De La Salle University began as a Lasallian boys' school opened in Paco, Manila, in 1911 and became a full university in 1975, growing into one of the Philippines' leading private Catholic universities with around 22,790 students. It ranked 654th in the 2026 QS World University Rankings and 178th in QS Asia, and counts a former Philippine Vice President and two House Speakers among its alumni. The university's history includes the 1945 wartime massacre of 16 Brothers on campus during the Liberation of Manila, an event still marked in its institutional memory. DLSU charges international students the same tuition schedule as domestic students, with an added International Student Fee, across colleges spanning business, engineering, law, and the sciences.
DLSU traces its roots to June 16, 1911, when nine Christian Brothers from Europe and the United States opened the first La Salle school in the Paco district just outside old Manila, starting with 125 pupils; the school did not become a full university until it was granted university status on February 19, 1975. Its campus history includes a grim wartime chapter: on February 1, 1945, during the Liberation of Manila, 16 Brothers and 25 other residents were massacred on campus, an event still commemorated in the university's institutional memory. Alumni such as former Vice President Salvador Laurel and two-time House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. show the university's long-running pipeline into Philippine national politics. Students choosing DLSU are choosing a Catholic, Lasallian institution whose identity was shaped by that specific colonial-era religious mission and its subsequent wartime history, not merely a private university in Manila.
Application deadlines are being updated. Check the official website for current dates.
| Program | Level | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |
| Engineering | MASTER | 1-2 YRS |
| Computer Science | PHD | 3-5 YRS |
| Accountancy | MBA | 12-24 MO |
| Law | BACHELOR | 3-4 YRS |