TL;DR: National University publishes no tuition schedule at all — not on its site, and it does not appear in the annual press roundups that carry UST, DLSU, Ateneo and Mapúa figures. So we cannot give you a verified NU number, and neither can anyone else. The single outside estimate we found (Home Credit's Manila tuition roundup) says roughly ₱25,000-₱30,000 a semester, and says in the same breath that NU publishes nothing official. NU is majority-owned by the SM Group since 2008 and runs about 11 campuses including NU Manila, NU MOA and NU Laguna. Its one publicly documented tuition discount is the Nationalian programme: 50% off tuition for the term of entry, for students with an 88% Senior High School average.
Why "NU Tuition Fee" Is Such a Common Search
If you've searched "national university tuition fee," "NU Manila," "NU MOA," or "NU Laguna," you're probably comparing National University against the bigger, more expensive names in Metro Manila — Ateneo, La Salle, UST — and trying to figure out where NU actually lands on price. The short answer is that you cannot find out from published sources. NU markets itself as the affordable, SM-backed alternative to the traditional "Big Four", but unlike those schools it does not publish a fee schedule, so there is nothing to check the claim against.
The honest answer is that nobody outside NU knows. This guide sets out what is actually verifiable about NU Manila and its branch campuses (MOA, Laguna, Fairview, and others), what is not, and why the ranges you will see quoted around the internet should not be trusted. It also covers NU's SM Group ownership, its documented scholarship programmes, and the basics of applying through the NUAT.
Disclaimer: tuition and fees vary by campus, program, and school year, and change annually. Always confirm the current assessment directly with your target NU campus before enrolling.
How Much Is National University Tuition Fee?
National University does not publish tuition. There is no program-by-program matrix on its website, no per-unit rate, and no summary figure. NU is also missing from the annual Philippine tuition roundups that do carry UST, De La Salle, Ateneo, Mapúa, University of San Carlos and Silliman. That absence is the finding. It is not unusual — most Philippine private universities publish nothing — but it means no one outside NU's cashier can tell you what a specific program costs.
The only outside estimate we were able to locate is Home Credit's Manila tuition roundup, which puts NU at roughly ₱25,000-₱30,000 a semester and states in the same article that NU does not publish official tuition computations. That is a consumer-finance publisher's estimate of an unpublished number, so we are quoting it as exactly that and nothing more. We are not converting it into an annual range, breaking it down by program, or presenting it as NU's rate.
Be sceptical of the wider ranges circulating for NU. Several appear only on aggregator sites and comparison pages that cite each other, with no path back to NU. Earlier versions of this guide carried some of them, which is why they are gone now. If you need a real number, the campus cashier's or admissions office is the only source that has one.
Is NU Manila Expensive Compared to Other Universities?
NU markets itself as the affordable, SM-backed alternative to the traditional "Big Four", and its own president has said publicly that keeping tuition low is deliberate strategy. What we cannot do is put a number against that claim, because NU does not publish one. The schools it is usually compared against do:
| University | Published Cost (Per Semester, Typical Program) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| National University (NU) | Not published | NU publishes no tuition schedule |
| University of Santo Tomas (UST) | ₱52,975-₱81,410 (freshman year, by college) | UST rates, reported |
| De La Salle University (DLSU) | ₱4,175/unit (tuition only), 3 terms/year | DLSU published rate |
| Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) | ₱136,609 total (SY 2027-2028 estimate, 20 units) | Ateneo tuition page |
UST, DLSU and Ateneo figures come from each school's own published rates. NU has no equivalent row because there is nothing to put in it. Anyone showing you a precise NU figure in a table like this is estimating, whether or not they say so.
For a broader view of where NU and other schools fall across the full Philippine tuition spectrum, from free state universities to elite private schools, see our cheapest vs most expensive universities guide and our list of affordable colleges in the Philippines.
NU Manila, NU MOA, and NU Laguna: What's the Difference?
National University's main campus sits in Sampaloc, Manila, but the university has grown into a network of branch campuses across Metro Manila and Luzon, each with its own program mix.
- NU Manila (main campus) — the original campus in Sampaloc, offering the broadest range of undergraduate, graduate, and Senior High School programs, including long-established strengths in engineering, IT, and criminology.
- NU MOA (Mall of Asia) — a satellite campus inside the SM Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City, offering select programs including business administration, tourism management, and accountancy, aimed at students in the Bay Area/Pasay corridor.
- NU Laguna — established in 2018 in Calamba City as NU's first campus outside Metro Manila, sharing grounds with the NU Sports Academy. It currently offers BS Accountancy, BS Psychology, BS Computer Science, BS Information Systems, BS Criminology, and BS Exercise and Sport Science.
- NU Fairview — a Quezon City campus serving the northern Metro Manila area with its own program offerings.
As of 2024, NU operates roughly 11 campuses in total, including Manila, MOA, Fairview, Laguna, Lipa, Dasmariñas, Baliwag, and Clark, with the company publicly stating plans to reach 20 campuses nationwide by 2028, adding locations in the Visayas and Mindanao.
The SM Ownership Story: Why It Matters for Cost
In the last quarter of 2008, the SM Group of Companies, founded by the late Henry Sy Sr., acquired majority ownership of National University. That backing is directly relevant to NU's pricing position: SM's capital has funded campus modernization, laboratory upgrades, and NU's nationwide expansion, while the university's own leadership has framed affordability as a deliberate strategy rather than an accident.
Announcing NU's expansion plan, Dr. Renato Carlos H. Ermita Jr., NU President and CEO, said the university's approach is guided by "quality, affordability and accessibility," adding: "That's why we keep our tuition fee very affordable and promote accessibility through the expansion." The stated logic is straightforward — by opening campuses closer to where students already live, NU aims to reduce dormitory and daily commuting costs on top of keeping tuition itself competitive. NU reported roughly 55,000 students as of the 2024 announcement, with a stated goal of reaching 100,000 by 2027.
Does National University Offer Scholarships?
Yes, and NU is particularly known for merit and athletic-based aid, on top of standard academic scholarships.
| Scholarship | Coverage | Who Qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Nationalian College Scholarship Program | 50% tuition discount for the term of entry | Students who maintained an 88% average across all Senior High School grading periods |
| Science high school-linked scholarship | Tuition support (per program terms) | Graduates of identified science high schools with a NUAT score of at least 90%, HS GWA of at least 88%, and annual family income not exceeding ₱360,000 |
| Athletic scholarships | Not published — NU states these exist but does not publish coverage terms | Student-athletes recruited for NU's varsity programs |
| Employee-linked and other named scholarships (e.g., Don Mariano Jhocson Science Scholarship, AMLIG, employee-dependent grants) | Varies by program | Specific eligibility per program; check with your target campus |
NU is widely recognized for its athletic scholarship pipeline, which has long fed its varsity sports programs, so student-athletes should ask specifically about tryouts and athletic aid alongside academic scholarship options. For a broader look at scholarship options beyond NU itself, see our guide to scholarships for college students in the Philippines.
How Do You Apply to National University?
Admission to NU runs through the NUAT (National University Admission Test), which every incoming freshman applicant takes as part of the online application process through NU's admissions portal. Typical requirements include a completed online application, Senior High School report card or equivalent, a good moral character certificate, and a PSA-issued birth certificate, though exact requirements and testing schedules can vary slightly by campus, so confirm directly with the specific NU campus (Manila, MOA, Laguna, Fairview, or another branch) you're applying to.
Because NU operates multiple campuses with overlapping but not identical program offerings, decide on your target campus and program early, since availability differs — NU Laguna, for instance, currently offers a narrower slate of programs than the main Manila campus.
How to Choose Between NU and Other Options
- Match the campus to your commute and program. If you're near Pasay or the Bay Area, NU MOA may make more sense than the Manila main campus; Laguna residents get a full local option without commuting into Metro Manila.
- Get your target program's assessment in writing from the cashier, since NU publishes nothing you can compare against. Do not budget from NU's general reputation for affordability, and do not budget from a range you found on an aggregator.
- Apply for the Nationalian Scholarship or an athletic scholarship early if you qualify; the tuition discount applies at the term of entry, so timing your application matters.
- Weigh NU against fully free options if your budget is extremely tight — state universities under RA 10931 charge ₱0 tuition, though NU may offer program availability, location, or campus culture advantages that a specific SUC doesn't.
Ready to find the right school? Browse schools or compare tuition and reviews across hundreds of Philippine schools on SchoolFinderPH, including more options in Manila.
Sources
- Ateneo de Manila University — Tuition and Fees (College) — the Ateneo comparison figure: School Year 2027-2028 estimates of ₱110,691 tuition (20 units), ₱17,394 basic fees and ₱8,524 other fees, ₱136,609 in total; page updated 17 June 2026
- Tuition Fees in the Philippines: Top Colleges and Universities in Manila 2026 — Homecredit.ph — aggregator estimate noting NU does not publish official tuition computations
- LIST: Here's how much the tuition fees are in top PH universities for A.Y. 2026-2027 — PhilSTAR Life — UST and DLSU comparison figures; NU does not appear in this roundup of ten Philippine universities
- Education that works: National University to expand to 20 campuses in 10 years — SM Investments Corporation — campus count, expansion target, and Dr. Ermita quote
- National University to expand to 20 campuses in 10 years — Newsbytes.ph — additional detail on SM acquisition and expansion
- History | National University — NU founding history and SM Group acquisition in 2008
- NU Laguna | National University — NU Laguna founding year and program list
- List of National University (NU) Scholarship Programs — PhilippineScholarships.com — Nationalian and other scholarship program details
- SchoolFinderPH: Cheapest to Most Expensive Universities in the Philippines 2026 — published tuition tiers for UST, DLSU, Ateneo and others
A note on these figures: National University publishes no tuition schedule, so this guide deliberately carries no NU tuition range. Earlier versions of it did, and those figures could not be traced back to NU, so they have been removed rather than adjusted. The one outside estimate quoted above is attributed to its publisher and should be treated as an estimate of an unpublished number. Costs differ by campus, program, lab requirements and year level, and change every school year. Confirm your specific assessment with the cashier's or admissions office of the NU campus you are applying to.
