Study in Philippines
Who this applies to
Students at Philippine universities. English-medium (+ Filipino). State universities + huge private sector (Catholic & non-sectarian).
Governing authority
Commission on Higher Education (CHED); PAASCU accreditation.
Degree system
Bachelor 4 yrs · Master · PhD; American-derived credit system (K-12 + 4-yr degrees). State universities & colleges (SUCs) + private universities.
Admission
- How
- Institution entrance exams (UPCAT, ACET, DLSUCET, USTET, etc.) + senior-high-school completion; international students apply directly.
- Language
- English (+ Filipino).
Tuition
- Public
- FREE tuition at state universities/colleges since the 2017 Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
- Private
- Fee-paying (Catholic & non-sectarian privates dominate enrollment).
- Note
- American-modeled system; strong Catholic private sector (Ateneo/La Salle/UST/San Carlos); UP is the national flagship; PUP is the largest state university by enrollment (~83,000).
Student visa & residence permit
Student visa for non-nationals.
Scholarships
Government (CHED, DOST) & institutional.
Sources & references
- CHED/counts — https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/20-best-universities-in-the-philippines/ (2026-06-12)
- rankings — https://www.unirank.org/ph/ranking/ (2026-06-12)
Universities in Philippines
~2,300 HEIs recognized by CHED (overwhelmingly private, incl. a large Catholic sector). English-medium (+ Filipino). American-influenced system; free tuition at state universities since 2017. institutions, 7 profiled
University of the Philippines (UP)
Quezon City (UP Diliman)
Ateneo de Manila University
Quezon City
De La Salle University (DLSU)
Manila
University of Santo Tomas (UST)
Manila
Mapúa University
Manila (Intramuros)
University of San Carlos (USC)
Cebu City
Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)
Manila (Santa Mesa)