The short answer
The Philippine Bar has its own vocabulary. A Bar Bulletin is the Supreme Court's official notice about the exam. The weighted general average is your final grade, and 75% passes. Passing makes you a successful examinee, but you become a lawyer only after taking the Lawyer's Oath and signing the Roll of Attorneys.
Key points
- Bar Bulletins are the Supreme Court's official notices; they always control.
- The weighted general average decides the result; 75% passes.
- Successful examinees become lawyers only after the oath and the Roll.
- The title "Atty." comes after signing the Roll of Attorneys, not after passing.
Before the exam
Bar Examinations. The examination the Supreme Court of the Philippines gives each year to decide who may be admitted to the practice of law. It is held over three days, with two subjects a day.
Bar Bulletin. An official notice from the Supreme Court about a coming Bar: its dates, its rules, its subjects and their weights, and its coverage. The 2027 Bar was set by Bar Bulletin No. 1-2027, dated 16 September 2026. When a bulletin and any other source disagree, the bulletin controls.
Bar Chairperson. The Associate Justice of the Supreme Court who chairs the committee in charge of that year's Bar. Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan chaired the 2026 Bar, and Associate Justice Ricardo R. Rosario chairs the 2027 Bar.
Rule 138. The part of the Rules of Court on attorneys and admission to the Bar. It is where the requirements for taking the Bar and being admitted to practice begin.
Syllabus. The list of topics the Court says each subject covers. Treat it as the map of your reading.
Examinable law, or the cut-off date. The date after which new laws and decisions are not covered. For the 2027 Bar, it is the law in force as of 30 June 2026, and only the main opinion of a Supreme Court decision is examinable.
The exam itself
Subjects and weights. The six subjects, each counting for a set share of your grade. For 2027: Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics, with Practical Exercises, 25%; Commercial and Taxation Laws, 20%; Civil Law and Land Titles and Deeds, 20%; Political and Public International Law, 15%; Labor Law and Social Legislation, 10%; Criminal Law, 10%. Our 2027 Bar guide has the full schedule.
Essay problems. The questions themselves. For 2027, each subject has 20, worth 5% each. Our guide to answering Bar essay questions covers how to structure them.
Practical exercises. Drafting tasks, such as pleadings or legal forms, that come with Remedial Law, Legal and Judicial Ethics.
Local testing centre. The school or campus where you sit the exam. The Bar has been held in several local testing centres across the country instead of one Manila venue; the 2026 Bar used 15.
Digital Bar. Since the 2020/2021 Bar, examinees have typed their answers on a laptop using exam software (Examplify) instead of writing them by hand.
Pre-week. The last days before the Bar, used for review only. Law schools and review centres often hold pre-week lectures. See our pre-week guide.
Bar operations. The volunteers from a law school, often called "Bar ops", who support their examinees at the testing centre: food, supplies and encouragement on each exam day.
After the exam
Weighted general average. Your final grade: each subject grade multiplied by that subject's weight, then added together. A weighted general average of 75% passes.
Results. The Supreme Court announces the results and publishes the list of successful examinees on its website. The 2025 results came out on 7 January 2026, and the 2026 results are expected in January 2027; our results page counts down to them.
Successful examinees. The Court's term for those who passed.
Topnotchers. The examinees with the ten highest scores, announced with the results.
Passing rate. The share of examinees who passed. It has ranged widely: 72.28% for the 2020/2021 Bar, 36.77% in 2023 and 48.98% in 2025.
Lawyer's Oath. The oath successful examinees take before the Supreme Court. It comes after the results and before the Roll.
Roll of Attorneys. The official register of members of the Philippine Bar. Signing it is what admits you to the practice of law. Our guide to the oath and the Roll explains both steps.
"Atty." The title you may use only after you have signed the Roll of Attorneys. Passing the Bar alone does not make you an attorney.
Where these definitions come from
The dates, weights and coverage on this page are from Bar Bulletin No. 1-2027 and the Supreme Court's announcements about the 2025 and 2026 Bars. The Court's own bulletins and announcements always control.
Lagda is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
Questions
What is a Bar Bulletin?
An official notice from the Supreme Court about a coming Bar: its dates, rules, subjects, weights and coverage. The 2027 Bar was set by Bar Bulletin No. 1-2027, dated 16 September 2026, and the bulletins always control.
What is the Roll of Attorneys?
The official register of members of the Philippine Bar. Successful examinees sign it after taking the Lawyer's Oath, and signing it is what admits them to the practice of law.
When can I use the title "Atty."?
Only after you have signed the Roll of Attorneys. Passing the Bar makes you a successful examinee; the oath and the Roll make you a lawyer.
What is a local testing centre?
The school or campus where you take the Bar. The exam is held in several local testing centres across the country; the 2026 Bar used 15.
What is the passing grade of the Philippine Bar?
A weighted general average of 75%, where each subject grade is multiplied by its weight and the results are added together.
Published 13 November 2026. Read how we write and check our guides in our editorial standards. The Supreme Court's bulletins and announcements always control. Lagda is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with the Supreme Court of the Philippines.