TL;DR: San Beda University undergraduate tuition typically runs about PHP 40,000-90,000 per semester depending on the program, while San Beda College of Law tuition runs roughly PHP 55,000-95,000 per semester, in the mid-range compared to Ateneo and De La Salle. San Beda posted a 91.54% bar passing rate in 2024 and was among schools with a perfect passing rate in the smaller-cohort category in 2025. Always confirm exact figures with the registrar since these are planning ranges, not official quotes.
Introduction
If you searched "San Beda tuition fee," you are probably trying to figure out whether this century-old Benedictine university fits your budget, whether its famous College of Law is worth the cost, or how San Beda Manila compares to its sister campuses in Rizal and Alabang. San Beda University is one of the oldest Catholic institutions in the Philippines, founded by Benedictine monks in 1901 and based on Mendiola Street in San Miguel, Manila, with a strong national reputation built largely on its law program and its record of producing Supreme Court justices, senators, and a former president.
This guide walks through what San Beda typically costs by level and program, what makes its College of Law distinct, other fees you should budget for, and the scholarships that can lower your real cost. Because San Beda, like most private universities, does not publish a single unified public rate card online, every figure below is presented as a range and should be confirmed with the registrar before you commit. San Beda is a private Catholic Benedictine university, not a public school, so it does not fall under free tuition laws that apply to state universities.
How Much Is San Beda Tuition Per Semester?
San Beda undergraduate tuition generally falls in the mid-range for private universities in Metro Manila. Reported per-semester assessments commonly range from around PHP 40,000 to PHP 90,000 depending on the program, year level, and whether the course carries laboratory, clinical, or licensure-related fees. Programs with heavier lab components, such as nursing or the health sciences, tend to sit toward the higher end of that range, while general arts, business, and education programs tend to sit lower.
San Beda also charges a non-refundable reservation fee (commonly cited around PHP 2,500) at the time of application, which is later credited toward your tuition once you formally enroll.
Standalone stat: San Beda charges a non-refundable reservation fee of about PHP 2,500, credited to your tuition upon enrollment, per the university's admissions guidance.
San Beda Tuition By Program (Estimated Ranges)
The table below gives planning ranges pulled from cost comparisons and general reporting on San Beda's fee structure. Treat every number as an estimate, not an official quote, since San Beda's actual per-program cost sheets are only available through the registrar or Finance Office.
| Program/Level | Estimated Tuition Per Semester (PHP) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General undergraduate (Arts, Business, Education) | ~40,000-60,000 | Lower end of the range; fewer lab fees |
| BS Accountancy / Business Administration | ~45,000-65,000 | Mid-range; may include review/board-related fees |
| BS Nursing / health sciences | ~55,000-85,000 | Higher due to RLE, lab, and affiliation fees |
| College of Law (Juris Doctor) | ~55,000-95,000 | Billed per unit; varies by year level and load |
| College of Medicine | Higher than undergraduate programs | Confirm directly; medical tuition is typically the highest tier at any university |
| Senior High School (Grades 11-12) | Confirm with registrar | Basic education fee schedule differs from college rates |
Disclaimer: These figures are planning estimates only, compiled from cost-comparison sources and general reporting, not San Beda's official cost sheet. Tuition varies by year level, campus, and annual adjustments. Confirm the exact current figure for your specific program with the San Beda registrar or Finance Office before enrolling.
Is San Beda Expensive?
No, not compared to the most expensive private universities in Metro Manila. San Beda is generally considered a mid-tier option: costlier than public universities like the University of the Philippines or Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and costlier than budget private schools, but generally less expensive than premium schools such as Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University, particularly at the law school level. For a fuller sense of where San Beda sits on the spectrum, see how it compares against the cheapest and priciest options in cheapest vs. most expensive universities in the Philippines.
How Much Is San Beda Law School Tuition?
San Beda University College of Law tuition for the Juris Doctor (JD) program is commonly estimated at roughly PHP 55,000 to PHP 95,000 per semester, including miscellaneous and school fees, based on published cost comparisons of Philippine law schools. That places San Beda below premium law schools like Ateneo Law (around PHP 145,000-180,000+ per semester) and De La Salle Law (around PHP 90,000-100,000 per semester for a full load), but above public options like UP Law, where per-unit charges keep a full semester load closer to PHP 25,000-30,000.
Law tuition at San Beda, as at most Philippine law schools, is billed per unit rather than a single flat semester rate, so your exact bill depends on how many units you carry each term. For a full picture of how San Beda stacks up against other law schools by tier, see best law schools in the Philippines and law school tuition in the Philippines.
Standalone stat: San Beda University College of Law tuition is estimated at roughly PHP 55,000-95,000 per semester, a mid-range cost compared to Ateneo Law and DLSU Law, according to Philippine law school cost comparisons.
Why San Beda Law's Reputation Commands a Premium
San Beda's College of Law is one of the most storied law schools in the country. From 1952 to 1957 and again from 1960 to 1961, San Beda Law reportedly achieved a 100 percent bar passing rate, and the school has produced multiple bar topnotchers along with Supreme Court justices and other prominent legal figures, including a former Philippine president. That legacy is a major reason families are willing to pay San Beda's law school rates over cheaper alternatives.
Standalone stat: San Beda University posted a 91.54 percent passing rate in the 2024 Philippine Bar Examinations, well above the national average passing rate that typically runs 20-30 percent.
Standalone stat: In the 2025 Philippine Bar Examinations, San Beda University was among the schools that posted a perfect 100 percent passing rate in the category for schools with 11 to 50 examinees.
Note that San Beda College Alabang runs its own, separately administered School of Law with its own bar performance record and its own fee schedule, distinct from the Mendiola College of Law. In the 2025 bar exams, San Beda College Alabang (fielding a much larger cohort, over 100 candidates) posted a 69.91 percent passing rate in its size category, still a strong result relative to national averages, but a different number from the Manila campus's smaller-cohort result. Do not assume the two campuses share identical tuition or bar statistics.
Comparing San Beda to Other Manila Private Schools
| School | General Positioning | Law School Available |
|---|---|---|
| San Beda University | Mid-tier private, strong law reputation | Yes, College of Law |
| Ateneo de Manila University | Premium private | Yes, top-tier tuition |
| De La Salle University | Premium private | Yes |
| University of Santo Tomas | Mid-to-upper tier | Yes, Faculty of Civil Law |
| FEU | Mid-tier private | Yes, Institute of Law |
For more on how these schools compare directly, see Ateneo vs La Salle tuition and best private schools in Manila.
What Other Fees Should You Budget For?
Beyond tuition, expect a mix of the following, common to most private Philippine universities and typically itemized separately on your assessment:
- Miscellaneous and school fees — library, registration, student activities, and similar charges bundled into every term's assessment.
- Laboratory and RLE fees — for science, nursing, and other lab-heavy programs.
- NSTP fees — for first-year students taking the National Service Training Program.
- Reservation fee — a non-refundable amount (commonly cited around PHP 2,500) paid to secure your slot, later credited to your tuition.
- ID, uniform, and materials fees — smaller recurring charges that add up over a school year.
Because the exact composition and amount of these fees changes by program, campus, and school year, ask the Finance or Treasurer's Office for a full itemized assessment before you commit to enrolling.
Does San Beda Offer Scholarships?
Yes. San Beda offers several ways to reduce your out-of-pocket cost:
- Entrance Scholarships for valedictorians, salutatorians, and other high-ranking senior high school graduates entering as freshmen.
- Merit Scholarships for continuing Bedans who maintain a high general weighted average with no failing grades.
- Financial Aid Program offering tuition discounts or partial coverage for students from lower-income households who meet eligibility requirements.
- Government-funded aid, including CHED and DOST scholarships and LGU-sponsored grants, which San Beda honors alongside its own institutional programs.
- Private donor and alumni-funded scholarships, sponsored through alumni associations and partner organizations.
For a broader look at how private-school scholarships work across the Philippines, see private university scholarships in the Philippines.
How to Choose Between San Beda and Other Options
- Match the program to the school's strength. San Beda's law program carries decades of bar-topping history; if law is your goal, that reputation is a real factor, not just marketing. If you want a different specialization, compare San Beda's specific program strength against competing schools first.
- Confirm the campus. San Beda University Manila (Mendiola), San Beda University Rizal (Taytay), and San Beda College Alabang are related but separately administered institutions with different fee schedules, faculty, and (for law) different bar performance records. Do not assume one campus's costs or outcomes apply to another.
- Budget beyond tuition. Reservation fees, lab fees, NSTP charges, and law-specific per-unit billing can shift your real cost meaningfully above the base tuition figure.
- Ask about installment terms. Like most private universities, San Beda typically allows staggered payment across the semester rather than requiring the full balance upfront; confirm the current schedule and any cash-payment discounts with the Finance Office.
- Weigh cost against outcomes, especially for law. A bar passing rate near or above 90 percent, as San Beda posted in 2024, is a meaningful data point when tuition is a major investment. If you're still deciding on a track in high school, see strand for law to plan ahead.
If law school is not your goal and you are still comparing broader options for cost efficiency, cheapest vs. most expensive universities in the Philippines and best private schools in Manila are useful next reads.
Sources
- San Beda University Manila official site — admissions and finance information
- San Beda University College of Law official page — College of Law admissions
- San Beda College Alabang Schedule of Fees — fee schedule directory by program and year level
- PhilStar Life: How much is tuition in top PH law schools? — San Beda Law and comparative law school tuition estimates
- Rappler: 3,962 takers pass 2024 Bar exams — San Beda's 91.54% 2024 bar passing rate
- PRCBoard: Topnotchers 2025 Bar Exam Results — 2025 bar exam results
- Esquire Philippines: 6 Schools Achieve Perfect Passing Rate in the 2025 Bar Exams — San Beda University perfect passing rate, smaller-cohort category
- The Bedan Herald: SBCA produces 176 new lawyers — San Beda College Alabang School of Law 2025 bar results (69.91% passing rate, larger cohort)
- Wikipedia: San Beda University — history, founding in 1901, Benedictine affiliation, campus locations, historic 100% bar passing streak (1952-1957, 1960-1961), university status granted 2018
- ChedScholar: San Beda University Scholarships — scholarship program overview
Tuition, fees, and bar exam statistics change yearly and by cohort. Figures in this guide are planning ranges compiled from the sources above, not official San Beda quotes. Always confirm exact, current tuition and fees with the San Beda registrar or Finance Office, and verify bar exam results against official Supreme Court and Legal Education Board releases, before making enrollment decisions.
Ready to compare San Beda against other schools that fit your budget and program goals? Search and browse verified school profiles on SchoolFinderPH, or explore more schools in Manila.
