University of the Philippines Manila

Key Highlights

• Public constituent university of the national University of the Philippines System
• Nine degree-granting units spanning health fields, arts, and sciences
• Registrar reported 4,484 undergraduate and 1,577 graduate students in first semester 2025–2026
• Autonomous UP Manila was created in 1983 on UP’s historic Manila site

Student Life & Environment

Student life at UP Manila is shaped by a compact, urban health-sciences environment. The Office of Student Affairs coordinates guidance and counseling, scholarships and financial assistance, student activities, disciplinary processes, international-student support, and auxiliary services. Its published resources also cover accreditation and governance of student organizations, elections, fraternities and sororities, and the use of student activity spaces. Housing is available on a limited and separately administered basis. The student-affairs office identifies the UP Manila Residence Hall, Phi House Dormitory, and information about nearby private dormitories among its auxiliary services. Applicants should confirm eligibility, application dates, fees, and availability directly with the office; the official overview does not promise accommodation to every admitted student. Students may participate in recognized organizations and university governance, while counseling services support academic and psychosocial adjustment. Financial-support channels listed by the university include the Student Learning Assistance System, student assistantships, scholarship programs, and emergency or enrollment-related loan arrangements. Eligibility varies by program and student status. UP Manila also has a strong public-service orientation. Volunteer and community activities can connect students with health, education, and welfare initiatives, including work with underserved communities. The experience is consequently likely to appeal most to students comfortable with city-based study, professional programs, community engagement, and the routines of an institution linked to a major public hospital.

Location & Surroundings

UP Manila’s principal campus is in Ermita, in the central City of Manila. The registrar gives its address as Padre Faura Street, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Metro Manila. The official history describes the campus as bounded by United Nations Avenue, Taft Avenue, Pedro Gil Street, and Maria Orosa Street. This places students in a dense urban district rather than on an isolated residential estate. The Philippine General Hospital is integral to the university’s Manila setting and supports clinical instruction, training, research, and public service. The campus area also contains academic colleges, administrative offices, student services, and the Museum of a History of Ideas. Students considering clinical or laboratory programs should verify where practical work takes place, since placements and affiliated activities may extend beyond individual campus buildings. Not every UP Manila offering is based in Ermita. The School of Health Sciences operates community-oriented programs at regional sites, and the registrar’s program list identifies offerings associated with locations such as Baler and Koronadal. Prospective students should therefore confirm the assigned campus or learning site before making housing and commuting plans. For students based in Manila, daily life involves navigating a busy hospital and government district in the center of Metro Manila.

Costs & Career Outcomes

UP Manila implements the Philippines’ Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act for eligible students. The registrar’s enrollment page confirms free-tuition implementation and explains that a student may voluntarily opt out for a semester, after which applicable tuition and other school fees are assessed. This policy should not be interpreted as a promise that every student, every credential, or every expense is covered; eligibility, program status, residence, and statutory limits can affect the amount due. The university also operates need-based assistance. Published student-affairs resources identify the Student Learning Assistance System, scholarships, student assistantships, and emergency or enrollment-related loans. Older tuition tables remain visible on the university website, but they are not used here as current 2026 prices because their underlying brackets and allowance amounts may no longer apply. Students who are not covered by free tuition, including international or some graduate and professional students, should request a current assessment from the registrar or their college. Housing, food, transport, books, clinical materials, insurance, and other living or program expenses require separate planning. Career preparation is closely tied to each discipline. The program portfolio supports routes into regulated health professions, research, public health, health policy, health informatics, education, management, science, computing, communication, and public service. The Philippine General Hospital provides an important clinical-learning environment, but admission to a degree does not guarantee licensure or employment. Professional graduates must satisfy the applicable licensing and training requirements, while other students should examine curriculum content, practical placements, and the destination of recent graduates with their chosen college. The university does not publish sufficiently current, institution-wide salary or employment-rate data on the sources reviewed, so no earnings claim is made.