LEGAL EDUCATION BOARD ‘Suite 1202, Ermita Center Bullcing 1350 Roxas Boutevard, Ermita, Mania 1000, LEB MEMORANOUM! ORDER (LEBMO} No: 7. Series of 2016 Subject: POLICIES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF A NATIONWIDE UNIFORM LAW SCHOOL ADMISSION TEST FOR APPLICANTS TO THE BASIC LAW COURSES IN ALL LAW SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY. Pursuant to the power of the Legal Education Board (LEB) to prescribe the minimum standards for law admission under Section 7(e) of Republic Act No. 7662. entitles the “Lega! Education Reform Act of 1993", the following poticies ane regulations for the administration of a nationwide uniform law school admistion test is hereby promulgated: 1. Policy and Rationale - To improve the quality of legal education, all those seeking fadrnission to the basic law courses leading to either a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor Gegree shall be required to take the Philippine Law School Admission Test (PhiLSAT), a rationwide uniform admission test to be administered under the contro! and ‘Supervision of the LEB. 2. Test Detian - The PRISAT shall be designed as 2 one-day apUtude test that can measure the academic potential of the examinee to pursue the study of law. ft shall test communications and language proficiency, eritical thinking. skis, and verbal and ‘quentiative reasoning. 3. Qualified examinees The following are qualified to take the PhiLSAT: 2 Graduates of 4-years bachelor’s degrees, or its equivalent, from duly recognized higher editcation institutions in the Philippines: b. Those exoecting to eraduate with 4-years bachelor’s degrees, or its equivalent, from Guly recognized higher education institutions in the Philippines at the end of the school year when the PRILSAT was administered; and 6. Graduates from foreign higher actucation institutions with degrees equivalent to a 4 years bachelor’s degree as certified by the Commission on Higher Education. |A.qualified examinee may take the PRILSAT for as many times as he/she wants, without ‘ey tert 4. Testing Administrator - For purposes of designing the examinations, formulating the ‘questions, administering the tests, and correcting the answers, the LEB may designate, Se testing administrator, an Independent thied-party testing provider that meets all the following qualifications: 1. Five (5) years experience in designing # government academic examination in the Phisppines: b. Three (3) veers experience in administering an exarnination simultaneously in five (5) of more testing sites located in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao areas; ‘c._Three (3) years experience in designing, formulating and adoinicte test for law schools in the Philippines.5. Test Administrauan Schedule and Locations - The PhILSAY .wal be administered atleast fonce a year on or before Apri 16 in testing centers located in Metro Manila, Baguio City, egazpl Cty, Cebu City, Holla City, Davao CRy, and Cagayan Ge Oro Chy. Additional testing schedules and centers may be fied by the LE0 as necessary. Testing Fee - The testing administrator shall be authorized to covect from every ‘creminee such emount ae te cover the cort and expenses for the development. design land administration of the PhILSAT, which in no case shall exceed the amount of One ‘Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (21,500.00) per examination, unless otherwise expressly permite by the LEB. 7. Passing Score - The cut-off or passing score for the DhiLSAT shall be FIFTY-FIVE PERCENT. (55%) correct answers, or such percentile score ax may be prescribed by the LEB, Test Results - Every examinee who passed the PhILSAT shall be issued by the testing ‘administrator 9 CERTIFICATE OF ELIGIBILITY (COE), which shall contain the examines's test score/rating anc generat average in the bachelor’s degree completed, Exeminees tho fail to moet the cutoff or pasting score shall by issued 2 Certificate of Grade ‘Containing his/her test score/rating, The COE shall Be vaild for two (2) years and shall be ‘Submitted to the admitting lave schoo by the applicant. 9, Admission Requirement ~ All college graduates or graduating students applying for ‘sdmission to the basic law course shallbe required to pass the PhILSAT as a requirement for edmission to any lew schoo! in the Philippines. Upon the effectivity of thie memorandum order, no applicant shall be admitted for enrollment as a first year Stucient in the basic law courses leading to 2 degree of either Bachelor of Lows or Juris Doctor unless he/she has passed the PhicSAT taker within 2 years before the start of studies forthe basic Iawe course and presents a valid COE as proof thereof. 10, Exemption - Honor gradvates granted professional civil service eligibiity pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 997 who are enrolling within two: (2) years from thelr college ‘eraduation are exempted from taking and passing the PhitSAT for purposes of admission tothe basic law course 11, institutional Admission Requirements - The PhILSAT shall be without prejudice to the right of a law school in the exercise of Ks academic freedom to prescribe or impose adaitionat requirements for agmission, such #8 but not limited to: 3. core inthe PhitSAT higher than the cut-off or passing score set by the LEB: bb. Additions! or supplemental admicsion tests to measure the competencies and/or ‘personality of the applicant; and Personal interview of the applicant 412, Reportorial Requirement - All aw schaots shall regulary submit to the LEB the folowing 42. Within forty-five (45) days from the start of every semester or term, the names of the first yeor students admitted and enrolled for the fist time in the basic law ‘course and thelr PmiLSAT scores: 1b. Within tity (60) days after the end of every semester or term, the subjects enrolled in by every first year student and the final grades received im said subjects. 12. General Average - Beginning in Academic/School Year 2018-2029, the requirement of a general average of not less than eighty percent (80%) oF 2.5 for admission in the basic ‘Bw course under Section 23 of LEB Memorandum Order No. 1, Series of 2013 shall be withdtaven ond removed.124. Transitory Provision - During the Initial year only of the Implementation of th memorandum order in Academic/Schoo! Year 2017-2018, the cut-off or passing score ‘halt not be enforced, and law schools shall have the discretion te aden inthe basic law: ‘courses, af First year students, applicants who scored fess than 55% correct answers, provided, that the law dean shall submit tothe LEB, together wath the required report tn Section 22(0) ebove, a written justification for exch applicant below 58% explaining the fessons for admiting him/her and the general weighted average obtained of the ‘applicant for hisfher bachelor's degree. 15, Sanctions. — Law schools violating this Memorandum Order shall imposed the dministrtive sanctions prescribed in Section 32 of LEBM No. 2. Serles of 2013 and/or fine of up to Ten Thousand Pesos (#10,000) for each infraction, 16. Separability Clause — If any part or provision of this memorandum order Is declered imvultd or unconstitutional, al ether provisions shall rernain val and effective 17, Repealing Clause — All previous resolutions, memoranda, orders, ciculars, and other Issuances, of parts thereat, that are contrary of Inconsistent with this memorandum ‘order, or provisions hereof, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 18, Effectivity - This LEBMO shall take effect fifteen (15) days from publication in 2 newspaper of general chreulation and fling with the National Administratwe Register in ‘the UP kaw Cenmer ‘Manila, Philippines. December 29, 2026.