TL;DR: There is no fully tuition-free college physically named "Pasay" university-wide — City University of Pasay (formerly Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay) is not on CHED's list of 78 LUCs covered by the Free Tuition Law, so it still charges a low per-unit fee. But Philippine State College of Aeronautics, based in Pasay's Villamor area, is a genuinely free state college under RA 10931. A short ride into neighboring Manila also gets you to fully free state universities: PUP, PLM, and Philippine Normal University.
If you searched "college schools in Pasay without tuition fee," you likely assumed Pasay's own city university offers the same zero-tuition deal that state schools like PUP or UP get under the Free Tuition Law. That assumption is common, understandable, and — based on what CHED has actually published — not quite accurate for that particular school. This guide sorts out what is truly free, what is merely inexpensive, and where the real free options sit relative to Pasay.
We checked this against CHED's official list of institutions covered by Republic Act 10931 (the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act), the university's own published admission requirements, and recent news coverage of a 2025 law that renamed one of Pasay's state schools. Where a figure could not be independently confirmed on the school's own materials, we say so directly instead of guessing. By the end, you will know exactly which Pasay-area school fits "free," and which ones are simply cheap.
Is There a Free College in Pasay City?
Strictly speaking, no single Pasay-based university offers guaranteed, nationwide-mandated free tuition the way PUP or UP do — with one notable exception located inside the city. Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA), in Pasay's Villamor Golf Course area, is a state university/college (SUC), which means it is automatically covered by RA 10931 and charges no tuition to qualified Filipino undergraduates. City University of Pasay, the city-run LUC many people assume is "the free one," is not on CHED's official free-tuition roster and instead runs its own low, subsidized fee schedule.
Comparison: Free vs. Low-Cost Schools In and Near Pasay
| School | Type | Location | Tuition status (RA 10931) | Residency requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA / NAAP) | State college (SUC) | Villamor, Pasay | Free for qualified Filipino students | None |
| City University of Pasay (formerly Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay) | City-run LUC | F.B. Harrison, Pasay | Not on CHED's covered-LUC list; low per-unit fee instead | None required, but residents get a lower rate |
| Philippine Normal University – Manila | State university (SUC) | Taft Ave., Manila (near Pasay border) | Free for qualified Filipino students | None |
| Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila | City-run LUC | Manila | Free (CHED-listed LUC under RA 10931) | Manila residency generally required/prioritized |
| Polytechnic University of the Philippines | State university (SUC) | Sta. Mesa, Manila | Free for qualified Filipino students | None |
Tuition figures and coverage change per school year and CHED memorandum. Verify directly with the registrar before enrolling. Sources for this table are listed at the end of this article.
What Is City University of Pasay (Formerly Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay)?
City University of Pasay, still widely known by its older name Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasay (PLP), is the city government's own university, established on May 26, 1994 through Pasay City Ordinance No. 271, series of 1994, under then-Mayor Pablo N. Cuneta. It runs programs in nursing and midwifery, education, business administration, office administration, political science, mass communication, and a School of Law offering the Juris Doctor.
Here is the part that surprises many applicants: CHED's own list of 78 local universities and colleges approved for RA 10931 free tuition — finalized in 2018 and still the reference list cited in recent coverage — names only two NCR institutions: Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa. City University of Pasay is not on it. That means it does not automatically get the same "zero tuition" treatment as those two.
Instead, based on the university's own admission and fee materials, it runs a resident/non-resident pricing structure: Pasay residents pay a lower per-unit rate than applicants from outside the city, with nursing and midwifery priced somewhat higher than other programs. We could not independently verify the exact current peso amounts on the university's own site at the time of writing — a common issue with older LUC websites — so treat any per-unit figure you see elsewhere as an estimate and confirm directly with the registrar before budgeting.
Is Philippine State College of Aeronautics (PhilSCA) Free?
Yes — and it is the one genuinely free undergraduate option sitting inside Pasay itself. PhilSCA, located at Piccio Garden, Villamor, Pasay City, is a state college, which puts it in the same free-tuition category as PUP or UP rather than in the local-university category that City University of Pasay falls under. In September 2025, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act 12255, renaming the school the National Aviation Academy of the Philippines (NAAP) and designating it the country's national professional institution for aviation. The renaming did not change its free-tuition status as a state institution — it is a rebranding and mandate expansion, not a shift to private funding.
NAAP's own announcement of the law captured the moment plainly: "not just a law — it's our flight plan to the future of world-class Philippine aviation education!" Admission is competitive: BS Aviation applicants need a Senior High School general weighted average of at least 85% and must pass the PhilSCAAT admission test, plus program-specific requirements like an Ishihara colorblindness test for flight-operations tracks.
What Free State Universities Are Near Pasay?
If your priority is guaranteed zero tuition rather than staying strictly within Pasay's boundary, a few fully free SUCs and LUCs are a short commute away:
- Philippine Normal University – Manila, on Taft Avenue at the Manila-Pasay boundary, is the country's National Center for Teacher Education and a free SUC just a few LRT-1 stations from Pasay.
- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), in Manila, is one of only two NCR LUCs on CHED's free-tuition list, known for strong board-exam results in law, medicine, and accountancy — though it generally prioritizes Manila residents.
- Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), main campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila, is one of the largest free SUCs in the country by enrollment, with no residency requirement.
For a fuller regional list, see our guides to free tuition universities in the Philippines, free city universities in Metro Manila, and free colleges in Manila.
Cost Tiers: Where Pasay-Area Schools Actually Fall
- Tier 1 — Truly free (₱0 tuition under RA 10931): PhilSCA/NAAP, PUP, PLM, Philippine Normal University. You still pay miscellaneous fees, books, and transport, but tuition itself is waived.
- Tier 2 — Low-cost, city-subsidized (not RA 10931-free): City University of Pasay. Per-unit charges are modest compared to private schools, with a resident discount, but tuition is not zero.
- Tier 3 — Private schools in Pasay: Institutions like Manila Tytana Colleges or the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies charge standard private tuition, with no city or national subsidy.
How to Apply: Entrance Exams and Residency Proof
Each school runs its own admission process, and none of them share a single application window:
- PhilSCA/NAAP requires the PhilSCAAT admission test, an SHS GWA cutoff for competitive programs like BS Aviation, and program-specific medical/vision screening.
- City University of Pasay requires an entrance exam scheduled through the Guidance Office, plus Form 137/138, a certificate of good moral character, a PSA birth certificate, and — for applicants claiming the resident rate — a barangay certificate and voter's ID or certificate.
- PUP and PLM run their own competitive entrance exams (PUPCET and PLM's own test) with application windows that typically open months ahead of the school year; check each university's official announcements for exact 2026-2027 dates, since these shift year to year and were not consistently published as of this writing.
One-line reminder: tuition, fees, and application schedules change every school year — always verify current figures and dates with the school or CHED directly before you commit.
How to Choose Between These Options
Start with your course. PhilSCA/NAAP only makes sense if you want aviation, air traffic management, or related fields. For education, business, or law, PUP, PLM, or City University of Pasay are the realistic shortlist.
Weigh commute against cost. If City University of Pasay's low per-unit fee is genuinely more convenient than a longer commute to a free SUC in Manila, it can still be the cheaper overall choice once you add transport time and cost.
Confirm residency rules before you plan around them. Do not assume you qualify for a resident rate or priority slot — check the exact requirement (barangay certificate, years of residency, etc.) with the specific school first.
Budget for the non-tuition costs everywhere. Even at truly free schools, miscellaneous fees, books, and uniforms are out-of-pocket. See our average cost of college in the Philippines guide for realistic per-year numbers.
Ready to find the right school? Browse schools or compare tuition and reviews across hundreds of Philippine schools on SchoolFinderPH, including more options in Pasay.
Sources
- City University of Pasay — Wikipedia
- 78 Local Universities & Colleges now eligible for Free Higher Education — CHED (legacy)
- CHED: Only 78 of 107 LUCs eligible for free higher education for AY 2018-2019 — Manila Bulletin
- Complete List of 112 SUCs and 78 LUCs Covered by RA 10931
- PBBM renames Philippine State College of Aeronautics as National Aviation Academy of the Philippines — Presidential Communications Office
- RA 12255 (2025) announcement — National Aviation Academy of the Philippines
- City University of Pasay incoming-freshmen requirements — CUP Central Student Council (Facebook)
- Everything You Need to Know Before Applying to Philippine State College of Aeronautics — Candy Magazine
