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Sat, December 5, 2026 | 8:30 PM
A private Manila medical school teaching the Doctor of Medicine in English, with clinical training built around Medical Center Manila.
1,500+ Students trust us
Philippines
Country
Manila
City
#53
EduRank 2026, Philippines
English
Medium of instruction
For Indian Students
Short answer: Yes, Indian students can study MBBS in the Philippines, on the English-taught Doctor of Medicine (MD). Not confirmed: CHED says the MD meets the NMC's course rules, but the NMC also asks for a licence to practise in the Philippines, and Indian nationals can sit the Philippine licensure exam only once reciprocity with India is established, which is still awaited.
The MD is graduate-entry: Indian students first complete a pre-medical bachelor's degree (BS) and sit the NMAT, the Philippines' own entrance test, for entry to the MD. A qualified NEET UG result is required to study medicine abroad and to sit the FMGE later.
The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for at least 54 months of study, a 12-month internship in the same foreign institution, English-medium teaching and registration to practise in the country of study on par with its citizens. In a letter of 8 May 2025, cited in the Embassy of India's advisory of 17 June 2026, CHED said a 54-month MD at a CHED-recognised school, not counting the BS, taught in English and followed by a 12-month internship in the same institution or its attached hospital, meets these rules. The schools listed on this page describe a four-year MD followed by a 12-month internship.
Under Philippine law a foreign graduate may sit the Physician Licensure Examination only if their own country lets Filipino doctors practise on the same terms, and the Embassy says guidance from the Indian authorities on that reciprocity is still awaited. Until it is in place, an Indian graduate cannot count on the Philippine licence the NMC asks for before the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force). If India is your long-term goal, plan this with our counsellors before you apply.
Introduction
Emilio Aguinaldo College graduates and faculty on stage beside the college letters at the commencement ceremony
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Recognition & Prestige
Emilio Aguinaldo College holds CHED Autonomous status for its Manila campus from 16 September 2024 to 15 September 2027, the highest of the three regulatory tiers the Commission on Higher Education awards. It is accredited by PACUCOA, holds ISO 9001:2015 certification through WQA Philippines, and its School of Medicine is a member of the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges Foundation. It is not ranked by QS or Times Higher Education; EduRank, an algorithmic aggregator, places it as below.
Autonomous
CHED status, Manila campus, 16 September 2024 to 15 September 2027
#53
of 229 institutions in the Philippines, EduRank 2026
#2,811
of 5,830 institutions in Asia, EduRank 2026
The Doctor of Medicine is recognised by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education, and the School of Medicine is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), so graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification and sit the USMLE. For Indian students, the NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for at least 54 months of study, a 12-month internship in the same foreign institution, English-medium teaching and a licence to practise in the country of study on par with its citizens. CHED has told the Embassy of India that a 54-month MD at a CHED-recognised school, not counting the BS, meets these rules, and Emilio Aguinaldo College's MD runs four years. The Embassy also says Indian nationals can sit the Philippine licensure exam only once reciprocity with India is established, which is still awaited.
WDOMS
Emilio Aguinaldo College School of Medicine is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools
Complete Information About Emilio Aguinaldo College
Get complete information about Emilio Aguinaldo College, Manila, including living costs, admission, recognition and the FMGE route for Indian students.
Success stories
Hear directly from students who are studying medicine in Europe with futureMBBS.
Academic Excellence
Emilio Aguinaldo College teaches medicine entirely in English in the Philippine capital, with clinical training built around a hospital in the college's own group and an Indian community in the same district as the campus.
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Know exactly what options exist for your MBBS-abroad success.
How to Apply
Admission to the Doctor of Medicine at Emilio Aguinaldo College runs through the college's own process, not through NEET. An applicant needs a completed BS or AB degree, an NMAT score at the 40th percentile or above, two recommendation letters, an interview, psychometric testing and a medical fitness certificate, and non-Filipino applicants also sit an English placement test set by the Aguinaldo International Language Institute. NEET matters separately: an Indian student needs a qualified NEET UG result, required for the NMC eligibility certificate and for licensing in India later.
Indian students need a qualified NEET UG result for the NMC eligibility certificate and for licensing in India later. This is an Indian requirement, separate from the college's own selection.
Emilio Aguinaldo College asks for a completed Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree before the Doctor of Medicine. This is the pre-medical stage of the Philippine route.
The National Medical Admission Test is run by the Center for Educational Measurement, Inc. Emilio Aguinaldo College asks incoming students for a score at the 40th percentile or above.
Application form QF-SMD-031 with transcripts, diploma, NMAT certificate, general weighted average certification, two recommendation letters, passport, police clearance and photographs.
Shortlisted applicants attend an admissions committee interview and complete psychometric testing and a medical fitness certification. Non-Filipino applicants also sit the Aguinaldo International Language Institute English placement test.
The college's admission documents support the 9(f) student visa application at the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi. The Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR I-Card) is obtained in Manila after arrival.
The applicant must hold a completed Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree; EAC states the requirement as a 'Baccalaureate or Bachelor degree in Science or Arts (BS or AB Degree)'. Transferees whose subject grades fall below 2.75 on the Philippine scale must have those subjects revalidated. Under Indian NMC rules an Indian applicant also needs Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English, at least 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology for the general and EWS categories, 40% for OBC, SC and ST candidates and 45% for PwBD candidates, together with a qualified NEET UG result.
Subjects:
Under Indian NMC rules, candidates must be at least 17 years old by 31 December of the admission year.
Applicants clear the NMAT at the 40th percentile or above and pass the college's own interview and assessment stages. Non-Filipino applicants complete an extra step that Filipino applicants do not.
NMAT, 40th Percentile or Above
The NMAT is scored from 200 to 800 with a mean of 500 and a standard deviation of 100, and reported as a percentile rank from 1 to 99+. EAC states the 40th percentile threshold on its medicine page and its foreign-student Letter of Undertaking.
English Placement Test
Non-Filipino applicants sit an English placement test set by the Aguinaldo International Language Institute. The programme is taught entirely in English, so working fluency is essential.
Admission rests on the NMAT result together with the college's own interview and assessment stages, rather than on category-wise minimum marks.
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| NMAT (National Medical Admission Test) | Run by the Center for Educational Measurement, Inc.; scored 200 to 800 and reported as a percentile rank; EAC asks for the 40th percentile or above |
| English placement test | Set by the Aguinaldo International Language Institute for all non-Filipino applicants |
| Interview and psychometric testing | Admissions committee interview, psychometric assessment and a medical fitness certificate |
To apply, students need to submit essential academic and identification documents:
Admission Guidance & Document Checklist
Get the complete document checklist or admission guidance from our experts.
Programme Structure
Students follow a four-year Doctor of Medicine taught entirely in English, followed by a 12-month internship in the institution's affiliated hospitals. EAC teaches to an outcomes-based curriculum adopted in 2015 to 2016, built around ten learning outcomes covering clinical competence, communication, research and ethical practice. The subjects below follow CHED Memorandum Order No. 18, series of 2016, the national standard for every Philippine Doctor of Medicine programme.
Total Duration:
4-year MD after a BS or AB degree, plus a 12-month internship
Degree:
Doctor of Medicine (MD) after a BS pre-medical degree, equivalent to MBBS
Years 1 to 2
Foundational medical sciences taught on the ninth and tenth floors of Building 7, moving from the structure and function of the healthy body into disease mechanisms:
Year 3
A structured introduction to patient care across the major specialties, with supervised ward work beginning at Medical Center Manila:
Year 4
Full-time rotations across the affiliated hospital network, with direct patient care under supervision, completing the requirements for the Doctor of Medicine:
12 months after the MD
A 12-month rotating internship in the institution's affiliated hospitals, the same-institution internship the NMC asks for, before the Physician Licensure Examination:
Clinical training runs through the college's affiliated hospital network, centred on Medical Center Manila. An indicative rotation pattern across the clinical years is:
| Phase | Focus |
|---|---|
| Year 3: junior clerkship | Introductory rotations in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Medical Center Manila, with Psychiatry, Radiology and Ophthalmology postings |
| Year 4: senior clerkship | Full-time rotations across Medical Center Manila, the Philippine General Hospital and Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, plus community medicine at the college's primary care clinic and birthing facility |
| Internship | Twelve months of rotating internship in the core departments, before the Physician Licensure Examination |
Get the full curriculum
Download a free brochure to see detailed subjects, the course structure and everything you need to plan your studies.
Clinical Network
Emilio Aguinaldo College publishes no university exchange programme. What it does publish is its clinical affiliation network, which decides where a medical student actually trains. Medical Center Manila is the base training hospital and, like the college, sits within the University Physicians' Services group.
| Institution | Role in clinical training |
|---|---|
| Medical Center Manila (ManilaMed) | Base training hospital for the School of Medicine, in the same group as the college, opened in 1967 |
| University of the Philippines Philippine General Hospital | The Philippines' national referral and teaching hospital, in Ermita, Manila, carrying tertiary and subspecialty rotations |
| Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center | Manila city government tertiary hospital on Roxas Boulevard, carrying high-volume public service rotations |
| Emilio Aguinaldo College Medical Center, Cavite | The college group's own hospital at the Dasmariñas campus, used for additional clinical placements |
| EAC Primary Care Clinic and Birthing Facility | The college's own primary care and maternity facility, used for family and community medicine postings |
| Our Lady of Sorrows Foundation Community Outreach Center | Community outreach site used for public health and community medicine exposure |
Explore the Clinical Training Network
The table above lists the hospitals where Emilio Aguinaldo College medical students complete their clinical training.
Legacy
The School of Medicine opened in 2001, so its graduates are still building their careers. These are the people who founded and built the school and the college.
Founder of Emilio Aguinaldo College and of its School of Medicine. A National Scientist of the Philippines in nuclear medicine and President of University Physicians' Services, Inc., he founded the institution that became Emilio Aguinaldo College in 1957 and opened the School of Medicine on 23 July 2001 with an entering class of 24.
President of Emilio Aguinaldo College and head of the University Physicians' Services group, which operates both the college and Medical Center Manila, across the Manila and Cavite campuses.
First Dean of the School of Medicine, 2001 to 2003, leading the school through its opening years, when the first class of 24 students began the Doctor of Medicine.
Second Dean of the School of Medicine, 2003 to 2010, a period in which the school opened to international students, from 2006.
Third Dean of the School of Medicine, 2010 to 2013, leading the school through the consolidation of its clinical affiliation network across Manila's teaching hospitals.
Teaching is led by practising clinicians from Medical Center Manila and the college's other affiliated hospitals, with the School of Medicine on the ninth and tenth floors of Building 7 on the Manila campus. Emilio Aguinaldo College has held ISO 9001:2015 certification through WQA Philippines since 2017 and is accredited by the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA).
Practising physicians and surgeons from Medical Center Manila
Rotations across the Philippine General Hospital network
Outcomes-based curriculum adopted 2015 to 2016
Research built into the ten learning outcomes
Admissions interview and psychometric assessment before entry
English placement support through the Aguinaldo International Language Institute
Clinical supervision through junior and senior clerkship
Office of Student Affairs scholarship and assistance programmes
About University
Get all information about Emilio Aguinaldo College in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine at Emilio Aguinaldo College, Manila.
Role in medicine
Get all information about Emilio Aguinaldo College in our free brochure
Read on to find out how you can fulfil your dream of studying medicine at Emilio Aguinaldo College, Manila.
Affordable education
The range is wide because the two ends describe different lives: a shared dormitory bed with self-catering runs about ₹28,000 to ₹46,700 a month (₱18,000 to ₱30,000), while a private studio in Ermita with meals out runs about ₹54,500 to ₹85,600 (₱35,000 to ₱55,000). Figures are at about ₹1.56 to the Philippine peso.
| Cost Component | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | ₹4,700 to ₹35,000 |
| Food | ₹9,300 to ₹23,300 |
| Transportation | ₹1,200 to ₹2,300 |
| Other Expenses (Utilities, Internet, Leisure) | ₹6,200 to ₹11,700 |
Average monthly living cost
₹28,000 to ₹85,600
Housing
Emilio Aguinaldo College operates its own dormitories on the Manila campus, and the Ermita, Malate and Paco districts around the college have a dense supply of private student dormitories and condominium rentals.
Need accommodation details?
Get a full overview of housing options with our university guide, or reach out to an expert.
Food & Dining
Indian and vegetarian food is easy to find in Manila, and the Indian community's temple and gurdwara are in the same district as the campus.
Manila's main Hindu temple and Sikh gurdwara are in Paco, the same district as the campus, and the gurdwara serves a free community kitchen (langar).
Kabab Ni Baba on Pedro Gil Street in Ermita is the closest Indian and Middle Eastern restaurant to the campus. Across Metro Manila, options include Desi Palace and Mantra Indian Kitchen in Makati, Golden Rice Hyderabadi Biryani in Quezon City and Silk Road in Pasay.
Indian grains, lentils and spices are sold in Paco. For everything else, Manila's supermarket chains and the MetroMart, GrabMart and Puregold apps deliver across the Ermita, Malate and Paco districts.
College dormitories and private dormitories in Ermita have shared kitchens, and condominium studios come with their own kitchenettes. Cooking rather than eating out is the biggest lever on the monthly budget, worth roughly ₹7,000 to ₹11,000 a month.
GrabFood and foodpanda are the two main delivery platforms in Manila and cover the Ermita, Malate and Paco districts, including the Indian restaurants above.
Location
1113-1117 San Marcelino Street, Paco, Manila 1007, Philippines. The School of Medicine occupies the ninth and tenth floors of Building 7 on the Manila campus.
Nearest Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), Manila, with Air India flying non-stop between Delhi and Manila since 1 October 2025
Local Transport
Pedro Gil and United Nations Avenue stations on LRT Line 1 serve the surrounding Ermita and Malate area, alongside jeepneys, buses and Grab
Your Roadmap to Success
Graduates receive the Doctor of Medicine, the Philippines' primary medical qualification, taken after a BS pre-medical degree and equivalent to an Indian MBBS rather than an Indian postgraduate MD. A 12-month internship follows the degree.
The NMC asks for a licence to practise in the Philippines on the same terms as Filipino citizens, and for Indian nationals that licence still awaits reciprocity with India. A graduate who meets every NMC condition sits the FMGE (NExT deferred and not in force), completes the required internship and registers with the NMC or a State Medical Council.
The School of Medicine is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), so its graduates can apply for ECFMG Certification and sit USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK, the route to the US residency match. ECFMG's accreditation policy is for information only and does not affect an individual graduate's eligibility for ECFMG Certification.
After the MD and the 12-month internship, graduates sit the Philippine Physician Licensure Examination, run by the Professional Regulation Commission, which leads to registration in the Philippines. Foreign nationals can sit it only where their country grants Filipino doctors reciprocity, and for Indian nationals that reciprocity is still awaited.
The Philippines is not in the EU, so a Philippine MD is not an EU qualification. A graduate who wants to work in the United Kingdom takes the General Medical Council's PLAB route.
After licensing, graduates can pursue residency and specialisation in fields such as internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology and radiology, in India after the FMGE and the internship, or abroad through the relevant national licensing route.
Understand the Medical Licensing Pathway
A clear overview of the exams and requirements after graduation.
Practising in India
To practise medicine in India after graduating from Emilio Aguinaldo College, an Indian student qualifies NEET UG before admission, completes a course that meets every NMC rule, including the Philippine licence set out below, clears the NMC screening examination (the FMGE; NExT is deferred and not in force), completes the internship in India and registers with the NMC or a State Medical Council.
Step 1
The NMC Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021 ask for at least 54 months of study, a 12-month internship in the same foreign institution, English-medium teaching and a licence to practise in the country of study on par with its citizens. In a letter cited in the Embassy of India's advisory of 17 June 2026, CHED said a 54-month MD at a CHED-recognised school, not counting the BS, taught in English and followed by a 12-month internship in the same institution or its attached hospital, meets these rules; Emilio Aguinaldo College's MD runs four years. The open point is the licence: Indian nationals can sit the Philippine licensure exam only once reciprocity with India is established, which the Embassy says is still awaited. Plan this with our counsellors before you apply.
Step 2
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences conducts the FMGE twice a year, in June and December, with a pass mark of 150 out of 300. In the June 2025 session 36,034 candidates appeared and 6,707 qualified, a pass rate of 18.61%; in December 2025, 42,872 appeared and 10,262 qualified, about 23.9%. The National Exit Test (NExT), intended to replace the FMGE, is deferred and not in force.
Step 3
After clearing the FMGE, graduates complete a 12-month Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship in India under the NMC's 2021 regulations, rotating through medicine, surgery, paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecology, in addition to the internship completed in the Philippines.
Step 4
The final step is registration with the National Medical Commission or the relevant State Medical Council. Once registered, the graduate holds a permanent registration number and is licensed to practise medicine in India.
Student Life Style
Medical school in Manila mixes an intensive clinical workload with a city that is dense, humid and busy, in a country that is easy and cheap to travel around when the timetable allows.
Limestone islands and turquoise water at El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
Boats moored in a lagoon between limestone cliffs at Coron, Palawan, Philippines
Aerial view of a lagoon and limestone islands in Palawan, Philippines
Aerial view of the bay and outrigger boats at El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
Scholarship & Financial
Emilio Aguinaldo College runs its scholarship and student assistance programmes through the Office of Student Affairs and publishes their names but not their amounts. Most are designed for Filipino students, so an Indian student should plan to self-fund the degree; plan this with our counsellors.
The college's medicine-specific merit scholarship, awarded on academic merit through the Office of Student Affairs alongside its general Merit Scholarship and Academic Scholarship schemes.
A deferred-payment scheme run by the college that allows fees to be paid after study rather than up front.
A work-assistance scheme through which students support college departments in exchange for a fee reduction.
Compare
Compare Emilio Aguinaldo College, Manila with India's top-ranked government medical college.
Quick Comparison:
Emilio Aguinaldo College vs AIIMS New Delhi
| University | Emilio Aguinaldo CollegeManila, Philippines | AIIMS New DelhiNew Delhi, India |
|---|---|---|
| University Type | Private, non-sectarian | Institute of National Importance (government) |
| Medium | English | English |
| Course Duration | 4-year MD after a BS or AB degree, plus a 12-month internship | 5.5 years, being 4.5 years plus a 12-month internship |
| Admission | NMAT at the 40th percentile or above, interview and English placement test, plus a qualified NEET UG result for Indian students | NEET UG |
| Recognition | Listed in WDOMS; CHED Autonomous status; Philippine licence for Indian nationals awaits reciprocity | Listed in WDOMS |
| Global Ranking | EduRank 53rd in the Philippines (2026); not ranked by QS or THE | NIRF Medical 1 (2025) |
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FAQ
Short answers to the questions students and parents ask most often about studying medicine at Emilio Aguinaldo College.
