TL;DR: USTP (University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines) is a state university, so its Filipino undergraduates get free tuition and standard miscellaneous fees waived under Republic Act 10931, without needing to apply separately. That does not mean zero cost: one real fee assessment for a USTP Cagayan de Oro engineering student for 1st Semester AY 2025-2026 still totaled ₱16,992.50, since RA 10931's coverage list (tuition, admission, library, laboratory, and computer fees) doesn't extend to every possible charge. USTP spans seven Mindanao campuses, admission runs through an entrance exam and qualifier ranking, and CDO is a CHED-recognized Center of Excellence in IT.
USTP (University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines) in Cagayan de Oro is one of the most-searched state universities in Mindanao, and most of that traffic is people trying to confirm one thing: is it actually free, and if so, why do some students still report paying real amounts? This guide explains how RA 10931's free tuition mechanics work in practice, what a real USTP fee assessment looks like, the university's seven-campus footprint, and what to expect from admissions. Figures and mechanics below are sourced from USTP's official site, the actual text of RA 10931 as summarized in CHED-adjacent guidance, and a real student fee document.
Is USTP Tuition Really Free?
Yes, for the tuition line itself. USTP was created as a state university on August 16, 2016, under Republic Act 10919, merging the Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology (MOSCAT). As a state university (SUC), USTP falls under Republic Act 10931, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, which exempts Filipino undergraduates at all SUCs and LUCs from tuition and a defined set of miscellaneous fees. You don't submit a separate application for this benefit — enrolling as a qualified Filipino undergraduate at USTP makes you eligible automatically, the same as at any of the other 111 SUCs and 78 LUCs the law covers nationwide.
Disclaimer: free tuition policy details can shift with CHED implementing guidelines and annual budget allocations. Confirm your specific program and campus's current fee assessment with USTP's Cashier or Accounting Office before enrollment.
What RA 10931 Actually Covers
Per the law's implementation (as detailed in CHED's own guidance), RA 10931 provides three distinct forms of assistance, only one of which is the "free tuition" most people mean:
- Free tuition and miscellaneous fees at all state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs) — this is what applies to USTP undergraduates.
- Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) for financially disadvantaged students at both public and private institutions.
- Free technical-vocational education and training (TVET) at TESDA institutions.
For SUC students like those at USTP, the fees specifically waived are tuition, admission fees, library fees, laboratory fees, computer fees, and other school fees as determined by the institution's board. What's explicitly not covered: student organization fees, insurance premiums, dormitory/housing costs, uniforms and school supplies, and field trip expenses.
What Does a Real USTP Fee Assessment Look Like?
Because "free tuition" doesn't mean a zero-peso assessment, it helps to see an actual example. A published fee assessment for a USTP Cagayan de Oro BS Mechanical Engineering student, 1st Semester of Academic Year 2025-2026, showed total assessed fees of ₱16,992.50 for that term. The document doesn't itemize every line, but the total is consistent with what RA 10931 leaves out: program-specific charges, ID and registration costs, and other fees that fall outside the law's defined tuition/admission/library/laboratory/computer coverage can still land on a USTP student's bill.
| What RA 10931 Waives | What Can Still Appear on a Bill |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees | Program-specific or lab-consumable charges outside the law's defined list |
| Admission fees | Student ID, registration processing |
| Library fees | Student organization fees |
| Laboratory fees | Insurance premiums |
| Computer fees | Dormitory/housing, uniforms, field trips |
| Other school fees set by the institution's board | Fees the institution's board has not classified as waived |
For a full breakdown of what the law covers nationwide and how CHED administers it, see our CHED free tuition guide and our is college free in the Philippines explainer.
USTP's Seven Campuses
USTP is not a single site — it's a multi-campus system spread across Northern Mindanao:
| Campus | Role |
|---|---|
| Alubijid | Main campus (292 hectares), home to the AGILA Science and Technology Park |
| Cagayan de Oro (CDO) | Major campus, CHED Center of Excellence in Information Technology |
| Claveria | Major campus, home to the AGROPOLIS Science and Technology Park |
| Villanueva | Major campus (5 hectares) |
| Balubal | Satellite campus |
| Jasaan | Satellite campus |
| Oroquieta | Satellite campus |
| Panaon | Satellite campus |
Programs, entrance exam schedules, and specific fee assessments can differ by campus, so a Claveria applicant and a CDO applicant should each confirm requirements with their target campus directly rather than assuming the two are identical.
What Programs Is USTP Known For?
USTP CDO holds CHED recognition as a Center of Excellence in Information Technology, and the university runs research centers and institutes spanning artificial intelligence, agricultural technology, water research, and renewable energy under its long-range "Vision 2030" strategic framework. That signals a strong STEM, engineering, and applied-technology identity across the system, consistent with its origin as a merger of two science-and-technology-focused institutions (MUST and MOSCAT).
How Do You Get Admitted to USTP?
Admission runs through USTP's own online admission portal and an entrance qualifying exam; the university publishes annual qualifier lists by campus and program rather than guaranteeing entry to every applicant. Because free tuition makes USTP a highly competitive option relative to nearby private schools, exam performance and program/campus availability both affect whether you're admitted where you want. Confirm the current exam schedule, required documents, and application window directly with USTP admissions, since these can shift year to year.
USTP vs Other Options in Cagayan de Oro
If cost is your primary filter, USTP's free-tuition status makes it a strong default relative to private universities in the same city, though private schools may offer programs, campus environments, or admission timelines that fit some students better. See our best private schools in Cagayan de Oro roundup for a side-by-side view, and our University of Mindanao tuition guide for how a comparable Mindanao private university prices its programs.
How to Decide If USTP Is Right for You
- Don't assume "free tuition" means "no fees." Budget at least a few thousand pesos per semester for the charges RA 10931 doesn't cover, based on real assessments like the ₱16,992.50 example above.
- Pick your campus deliberately. Programs and entrance requirements vary across USTP's seven campuses; a program available at CDO may not be offered at Claveria or a satellite campus.
- Prepare seriously for the entrance exam. Free tuition makes USTP competitive, so treat the qualifying exam as a real gate, not a formality.
- Compare against nearby free-tuition and private options before committing, since your target program's availability and reputation may matter more than cost alone once tuition itself is off the table. See our free tuition universities in the Philippines list for other SUC options nationwide.
Ready to find the right school? Browse schools or compare tuition and reviews across hundreds of Philippine schools on SchoolFinderPH.
Sources
- USTP — Official Website
- USTP — Tuition and Other School Fees (official)
- USTP — About USTP (official)
- Scribd — USTP CDO Student Fee Assessment, 1st Semester AY 2025-2026
- SchoolFinderPH — CHED Free Tuition Guide (RA 10931 Explained)
- SchoolFinderPH — Is College Free in the Philippines?
- SchoolFinderPH — Free Tuition Universities in the Philippines
- SchoolFinderPH — Best Private Schools in Cagayan de Oro
- SchoolFinderPH — University of Mindanao Tuition Fee Guide
