When to start looking for a Cebu private school

Te, kasagaran ng parents sa Cebu start looking in April or May for the school year that starts in August. By then, daghan na hapit na sa good schools — full na sila. The honest truth: you need to start in October the year before.

Sige, here is the simple month-by-month plan.

September — make a short list

Pick 4 to 6 schools you are open to. Mix it up: one dream school, two mid-tier safe picks, one budget-friendly backup, and one within walking distance from home in case the commute gets bad.

Use a short rule when judging fit: budget, commute time, religion or culture, and program strengths. Anything else is a distraction.

October — visit and ask

Most Cebu schools open their gates for parent visits starting in October. Some run open houses; many just let you walk into the registrar with an appointment.

Three things to ask the registrar:

1. "When is your entrance test?"
2. "Do you accept the PEAC voucher?" (See our PEAC guide.)
3. "What is the all-in fee — tuition, books, uniform, field-trip levy — for one school year?"

November to December — take the entrance test

Big Cebu schools schedule Grade 7 entrance tests between October and December. They are usually a Saturday: 4 hours of testing in English, Math, Science, and Filipino, plus a short parent interview.

If your child is moving from a Catholic public school to a Catholic private school, the test is usually about grade-level mastery, not "trick" questions. Have your child sleep well the night before and eat breakfast. That is most of it.

January — results and decisions

Most schools release results in January. If you got in to your top choice, secure the slot fast. The reservation fee is usually ₱5,000 to ₱20,000 and it is non-refundable but gets credited to your first tuition payment.

Did not get in? Move down your backup list. There is still time. Smaller schools test from January to March.

February to March — payment and paperwork

Pay the reservation fee. Submit complete documents (see the FAQ below). Order uniforms. If your child needs new prescription glasses or a doctor\'s clearance, this is the month to do it. Pediatricians and optometrists in Cebu get fully booked in May.

April to May — buy books and uniforms

Schools release the full booklist around late March or early April. Buy used where you can — Facebook groups (Cebu Catholic Parents, Cebu School Buy & Sell) have second-hand listings each April. Save 40–60% on textbooks this way.

June to August — first month

School starts in late August or early September. The first month is about settling in. Watch for early signs of mismatch (constant tummy aches, refusing to go) — most can be fixed with a quick chat with the homeroom teacher.

What if I am running late?

If you are reading this in March or later, do not panic. Cebu has enough schools that you will find something. The trade-off: smaller pool, fewer voucher slots, more commute. Skip the "top 5" most-asked-about schools and look at the mid-tier list at /catholic-schools/ and the broader catalog through the chat. Many great schools still have slots in March.

If you only do one thing

Visit the registrar of your top-choice school in October. Bring your child\'s last report card. Most decisions get made in that one 20-minute conversation.