The Philippines is a developing country with many bilingual or multilingual speakers, with English as the second language. The education system in the country also uses English as the medium of instruction for all major subjects, especially at secondary and tertiary levels. Therefore, the Philippines is an affordable and ideal destination for international students.
There is a need for more data specialists in the Philippines despite the growing amount of data and rising demand for data professionals. As a result, some of the most prominent universities in the country have started offering degree programs and specialized courses to provide professionals with additional skills to take on a career in data science.
Some higher institutions are also developing new programs with prestigious schools abroad to offer a more globally competent and recognized qualification for pursuing this career field abroad. Let’s look at the best universities for data science in the Philippines!
Top Schools Offering Data Science in the Philippines
1. University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines, founded in 1908, is among the top-ranked universities for data science in the Philippines and the best in the country. It is famous for its high-quality education and reputable alumni who have made a mark in various industries locally and abroad. The UP system has eight branches with 15 campuses.
Government offices and major local corporations often highly prefer graduates from the institution. The University of the Philippines -Diliman’s Ph.D. in Data Science program offers excellent training for professionals who need to boost their statistical, programming, and data analysis skills to qualify for some of the top positions in the data science industry in the Philippines.
This program offers three tracks for graduate students interested in data science: the Straight Ph.D. option for admitted BS students who must complete 58-60 units of coursework (including the dissertation), the Regular Ph.D. option, and the Ph.D. by Research for the master’s students. You can learn more information about this through the link above.
2. Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University originated in 1859 as a public primary school under the supervision of Spanish Jesuits. Several years later, the school started offering technical courses. In 1902, it became a private institution. Today, Ateneo is one of the top data science universities in the Philippines and is recognized by prestigious global rankings.
The university offers a Master of Science in Data Science program with the Queen Mary University of London. The program lasts 18 to 21 months, and students may spend a semester in London. However, the credits earned abroad will still be part of the Ateneo degree. To complete the program, students must maintain a B+ grade, equal to an academic score of 85%, during the first two semesters.
The computation of tuition fees varies depending on the number of units per semester or whether the students plan to take the program full-time or part-time. The whole program consists of 36 units. Domestic and international students may also apply for scholarships to supplement their living costs or subsidize the tuition fees.
3. University of Santo Tomas
The University of Santo Tomas, established in 1611, is the oldest in the Philippines and Asia. This higher institution’s 410 years of history and excellence helped the school gain recognition from world rankings. UST also earned a competitive advantage in the labor market due to its high quality of education. Its Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, or BSCS program, delivers a world-class data science curriculum.
This four-year program offers students the option to select from three specialization tracks: core computer science, game development, or data science. Specializing in data science will help students gain the programming and mathematical skills necessary to begin a career as a data scientist, engineer, or analyst. Its tuition fees range up to ₱70,000 per semester, and international students pay an additional ₱5,000 per semester.
4. University of Asia and the Pacific
The University of Asia and the Pacific started as the Center for Research and Communication (CRC) in 1967. It later acquired its current name in 1995 and became autonomous in 2017. UA&P is an excellent institution for data science in the Philippines that has established partnerships with numerous institutions in the Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Europe.
The institution offers a Bachelor of Science in Data Science to help address the shortage of data specialists in the Philippines. The four-year, English-taught undergraduate program aims to equip students with skills and practical experience to deal with real-world data-related problems while being guided by professors with relevant and globally competent qualifications in the field.
Note that learners whose primary or second language isn’t English must submit a TOEFL or IELTS certification. Moreover, international applicants must pay the US$50 international student application fee and prepare a scanned copy of their passport bio page showing the most recent date of admission, a student visa, apostilled academic records, and other relevant documents.
5. De La Salle University
De La Salle University is one of the most prestigious private institutions in the Philippines. It was founded in 1911 and has since expanded to eight colleges and schools. DLSU is one of the best schools for data science in the Philippines and currently hosts over 23,000 students, more than 500 of whom come from across 40+ other countries.
DLSU offers a Master of Data Science program, aiming to equip students with basic working knowledge in statistics. The program consists of 12 units divided into six courses: Principles of Data Science, Data Visualization, Data Governance, Ethics and Privacy, Machine Learning for Data Science, Big Data and Scalable Computing, and Research Methods.
The university also offers a Minor in Diploma, teaching relevant courses to the field, such as the Principles of Data Science, to boost the skills and qualifications of professionals in various fields, taking more promising data science-related positions in their respective industries.
6. Asian Institute of Management
The Asian Institute of Management has been at the forefront of human resource development for Asia’s private and public sectors. For over four decades, many have enrolled in this institution because of its ability to train its students to be sensitive to various businesses, ways of governance, formation, and diverse forms of regulatory environments in the continent. It is currently known as one of the top schools for data science in the Philippines.
Its renowned master’s program is a 14-month program designed to train specialists skilled in one of the most coveted fields in the modern century. The curriculum focuses on developing competencies that are most in demand, such as machine and deep learning, data mining, and analytics. AIM also offers a doctoral program in data science—the first in the Philippines and only one of few in Asia. The first cohort of this program started in 2020, and students will be trained to conduct research in various areas of data science.
AIM also partnered with two world-class institutions to offer a double degree program, which includes a Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Business Administration (BSDSBA) from the Aboitiz School of Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship and a Bachelor of Business Administration Major in Management Information Systems (BBAMIS) from University of Huston’s C.T. Bauer College of Business.
7. Technological Institute of the Philippines
The Technological Institute of the Philippines is a private institution that offers one of the best and most sought-after data science programs in the country. It was founded in 1962 and has multiple campuses across the National Capital Region. The university specializes in teaching engineering and technological courses and uses an outcomes-based model in developing its curriculum.
CloudSwyft Global Systems Inc., in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Development (STRIDE), helped develop the institute’s Professional Science Master’s Degree in Data Science (PSMDS). The program aims to develop professionals who can lead their organizations in using data aid in the growth of their industries.
8. Mapúa University
Mapúa University is a long-standing educational institution in the Philippines. Founded by Don Tomas Mapúa in 1925, it has since become the country’s premier engineering and technology school. It improved its 3-star rating in 2017 to 4-star in 2020. It has two campuses located in Intramuros and Makati, both in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. It deems data science a “21st-century career.”
It is seen as one of the most in-demand jobs in the world. Because of this, both Mapúa University campuses offer an undergraduate program in data science, providing students with the skills and knowledge to become professional data scientists working in various industries. After completing the course, one can become a business intelligence engineer, planning and decision analyst, software developer, or even a teacher.
9. Cosmopoint International Institute of Technology
Cosmopoint International Institute of Technology’s College of Arts and Technology is well-known for providing affordable education to Filipinos. It is also one of the best Filipino schools for data science. CIIT uses industry-based teaching and boasts a faculty composed of active professionals in their field. This method ensures that students can acquire practical and relevant skills that will help them as they enter the workforce.
CIIT is also partnered with industry giants such as Autodesk, Adobe Systems, and WACOM, which allows it to provide its students with the best and most updated programs. The university has also collaborated with local learning institutions, gamification companies, and advertising companies such as DIWA Learning Systems, Inc., Taktyl Studios, and RocketMedia Manila.
With over 60% employment rating in company partners, its College of Arts and Technology produces industry-ready graduates who can compete with their peers within their respective organizations. It also provides a specialist course for those interested in data science, which lasts only three months.
It discusses different forms of data analysis, engaging the students in various software essential for any would-be data science specialist. From Python to Microsoft Power BI, the institute ensures its students can develop careers and become leading IT professionals. It is also a viable option for those in fields outside of arts and technology who want to shift their careers and pursue their passion for data and programming.
10. University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
The University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines is one of the best state universities in the country. It was established through a republic act that enforced the union between the Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology (MOSCAT).
Since then, it has consistently been recognized in the ASEAN Philippine Higher Education Internationalization Champions of Nation-building and Sustainability Awards Night because of its exceptional performance and ability to push forward the internationalization of Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs).
The university’s Bachelor of Science in Data Science (BSDS) was developed to produce graduates who can integrate various skills in computer science, machine learning, databases, mathematics, and statistics. Graduates of this course can advance their chosen industries through insights gathered from data analysis.
Data science is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after fields worldwide, which makes it worthwhile as a degree. Moreover, studying this in the Philippines is suitable for a well-rounded academic experience because of the friendly locals and low cost of living. The country also offers a one-of-a-kind combination of high-quality education, making it an ideal destination for international students interested in data science.
We hope this article on the best universities to study data science in the Philippines was helpful. You can get more detailed articles on the Philippines Page and various Open Courses to explore your study options.
