Guloy completed his undergraduate studies at the University of the Philippines in 1985. He earned his doctoral degree at the Iowa State University in 1991. His thesis topic was studying the synthesis, structure, and properties of polar intermetallic tetrelides of the rare-earth and alkaline-earth metals. Guloy performed postdoctoral research at the IBM TJ Watson Research Center under the supervision of David Mitzi where he co-discovered conducting tin halides with a layered organic-based perovskite structure. These and similar materials are the basis of perovskite solar cells.