The University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University have dropped out of the top 200 in the 2027 QS World University Rankings: Asia, ending more than 15 years in which four Philippine schools held places in that tier, according to London-based higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds, which released the rankings on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Only the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University now represent the Philippines among Asia's top 200 universities — a first for the country, QS said.
UP and Ateneo Hold the Line, But Both Slide
The University of the Philippines placed 123rd, down from 104th in the 2026 edition. QS noted that UP has been the top-ranked Philippine university for the 16th consecutive year, though the Manila Bulletin reported that its 123rd-place finish is its lowest ever in the Asia rankings.
Ateneo de Manila University placed 151st, down from 141st. The Manila Bulletin also reported that this is the first time Ateneo has ranked outside the top 150. In its own announcement, Ateneo said it remains the country's top private institution and ranks 41st among Southeast Asian universities.
UST and DLSU Fall Just Below the Cutoff
UST placed 202nd, down from 184th in the previous edition. DLSU placed 204th, down from 178th. Both fell just below the top-200 threshold, ending a streak that QS said had lasted more than 15 years.
"For the first time, it is represented just twice among the top 200 in 2027," QS senior vice president Ben Sowter said of the Philippines in the rankings release.
UST passed DLSU in the overall Philippine standings and is now ranked third among the country's universities, up from fourth, according to The Varsitarian, the UST student publication.
45 Philippine Schools Ranked, But Most Dropped
QS ranked 45 Philippine universities in the 2027 edition, up from 35 in the 2026 edition, with ten schools appearing on the list for the first time. The rankings body said this makes the Philippines the 13th most represented higher education system in the rankings.
Despite the broader inclusion, the overall trend was downward. Of the Philippine schools that were also ranked in the previous edition, only three moved up, eight held their positions, and 24 dropped, according to QS.
Three Philippine Schools Improved Their Standing
Mapúa University rose to 494th from 544th. Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology improved to 678th from the 731–740 band. Angeles University Foundation moved up to the 1,101–1,200 band from the 1,201–1,300 band.
Other Top-1,000 Schools Fall, Including Silliman University
Among Philippine schools ranked in the top 1,000 that slid in the 2027 edition, Adamson University placed 509th, down from 464th. The University of San Carlos placed 549th, down from 507th.
Silliman University in Dumaguete City fell to the 741–750 band from 694th in the previous edition. The Polytechnic University of the Philippines fell to the 751–760 band from 671st.
QS Senior VP Calls for Reform and Investment
Sowter said many of the Philippines' neighbors in Asia are outpacing its higher education system and called for structural change.
"Ambitious and innovative reforms, policy adjustments and investment are needed to ensure the Philippines keeps up with the evolving higher education landscape across Asia," Sowter said.
How QS Scores Universities in Asia
QS evaluates universities across Asia using 11 indicators. Academic reputation carries the most weight at 30 percent, followed by employer reputation at 20 percent. Faculty-student ratio, international research network, and citations per paper each count for 10 percent. Papers per faculty and staff with doctorates account for 5 percent each. International faculty, international students, inbound exchange students, and outbound exchange students each contribute 2.5 percent.
Hong Kong and China Lead the Regional Rankings
The University of Hong Kong retained the top spot on the Asia list. Peking University held second place, while Tsinghua University rose six places to third. The 2027 edition ranked more than 1,720 universities across 26 locations, up from approximately 1,530 in the previous year, according to QS.
Separate from Global Rankings, Where PH Also Fell
The QS Asia rankings are published separately from the QS World University Rankings, which were released in June 2026. In that global list, all five ranked Philippine universities also fell, according to QS.
QS has published its Asia-specific rankings annually since 2009.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of QS Quacquarelli Symonds