ID
- Baptismal Certificate
- Affidavit of Undertaking signed by the parent or guardian
- PSA-issued Certificate of Foundling
The enrollment form
Parents accomplish the Basic Education Enrollment Form (BEEF), in person at the school or through the school enrollment system. Our enrollment form guide walks through it field by field.
The Kindergarten age rule
Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2025, a child must be five years old on or before October 31 of the school year. Children turning five between November 1 and December 31 may still be admitted if they completed a one-year Early Childhood Care and Development programme at a registered learning centre and hold a certificate, or if they pass the Philippine Early Childhood Development Checklist administered during the enrollment period.
Private schools are required to follow this cut-off. They may run their own readiness assessment on top of it, but they cannot impose an earlier birthday cut-off than DepEd sets. See our kindergarten enrollment guide for the full process.
What Private Schools Add
Beyond the DepEd baseline, most private schools ask for some combination of the following. None of it is DepEd policy, so it is negotiable in a way the baseline is not.
Documents
- Latest report card (SF9) carrying the Learner Reference Number
- 2x2 ID photographs, usually two to four, recent and coloured
- Certificate of Good Moral Character from the previous school
- Baptismal certificate, at Catholic and other religious schools
- Medical or health certificate, at some schools
- Immunisation record, particularly for Kindergarten and Grade 1
- Proof of residence, where a school prioritises nearby families
Assessment
- Entrance assessment in English, Mathematics and sometimes Science
- Interview with the child, the parents, or both
- Developmental assessment, at some schools for Kindergarten entry
Financial
- Application fee, usually non-refundable
- Reservation or enrollment fee to hold the slot, often credited against tuition
- Choice of payment plan — annual, semestral, quarterly or monthly
- Proof of financial capacity, at a small number of schools
Application fees, reservation fees and tuition are set by each school and published in its own fee schedule. Ask for that schedule in writing before paying anything, and ask specifically which charges are refundable if the child is not accepted.
Requirements by Grade Level
| Level | Typically required |
|---|---|
| Kindergarten | PSA birth certificate, age eligibility under DO 015 s. 2025, immunisation record, ID photos, application form, readiness assessment |
| Grades 1 to 6 | PSA birth certificate if not yet on file, SF9, ID photos, good moral character certificate for transferees, entrance assessment |
| Grades 7 to 10 | SF9, SF10 transmitted by the previous school, PSA birth certificate, good moral character certificate, ID photos, entrance assessment |
| Grades 11 to 12 | SF9 from Grade 10, SF10, PSA birth certificate, good moral character certificate, ESC or QVR certificate where applicable, ID photos |
The Enrollment Sequence
Exact dates move with the school calendar, and the calendar itself has shifted in recent years, so plan against the sequence rather than against fixed months. Check our DepEd school calendar for 2026-2027 for the current year and confirm dates with the individual school.
- Re-enrollment for current students opens first at most private schools, often well before the year ends.
- Open enrollment for new applicants follows, alongside DepEd Early Registration in the public system.
- Entrance assessments and interviews are scheduled through this window.
- Acceptance letters are released, usually with a deadline to confirm.
- Payment and final enrollment, including choice of payment plan.
- Classes begin on the date set in the school calendar.
The practical rule: at popular schools, the queue that matters formed before the one you can see. Ask the admissions office when applications for the next intake actually open, and diarise it.
Tips for a Smooth Process
- Start earlier than feels necessary. Established schools such as Xavier School fill their intakes well ahead of the calendar.
- Order the PSA birth certificate now if you do not already hold one. You only need it once under DO 017, but you do need it.
- Request the SF10 transfer early. It moves between schools, not through you, and that takes time.
- Keep scanned copies of everything. Many schools accept digital submissions for the initial application.
- Ask about scholarships and discounts. Academic, sibling and early-payment discounts are common and frequently unadvertised.
- Check ESC eligibility for junior high school at participating private schools, through PEAC.
- Get the fee schedule in writing before paying a reservation fee, and ask what is refundable.
Sources
- DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025, Revised Basic Education Enrollment Policy — deped.gov.ph
- DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2025, amendment to the Omnibus Policy on Kindergarten Education — deped.gov.ph
- Department of Education — deped.gov.ph
- Private Education Assistance Committee, Education Service Contracting — peac.org.ph
Find the Right Private School
Browse private schools across the Philippines on SchoolFinderPH and compare profiles in Quezon City, Makati, Cebu City and Davao before you start collecting documents.
