Mapúa University is a private engineering and technology university founded in 1925 by Don Tomas Mapúa. Its main campus is at 658 Muralla Street, Intramuros, in Manila, with a second campus in Makati.[1][2] Its engineering programmes are a core strength: it reports 11 engineering programmes accredited by ABET.[1]
We could not confirm a QS World University Rankings 2027 position. The press lists five Philippine universities for 2027 and Mapúa is not among them; the Varsitarian says it failed to make the cut.[3][4] Mapúa’s tuition page lists first-term fees for S.Y. 2026–2027 by programme, but the amounts did not appear in the page text we could read.[5] Foreign applicants who are not native English speakers need TOEFL iBT 75 or IELTS 6.0.[2]
Key facts
| Official name | Mapúa University |
| Location | Intramuros campus: 658 Muralla St., Intramuros, Manila 1002; Makati campus: 1191 Pablo Ocampo Sr. Extension, Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Makati City[2] |
| Type | Private, non-sectarian university[6] |
| Founded | 1925 by Don Tomas Mapúa, the first registered architect of the Philippines[1] |
| Former name | Mapúa Institute of Technology until it was granted university status on 18 May 2017[6] |
| Campuses and delivery | Intramuros; Makati; an off-site campus at Seda Hotel, Ayala Malls Manila Bay (tourism and hospitality); fully online programmes[5] |
| Undergraduate students | About 10,000 (2020; Wikipedia, not an official count)[6] |
| Accredited engineering programmes | 11 engineering programmes accredited by ABET, plus 3 computing programmes[1] |
| CHED Centers of Excellence | Seven engineering programmes and Information Technology Education (Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology)[1] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | Not confirmed; not in the five Philippine universities listed by the press (1401+ band, first appearance, in 2026)[7] |
| Admission test | Mapúa Program Placement Assessment (MPASS), taken online; waived for SAT 1,100 and above[2] |
| Slot reservation fee | ₱5,000 (non-refundable, deductible from the matriculation fee)[2] |
| English test for non-native speakers | TOEFL iBT 75 / paper 500 / computer 173, or IELTS overall 6.0 with no band below 5.5[2] |
| Tuition | First-term S.Y. 2026–2027 fees are listed by programme; amounts not readable on the page[5] |
| Official website | mapua.edu.ph |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 5 November 2026.
About Mapúa University
Mapúa University was founded in 1925 by Don Tomas Mapúa, an architecture graduate of Cornell University and the first registered architect of the Philippines. It describes itself as the country’s premier engineering and technological school.[1] It was called Mapúa Institute of Technology until the Commission on Higher Education granted it university status on 18 May 2017.[6]
The Yuchengco Group acquired the institute in 2000; its sister institutions Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao are run by the Malayan Education System.[6] The university’s own site lists them as affiliates.
How is Mapúa University ranked?
QS 2027: not confirmed. The QS World University Rankings 2027 were published on 18 June 2026. The press lists five Philippine universities: the University of the Philippines (402nd), Ateneo de Manila University (581st), De La Salle University (751–760), the University of Santo Tomas (951–1000) and Adamson University (1201–1400). Mapúa is not among them.[3] The Varsitarian states that Mapúa, previously in the 1,401+ range, “failed to make the cut” in the 2027 edition.[4] We could not check QS’s own table, because topuniversities.com blocks automated access.
In the 2026 edition Mapúa made its first appearance, in the 1401+ band.[7] Mapúa’s own history page cites the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023 (1501+) and the QS Asia University Rankings 2022 (fifth straight year), and says the QS Stars rating was 4 Stars in 2020.[1] Those figures are older. See the Philippines ranking table and how we compile rankings.
What can you study at Mapúa University?
The university’s menu lists these undergraduate schools:[8]
- Architecture, Industrial Design, and the Built Environment
- Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering and Sciences
- Civil, Environmental, and Geological Engineering
- Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Engineering (including Artificial Intelligence Engineering)
- Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management
- Mechanical, Manufacturing, and Energy Engineering
- Foundational Studies and Education and Information Technology
- Multimedia and Digital Arts
- Tourism and Hospitality Management
- the E.T. Yuchengco School of Business, the School of Health Sciences and the School of Nursing, each in collaboration with Arizona State University
There are also a School of Graduate Studies, a School of Medicine in collaboration with Arizona State University, and fully online programmes (Mapúa ÚOx).[8] The Intramuros campus hosts the engineering, architecture and design programmes; information technology and media programmes are at Makati.[5]
Accreditation: 11 engineering programmes are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, and 3 computing programmes (Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology) by its Computing Accreditation Commission. Mapúa also names seven engineering programmes as CHED Centers of Excellence.[1]
How much does Mapúa University cost?
Mapúa’s tuition page has sections for the Intramuros campus, the Makati campus, the Seda Hotel (Ayala Malls Manila Bay) programmes and the fully online programmes, each headed “First term, S.Y. 2026-2027 fees”. In the page text we could read, only programme codes and names appear; the amounts did not show. We therefore give no official figure.[5]
PhilSTAR Life, in an article of 5 March 2026 (updated 1 July 2026) that calls its numbers estimates, reports no 2026–2027 amount for Mapúa. It gives “last year’s” full-payment first-trimester rates of ₱49,420 to ₱64,815 depending on the programme. It adds that a 3% increase applies to tuition, miscellaneous and laboratory fees, plus an internationalization fee of ₱230 per quarter.[9] The article does not say whether the extra fee applies to all students or only to international ones.
Use the “Tuition and Other Fees” page and the applicant portal for the schedule of your programme: enrolment shows the fees in the portal before you pay the initial payment.[2] Scholarships and tuition discounts have their own pages on the Mapúa site.[5]
How do you apply to Mapúa University as an international student?
The undergraduate process for incoming freshmen has five steps: online application (which gives you access to the MPASS applicant portal), payment of the MPASS fee, the MPASS itself through Cardinal EDGE, a slot reservation of ₱5,000 with your preferred programme, and enrolment once it opens.[2] The MPASS and reservation payments are non-refundable and non-transferable but deductible from the matriculation fee.[2]
- SAT: applicants with an SAT score of 1,100 or above upload their SAT certification to waive the MPASS fee and take an MPASS exemption.[2]
- International curricula: IB, Cambridge IGCSE and British curriculum completers upload a certification.[2]
- Foreign nationals add: scholastic records authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post of the country of origin or residence (or an apostille if the country is in the Apostille Convention), an Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) or Special Study Permit (SSP), a photocopy of the passport bio-page, latest admission and authorization to stay.[2]
We give no deadlines because they change every year; Mapúa’s site shows that applications for S.Y. 2027–2028 are ongoing.[2] Graduate and senior high school applicants use separate pages, which we did not read in full.
Which English level do you need?
Mapúa teaches in English.[6] A foreign applicant who is not a native English speaker submits TOEFL or IELTS results:[2]
| Test | Minimum |
|---|---|
| TOEFL internet-based | 75 |
| TOEFL paper-based | 500 |
| TOEFL computer-based | 173 |
| IELTS | Overall band 6.0, no single score below 5.5 |
If you have neither test, you must pass the Mapúa English Language Test (MELT), given by the English Language Center.[2]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mapúa University in the QS World University Rankings 2027?
What is the tuition at Mapúa University?
Which English score do I need for Mapúa?
Non-native speakers need TOEFL iBT 75 (paper 500, computer 173) or IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5; otherwise they take the MELT.[2]
Do I have to take an entrance test?
Yes, the Mapúa Program Placement Assessment (MPASS), unless you are exempt, for example with an SAT score of 1,100 or above.[2]
What is Mapúa best known for?
Engineering: it reports 11 ABET-accredited engineering programmes and seven engineering programmes recognised as CHED Centers of Excellence.[1]
More about studying in Philippines
- Philippines: best universities
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Philippines
- Ateneo de Manila University
- De La Salle University
- University of Santo Tomas
- University of the Philippines Diliman
Sources
[1] Mapúa University: History (page without a date; its ranking figures refer to 2020–2023)
[2] Mapúa University: Undergraduate Enrollment and Application Guidelines (page without a date; banner shows S.Y. 2027–2028 applications ongoing)
[3] The Summit Express: All 5 Philippine universities drop in QS World Ranking 2027 (article of June 2026 on the QS 2027 release; lists five Philippine universities)
[4] The Varsitarian: UST, 4 other PH schools drop in 2027 QS World University Rankings (article on the QS 2027 release of 18 Jun 2026 (QS publishes the ranking at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access))
[5] Mapúa University: Tuition and Other Fees (page without a date; first-term S.Y. 2026–2027 sections; amounts not shown in the page text)
[6] Wikipedia: Mapúa University (former name, ownership, student numbers (2020) and language of teaching; page without a date)
[7] PhilSTAR: 6 Philippines universities earn spots in QS rankings; Adamson, Mapua make debuts (article of 20 Jun 2025 on the QS 2026 edition)
[8] Mapúa University: website menu (schools and programmes) (page without a date)
[9] PhilSTAR Life: Tuition fees in top PH universities for 2026–2027 (published 5 Mar 2026, updated 1 Jul 2026; the article calls its figures estimates)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.