The Cost of Becoming a Doctor in the Philippines: Medical School Tuition
Ever dreamed of wearing a white lab gown, with a stethoscope on your neck while helping the people to be healthy? If yes, then pursuing a career in medicine might be the right choice for you. However, like any other profession, your road to becoming a doctor entails not only some pretty loads of hardship, patience, and determination with your academics but also a hefty amount of money for the medical school tuition fees. So, how much does it cost to become a doctor?
This article will guide you through the ropes and realities of becoming a doctor in the Philippines, as well as the estimated amount of medical school tuition fees:
Start from Senior High School
The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) strand is best for students who want to enter any health and allied courses in the future. Here are some of the STEM schools in the country and their tuition rates*:
Institution | Cost per semester |
University of San Agustin | Php. 34,000 |
Don Bosco Technical College – Cebu | Php. 27,000 |
St. Paul University – Manila | Php. 38,500 |
Ateneo De Manila University | Php. 70,000 |
De La Salle University – Dasmarinas | Php. 46,430 |
Centro Escolar University-Manila | Php. 34,500 |
Asia Pacific College | Php. 22,500 |
Far Eastern University | Php. 75,000 |
Philippine Science High School | No tuition fee with a Php. 500 allowance** |
Davao Doctors College | Php. 20,000*** |
*Based on semestral system for SY. 2018-2019. Updated last August 24, 2018
** Based on Philippines Science High School website
*** As per Davao Doctors College Official Facebook page
Get a college degree
After finishing senior high and you figure out that you are determined to take the doctor path, you’ll need to take a pre-med course like BS Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Psychology, Physical Therapy, MedTech, Nursing, Pharmacy and a lot more!
The tuition fee for undergraduate courses private schools in the Philippines cost around Php. 80,000 to 280,000, depending on the number of units. While other extra-curricular expenses may range from Php. 13,000 and up. Luckily, some public colleges and state universities offer zero-tuition fee, thanks to the Free Tuition Fee Law.
Push for Medschool
After taking a pre-med course, you need to undergo another 4 years to get a Doctor of Medicine degree. But before you can enter any medical school, you need to pass the National Medical Admission Test. The NMAT registration fee costs Php. 500 while the NMAT test fee is Php. 1,400. You may want to enroll in an NMAT review center to help you prepare for the exam. The review classes may range from Php. 5,000 to 10,000 depending on the review center that you are planning to enroll.
Here are the top performing schools in the 2018 Physician Licensure Examination and their corresponding medical school tuition fees*:
Institution | Passing rate | Cost per semester |
Cebu Institute of Medicine | 99.33 % | Php. 70,000 to 80,000** |
University of Santo Tomas | 98.71 % | Php. 140,000 to 260,000*** |
University of the Philippines – Manila | 98.59 % | Php. 30,000 to 55,000^ |
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila | 98.37 % | Php 0 to 60,000 depending on the type of scholarship^^ |
St. Luke’s Med. Center College of Medicine | 97.87 % | Php. 40,000 to 80,000** |
Davao Medical School Foundation | 96.91 % | Php. 56,000 to 60,000^^^ |
West Visayas State University-La Paz | 96.81 % | Php. 0 to 16,000 |
Ateneo De Manila University – School of Medicine and Public Health | 95.80 % | Php. 150,000 up+ |
Silliman University | 94.74 % | Php. 80,000 to 90,000++ |
Far Eastern University – Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation | 94.01 % | Php. 90,000 to 100,000+++ |
* Based on PRC Physician Licensure Examination 2018 Official result
** Based on semestral system for SY. 2018-2019. Updated last July 10, 2018
*** Source: UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
^ Based on UP Manila College of Medicine admission brochure
^^ PLM Schedule of fees for SY 2015-2016 for the College of Medicine
^^^ Based on semestral system for SY. 2018-2019. Updated last July 20, 2018
+Based on the ASMPH Admissions FAQs 2017-2018.pdf
++Based on Silliman University Estimated Tuition Fees for SY 2018-2019
+++Based on semestral system for SY. 2018-2019. Updated last January 7, 2019
You don’t have to worry much though, because there are a number of medical scholarships available in the country that you can apply to! Want to know more med-related topics, like how much it costs to study medicine in Philippines? Visit our blog page to know more tips and guides to help you in pursuing your dream career! Check out Edukasyon.ph and discover thousands of schools, colleges, and scholarships that could be the best one for you!
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