University of Ilocos Philippines - Sta. Maria Campus

The institution's legal identity has changed. Ilocos Sur Polytechnic College was created by Republic Act No. 7960 in March 1995 and converted into Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College by Republic Act No. 8547, signed by President Fidel V. Ramos on 24 February 1998. Republic Act No. 11755, approved on 27 April 2022, then converted the state college into a state university and integrated the North Luzon Philippines State College with it, creating the University of Ilocos Philippines with its main campus at Candon City. Records and signage may still carry the older name during the transition. Sta. Maria served as the main campus of the state college before the 2022 reorganisation moved that designation to Candon. It sits in the second district of Ilocos Sur, the district the original polytechnic college was created to serve, and remains one of the larger units in the system. Teacher education has been a particular strength here, with the campus's programmes in that field reaching Level III Phase II accreditation.