Best MBA in Philippines
Top business schools in Philippines – Ranking, costs, salaries
This small country in south east Asia had nearly 61,100 international students, in 2012. Its education system is among top 50 in the world, according to the QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings in 2016, and follows the US education style quite closely.
In this article we will talk about work permit eligibility, cost of living and the best MBA schools in the Philippines. With a history of demand for recruitment among some of the well known corporates in the world, the top B-Schools in the Philippines are well recognized.
Best MBA in Philippines
Working in Philippines after your MBA
Like most other countries, Philippines too provides its international population an opportunity to work in the country. An Alien Employment Permit (AEP), a document issued by the Philippino Department of Labor and Employment, allows foreign nationals to work there.
As long as you have an offer of employment, you can apply for an AEP with a fee of about $160 (USD), for the first year, plus $60 for subsequent years not exceeding 5 years. The country is largely bilingual with a western influence owing to it being an American territory for a little short of 50 years.
Cost of Living in the Philippines
Living costs are quite reasonable. The Philippine Peso (PHP) is exchange rated at a very low 2 cents (US) for 1 PHP. Clearly the subsequent cost of living also scales in comparison. The high end salary of an MBA graduate can possibly manage to climb up to $44,000+ after 10 years of work experience (Paycale).
| Item | Cost per month, in Manila (Numbeo) |
|---|---|
| Food Prices | $180 |
| Rent for a one-bedroom apartment | $200 – $440 |
| Single household cost of living | $500 |
The quality of life index in Philippines, Manila for instance, is a moderate 71. Comparing that to India’s Bangalore at 118, London’s 108, New York’s 128, Singapore’s 136, and Berlin’s 159, it pales by more than a few shades. This may or may not be related to the recent considerable international, and local, backlash from its controversial “Drug War” policies initiated by the Philippine government in 2016.
B-Schools in the Philippines
Notwithstanding the unfortunate disagreeable policies, mentioned above, Philippines is known for its highly valued education system. The University of Philippines ranked 70th, Ateneo de Manila University ranked 99th, De La Salle University ranked 143rd, and University of Santo Thomas ranked 157th, in Asia for overall education, according to the QS University Rankings Asia in 2016.
We present here a quick peek into the most well known MBA programs in the country, with the Asian Institute of Management being the celebrity in the list. The overall rankings are based on Eduniversal, a global ranking system, in Paris, that categorizes the 1000 best business schools, selected within 154 countries, into “Palmes of Excellence”, based on their global influence. The rating is described as follows (Eduniverse):
- 5 Palmes of Excellence : Universal Business Schools with strong global influence.
- 4 Palmes of Excellence : Top Business Schools with significant international influence
- 3 Palmes of Excellence : Excellent Business Schools with reinforcing international influence
- 2 Palmes of Excellence : Good Business Schools with strong regional influence
- 1 Palme of Excellence : Business Schools with considerable local influence.
Best MBA in the Philippines | Top Business Schools
| No. | B-School | Eduniversal Ranking
# Palme of Excellence |
Admission Tests Required | Average Post MBA Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asian Institute of Management (AIM)
Administered by: – W.SyCip Graduate School of Business (WSGSB) |
4
#1 for Filipino Executives (Forbes) |
GMAT/GRE
English Proficiency AIMAT Test (Fee $100) No payment needed with GMAT/GRE scores |
$ 38,000 |
| 2 | De La Salle University – Ramon V.Del Rosario College of Business (RVRCOB) | 3 | GMAT & TOEFL | Not Available |
| 3 | University of Philippines – Cesar E.A.Virata School of Business | 3 | GRE & TOEFL | Not Available |
| 4 | Ateneo De Manila University Graduate School of Business | 3 | AGSB Entrance Test | Not Available |
Besides the list above, the University of Santo Tomas UST Graduate School has a reputation of 2 while the University of San Carlos of Business and Economics has a reputation of 1 Palme of Excellence, respectively.
Let’s turn to look at the individual programs that are offered by these b-schools.
Best Full & Part Time MBA in top B-schools in Philippines
| Program | Duration | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Asian Institute of Management (AIM) – MBA | 16 months | $35,200
Scholarships available from Asian Development Bank and others. |
| De La Salle University- RVRCOB MBA | Total 36 units | Tuition details here |
| De La Salle University- RVRCOB MBA (without undergraduate Business degree) |
Total 36 units | Refer to details for RVRCOB MBA |
| De La Salle University- RVRCOB PGDM | Total 27 units | Refer to details for RVRCOB MBA |
| University of Philippines – Virata MBA | ~24 months | $17,000 |
| Ataneo De Manila GSB – Standard MBA (Part Time) |
18 – 36 months | $6,500 |
Best Executive MBA in the Philippines
| Program | Duration | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Asian Institute of Management (AIM) – EMBA | 20 months + Capstone Project | $26,500 |
| Ateneo Regis MBA (partnered with Regis University, Denver Colorado) |
12 months | ~$8,000 |
| Ateneo MBA for Middle Managers | 24 months + 1 Trimester | ~$8,000 |
| Ateneo MBA in Health Management | 28 months | ~$8,000 |
The Asian Institute of Management takes the cake when it comes to international recognition, with its graduates being successfully recruited in Accenture, Microsoft, Unilever, Nestle IBM, Tech Mahindra, Citi, BPO Elite and more.
It is strongly advised that you research your requirements, understand the implications of a program in the Philippines, and investigate the job prospects with respect to how their alumni have been placed in your country, or the country you would want to settle in.