University of Santo Tomas (UST)
The University of Santo Tomas holds the oldest extant university charter in Asia, established in 1611 by Archbishop Miguel de Benavides and the Dominican Order. Spanning 21.5 hectares along España Boulevard in Sampaloc, Manila, with growing research campuses in Santa Rosa, Laguna, and General Santos City, Mindanao, UST unites four centuries of Thomistic academic rigor, high performing health sciences, and four National Cultural Treasures.
Chartered decades before Harvard University, continually operating across four distinct centuries.
Sole third ranked university in the Philippines in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
First university in the Philippines to achieve a 5 Star QS rating with top scores in Medicine and Employability.
All time record holder for General Championships in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
Colleges, Specialized Faculties, and Degree Programs
UST administers 19 colleges, faculties, and institutes catering to undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and ecclesiastical studies. Recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) with autonomous status, the university hosts 26 Centers of Excellence (COE) and Centers of Development (COD), complemented by international accreditations from the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN QA) and ABET.
Medicine and Health Sciences
Founded in 1871, the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery stands as the premier medical school in the country, supported by the University of Santo Tomas Hospital and the Journal of Medicine, University of Santo Tomas (JMUST). Complemented by the College of Nursing, Faculty of Pharmacy, and College of Rehabilitation Sciences, graduates routinely achieve top placements in national licensure exams.
Engineering, Architecture, and Computing
The Faculty of Engineering holds ABET accreditation across multiple disciplines, while the College of Architecture is celebrated as a perennial top performing school in national board examinations. The College of Information and Computing Sciences (CICS) drives advanced software development, data science, and network security curricula.
Business, Accountancy, and Hospitality
The UST AMV College of Accountancy produces substantial cohorts of Certified Public Accountants each year. The College of Commerce and Business Administration (established 1933) and the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM) prepare leaders for regional commercial enterprises and global luxury hospitality.
Sacred Sciences and Civil Law
Hosting the ecclesiastical faculties of Sacred Theology, Philosophy, and Canon Law, UST educates clergy, theologians, and scholars worldwide. The Faculty of Civil Law, founded in 1734, is the oldest law school in the Philippines, having educated four Presidents of the Philippines and six Chief Justices of the Supreme Court.
Arts, Letters, and Design
The Faculty of Arts and Letters (affectionately known as Artlets) nurtures literature, journalism, communication, and social research. The College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD) and the Conservatory of Music foster national artists, award winning vocalists, sculptors, and creative directors.
Natural Sciences and Education
The College of Science drives biological, chemical, mathematical, and environmental breakthroughs, while the College of Education provides pioneering teacher training across secondary and elementary education. Both units collaborate closely with the Research Center for Natural and Applied Sciences.
Global University Rankings and Quality Standards
UST continues to elevate Philippine higher education on the global stage, earning landmark positions across the Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) evaluation frameworks.
| Ranking Organization | Current Standing / Bracket | Distinction and Benchmark Context |
|---|---|---|
| Times Higher Education (THE) World Rankings (2027 Edition) | 1,601 to 1,800 Global Band (Sole No. 3 in Philippines) | UST emerged as the sole third ranked Philippine institution, breaking previous multi school ties in the 1,501+ band. THE recognized UST with the highest International Outlook score among all ranked universities in the Philippines. |
| Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings | 951 to 1,000 Global Range | Consistently featured among the world top 1,000 universities, tracked across academic reputation, faculty to student ratio, citations per faculty, and international student engagement. |
| QS Stars Rating System | 5 Star Overall Rating | The first university in the Philippines to secure an overall 5 Star QS rating, achieving perfect scores in Teaching, Employability, Internationalization, Facilities, and the Doctor of Medicine program. |
| Commission on Higher Education (CHED) | Autonomous Status (Highest Category) | Entrusted with full regulatory autonomy, conferring authority to open new degree programs, launch curricular innovations, and administer financial operations independently. |
| Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) | Top Performing School Nationwide | Routinely ranked number one in the Physician Licensure Examination (PLE), Nursing Licensure Exam (NLE), Architecture Board Exam (ALE), Medical Technology, and Pharmacy licensure. |
Journal of Medicine, University of Santo Tomas (JMUST)
As part of UST commitment to clinical advancement, the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery publishes the Journal of Medicine, University of Santo Tomas (JMUST). Succeeding the historical Santo Tomas Journal of Medicine established in 1941, JMUST operates as a biannual, peer reviewed, open access platform indexed under international publishing guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME), and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal publishes original clinical trials, epidemiological investigations, case studies, and medical education research accessible at jmust.org.
Campus Architecture and Four National Cultural Treasures
The 21.5 hectare Sampaloc campus, relocated from Intramuros in 1927 following severe congestion within the walled city, represents one of the most culturally significant architectural ensembles in Southeast Asia. The National Museum of the Philippines declared four distinct campus properties as National Cultural Treasures.
The UST Main Building (1927)
Designed by Spanish Dominican priest and civil engineer Fr. Roque Ruaño, O.P., the UST Main Building was inaugurated in 1927 as the first earthquake resistant building in the Philippines. Foreseeing the tectonic instability of the archipelago, Fr. Ruaño ingeniously engineered the structure into 40 independent reinforced concrete units separated by expansion joints, allowing the building to sway flexibly without structural collapse during major seismic events. During World War II (1942 to 1945), the building served as the Santo Tomas Internment Camp for thousands of Allied civilians.
Today, the Main Building houses the Faculty of Pharmacy, the College of Science, the administrative offices of the Rector Magnificus, and the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences.
The Arch of the Centuries
Standing prominently at the España Boulevard entrance, the Arch of the Centuries originally served as the portal to the UST Intramuros campus from 1680 until it was dismantled and transported stone by stone to the Sampaloc campus after World War II destroyed the walled city. The arch features statues of Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Albert the Great, flanked by monuments honoring Dr. Jose Rizal and Pope John Paul II.
Every Thomasian participates in two milestone traditions anchored to the Arch: incoming freshmen pass inward during the celebrated Thomasian Welcome Walk, while graduating seniors pass outward through the arch during the emotional Baccalaureate Mass and Send Off.
Central Seminary Building and the Grandstand Open Field
Completed in 1933 by renowned architect Fernando Ocampo, the Central Seminary Building exhibits classical art deco lines and houses the Pontifical and Royal Seminary, the ecclesiastical faculties, and the Santísimo Rosario Parish.
Adjoining the seminary is the vast UST Open Field and Grandstand. This historic space has hosted four papal visits in Philippine history: Pope Paul VI in 1970, Pope John Paul II in 1981 and 1995 (during World Youth Day X), and Pope Francis in 2015. Each December, the field hosts Paskuhan, an iconic Christmas lights illumination and concert drawing over 100,000 students, faculty, and alumni.
UST Museum of Arts and Sciences (Established 1871)
Recognized as the oldest existing museum in the Philippines, the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences originated as a Cabinet of Natural History in 1869 under Fr. Ramon Martinez Vigil, O.P. The museum preserves extensive holdings of Philippine zoological and botanical specimens, pre colonial gold and ceramics, rare Spanish colonial religious statuary, historic coins, and masterworks by Fernando Amorsolo, Carlos "Botong" Francisco, and Vicente Manansala. Located on the mezzanine of the Main Building, the museum welcomes visiting scholars, school tours, and cultural enthusiasts.
The History of the University of Santo Tomas
Discover the chronicle of Asia oldest existing university charter, from its origins in 1611 under Archbishop Miguel de Benavides through the Spanish, American, and World War II periods to its present expansion.
Campus Expansion: Santa Rosa and General Santos City
While honoring its historical core in Manila, the University of Santo Tomas has expanded its academic footprint across Luzon and Mindanao through two major satellite campuses.
UST Santa Rosa (Laguna)
Encompassing 40 hectares in Santa Rosa, Laguna, this campus serves as an advanced technological, engineering, and research corridor. It hosts the UST DOST research facility and is designed to lead postgraduate studies, environmental biotechnology, and corporate collaborative labs across CALABARZON.
UST General Santos (Mindanao)
Inaugurated in 2024, the 82.2 hectare UST General Santos campus represents the university largest single landholding. Centered around its magnificent Main Building and the Dr. Ricardo S. Po, Sr. Integrated Innovation and Research Laboratories, UST GenSan brings four centuries of Dominican academic excellence to SOCCSKSARGEN and Southern Mindanao.
USTET Admissions, Tuition Benchmarks, and Campus Access
Securing admission to UST involves a competitive selection process through the University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test (USTET), which evaluates secondary academic achievement, analytical aptitude, and subject mastery.
USTET Admission Lifecycle
Applications open annually between August and November for the succeeding academic year. Acceptance rates average approximately 20% across competitive disciplines like Medicine, Architecture, Nursing, and Accountancy. High ranking applicants can apply for academic scholarships and athletic grants through the Office for Student Affairs (OSA).
Tuition Estimates (Four Currencies)
Undergraduate tuition fees typically range from ₱50,000 to ₱80,000 per semester (about $800.00 to $1,280.00 / €700.00 to €1,120.00 / £610.00 to £980.00), depending on laboratory hours, clinical rotations, and program type. Medicine, postgraduate degrees, and specialized engineering courses calculate laboratory fees separately.
Athletics: Growling Tigers
As a founding member of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), the UST Growling Tigers hold over 46 Senior General Championships and 23 Junior General Championships. Athletes train across the Quadricentennial Pavilion, Olympic size pools, and the UST Open Field.
Campus Perimeter Gates and Navigation
España Blvd. Gates
Main pedestrian and vehicle entrance facing the Arch of the Centuries. Primary drop off for administrative offices and the Main Building.
Lacson Avenue Gate
Direct entry for the University of Santo Tomas Hospital, clinical divisions, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, and Pharmacy.
Dapitan Street Gates
Student pedestrian hub accessing the Quadricentennial Pavilion, Central Seminary, Albertus Magnus Building, and surrounding student housing.
P. Noval Street Gate
Access for the Multi Deck Car Park, Tan Yan Kee Student Center, Beato Angelico Building, and student dining arcades.
Custom College Polos, Medical Scrubs, and Intramural Teamwear in Manila
Outfit your Thomasian student organization, university department, fraternity, sorority, or athletic team with high grade custom apparel. We manufacture verified collegiate polo shirts, custom medical and nursing scrubs, laboratory coats, full sublimation intramural jerseys, and organization hoodies for colleges across the University Belt and Metro Manila. Batch orders for student councils and collegiate clubs start at ₱320.00 (about $5.10 / €4.45 / £3.85) per piece with free digital design proofs.
Direct Inquiries and Official Social Media
Connect directly with the University of Santo Tomas for admissions, campus tours, credential verification, and administrative coordination.
Campus Address
University of Santo Tomas
España Boulevard, Sampaloc
Manila, Philippines 1008
Trunkline: +63 2 8786 1611 / +63 2 8880 1611
Online Portals
Official Website: ust.edu.ph
Admissions: ofad.ust.edu.ph
Medical Journal: jmust.org
Social Media
Instagram: @ust1611official
Facebook: Official UST Manila Page
Official Hashtags: #UST1611 #GoUSTE
Frequently Asked Questions About UST
Essential details regarding university status, historical milestones, admissions, and campus visiting rules.