Over 12,000 Take Day 1 of 2026 Bar Exams Nationwide

A total of 12,029 examinees took the first day of the 2026 Bar Examinations on September 6, the Supreme Court said Sunday. In a press release, the high court said the examinees were distributed across 15 local testing centers nationwide. The University of San Jose-Recoletos recorded the highest number of examinees at 1,326, followed by New Era University with 1,277; San Beda University, 1,151; Ateneo de Davao University, 1,144; and Saint Louis University, 1,132. Of those who took the first day of the exams, 45.9% were first-time takers, 29.5% were previous takers, and 24.6% were refreshers. Female examinees comprised the majority of Day 1 takers at 6,773, while 5,256 were male. The youngest examinee was 24 years old, while the oldest was 84, according to the Supreme Court. The high court also reported that 304 persons with disabilities and 285 senior citizens took the exam. A total of 13,441 examinees were admitted to take this year's Bar Examinations, based on Supreme Court data. The 2026 Bar Examinations are being held on September 6, 9, and 13 at 15 testing centers nationwide—seven in Metro Manila, three in Luzon, three in the Visayas, and two in Mindanao.— MCG, GMA News #Bar2026 by the numbers:Out of the 13,441 admitted applicants, 12,029 examinees showed up on the first day of the 2026 Bar Examinations held across 15 local testing centers nationwide.Of the 12,029 examinees, 6,773 are female and 5,256 are male. The youngest Bar examinee is… pic.twitter.com/Yei04kMs95