Ateneo de Manila University

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.

About Ateneo de Manila University

Ateneo dates its present institution to 1859. Ten Spanish Jesuits arrived in Manila on 14 April 1859, and on 1 October 1859 the Governor-General authorised them to take over the Escuela Municipal, a small private school for 30 children of Spanish residents.^[7] It became the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1865, lost its government subsidy under American rule in 1902, was recognised in 1908 as a college licensed to award bachelor’s degrees and dropped “Municipal” from its name in 1909.^[7]

The old campus was destroyed in the Second World War. In 1952 most units moved to the present Loyola Heights campus, Fr Francisco Araneta SJ became the first Filipino rector in 1958, and in 1959, the centennial year, the Ateneo became a university.^[7] Twelve schools make up the university: nine in higher education and three in basic education.^[1]

How is Ateneo de Manila University ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, Ateneo de Manila University is 581st, down from 511th in 2026. That makes it the second of the five Philippine institutions in the ranking, behind the University of the Philippines (402nd).^[2] PhilSTAR Life reports the same positions for the two universities.^[10]

Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. See the Philippines ranking table and how we compile rankings.

What can you study at Ateneo de Manila University?

Ateneo offers undergraduate courses in five of its nine higher education schools:^[6]

• Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning Design
• School of Humanities: literature, languages, philosophy, theology, history and the arts
• John Gokongwei School of Management: business and management
• School of Science and Engineering
• Dr Rosita G Leong School of Social Sciences: society, culture, governance and human behaviour

The Graduate School of Business, the School of Government, the School of Law and the School of Medicine and Public Health offer graduate programmes only.^[9] The graduate page describes a wide range of master’s and doctoral degrees.^[11] Ateneo says it has more than 100 student organisations and over 260 partner universities worldwide.^[6]

How much does Ateneo de Manila University cost?

The college tuition page states that fees are charged per semester, in Philippine pesos (₱), and labels them “School Year 2027-2028”; the page was updated on 17 June 2026. Laboratory use and overload add charges depending on the programme, and the School of Science and Engineering is slightly more expensive because of its laboratory fees. Students may pay in two or four instalments.^[3]

PhilSTAR Life, listing 2026–2027 estimates, gives an average of ₱117,000 for a 20-unit semester, with basic fees of ₱18,437 and other fees of ₱8,074.^[12] These figures differ from the university’s own page, which may refer to a later school year, so use the official page for planning.

International student fee

The international first-year page states that an international student fee is collected from non-Philippine passport holders, both resident and non-resident. It does not give the amount.^[5]

How do you apply to Ateneo de Manila University as an international student?

You count as an international first-year applicant if you are studying in, or graduated from, a school outside the Philippines and have not taken college-level units. Applications for the first-year intake are submitted online through the Ateneo College Application Hub.^[5]

• ACET route: the Ateneo College Entrance Test covers Mathematics, English, General Knowledge and Abstract Reasoning in about four hours; results are reported as percentiles and read together with grades, recommendations and other credentials.^[4]
• SAT route: a total of at least 1100, obtained within two years before the application period.^[4]
• IB route: Grade 12 predicted grades of at least 28 points, from a school that has offered the IB Diploma for at least three years; admission is provisional until the Diploma is awarded.^[4]

Documents include a recent photo, birth certificate, Grade 9 to 11 report cards, two recommendation forms, a personal essay of up to 750 words and, for non-Filipinos, passport bio pages and any Philippine visa or ACR I-Card. The application fee for international applicants is ₱2,500.^[5] After admission you apply for a student visa through the Philippine Embassy or Consulate of your country, and all accepted international students take two courses in the Filipino national language.^[5]

Graduate applicants use the graduate admissions pages, which cover eligibility, intake schedule and entrance examinations; Ateneo states that admission is open regardless of nationality.^[11] Exchange students apply through the University Partnerships and Internationalization office via their home university.^[9]

We give no deadlines because they change every year; the international page we read still shows 2025 dates. Check the admissions calendar before you start.

Which English level do you need?

English is the main language of teaching, with some classes in Filipino.^[8] The ACET includes an English section.^[4] The international first-year page that we read does not list a TOEFL or IELTS minimum for degree applicants.^[5]

For exchange students, the university lists a certificate of English proficiency (for those whose mother tongue is not English): TOEFL paper-based 550, TOEFL internet-based 79 or IELTS 6.0. Students who need more English can join the Intensive English Language Program of the Ateneo Language Learning Center.^[9] Ask the admissions office whether these exchange minimums also apply to your degree application.

More about studying in Philippines

• Philippines: best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

More university profiles in Philippines

• De La Salle University
• Mapúa University
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines Diliman