NCAE Schedule 2026 — When Is the National Career Assessment Examination?
Find out when the NCAE is given to Grade 9 students in the Philippines, where to take it, when results are released, and how to prepare.
Who Takes the NCAE, When, and Where?
The National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) is administered to Grade 9 students (formerly called Third Year High School under the old curriculum) enrolled in public and private secondary schools across the Philippines. It is a national standardized test developed and administered by the Department of Education (DepEd) through each student's enrolled school.
The NCAE serves as a career-guidance tool rather than a qualifying or elimination exam. Results help students, parents, and school counselors identify the most suitable senior high school strand and career pathway for each learner. Because the NCAE is non-punitive — meaning it does not affect grades or promotion — many students underestimate its importance, but strand placement decisions in Grade 11 are often informed directly by NCAE results.
Understanding the NCAE schedule in advance allows families to plan, ensures students do not miss the exam window, and gives learners enough lead time to review the key subject areas covered by the test.
NCAE Schedule at a Glance
Grade 9 students (public and private schools) enrolled in the current school year. Administered once per school year nationally.
Typically scheduled in October or November of the school year. DepEd releases the official testing calendar through school memoranda each year.
Students take the NCAE in their own enrolled school. No need to travel to an external testing center — the exam comes to you.
Results are typically released 2–3 months after the exam date. Schools receive results from DepEd and distribute them to students directly.
When Is the NCAE Given? (2026 Schedule)
The NCAE does not have a single fixed date announced years in advance. Instead, DepEd releases the official testing schedule through a Department Order or memorandum at the start of each school year, which is then communicated to schools. Historically, the exam has consistently fallen within the October–November window of the school year, aligning with the first semester before the semestral break.
For the 2026–2026 school year, Grade 9 students can expect the NCAE to be scheduled in this same October–November timeframe. Your school's registrar, guidance counselor, or class adviser will post and announce the exact date once DepEd issues the official order. Watch for announcements on:
- Your school's bulletin board and official communication channels
- The DepEd regional or division office website
- Official DepEd memoranda distributed to school principals
- Your school's official Facebook page or group chat
Because the schedule is issued per school year, students and parents should confirm the exact date with their school rather than relying on dates from previous years.
Where Is the NCAE Taken?
Unlike board exams or university entrance tests that require students to travel to designated testing centers, the NCAE is administered inside each student's enrolled school. DepEd coordinates with every secondary school to conduct the exam simultaneously on the designated date.
Students report to their own classrooms or assigned testing rooms as directed by school administration. There is no registration fee, no online sign-up, and no need to travel. Enrollment in Grade 9 at a DepEd-accredited school is all that is required to take the exam.
How and When Are NCAE Results Released?
NCAE results are not released to students directly or online. Instead, DepEd processes the answer sheets centrally and transmits results to each school approximately 2 to 3 months after the testing date. The school then distributes individual result slips to students, usually through the guidance office or class advisers.
Results include a percentile score across the different aptitude strands — Academic, Technical-Vocational, and Sports/Arts — allowing guidance counselors to advise students on the most suitable senior high school track. Understanding your results early gives you a head start in senior high school planning. Check our strand recommendation guide for more on how to interpret your scores.
Do Private School Students Take the NCAE?
Yes. Both public and private school students in Grade 9 are required to take the NCAE. DepEd requires all DepEd-accredited secondary schools — public and private — to administer the NCAE to their Grade 9 enrollees on the official testing date. Private school students take the exam on the same national date, administered by their own school.
What If You Missed the NCAE?
Missing the NCAE is not the end of the road, but it does have implications for senior high school strand placement and scholarship applications that use NCAE scores as a reference.
- No official re-take: DepEd does not currently offer a formal re-examination schedule for students who missed the NCAE. There is no standardized make-up testing window.
- Talk to your guidance counselor: Some divisions may allow late administration in exceptional cases (illness, calamity). Your school guidance counselor is the best source of information on local procedures.
- Strand placement still happens: Students who do not have an NCAE result can still enroll in their preferred senior high school strand. Schools use other data — grades, counselor assessment, student preference — for placement.
- NCAE is not a graduation requirement: Not having an NCAE score does not prevent a student from graduating Junior High School or enrolling in Senior High School.
- Prepare now for other assessments: Use the time to review aptitude areas using our complete NCAE reviewer and exam-day tips so you are ready if an opportunity arises.
NCAE Preparation Timeline
NCAE Pros and Cons
- +NCAE credentials open career pathways with defined advancement trajectories and competitive compensation ranges
- +Growing demand in the field means qualified professionals with verified credentials have strong job security
- +Specialization within the field allows professionals to command premium compensation for high-demand skill sets
- +Remote and hybrid work options are expanding in this field, increasing geographic flexibility for credentialed professionals
- +Professional associations and networks provide ongoing career development, mentorship, and job referral opportunities
- −Entry-level positions in this field are competitive, requiring candidates to differentiate through credentials, experience, and networking
- −Some career paths in this field have defined credential and experience prerequisites that create time barriers to advancement
- −Geographic concentration of opportunities in some specializations limits location flexibility for career growth
- −Continuing education and credential maintenance requirements create ongoing time and financial obligations throughout a career
- −Career path choices made early may be difficult to reverse — specialization that narrows options later can limit career flexibility
NCAE Schedule Questions and Answers
About the Author
Educational Psychologist & Academic Test Preparation Expert
Columbia University Teachers CollegeDr. Lisa Patel holds a Doctorate in Education from Columbia University Teachers College and has spent 17 years researching standardized test design and academic assessment. She has developed preparation programs for SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, UCAT, and numerous professional licensing exams, helping students of all backgrounds achieve their target scores.