Study abroad at Manila

Manila (National Capital Region / Metro Manila) is the vibrant, bustling capital and premier higher education, commercial, and medical powerhouse of the Philippines. Home to the historic 'University Belt' (U-Belt) and the nation's premier 'Big Four' universities: University of the Philippines Manila (UP Manila - the national health sciences center and home to the Philippine General Hospital PGH), University of Santo Tomas (UST - the oldest existing university in Asia, founded in 1611, Royal and Pontifical institution renowned for its Faculty of Medicine and Surgery), Ateneo de Manila University (ASMPH), and De La Salle University (DLSU), alongside prominent institutions such as University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC), Far Eastern University (FEU-NRMF), and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC). Degrees are taught 100% in English following the American curriculum (Doctor of Medicine MD / USMLE-aligned). International students benefit from supreme clinical volume, affordable tuition, cosmopolitan lifestyle, and straightforward 9(f) Student Visa processing.

Tuition fees in Manila are very cost-effective for US-curriculum medical and engineering programs: Accredited English-medium medical degree programs (Doctor of Medicine - MD / US-style MBBS) at top institutions (UST, UERMMMC, FEU-NRMF, EAC) range from $3,800 to $6,500 per academic year, while Dentistry and Nursing range from $2,200 to $3,500 per year. Bachelor's degrees in Computer Science, AI, and Engineering at DLSU, UST, and Mapúa range between $2,000 and $3,500 per year. Modern high-rise student condominiums near Taft Avenue, España Boulevard, and BGC range from $220 to $500 per month. General monthly living expenses range between $300 and $600.

International students enter the Philippines on a 9(a) Tourist Visa or 9(f) Student Visa. Upon arrival in Manila and formal university registration, the university foreign student liaison office assists students in securing the official 9(f) Student Visa and Alien Certificate of Registration Identity Card (ACR I-Card) from the Bureau of Immigration (BI Main Office in Intramuros, Manila).