Overview
Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) is a private university with its main campus on MacArthur Highway in Valenzuela City, in the north of Metro Manila. It grew out of Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, founded in 1967, and became a university in 2002. Its College of Medicine opened in 1979 and its first batch graduated in 1983. The on-campus Fatima University Medical Center is its teaching hospital.
OLFU is one of the few Philippine schools that publishes a fee for international medical students. Like all Philippine medical schools, it admits only graduates: applicants need a bachelor's degree and an NMAT result. An Indian Class 12 student therefore completes a BS first and joins the four-year MD afterwards.
The NMC does not count the BS, so the MD alone must meet every FMGL 2021 condition, including at least 54 months of study and eligibility for a licence in the Philippines. The college describes its MD as four years, followed by internship. Ask the college in writing how many months the MD lasts before you commit, because this is central to recognition in India.
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Established | College of Medicine 1979; university status in 2002; roots in a hospital founded in 1967 |
| Type | Private university |
| City | Valenzuela City, northern Metro Manila (College of Medicine campus) |
| Degree awarded | Doctor of Medicine (MD), after a separate bachelor's degree (BS) |
| Duration from Class 12 | About 6 years or more: a BS (taken first), then a 4-year MD and a 12-month postgraduate internship |
| Medium | English |
| Intakes | Usually once a year, around June to August; confirm with the College of Medicine |
| NEET-UG | Must be qualified before admission (NMC rule for Indian students) |
| Entry test for MD | NMAT required; a bachelor's degree is needed for MD entry |
| WDOMS listing | Listed as F0000217 (Our Lady of Fatima University College of Medicine) |
| MD tuition, year 1 (official) | USD 3,500 a semester, plus a one-time foreign fee of USD 6,000 |
| Hostel / year (indicative) | About USD 1,500 (private housing near campus) |
Address: 120 MacArthur Highway, Marulas, Valenzuela City 1440, Metro Manila, Philippines
Highlights
- Medical school since 1979, listed in WDOMS (F0000217)
- Fatima University Medical Center on campus as the teaching hospital
- Official first-year MD fee for international students: USD 3,500 a semester plus a one-time USD 6,000 foreign fee
- Accredited by the Medical Council of Thailand from December 2019 to December 2024 for Thai students
- FMGE 2025: 49 of 291 graduates passed (16.8%) (SchoolFinderPH, citing NBEMS)
- Valenzuela is about an hour from Manila airport by road
Courses offered
- Doctor of Medicine (MD), College of Medicine, Valenzuela campus
- Dental Medicine
- Nursing
- Physical Therapy and Pharmacy
- Bachelor's programmes at OLFU campuses in Valenzuela, Quezon City, Antipolo, Pampanga, Cabanatuan and Laguna (ask which BS suits medicine)
For Indian students the main programme is the Doctor of Medicine (MD), after a bachelor's degree, taught in English over 6 years.
Facilities
Fatima University Medical Center
A hospital of about 150 beds on the Valenzuela campus, near the College of Medicine, used as the main teaching hospital.
Laboratories
The college describes modern laboratories for the basic sciences in the first two years of the MD.
Clinical clerkship
Year 4 is a clerkship in the main specialties. The college also lists clerkship links with hospitals in the United States.
Online learning
Students use the university's Canvas learning platform and online library resources alongside classes on campus.
Housing
Most foreign students rent private rooms or flats near MacArthur Highway. Ask the university whether it runs or approves any dormitory.
Why choose Our Lady of Fatima University?
- The College of Medicine has more than 45 years of history and is listed in WDOMS.
- The teaching hospital is on the same campus.
- The university publishes its first-year fee for international students, which makes budgeting easier.
- Its programme was accredited by the Medical Council of Thailand for five years from 2019.
- Teaching is in English throughout.
- Metro Manila has good transport links, including a non-stop flight to Delhi.
Eligibility criteria
- NEET-UG qualified before taking admission, as the NMC requires.
- Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, Biology and English; at least 50% in PCB for general category (40% for SC/ST/OBC).
- For the MD: a completed bachelor's degree, with an authenticated or apostilled transcript and diploma.
- An NMAT result (the college's scholarship rules mention a minimum NMAT score of 40).
- Police clearance from India, a passport copy, a Bureau of Quarantine stamp and NBI clearance for the student visa.
- The CHED Certificate of Eligibility for Admission to Medicine, which all foreign MD students need.
Admission process
- Qualify NEET-UG and read the latest NMC notices and the Embassy of India, Manila advisory.
- Plan the BS stage first, and confirm in writing where you will take it and how it leads to the OLFU MD.
- Sit the NMAT during the final BS year.
- Apply online through the university's student portal, choosing the Valenzuela campus for medicine.
- Pay the application fee using your applicant number, then complete your profile on the AIMS portal.
- Submit apostilled transcripts, diploma, police clearance, passport copy, photos and the NMAT result.
- Apply to CHED for the eligibility certificate and convert or extend your student visa through the university.
- Register for courses, choose a payment plan and start classes on Canvas.
Fee structure
| Tuition (USD) | Hostel (USD) | Approx. in rupees | |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD year 1 (official, Valenzuela campus)USD 3,500 a semester. Add a one-time, non-refundable foreign fee of USD 6,000, payable in the first year. | US$7,000 | US$1,500 | ≈ ₹7.8 lakh |
| MD years 2–4, per yearNot published. Assumed to be similar to year 1; ask the university for the full schedule. | US$7,000 | US$1,500 | ≈ ₹7.8 lakh |
| Estimated total (4 years) | US$34,000 | ≈ ₹31.3 lakh | |
OLFU's fee page for international medical students (Valenzuela campus, last updated April 2026) lists USD 3,500 as the first-year assessment for a semester and a one-time foreign fee of USD 6,000, which is non-refundable and payable within the first year. The page states fees may change without notice and does not list later years or the cost of the BS. Hostel figures are our estimates for private housing. Ask for a written schedule that covers every year of the BS and the MD, the internship, laboratory charges and graduation fees, and pay only to the university's own account. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want the official fee letter?Our counsellor will share the current fee schedule for Our Lady of Fatima University and a budget in rupees.
Recognition and accreditation
- World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS)Listed as F0000217 (Our Lady of Fatima University College of Medicine), instruction from 1979. The listing carries an ECFMG note for graduates from 1982 onwards and says a programme meets the Intealth recognised-accreditation policy. WDOMS says a listing is not accreditation.
- Commission on Higher Education (CHED), PhilippinesOLFU is a CHED-recognised university. CHED granted it autonomous status from 2009 to 2014, according to Wikipedia; ask for its current status.
- Medical Council of ThailandAccredited the College of Medicine's programme and teaching hospitals from 12 December 2019 to 11 December 2024, so that Thai nationals could study there. Ask whether this has been renewed.
- National Medical Commission (NMC), IndiaThe NMC does not approve foreign universities. It does not count the Philippine BS, so the MD alone must meet every FMGL 2021 condition. We found no NMC notice naming this university.
- Licence to practise in the Philippines (PRC)Foreigners can sit the Physician Licensure Examination only where reciprocity applies. The Embassy of India, Manila said in June 2026 that Indian guidance on this is awaited.
NMC eligibility depends on you, not only the university
Teaching hospitals
- Fatima University Medical Center, Valenzuela (on campus, about 150 beds)
- Peninsula Hospital Center, New York (listed by the college for clerkship)
- Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago (listed by the college for clerkship)
- Harbor Hospital, Baltimore (listed by the college for clerkship)
Hostel and campus life
Valenzuela is a busy industrial and residential city on the northern edge of Metro Manila. Foreign students usually rent rooms or small flats near MacArthur Highway and share with one to three others. Daily needs are easy to meet, with shopping centres such as SM Center Valenzuela nearby. OLFU has fewer Indian students than some other Philippine schools, so families should not expect a large Indian community or many Indian messes. The MD is demanding, with long hospital hours in the clerkship year.
Cost of living in Valenzuela City, Metro Manila
| Per month | In USD | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Shared room or small flat near campusA one-bedroom flat outside the centre in Manila is about ₱14,700 (about USD 250) on Numbeo | US$100–220per month | ≈ ₹9,200 – ₹20,240 |
| Food (self-cooking and local canteens)An inexpensive restaurant meal is about ₱350 (Numbeo) | US$100–180per month | ≈ ₹9,200 – ₹16,560 |
| Electricity, water and internet (shared) | US$30–60per month | ≈ ₹2,760 – ₹5,520 |
| Local transport (jeepney, bus, ride-hailing)A monthly public transport pass is about ₱800 (Numbeo) | US$15–40per month | ≈ ₹1,380 – ₹3,680 |
| Mobile phone and data | US$10–20per month | ≈ ₹920 – ₹1,840 |
| Rough monthly total | US$255–520 | ≈ ₹23,460 – ₹47,840 |
About Valenzuela City, Metro Manila
Valenzuela City is part of Metro Manila, north of Caloocan and Quezon City, along the MacArthur Highway and the North Luzon Expressway. It is a mix of factories, housing and shopping centres, and it is less expensive than central Manila. Ninoy Aquino International Airport is about an hour away by road, depending on traffic. The weather is hot and humid all year, with typhoons and flooding in the rainy season from about June to November.
Ranking
OLFU is not in the major global rankings. It does not appear in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, which included 35 Philippine universities.
Scholarships
The College of Medicine lists two schemes, 'OLFU's 100 Medical Scholars' (up to full tuition) and the Leonora Juzgaya Olivares Foundation Grant, plus sibling and alumni discounts. The pages do not say whether foreign students can apply. Ask the college in writing before counting on any scholarship.
Documents required
- Passport valid for the full course where possible (bio-page copy)
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets and passing certificates
- NEET-UG scorecard
- Apostilled bachelor's transcript of records and diploma (for the MD)
- NMAT result
- CHED Certificate of Eligibility for Admission to Medicine
- Police clearance from India, apostilled
- NBI clearance and Bureau of Quarantine stamp (for the student visa)
- Four 2x2 photographs with a white background
- Birth certificate
- Parents' affidavit of support and bank statements
- Medical report with chest X-ray
Ready to apply?Our counsellor will check your documents and NEET score and guide you through the admission letter and visa.
Other medical universities in Philippines
| University | City | Tuition / year |
|---|---|---|
| University of Perpetual Help System DALTA | Las Piñas, Metro Manila | US$5,000 |
| Davao Medical School Foundation | Davao City | US$4,000 |
| AMA School of Medicine | Makati, Metro Manila | US$4,000 |
| Lyceum-Northwestern University (Dr. Francisco Q. Duque Medical Foundation) | Dagupan City, Pangasinan | US$4,600 |
FAQs
Is the OLFU MD valid in India?
Not automatically. The NMC does not count the BS, so the MD alone must meet every FMGL 2021 condition. The college describes a four-year MD; ask in writing how many months of study it contains, because the NMC needs at least 54 months plus a 12-month internship at the same institution. The licence condition in the Philippines is also unresolved for Indian graduates.
What is the official fee?
For a first-year international MD student at the Valenzuela campus, OLFU lists USD 3,500 a semester and a one-time, non-refundable foreign fee of USD 6,000. Later years and the BS are not published.
Does my child need a BS first?
Yes. The MD needs a bachelor's degree and an NMAT result. The NMC does not count the BS, and an MD place is not guaranteed after it.
How do OLFU graduates do in the FMGE?
In 2025, 49 of 291 candidates from this college passed (16.8%), according to SchoolFinderPH's summary of NBEMS data. That is a little below the Philippine average of about 19%.
Where is the College of Medicine?
At the Valenzuela campus on MacArthur Highway, next to the Fatima University Medical Center. OLFU has other campuses, but medicine is listed only at Valenzuela.
Is there an Indian community?
There are Indian students, but fewer than at schools such as Davao Medical School Foundation or UPHSD. Expect to cook for yourself or eat local food.
Sources
- OLFU: College of Medicine tuition fees for international students (opens in a new tab)
- OLFU: College of Medicine programme page (opens in a new tab)
- OLFU: College of Medicine admission and scholarships (opens in a new tab)
- OLFU: College of Medicine for students living outside the Philippines (opens in a new tab)
- OLFU: accreditation by the Medical Council of Thailand, Feb 2020 (opens in a new tab)
- WDOMS: Our Lady of Fatima University College of Medicine (F0000217) (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia: Our Lady of Fatima University (history, medical centre, autonomy) (opens in a new tab)
- Embassy of India, Manila: Advisory on Medical Education in the Philippines, 17 Jun 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- NMC public notice, 22 Nov 2023, on FMGs from the Philippines (copy hosted by Medical Dialogues) (opens in a new tab)
- SchoolFinderPH, Sep 2026: FMGE pass rates for Philippine medical schools (citing NBEMS) (opens in a new tab)
- The POST: Philippine universities in QS Asia University Rankings 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Numbeo: cost of living in Manila (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.fatima.edu.ph (opens in a new tab)
Fees and rules change