At the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City foreign students are admitted to both undergraduate and graduate programmes. Foreign undergraduates who do not meet the requirements for automatic admission may take the UP College Admission Test, while graduates of recognised foreign high schools with qualifying SAT, GCE or International Baccalaureate results can be admitted without it by applying to the registrar by 15 April for the first semester. Graduate applications are due by 15 February for the first semester and by 30 July for the second, although colleges may set different dates.
Fees at UP Diliman combine peso tuition with a foreign student charge. For undergraduates in the 2024-25 fee schedule, tuition is PHP 1,500 per unit, and non-resident foreign students add an educational development fee of USD 300 a semester, or USD 500 for graduate students. Application fees for foreign students are modest, for example USD 30 for non-resident foreign undergraduates applying without the admission test and a minimum of USD 25 for non-resident graduate applicants.
English requirements at UP Diliman for foreign graduate applicants are TOEFL iBT 61, paper-based 500 or IELTS 5.5, unless they graduated from institutions teaching in English or Filipino. Since 2025-26, regular international students at bachelor's level take Filipino bridging courses.
The Bureau of Immigration requires a student visa for foreign nationals 18 and over taking a course higher than high school, with sufficient means of support, and only BI-accredited schools may accept foreign students. Students already in the Philippines can convert to a 9(f) student visa with a notice of acceptance, a registrar's endorsement, a BI clearance certificate and, for Medicine and Dentistry, a certificate of eligibility from the Commission on Higher Education. The BI's published fee for conversion is PHP 9,720 plus USD 50 for the alien registration card, and PHP 4,020 for an extension, though the table is dated 2014. Since December 2024, schools can file student visa applications with the BI online. Non-degree students and those under 18 use a Special Study Permit instead.