Study in Manila, Philippines

About Manila

Manila is the capital of the Philippines, on Manila Bay, and the historic core of Metro Manila. For international students it is above all a place to study the health sciences, in English, at a public university with more than a century of history.

The University of the Philippines (UP) itself was created in the Manila district of Ermita on 18 June 1908 and spent four decades there before moving to Diliman, Quezon City, in 1948. Its health sciences campus stayed in Ermita.

Studying in Manila

Our directory lists two schools in Manila: a university and a culinary school. The University of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila) is one of the eight constituent universities of the UP System and its flagship campus for health. It is a public, secular institution teaching the health sciences, health professions, arts and sciences, with colleges of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, public health, allied medical professions and arts and sciences. Its College of Medicine grew out of the Philippine Medical School, created in 1905, and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is part of the university. The Center for Asian Culinary Studies (CACS) Manila teaches culinary arts.

International applicants to UP Manila who finished secondary school abroad can be admitted to some programmes without the UPCAT entrance exam if they meet set requirements, for example an SAT score of at least 1200. Applicants whose native language or school language is not English need a TOEFL score of at least 500.

Student visa

According to UP Manila, students holding a tourist visa are not allowed to study. The usual route is the student visa (9F): apply through the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in your home country about six months before the start, or convert a tourist visa into a student visa at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) within the first month of the semester once you have been admitted. Short courses can be taken on a Special Study Permit. At UP Manila, every international student also needs a study permit from the Office of Student Affairs before registering.

Cost of living for students

We found no official student budget for Manila; the national statistics and city websites could not be reached. Tuition at UP Manila is charged per unit, and international students also pay an Education Development Fee: for non-resident undergraduates, US$300 per semester, according to the university. Miscellaneous fees at UP Manila are 1,950 pesos.

Public rail is cheap. The LRT Lines 1 and 2 and the MRT-3 use stored value cards, sold for 30 pesos plus a minimum load of 14 pesos. Since 23 March 2026 the Department of Transportation has applied a 50% fare discount on LRT-2 and MRT-3 for all passengers.

Getting around and daily life

Metro Manila has three urban rail lines, LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3, which accept the same contactless card. Ermita, where UP Manila is located, is one of the oldest districts of the city.

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Manila?

Our directory lists the University of the Philippines Manila, the UP System's campus for health sciences in Ermita. Its College of Medicine dates back to the Philippine Medical School, created in 1905.

Can I study in Manila on a tourist visa?

Not for a degree: UP Manila states that applicants with a tourist visa are not allowed to study. You need a student visa (9F) or, for short courses, a Special Study Permit.

How much does UP Manila charge international students?

Besides tuition per unit, international students pay an Education Development Fee; for non-resident undergraduates it is US$300 per semester, according to the university.