University of Santo Tomas
Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas
A 1611 Dominican university in Manila that calls itself Asia's oldest, with one entrance test for almost every program.
- Students
- 42,253
- International
- 6%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 15.1:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- ₱99,274
- From · 2026-27 (first-term fee tables; annual figure is an estimate)
- Founded
- 1611
About UST
The University of Santo Tomas is a Dominican institution founded in 1611 under the patronage of St. Thomas Aquinas; its own site calls it Asia's oldest existing university. It was made a pontifical university in 1902 and took the title Catholic University of the Philippines in 1947. Its main campus stands on España Boulevard in Sampaloc, Manila, and the Arch of the Centuries, the Central Seminary, the Main Building and the Grandstand are declared National Cultural Treasures.
UST is organised into colleges, faculties and institutes rather than a single undergraduate school: Accountancy, Architecture, Arts and Letters, Civil Law, Commerce and Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts and Design, Information and Computing Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, Music, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physical Education and Athletics, Rehabilitation Sciences, Science, and Tourism and Hospitality Management, plus ecclesiastical faculties in Canon Law, Philosophy and Sacred Theology. The university reports the highest number of PACUCOA-accredited programs in the Philippines.
Almost every applicant sits the UST Entrance Test (USTET). The final rating counts the test at 80% and grades in English, Mathematics and Science at 20%, and some programs add an interview, audition or drawing test. It suits students who want a large, faith-based, Manila-centred university with strong professional programs in health, engineering, law and business, and who will be comfortable with a Catholic formation component, including courses in theology.
Why students choose UST
One admission route: a single online USTET application, with a first and an alternative program choice for college applicants.
Professional depth: UST lists top-performing status in government licensure exams for programs including Nursing, Pharmacy, Medicine, Accountancy and several engineering fields (four-year window 2016-2020, as reported by UST).
Published per-college fee tables show what each term costs, including the extra out-of-state fee for foreign students.
Athletics and community: UST says it holds the most overall championships in UAAP history (44), and campus life includes the Growling Tigers teams.
Admissions
A.Y. 2027-2028 (entry August 2027)
Selectivity
UST does not publish an acceptance rate. Passing the USTET is not the sole basis for admission to some programs, which add interviews, auditions, drawing tests or other screening.
Typical entry requirements
| Philippine Grade 12 (Senior High School) | Currently enrolled Grade 12 students apply for college |
|---|---|
| International credentials (e.g. IB, A-levels, US diploma) | College applicants with international credentials use a separate fee category; applicants from foreign schools and foreigners graduating from local schools must first secure clearance from the UST Manila Office of the Registrar |
Deadlines
- College with LEAPMed (USTET A.Y. 2027-2028) Non-binding Next deadline · In 52 days8 August 2026 to 27 November 2026
Medical pathway applicants.
- College application (USTET A.Y. 2027-2028) Non-binding In ~3 monthsProcessing and payment period 8 August 2026 to 8 January 2027
Applies to UST Manila and UST General Santos.
Processing and payment windows are from the USTET guidelines (ustet.ust.edu.ph, checked 30 September 2026): college 8 August 2026 to 8 January 2027; college with LEAPMed 8 August to 27 November 2026. Test dates are assigned after application.
How to apply
Apply online at ofad.ust.edu.ph and ustet.ust.edu.ph: register, complete the online application, upload a 2x2 ID picture, school information, program preferences (a priority and an alternative program) and required documents, and pay the non-refundable application fee. A test permit is issued only after the application, documents and payment are complete.
What admissions looks for
- A strong USTET score, which carries 80% of the admission rating.
- Good grades in English, Mathematics and Science, which count for 20%.
- For some programs, an interview, talent test (such as an audition or drawing) or other additional screening.
- Complete, accurate documents, since misrepresentation or missing documents can lead to disqualification.
Tips for applying to UST
- 1 Choose your two programs carefully: the alternative program is only considered if you do not qualify for your priority program.
- 2 Check the list of programs with additional screening requirements before applying.
- 3 Foreign applicants pay a higher fee category (PHP 1,000, PHP 3,000 with international credentials, or PHP 6,000 at an international testing center) and need Registrar clearance first if coming from a foreign school.
- 4 Budget for the extra USD 50 'Out of State (foreign students)' fee that appears on each college's first-term fee table (UST publishes fees per term).
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 (first-term fee tables; annual figure is an estimate) · figures in PHP
UST's admissions site lists scholarships for academic excellence, for students in financial need who render 20 to 30 assistantship hours a week, for students who excel in arts, music and sports, and for deserving students in need of assistance. Application fees are waived for some applicants, including those eligible under the Free College Entrance Examinations Act.
- PHP 1,000 (PHP 3,000 with international credentials; PHP 6,000 at an international testing center)
- Application fee, international student (school abroad)
- PHP 61,226 (Business Economics without NSTP/ROTC) to PHP 64,168 (with NSTP/ROTC)
- First-term full payment, first-year, Commerce
- USD 50, listed on each college's first-term fee table (per term)
- Out-of-state fee for foreign students
Academics
Academic calendar: Terms: first term runs August to December; UST fee tables are issued per term
Nursing
AUN-QA certified and listed by UST among top performers in government licensure exams; first-term first-year fees of about PHP 77,532.
Medicine and Surgery (LEAPMed)
A dedicated LEAPMed application track with its own application window and fee.
Pharmacy
AUN-QA certified, from the Faculty of Pharmacy.
Accountancy
AUN-QA certified and listed among top performers in licensure exams.
Engineering (Chemical, Electronics, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical)
Listed by UST among top performers in government licensure exams; Chemical and Electronics Engineering are AUN-QA certified.
Computer Science and Information Systems
Offered by the College of Information and Computing Sciences with a published fee table.
Research
- UST reports 26 CHED Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development, according to Wikipedia's summary of CHED recognitions.
- It houses four National Cultural Treasures: the Arch of the Centuries, the Central Seminary, the Main Building, and the Grandstand and Open Spaces.
- Research flagships are pursued through research centers, including a Research Center for Health Sciences.
Schools & faculties
- UST-Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy
- College of Architecture
- Faculty of Arts and Letters
- Faculty of Civil Law
- College of Commerce and Business Administration
- College of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- College of Fine Arts and Design
- College of Information and Computing Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
- Conservatory of Music
- College of Nursing
UST reports being a top-performing school in government licensure exams for programs including Nursing, Pharmacy, Medicine, Accountancy and several engineering fields, over the four academic years 2016-2020. No graduate employment rate was found.
Student life
UST's campus in Sampaloc is the largest university campus in Manila, with a parish church, a teaching hospital and 22 degree-granting units. Student life runs through the Thomasian formation programs, the SEAL of Thomasian education (Servant leader, Effective communicator, Analytical and creative thinker, Lifelong learner), student organizations, and UAAP sports, where the Growling Tigers compete. The campus is part of the University Belt of Manila.
- 44 UAAP overall championships, the most in UAAP history according to UST.
- A parish church and a teaching hospital on the main campus.
- Tiger Media Network, the university's broadcasting arm.
- Thomasian Graduate Attributes guide co-curricular activities.
Location
The main campus sits on España Boulevard in the Sampaloc district of Manila, in the University Belt that also hosts several other universities. The address is España Blvd., Sampaloc, Manila 1008. It is in the heart of Metro Manila, so commuting and off-campus housing are the norm.
Nearest airport: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL)
Notable alumni
- ML Manuel L. QuezonSecond President of the Philippines (Commonwealth); UST alumnus
- JP José P. LaurelPresident of the Philippines during the Japanese occupation; earned a Master of Laws at UST
- SO Sergio OsmeñaPresident of the Philippines (1944-1946); UST law graduate (LL.B.)
- DM Diosdado MacapagalPresident of the Philippines (1961-1965); UST law graduate (LL.B., LL.M., DCL)
- NJ Nick JoaquinNational Artist and writer
- EJ Ernest John ObienaOlympic pole vaulter; competed for the UST Growling Tigers
- MP May ParsonsUST Nursing alumna who administered the world's first COVID-19 vaccine in the UK
Frequently asked questions
What is UST's QS ranking?
QS World University Rankings 2027 places the University of Santo Tomas in the 951-1000 band (QS publishes bands, not exact ranks, at this level). THE World University Rankings 2026 places it in the 1501+ band.
What is the USTET?
The UST Entrance Test is taken by all applicants. The admission rating is 80% entrance test and 20% grades in English, Mathematics and Science; some programs add an interview, audition or drawing test.
What is the deadline for A.Y. 2027-2028?
For college, processing and payment runs from 8 August 2026 to 8 January 2027; for college applicants with LEAPMed it ends on 27 November 2026.
How much is the UST application fee for international students?
PHP 1,000 for non-Filipino applicants from schools abroad, PHP 3,000 for applicants with international credentials, and PHP 6,000 if taking the USTET at an international testing center.
How much is tuition at UST?
UST publishes first-term fee tables by college. First-term full payment for first-year students ranges from about PHP 49,600 (Education) to about PHP 80,200 (Pharmacy) in the seven colleges read, plus an out-of-state fee of USD 50 listed for foreign students. Doubled for two terms, that is roughly PHP 99,000 to PHP 160,000 a year; other colleges (for example Medicine) may cost more.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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