Entering college is perhaps one of the most pivotal moments in one’s life, especially in the Philippines where a Bachelor’s degree is considered essential in pursuing your career goals. Thankfully, the country has a favorable number of institutions that strive to meet global standards and supply students with the best learning environment.
The Philippines, in fact, has a growing reputation as a quality provider of tertiary education attracting tens of thousands of foreign students each year from neighboring countries including China, South Korea, Iran, and more.
Regardless of your nationality, or intended career path, there is sure to be a university ideal for you in the Pearl of the Orient. To help you in this often overwhelming yet exciting, life-changing decision, here is our list of the 8 best universities in the Philippines and the programs they specialize in.
1. University of the Philippines Diliman
The University of the Philippines, also known as UP Diliman or UPD, is situated in Quezon City. It is a state university which serves as the Philippines’ national university. Founded in 1949 as a flagship campus, UP Diliman was officially declared as the constituent university (CU) on April 23, 1985. Consistently topping the list of best universities in the Philippines, UP Diliman currently holds the 72nd position in Asian University Rankings and 356th position in the QS World University Rankings.
UP Diliman also houses the Philippines’ National Science Complex and other notable research units. It currently has the most number of programs acknowledged by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Centers of Excellence (COE), with a total of 26 courses that were given the recognition. The university also has over 100 student organizations that play a major role in shaping student life.
Top programs: Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Geodetic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, English, Foreign Language, Literature, Library and Information Science, Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Marine Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, Anthropology, Broadcasting, Communication, History, Journalism, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, and Teacher Education
Classification: State University
Tuition Fee: Php 40,000 to 50,000 per year
Term Structure: Semester
Location: Diliman, Quezon City
Website: upd.edu.ph
2. Ateneo de Manila University
Established in 1859, Ateneo de Manila University, or simply known as ADMU or Ateneo, is a private university located along Katipunan, Quezon City. The third oldest university in the country, Ateneo holds the 115th position in the Asian University Rankings and ranks between 601-650 in the QS World University Rankings. It also attained the highest graduate employability rate for Philippine universities.
The undergraduate course follows a Catholic-based curriculum including Social Sciences, Humanities, Business Management, and Science and Engineering. Ateneo de Manila’s undergraduate programs in Arts & Sciences, Management, and Computer Sciences have been granted a high Level III status by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU). The university also boasts 11 Centers of Excellence and six Centers of Development (COD) that are recognized by CHED.
Top programs: Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Electronics Engineering, English Literature, Filipino Literature, Philosophy, Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics, Communication, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology
Classification: Private, Catholic
Average Tuition Fee: Php 160,000 to 180,000 per year
Term Structure: Semester
Location: Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City
Website: admu.edu.ph
3. De La Salle University
De La Salle University, often abbreviated as DLSU, is a private Catholic university founded by the De La Salle Brothers in 1911. Located along Taft Avenue in Manila, DLSU currently sits at the 155th position in Asian University Rankings and consistently ranks between the 801-1000 bracket in the QS World University Rankings.
DLSU currently has 14 programs recognized as Centers of Excellence and four Centers of Development. Most of these programs are in the field of Business, Engineering, and Science. PAASCU has also re-accredited DLSU’s Accountancy and Business courses to a high status of Level III, while their Applied Corporate Management and Entrepreneurship programs have been awarded the prestigious ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN QA) certification.
Top programs: Accountancy, Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Literature, Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, History, Political Science, and Teacher Education
Classification: Private, Catholic
Average Tuition Fee: Php 200,000 to 225,000 per year
Term Structure: Trimester
Location: Taft Avenue, Manila
Website: dlsu.edu.ph
4. University of Santo Tomas
The University of Santo Tomas, also known as UST, holds the distinction as Asia’s oldest existing university. Founded in 1611, UST is a Dominican institution of learning under the patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas. It also takes pride in being one of the largest Catholic universities in the world in terms of the number of enrollment on campus. UST is composed of a plethora of autonomous colleges, institutes, and schools, each offering undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs. In Asia, UST earned the 162nd position in the Asian University Rankings and globally ranked in the 801-1000 bracket based on the prestigious QS World University Rankings.
UST also currently has 12 Centers of Excellence and 11 Centers of Development, making it the university that has the second most number of COEs and CODs. The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) recognized UST for having the most number of accredited programs in the Philippines and NCR, as well as having the most number of programs that are re-accredited to a Level IV status, which is the highest rating given by the PACUCOA accrediting organization.
Top programs: Hotel and Restaurant Management, Tourism, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Technology/Medical Laboratory Science, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Literature, Philosophy, Information Technology, Library and Information Science, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Journalism, Psychology, and Teacher Education
Classification: Private, Catholic
Average Tuition Fee: Php 100,000 to 120,000 per year
Term Structure: Semester
Location: España Boulevard, Manila
Website: ust.edu.ph
5. University of San Carlos
The University of San Carlos, known as USC or colloquially shortened as San Carlos, is a private research university located in Cebu City. It is a Catholic institution run by missionaries of the Society of the Divine Word since 1935. The university consistently holds a position between 301-350 in the Asian University Rankings, making it the top university located outside Luzon.
USC offers 45 undergraduate programs, 23 of which were given a Level III accreditation by PAASCU such as Biology, Literature, Economics, Nursing, and Political Science, to name a few. The Philippine Technological Council – Accreditation and Certification Board for Engineering and Technology (PTC-ACBET) has also given full accreditation to seven engineering programs of USC. As for CHED recognitions, the university currently has eight Centers of Excellence and 12 Centers of Development.
Top programs: Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Hotel and Restaurant Management, Office Administration, Tourism, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Philosophy, Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Marine Science, Physics, Anthropology, and Teacher Education
Classification: Private, Catholic
Average Tuition Fee: Php 70,000 to 80,000 per year
Term Structure: Semester
Location: Cebu City, Cebu
Website: usc.edu.ph
6. Mapúa University
Mapúa University, formerly known as the Mapúa Institute of Technology, is a non-sectarian and research-focused university located in Intramuros, Manila, with an extension campus in Makati City. A premier institute that specializes in programs in the fields of engineering and sciences, architecture and design, information technology, business and management, media studies, and social sciences, Mapúa University currently ranks between 401-450 as per the Asian University Rankings.
It has eight CHED Centers of Excellence, seven of which are Engineering programs. It also has one Center of Development which is their Industrial Engineering program. Mapúa is the first school in southeast Asia that was recognized by the US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) and boasts the highest number of accredited engineering and computing programs in a single campus in the Philippines.
Top programs: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Sanitary Engineering, and Information Technology
Classification: Private
Average Tuition Fee: Php 130,000 to 195,000 per year
Term Structure: Quarter
Location: Intramuros (Manila Campus), Gil Puyat Avenue (Makati Campus)
Website: mapua.edu.ph
7. Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology
Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, simply abbreviated as MSU-IIT, is a public co-educational institute of higher education and research located in Iligan City. It was chartered in 1968 and recognized as an autonomous unit of MSU in 1975. MSU-IIT currently holds a spot in the 451-500 bracket based on the Asian University Rankings.
It has seven Centers of Excellence recognized by CHED including several Biology programs. It also has a total of 10 Centers of Development, which are mostly programs that are in the field of Engineering and Information Technology.
Top programs: Ceramic Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Filipino, Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Marine Science, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics, History, Sociology, and Teacher Education
Classification: State University
Average Tuition Fee: Php 7,000 to 18,000 per year
Term Structure: Semester
Location: Iligan City, Lanao del Norte
Website: msuiit.edu.ph
8. Silliman University
Silliman University, also known as SU or Silliman, is a private university located in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. Founded as Silliman Institute in 1901, Silliman is the first American university in the Philippines and in Asia. It started as an elementary school, expanded in 1910 to become a college and finally achieved the status of university in 1938. The campus spans across 62 hectares and features four museums, a zoo, and a private beach. Silliman is ranked among the top 451-500 schools in the Asian University Rankings.
It has several courses that were given a level IV accreditation by PAASCU. This is the highest rating given by the accreditation by the PAASCU accrediting organization. While other universities were also given a Level IV accreditation for the past years, Silliman is the only university included in this list with programs that are currently given this recognition.
Top programs: Arts, Mass Communication, Science, Psychology, Nursing, Elementary Education, and Secondary Education
Classification: Private
Average Tuition Fee: Php 60,000 to 80,000 per year
Term Structure: Semester
Location: Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
Website: su.edu.ph
The universities and their rankings as listed on this article were based on the most recent QS World University rankings.
