University of Santo Tomas emblem

University of Santo Tomas

Philippines • Founded 1611 • QS 2027 #951-1000

Updated May 2026 · Source: ust.edu.ph

Overview

English Name: University of Santo Tomas
Acronyms: UST
Founded: 1611
Institution Type: University
Control Type: Private
Entity Type: Non-profit
Religious Affiliation: Christian-Catholic
Rankings:
QS World University Rankings 2027 #951-1000 Times Higher Education 2026 #1501-2191 SCImago 2026 #1926
Motto: Veritas in Caritate
Colours: Yellow gold, black and white
Mascot: Bengal Tiger
University of Santo Tomas institutional grounds
1 / 2

Founded in 1611, the University of Santo Tomas is a non-profit private higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of Manila (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants), National Capital Region.

Officially recognized by the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas (UST) is a large-sized coeducational Philippine higher education institution formally affiliated with the Christian-Catholic religion. University of Santo Tomas (UST) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study.

This 412-year-old Philippine higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic records and grades. The acceptance rate range is 80-89% making this Philippine higher education organization a least selective institution.

International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.

UST also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, as well as administrative services.

Location & Contact

Below are University of Santo Tomas's address, location, and primary contact channels.

Address: España Street Sampaloc
Postal Code: 1015
Phone: +63 (2) 731 3101
Fax: +63 (2) 732 7486
Social Media:

Academic Details

A snapshot of University of Santo Tomas's academic profile — enrolment, staffing, and recognition.

Academic Year: June to March (June-October; November-March)
Recognition: Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines
Accrediting Agency: Commission on Higher Education; PACUCOA
Admission Requirements: Graduation from high school or equivalent approved by the Government Bureau of Private Schools and entrance examination
Student Enrollment: 25,000-29,999
Academic Staff Range: 1,500-1,999
Campus Setting: Urban
Memberships & Networks
International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) International Council of Universities of Saint Thomas Aquinas (ICUSTA) Conférence Mondiale des Institutions Universitaires Catholiques de Philosophie (COMIUCAP) Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning (ASAIHL) Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP) University Mobility in Asia and the Pacific (UMAP) International Committee for University Museums and Collections (UMAC) Association of Catholic Universities of the Philippines (ACUP) Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) Network of Dominican Schools, Colleges and Universities (DOMNET) Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU)

Academic Structures

University of Santo Tomas's academic units are listed below, by type.

Unit 19 items
  • College of Accountancy
  • College of Architecture
  • College of Commerce and Business Administration
  • College of Education
  • College of Fine Arts and Design
  • College of Nursing
  • College of Rehabilitation Sciences
  • College of Science
  • College of Tourism and Hospitality Management
  • Conservatory of Music
  • Faculty of Arts and Letters
  • Faculty of Canon Law
  • Faculty of Civil Law
  • Faculty of Engineering
  • Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
  • Faculty of Pharmacy
  • Faculty of Philosophy
  • Faculty of Sacred Theology
  • Graduate School

Degrees

PhD in Built Environment / Architecture (by Research) offered by the University of Reading, UK

Bachelor's 75 programs
  • Accountancy
  • Actuarial Science
  • Advertising and Publicity
  • Architecture
  • Asian Studies
  • Behavioural Sciences
  • Biochemistry
  • Biology
  • Business Computing
  • Canon Law
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Child Care and Development
  • Civil Engineering
  • Communication Studies
  • Computer Networks
  • Computer Science
  • Conducting
  • Dietetics
  • Economics
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • English
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Finance
  • Food Technology
  • Foreign Languages Education
  • History
  • Hotel Management
  • Hotel and Restaurant
  • Human Resources
  • Humanities and Social Science Education
  • Industrial Design
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Information Technology
  • Jazz and Popular Music
  • Journalism
  • Justice Administration
  • Leisure Studies
  • Library Science
  • Literature
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics Education
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medical Technology
  • Microbiology
  • Music Education
  • Music Theory and Composition
  • Musical Instruments
  • Musicology
  • Native Language Education
  • Nursing
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Painting and Drawing
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Education
  • Physical Therapy
  • Political Sciences
  • Preschool Education
  • Primary Education
  • Psychology
  • Religious Education
  • Science Education
  • Singing
  • Sociology
  • Special Education
  • Speech Therapy and Audiology
  • Sports
  • Sports Management
  • Theatre
  • Theology
  • Tourism
  • Transport Engineering
  • Writing
Master's 47 programs
  • Applied Physics
  • Architecture
  • Biology
  • Business Administration
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Communication Studies
  • Curriculum
  • Development Studies
  • Economics
  • Educational Administration
  • Educational and Student Counselling
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Engineering Management
  • English
  • Fine Arts
  • Food Science
  • Health Administration
  • Heritage Preservation
  • History
  • Human Resources
  • Industrial and Organizational Psychology
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Library Science
  • Literature
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics Education
  • Medical Technology
  • Medicine
  • Metallurgical Engineering
  • Microbiology
  • Music
  • Nursing
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Political Sciences
  • Public Administration
  • Public Law
  • Science Education
  • Small Business
  • Speech Therapy and Audiology
  • Writing
Doctoral 19 programs
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Business and Commerce
  • Chemistry
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Curriculum
  • Development Studies
  • Economics
  • Educational Administration
  • Educational and Student Counselling
  • English
  • History
  • Human Resources
  • Law
  • Literature
  • Medical Technology
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Political Sciences
  • Public Administration

Faculties & Divisions

All faculties operate under Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines.

Applied Ethics (Centre) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Ethics
Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (Centre) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Cultural Studies
  • Environmental Management
  • Environmental Studies
Creative Writing and Studies (Centre) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Writing
Education and Research Development (Centre) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Development Studies
  • Education
Social Research (Centre) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Social Studies
Accountancy (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Accountancy
Architecture (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Architecture
Commerce and Business Administration (College) 7 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Banking
  • Business Administration
  • Business and Commerce
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
Education (College) 11 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dietetics
  • Education
  • Food Technology
  • Information Sciences
  • Library Science
  • Nutrition
  • Preschool Education
  • Primary Education
  • Secondary Education
  • Special Education
  • Teacher Training
Fine Arts and Design (College) 6 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Advertising and Publicity
  • Design
  • Fine Arts
  • Industrial Design
  • Interior Design
  • Painting and Drawing
Nursing (College) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Nursing
Rehabilitation Sciences (College) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Occupational Therapy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Speech Therapy and Audiology
  • Sports
Science (College) 7 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Actuarial Science
  • Applied Physics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Microbiology
  • Psychology
Tourism and Hospitality Management (College) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Hotel and Restaurant
  • Hotel Management
  • Tourism
Music (Conservatory) 6 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Conducting
  • Music
  • Music Education
  • Music Theory and Composition
  • Musical Instruments
  • Singing
Arts and Letters (Faculty) 14 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Asian Studies
  • Behavioural Sciences
  • Communication Arts
  • Communication Studies
  • Economics
  • Journalism
  • Justice Administration
  • Literature
  • Media Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Political Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Sociology
Civil Law (Faculty) 11 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Administrative Law
  • Civil Law
  • Commercial Law
  • Constitutional Law
  • Criminal Law
  • Insurance
  • International Law
  • Labour Law
  • Political Sciences
  • Private Law
  • Public Law
Ecclesiastical Studies (Faculty) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Canon Law
  • Pastoral Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Theology
Engineering (Faculty) 10 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Chemical Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Engineering
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Information Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Telecommunications Engineering
Medicine and Surgery (Faculty) 26 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Anaesthesiology
  • Anatomy
  • Biochemistry
  • Community Health
  • Dermatology
  • Epidemiology
  • Forensic Medicine and Dentistry
  • Histology
  • Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Neurology
  • Neurosciences
  • Nutrition
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Paediatrics
  • Parasitology
  • Pathology
  • Pharmacology
  • Physiology
  • Psychiatry and Mental Health
  • Radiology
  • Rehabilitation and Therapy
  • Social and Preventive Medicine
  • Surgery
Pharmacy (Faculty) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Biochemistry
  • Botany
  • Medical Technology
  • Pharmacy
Physical Education and Athletics (Institute) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Physical Education
  • Sports
Technological Courses (Institute) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Electronic Engineering
  • Management
  • Technology
Ecclesiastical Sciences (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Religious Studies
Health Sciences (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Health Sciences
Movement Science (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Natural Sciences
Natural Sciences (Research Division) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Natural Sciences
Graduate (School) 59 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Accountancy
  • Advertising and Publicity
  • Applied Physics
  • Architecture
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Banking
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Biology
  • Business Administration
  • Business and Commerce
  • Canon Law
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Law
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Communication Studies
  • Cultural Studies
  • Curriculum
  • Development Studies
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Educational Administration
  • Educational and Student Counselling
  • Engineering
  • English
  • Ethics
  • Finance
  • Fine Arts
  • Food Science
  • Health Administration
  • Health Education
  • Heritage Preservation
  • History
  • Human Resources
  • Industrial and Organizational Psychology
  • Law
  • Library Science
  • Literature
  • Management
  • Management Systems
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics Education
  • Medical Technology
  • Microbiology
  • Music
  • Natural Sciences
  • Nursing
  • Oriental Studies
  • Pastoral Studies
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Political Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Public Administration
  • Religious Studies
  • Science Education
  • Social Sciences
  • Theology
  • Writing

Programs Offered

University of Santo Tomas's programme list, with search and degree-level grouping.

229 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in Philippines

Bachelor's Degree 119 programmes

Bachelor's Degree in AB in Philosophy
Philosophy & Ethics

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Bachelor's Degree in AB in Political Science
Politics & International Relations

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

BA in Asian Studies
Asian Studies

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

BA in Behavioral Science
Natural Sciences

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

BA in Communication Arts
Communication Studies

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

BA in English Language Studies
English Language Studies

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

BA in Journalism
Media Studies & Mass Media

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

BA in Legal Management
Law

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Showing 10 of 119.

Master of Business Administration 1 programme

Master in Business Administration
Business Administration

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Master's Degree 66 programmes

Doctor of Medicine
Medicine

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

MA in Communication
Communication Studies

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

MA in Creative Writing
Liberal Arts

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

MA in Cultural Heritage Studies
Archaeology

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

MA in Education
Education & Teaching

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

MA in Journalism
Media Studies & Mass Media

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

MA in Religious Education
Religious Studies

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Showing 10 of 66.

Doctorate 43 programmes

Doctor of Business Administration
Business Administration

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Civil Law
Civil & Private Law

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Education
Education & Teaching

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Education, major in Curriculum and Instruction
Education & Teaching

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Pharmacy
Pharmacy

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Philosophy
Philosophy & Ethics

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Philosophy in Education, major in Educational Management and Leadership
Business & Management

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacy and Medical Technology
Pharmacy

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Doctor of Philosophy in Theology
Philosophy & Ethics

Programme website (opens in a new tab)

Showing 10 of 43.

How to apply to University of Santo Tomas

A short guide to applying to University of Santo Tomas — five steps.

  1. 1
    Browse the programme catalogue

    Start by exploring the programmes section on this page. University of Santo Tomas runs 229 active programmes across multiple degree levels. Narrow by qualification tier and read each programme description before shortlisting.

  2. 2
    Check eligibility for your chosen programme

    Before applying to University of Santo Tomas, confirm you meet the academic, language, and document requirements for your chosen programme. International applicants should also check visa eligibility for Philippines.

  3. 3
    Get your documents ready

    Standard documents: official transcripts, identity proof, language test results, personal statement, and references. Confirm exact requirements with University of Santo Tomas's admissions office before assembling, as expectations vary by programme.

  4. 4
    Apply through the official channel

    Lodge your application through the official website (www.ust.edu.ph). Online forms are the standard route. Save your draft frequently and submit before the programme deadline.

  5. 5
    Reach out and track your application

    Verify your application has been received by the admissions team. Reach the institution by phone at +63 (2) 731 3101. Monitor the portal for status updates, interview invitations, or document requests, and respond within the stated deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions about University of Santo Tomas

Quick answers to common questions about University of Santo Tomas.

In what year was University of Santo Tomas established?

University of Santo Tomas was founded in 1611 (approximately 415 years ago).

What city is University of Santo Tomas in?

University of Santo Tomas operates from Manila, Philippines.

What is University of Santo Tomas's control type?

University of Santo Tomas is a private institution.

How big is University of Santo Tomas's student body?

University of Santo Tomas serves approximately 25,000-29,999 students.

Where does University of Santo Tomas stand in university rankings?

University of Santo Tomas is ranked QS 2027 #951-1000.

What degrees does University of Santo Tomas offer?

University of Santo Tomas offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.

Does University of Santo Tomas have a religious affiliation?

Yes, University of Santo Tomas is affiliated with Christian-Catholic.

What is University of Santo Tomas's academic structure?

University of Santo Tomas is organised into 19 academic units across its disciplines.

Who recognises University of Santo Tomas?

The institution holds recognition from Commission on Higher Education; PACUCOA.

Where can I learn more about University of Santo Tomas?

University of Santo Tomas's official website is www.ust.edu.ph.

Members of International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU)

University of Santo Tomas and the universities below are both members of International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU).

Other Philippine, Filipino Universities Affiliated with Christian-Catholic

Other Christian-Catholic-affiliated institutions in the Philippines appear below.

Where Else to Study Education & Teaching

Universities in the Philippines with Education & Teaching programmes appear below, alongside University of Santo Tomas.

Universities Compared with University of Santo Tomas

Comparable universities to University of Santo Tomas are listed below.

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