THE PHILIPPINES  achieved its strongest performance yet in the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings, with 35 universities making the list — an all-time high that reflects increasing visibility and competitiveness of the country’s higher education sector in the region.

The University of the Philippines  kept its position as the No. 1 university in the country, although it slipped 18 places internationally to 104th among 1,530 participating institutions. Ateneo de Manila University improved slightly to 141st, while De La Salle University slid to 178th.

The University of Santo Tomas remained the fourth top-ranked Philippine university, finishing 184th overall despite a minor three-spot decline from last year.

Adamson University, ranked fifth among Philippine schools, experienced a decline from the 411–420 band to 464th this year. The University of San Carlos followed at 507th, dropping from the 481–490 range.

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines secured the eighth spot at 671st, down from the 541–560 range. Silliman University ranked ninth at 694th, falling from the 601–620 band. Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology rounded out the top 10 at 731–740, moving from the 701–750 range.

The following universities were also included in this year’s rankings:

• Far Eastern University (681–700 → 761–770)
• Ateneo de Davao University (701–750 → 851–900)
• Saint Louis University (751–800 → 951–1000)
• Xavier University (801–850 → 951–1000)
• Central Luzon State University (851–900 → 1001–1100)

€ Central Mindanao University (851–900 → 1001–1100)

• Lyceum of the Philippines University (801–850 → 1001–1100)
• Mindanao State University (801–850 → 1001–1100)
• Cebu Technological University (851–900 → 1101–1200)
• Visayas State University (new, 1101–1200)
• Angeles University Foundation (901+ → 1201–1300)
• Central Philippine University (851–900 → 1201–1300)
• National University (new, 1201–1300)

University of Southeastern Philippines (901+ → 1201–1300)

• West Visayas State University (901+ → 1201–1300)
• Technological University of the Philippines (new, 1301–1400)
• University of Mindanao (new, 1301–1400)
• Batangas State University – The National Engineering University (new, 1401–1500)
• Caraga State University (new, 1401–1500)
• Mariano Marcos State University (new, 1401–1500)
• University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (901+ → 1401–1500)
• Bulacan State University (new, 1501+)
• Ifugao State University (new, 1501+)

University of Southern Mindanao (901+ → 1501+)

• Western Mindanao State University (new, 1501+)

Asia’s top performers

Leading the 2026 QS Asia rankings is the University of Hong Kong, followed by Peking University in China. Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore shared the third spot, further cementing Southeast Asia’s strong position in global higher education.

How universities were evaluated

QS assessed institutions based on 11 indicators that highlight academic influence, graduate employability, and research strength. These include:

Academic reputation – 30%

Employer reputation – 20%

Faculty-student ratio – 10%

International research network – 10%

Citations per paper – 10%

Papers per faculty – 5%

Staff with PhD – 5%

International faculty & students + exchange programs – 10% combined

Established in 2009, the QS Asia University Rankings focuses on research productivity, global partnerships, and academic excellence across the continent — providing policymakers and students with a regional perspective on higher education quality.