University of the Philippines Diliman

Key facts

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

About UP Diliman

The University of the Philippines (UP) was established on 18 June 1908 under Act No. 1870, known as the University Act.^[7] The university built a new campus on a 493-hectare lot in Diliman, Quezon City, and moved most of its units there from Manila between December 1948 and January 1949; classes resumed in Diliman on 12 January 1949.^[7] UP Diliman was formally designated a constituent university on 26 April 1982.^[7]

Today UP Diliman is the flagship of the UP System.^[6] It has 26 degree-granting colleges, schools and institutes, grouped in four clusters: Arts and Letters, Management and Economics, Science and Technology, and Social Sciences and Law.^[1]

How is UP Diliman ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of the Philippines is 402nd in the world, down from 362nd in 2026.^[2] Its overall score is 38.^[8] It is the highest of five Philippine institutions in the 2027 ranking, ahead of Ateneo de Manila University (581st), De La Salle University (751–760 band), the University of Santo Tomas (951–1000 band) and Adamson University (1201–1400 band).^[9]

The press reports name “the University of the Philippines” and do not say which campus QS counts, so we show the 402nd place for UP as a whole. UP Diliman’s own pages that we read do not state a QS position. See the full Philippines ranking table and how we compile rankings.

What can you study at UP Diliman?

UP Diliman lists 268 academic programmes (figure as of 7 September 2022) across 26 degree-granting units.^[1] The units are grouped as follows:^[1]

• Arts and Letters: 5 units
• Management and Economics: 8 units
• Science and Technology: 7 units
• Social Sciences and Law: 7 units

The cluster counts on the source page add up to 27, one more than the 26 units it states in total; the page’s footnotes do not settle this, so treat the totals as approximate.^[1]

Nearly all units use a semester system. Four programmes run on trimesters: the evening MBA and the MS Finance at the Cesar EA Virata School of Business, the Master of Management in Pampanga/Olongapo, and the Professional Masters in Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management at the College of Science.^[4] The first semester starts in September, the second in February and a six-week midyear term in June.^[4]

How much does UP Diliman cost for international students?

UP Diliman publishes fees in Philippine pesos (₱). Two pages describe what foreign students pay, and they use different formats, so we show both. Neither names an academic year.

Fee schedule from the international office

This table comes from the page of the UP Diliman Office of International Linkages for fee-paying international students. The page does not say whether the EDF is charged per semester or per year. As an example it gives three to four 3-unit courses at ₱13,500 to ₱18,000 in tuition.^[3]

Matriculation range from the fees page

UP Diliman’s “fees and other information” page, last updated on 9 September 2023, states that foreign students pay matriculation fees (tuition, miscellaneous and student fund) of ₱4,661.50 to ₱31,490.50 for a maximum of 12 units. It adds a ₱100 deposit, a ₱30 entrance fee and laboratory fees of ₱150 to ₱1,800 per laboratory subject, depending on the college. Payment is by cash, postal money order, cablegram or telegraphic transfer, certified cashier’s check or manager’s check; personal checks are not accepted.^[10]

The two sources do not state the same structure, and we could not reconcile them. Ask the Office of the University Registrar or the international office for the schedule that applies to your programme and year.

For comparison: Filipino students

The base rate for local students is also ₱1,500 per unit, reduced by the Socialized Tuition System to ₱1,000, ₱600 or ₱300 per unit or to free tuition.^[10] PhilSTAR Life reports that admitted Filipino students pay no tuition under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, with exceptions such as exceeding the programme period or already holding a bachelor’s degree.^[11] These rules apply to Filipinos, not to international students.

How do you apply to UP Diliman as an international student?

UP Diliman’s admissions overview names four routes: local admission, foreign admission, academic information, and fees.^[12] Foreign admission covers freshmen, transfer, non-regular and graduate applicants.^[12]

Undergraduate (first year)

• Who: foreign or Filipino applicants who graduated or are graduating from a secondary or home school abroad and have not enrolled in college may apply for automatic admission.^[5]
• Automatic admission needs completion of secondary school plus one of: SAT total of at least 1270 (620 Math, 650 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), GCE with 2 ordinary-level and 3 advanced-level passes, an International Baccalaureate Diploma, or an equivalent exam approved by UP.^[5]
• Other route: applicants who do not meet automatic admission can take the UPCAT if they graduated from an accredited high school abroad.^[5]
• Application fee (non-refundable): ₱150 for resident foreign students or US$30 for non-resident ones on the automatic route; US$50 for non-resident applicants on the UPCAT route.^[5]
• Where: submit the application to the Office of the University Registrar of the constituent university; incomplete applications are not processed.^[5]

Documents include the undergraduate application form (UP Form No. 3.1), official transcripts and examination certificates (one original and three authenticated photocopies, with certified English translations where needed) and, if applicable, TOEFL or IELTS results.^[5]

Graduate and exchange

The admissions overview lists graduate applicants under foreign admission, but we did not read the graduate requirements, so check the unit of your programme.^[12] The international office describes three kinds of enrolment: international regular (degree), international exchange and international visiting.^[3]

We give no deadlines because they change every year. The foreign admission page was last updated on 7 July 2024, so confirm current dates with the Office of Admissions.^[5]

Which English level do you need for UP Diliman?

English is generally the medium of instruction. The academic information page adds that Filipino is the policy goal for undergraduate instruction over a transition period, and that graduate courses are in English, though some may use Filipino.^[4]

If English was not the medium of instruction at your secondary school, you must submit official test results: TOEFL 500 (paper-based) or 173 (computer-based), or IELTS 5.5. The foreign admission page does not list an internet-based TOEFL score.^[5] The scores above are for first-year undergraduate applicants; graduate units may set their own.

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
• Mapúa University
• University of Santo Tomas