UL entrance results: Less than 1 in 4 candidates qualify for admission

Published: August 19, 2025

MONROVIA — The University of Liberia on Monday released the results of its July 12 entrance and placement exams, showing fewer than one in four candidates qualified for undergraduate admission.

UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan said 13,130 candidates registered for the exams, with 12,516 sitting. Of those, 2,807 or 28.3 percent passed, while 9,299, or 74.3 percent, failed. Another 410 candidates were disqualified for incorrectly shading numbers.

The results showed near gender parity among those who passed, with 1,415 females (50.4 percent) and 1,392 males (49.6 percent) qualifying.

At UL’s David Straz-Sinje Technical and Vocational College in Grand Cape Mount County, outcomes were weaker. Of 221 registered candidates, 188 sat the test, but only 25, 13.3 percent, passed. Eighty-five failed outright, 74 were placed in remedial, and four were disqualified.

Dr. Maparyan stressed that candidates must score at least 70 percent in English and 60 percent in Mathematics to gain admission.

Academic and Institutional Reforms

Alongside the results, the university announced a series of reforms designed to strengthen academics and campus life.

In April, UL set up a Standing Committee on Academic Fraud to investigate irregularities, while a transition team continues reviewing operations at the Office of Enrollment Services. In June, it launched the Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (OGEWE) to enforce national inclusion policies and address safeguarding, sexual and gender-based violence, and accountability issues.

In July, UL administered its first-ever entrance exam for visually impaired students, providing Braille and computer-based options. Results from that historic exam will be released separately.

The university also convened a retreat on Aug. 7 for its Ph.D. faculty and terminal degree holders to advance research, innovation, and its push to rank among Africa’s top 300 universities.

Registration for the first semester of the 2025 academic year began on Monday.

“UL is on the move, as always, with many good things now and on the horizon,” Dr. Maparyan said.