If you are applying for the DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship for 2027, preparing for the qualifying examination is one of the most important parts of the application process.
And one of the first questions most applicants ask is simple:
What exactly should I study for the DOST Scholarship Exam?
The good news is that you do not have to review every subject you have taken since elementary school. The DOST-SEI examination follows several major areas designed to measure your reasoning ability, scientific understanding, mathematics skills, and language proficiency.
For the 2027 Undergraduate Scholarship cycle, DOST-SEI is already accepting applicants under its current program. Eligible applicants generally include graduating Grade 12 STEM students, qualified students from non-STEM classes, and previous senior high school graduates who have not yet enrolled in college, subject to the complete eligibility requirements.
As of September 2026, however, the latest official DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Examination Primer publicly available is the 2026 edition. Because DOST-SEI itself notes that the examination can evolve, 2027 examinees should still watch for a newer primer or instructions before their scheduled exam. The coverage below is based on the latest official examination structure published by DOST-SEI.
With that in mind, here’s a practical DOST Scholarship Exam Reviewer for 2027 covering what you should study, which topics deserve more attention, and how you can prepare.
Content
DOST Scholarship Exam Coverage
Based on the latest official DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Examination Primer, the test is divided into three major parts:
| Part | Area | Coverage | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part I | Creative Reasoning | Mechanical Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Language and Literature | 45 minutes |
| Part II | Science | Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics, Space Science | 65 minutes |
| Part III | Mathematics | Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics, Calculus | 70 minutes |
The examination uses multiple-choice questions with four choices per item. DOST-SEI says your score is based on the number of correct answers. The entire examination takes more than three hours once instructions and answer-sheet procedures are included.
One particularly important rule is that the sections are separately timed. Once a part is finished, you cannot return to the previous section or move ahead to another section before instructed to do so.
That means preparing for the DOST exam isn’t just about knowing the answers. You also need to learn how to work under time pressure.
Part I: Creative Reasoning
Creative Reasoning is sometimes overlooked because students naturally spend more time studying Mathematics and Science.
Don’t ignore it.
This section tests how quickly you can analyze unfamiliar situations and identify relationships or patterns. According to the official primer, it covers Mechanical Reasoning, Spatial Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning, together with Language and Literature.
Mechanical Reasoning
Mechanical reasoning tests your understanding of basic physical and mechanical relationships.
The official DOST primer describes questions involving everyday physics, mechanical and electrical problems, and physical forces.
Topics worth reviewing include:
- forces and motion
- gravity
- acceleration
- simple machines
- gears
- pulleys
- levers
- electricity and simple circuits
- pressure
- balance and equilibrium
- basic fluid behavior
- mechanical advantage
You don’t necessarily need complicated engineering formulas here.
Many questions are visual.
For example, you might be shown an object moving in a particular direction and asked what happens because of acceleration. You could also be given a simple electrical circuit and asked how changing one component affects the others.
Try to understand why physical systems behave the way they do rather than simply memorizing formulas.
Spatial Reasoning
Spatial reasoning measures your ability to mentally manipulate objects.
The official primer describes skills such as visualizing, rotating and disassembling two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects.
Practice questions involving:
- shape rotation
- mirror images
- paper folding
- paper cutting
- pattern completion
- cube problems
- assembling shapes
- identifying matching figures
- sequences of shapes
- identifying a rotated object
This is one of those areas where traditional studying won’t always help.
Practice helps much more.
Spend several minutes every day answering spatial reasoning puzzles. Over time, you’ll become faster at recognizing how objects move or fit together.
Verbal Reasoning
Verbal reasoning tests your ability to understand relationships between ideas and words.
The DOST primer says this section evaluates your ability to understand, analyze and interpret information and to reason logically from complex information.
Expect question styles such as analogies.
For example:
BIRD : FLY :: FISH : ______
The answer would be something related to what a fish does, such as swim.
But DOST questions can involve more complicated relationships involving professions, scientific concepts, objects, meanings or historical figures.
Review and practice:
- word analogies
- relationships between words
- synonyms and antonyms
- vocabulary
- classifications
- logical relationships
- cause and effect
When answering analogies, don’t simply ask what the two words mean.
Ask:
What is the relationship between the first two words?
Then look for the option showing the same relationship.
Language and Literature
Language and Literature primarily tests English-language proficiency.
According to the DOST primer, this includes grammar and syntax, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
English Grammar
Review common grammar topics such as:
- subject-verb agreement
- verb tenses
- pronouns
- prepositions
- conjunctions
- modifiers
- sentence structure
- parallelism
- correct word usage
- punctuation
- common grammatical errors
You may encounter questions asking which part of a sentence contains an error.
The challenge is that some sentences may sound correct even when they contain a grammatical mistake.
Practice identifying the subject and verb first. This makes many grammar questions easier.
Vocabulary
You don’t need to memorize the entire dictionary.
Instead, focus on expanding your ability to determine meaning through context.
Study:
- synonyms
- antonyms
- word roots
- prefixes
- suffixes
- commonly confused words
- contextual vocabulary
Reading English articles, science stories and nonfiction regularly can help improve vocabulary naturally.
Reading Comprehension
Expect to read passages and answer questions based on them.
The official primer includes passage-based questions asking examinees to identify information, meanings and conclusions from a text.
Practice answering questions about:
- main idea
- supporting details
- vocabulary in context
- author’s purpose
- inference
- conclusions
- cause and effect
A useful strategy is to avoid relying on what you already know about the subject.
Your answer should come from the passage.
Part II: Science
Science is one of the major portions of the DOST Scholarship Examination.
According to the official primer, the science examination includes:
Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics and Space Science.
The questions are not necessarily pure memorization. Some require you to apply scientific principles to situations or problems.
Here is what I would review for each subject.
Biology
Start with fundamental concepts commonly covered in junior and senior high school science.
Review:
- cells and cell structures
- cell division
- photosynthesis
- cellular respiration
- genetics
- DNA and chromosomes
- Mendelian genetics
- ecosystems
- food chains and food webs
- evolution
- plant biology
- human body systems
- microorganisms
- classification of organisms
- reproduction
- biodiversity
- environmental biology
Pay attention to relationships.
For example:
What happens to an ecosystem when one species disappears?
How does a particular organ contribute to a body system?
What happens when a genetic characteristic is inherited?
The official DOST sample materials also demonstrate questions where biological knowledge must be applied to agriculture and environmental situations rather than simply recalled.
Chemistry
Chemistry can be intimidating, but reviewing the fundamentals goes a long way.
Focus on:
- atoms
- elements
- compounds
- periodic table
- atomic structure
- chemical bonding
- chemical reactions
- balancing chemical equations
- mole concepts
- acids and bases
- solutions
- gases
- gas laws
- concentration
- states of matter
- oxidation and reduction
Know important formulas and relationships.
For gas problems, for example, you may need to recognize how temperature, pressure and volume affect one another. The official DOST primer includes a sample problem involving changes in a gas’s pressure, temperature and volume.
Don’t just memorize formulas.
Practice determining which formula applies to a particular situation.
Physics
Physics deserves serious review because it combines conceptual understanding with mathematics.
Topics to study include:
- distance and displacement
- speed and velocity
- acceleration
- Newton’s laws
- forces
- work
- energy
- power
- momentum
- projectile motion
- gravity
- waves
- sound
- light
- electricity
- circuits
- magnetism
- heat and temperature
One of the official sample questions involves projectile motion and asks the examinee to compare velocity, acceleration and speed at different points along the projectile’s path.
That gives you an idea of the type of thinking required.
Knowing that a projectile follows a curved path isn’t enough.
You need to understand what happens to its velocity and acceleration as it moves.
Earth Science
Review the major processes shaping our planet.
Important areas include:
- layers of the Earth
- rocks and minerals
- rock cycle
- plate tectonics
- earthquakes
- volcanoes
- weather
- climate
- atmosphere
- oceans
- water cycle
- natural resources
- geothermal energy
- Philippine geological hazards
Understand processes rather than memorizing isolated terms.
For example:
Why do volcanoes occur in certain areas?
Why are earthquakes associated with plate boundaries?
How is geothermal energy produced?
The latest official DOST primer includes a question connecting geothermal energy with magma, showing the importance of understanding Earth processes.
Space Science
Yes, Space Science is officially part of the examination.
Review basic astronomy including:
- solar system
- planets
- Sun
- Moon
- stars
- galaxies
- eclipses
- Earth’s rotation
- Earth’s revolution
- seasons
- gravity
- planetary characteristics
Know the basic properties of the planets.
But don’t stop with memorization.
Understand concepts such as why seasons occur and how Earth’s position and movement affect conditions on the planet.
Part III: Mathematics
Mathematics receives the longest scheduled testing time in the latest official examination structure: 70 minutes.
The official primer identifies five areas:
Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics and Calculus.
This is why simply reviewing basic arithmetic won’t be enough.
Algebra
Algebra should probably form the foundation of your math review.
Study:
- algebraic expressions
- linear equations
- systems of equations
- inequalities
- exponents
- radicals
- polynomials
- factoring
- quadratic equations
- functions
- rational expressions
- sequences and series
- word problems
- coordinate geometry
Become comfortable manipulating equations quickly.
Speed matters.
If solving a simple algebra problem takes five minutes during your practice sessions, keep working on similar problems until the process becomes more automatic.
Geometry
Review:
- angles
- triangles
- quadrilaterals
- polygons
- circles
- area
- perimeter
- surface area
- volume
- coordinate geometry
- similarity
- congruence
- Pythagorean theorem
You should also understand relationships involving arcs, chords and angles in circles.
The official DOST mathematics samples include a geometry problem involving arcs and an angle formed inside a circle.
Trigonometry
Study:
- sine
- cosine
- tangent
- right triangles
- special angles
- trigonometric identities
- angles of elevation
- angles of depression
Make sure you understand SOH-CAH-TOA, but also practice applying the ratios to actual problems.
Statistics and Probability
Review:
- mean
- median
- mode
- range
- probability
- combinations
- permutations
- interpreting tables
- interpreting graphs
- basic statistical relationships
The official DOST sample mathematics questions include probability and interpreting relationships between sets of test scores.
Read questions carefully.
Probability questions can sometimes become much easier once you list all the possible outcomes logically.
Calculus
Seeing “Calculus” in the official coverage may make some applicants nervous.
But don’t panic.
Start by reviewing foundational topics such as:
- limits
- basic derivatives
- differentiation
- slopes
- rates of change
- basic applications of derivatives
If your school has already covered introductory calculus, review your lessons rather than immediately jumping into advanced college calculus problems.
The goal should be a strong understanding of the fundamentals.
What Should You Prioritize?
You could spend months studying everything, but that’s usually not the most efficient strategy.
A practical priority would be:
- Mathematics fundamentals and problem solving
- Physics and Chemistry calculations
- Biology and Earth Science concepts
- Mechanical, spatial and verbal reasoning practice
- English grammar and reading comprehension
- Space Science fundamentals
That doesn’t mean some areas are officially worth more points than others—DOST’s latest primer does not publish a question-by-question weighting.
It simply means you should spend more time on areas where solving problems requires several concepts at once.
Don’t Study Through Memorization Alone
This may be one of the biggest mistakes applicants make.
Imagine memorizing:
Force = mass × acceleration.
Great.
But what happens when the question doesn’t directly ask you to calculate force?
Instead, it shows you two moving objects and asks which will experience greater acceleration under certain conditions.
That’s where understanding becomes important.
For every formula or scientific principle you study, ask yourself:
“What does this actually mean?”
Then answer practice questions that force you to apply it.
Practice Without a Calculator
Unless the specific 2027 exam instructions say otherwise, prepare yourself to perform calculations manually.
Practice:
- fractions
- decimals
- percentages
- estimation
- algebraic manipulation
- mental arithmetic
- simplifying expressions
Even when complicated calculations aren’t required, slow arithmetic can consume valuable exam time.
Learn to Skip Difficult Questions
One question should never destroy an entire section.
The official DOST primer itself recommends managing time carefully, answering questions you know and returning to difficult items if time remains.
Suppose you encounter a difficult Physics question.
You stare at it.
One minute passes.
Then two.
Then three.
Meanwhile, several easier questions are waiting.
Move on.
Come back when you’re finished with the questions you can solve quickly.
Use Timed Practice Tests
This is extremely important.
Knowing Mathematics is different from solving Mathematics questions while a clock is running.
Try replicating the official section times:
- Creative Reasoning — 45 minutes
- Science — 65 minutes
- Mathematics — 70 minutes
Finish an entire practice set without constantly checking your notes.
Then review your mistakes afterward.
Keep track of why you got questions wrong.
Was it because you:
Didn’t know the concept?
Forgot a formula?
Misread the question?
Made a calculation error?
Ran out of time?
Your mistakes tell you exactly what you need to review next.
A Simple 4-Week DOST Scholarship Review Plan
If you have around one month to prepare, you can organize your review this way.
Week 1: Mathematics
Focus on:
Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Probability and basic Trigonometry.
Solve problems every day rather than simply reading your notes.
Week 2: Science
Divide your days between:
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science and Space Science.
Spend extra time on Physics and Chemistry problem solving.
Week 3: Reasoning and English
Practice:
Mechanical reasoning, spatial reasoning, verbal analogies, grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
Continue answering a few Math and Science problems every day so you don’t forget them.
Week 4: Mock Exams
Stop trying to learn hundreds of completely new topics.
Instead:
Take timed practice exams.
Identify weak areas.
Review mistakes.
Repeat.
During the final few days, focus primarily on concepts that repeatedly cause you problems.
What Reviewer Should You Use?
Your senior high school materials are already useful starting points.
Consider reviewing:
- Grade 7–10 Mathematics
- General Mathematics
- Pre-Calculus
- Basic Calculus
- General Biology
- General Chemistry
- General Physics
- Earth Science
- English grammar
- reading comprehension
Then supplement these with reasoning practice questions.
Most importantly, use the official DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Examination Primer when available.
DOST created the primer specifically to familiarize examinees with the examination and includes sample questions covering the different domains.
For the 2027 examination, check whether DOST-SEI releases an updated primer because the agency says the scholarship examination continues to evolve.
DOST Exam Day Tips
Preparation doesn’t end when you close your reviewer.
The latest official primer advises applicants to prepare their required documents and materials beforehand, know the location of the testing center, arrive early and follow the examiner’s instructions carefully.
The specific requirements for your 2027 examination should always follow your test permit and DOST-SEI’s latest instructions.
Get enough sleep the night before.
A few extra hours of last-minute studying probably won’t help if you arrive at the testing center exhausted.
And during the exam, don’t allow one difficult question to shake your confidence.
Move forward.
There will likely be questions you know immediately and others that require more thought.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DOST Scholarship Exam difficult?
The examination can be challenging because it covers several areas and must be completed under time limits.
But difficulty will vary from student to student.
A student strong in Mathematics might struggle with spatial reasoning. Someone excellent in Biology may find Physics more difficult.
The best preparation is therefore balanced preparation.
Is Math included in the DOST Scholarship Exam?
Yes.
Mathematics is one of the three major parts of the latest official examination format and includes Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics and Calculus.
Is English included?
Yes.
Language and Literature forms part of Part I and covers English grammar and syntax, vocabulary and reading comprehension.
Is there Physics in the DOST exam?
Yes.
Physics is included under the Science portion together with Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Space Science.
Is Calculus included in the DOST Scholarship Exam?
Yes. The latest official primer specifically lists Calculus among the areas included in Mathematics.
This is one reason applicants should not limit their review to basic junior-high-school mathematics.
How long is the DOST Scholarship Exam?
Under the latest official structure, the three timed parts total 180 minutes:
45 minutes for Creative Reasoning, 65 minutes for Science and 70 minutes for Mathematics.
DOST says the actual examination takes more than three hours because instructions and completion of information on the answer sheet are also included.
Final DOST Scholarship Exam Reviewer Checklist
Before you consider your preparation complete, make sure you have reviewed:
- Mechanical, spatial and verbal reasoning
- English grammar, vocabulary and reading comprehension
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Earth Science
- Space Science
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Trigonometry
- Statistics and probability
- Calculus
- Mental mathematics and problem solving
- Timed mock examinations
But there’s one more important thing.
Don’t approach the DOST Scholarship Exam as a giant memorization contest.
The sample questions published by DOST-SEI show plenty of problems that require you to interpret information, recognize relationships and apply concepts rather than simply recall definitions.
Build your fundamentals first.
Then solve lots of questions.
Review your mistakes.
And gradually start practicing under the same time pressure you will experience during the real examination.
For students taking the DOST Scholarship Exam in 2027, that combination—strong fundamentals, repeated practice and good time management—is a much better preparation strategy than trying to memorize an enormous reviewer the night before the test.
Important note: The coverage and timing above are based on the latest official DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Examination Primer available as of September 2026. Since DOST-SEI states that the examination evolves, applicants should follow any updated 2027 primer, test permit or examination instructions issued by DOST-SEI if there are changes.
