Ateneo de Manila University Senior High School

Families comparing international schools in Manila sometimes look beyond the foreign internationals to the strong local options, and Ateneo de Manila Senior High School is one of the most recognised. It is a Filipino Jesuit institution following the national curriculum, not an international school, but for internationally minded local families and returning Filipino expatriates it is a serious alternative. This profile sets out what GlobalSchoolGuide Editorial has verified about the school. We are independent and no school pays to be listed, so this is a reference for relocating parents rather than a prospectus.

The Ateneo de Manila traces its origins to 1859 and is one of the oldest and most influential Jesuit universities in the Philippines. The senior high school is the youngest part of that long history, created as the country moved to a K to 12 system: the unit has admitted Grade 11 and Grade 12 students since 2013 and became coeducational in 2016. It is a distinctively Filipino and Catholic institution, where the academic programme is set within the Jesuit tradition of forming the whole person. For wider context on what schools across the city charge, see our guide to international school fees in Manila.

Curriculum and academics

Ateneo Senior High School follows the Philippine K to 12 senior high school programme rather than the IB or a British or American international curriculum. Pupils in Grades 11 and 12 study within the academic track, choosing a strand that shapes their final two years and points toward a university course, alongside the core subjects every Filipino senior high school student takes. The strand based structure remains in place for the 2026 to 2027 year. The Jesuit educational tradition adds a strong emphasis on reflection, service and ethics, which is the school's defining character and the reason many families choose it over a secular or foreign alternative. Graduates progress overwhelmingly into Philippine universities, including the Ateneo itself, with the national senior high school diploma as the exit qualification.

Ateneo de Manila Senior High School fees

As a Jesuit university senior high school following the national curriculum, Ateneo Senior High School sits well below the international school tier on fees, though it is a private school with its own tuition that is meaningfully higher than a public school. The university sets the schedule each year, and we do not publish invented figures, so the only reliable number is the one the admissions office confirms for your child's strand and year. To see how local options compare with the international tier, read our overview of international school fees in Manila or the roundup of cheapest international schools in Manila, then model a budget with our school fee calculator.

• Tuition: set annually by the university; below the international tier but a private fee
• Miscellaneous fees: charged alongside tuition for facilities and services
• Application: a fee to sit the admissions process
• Extras: uniforms, materials and activities billed in addition

Admissions

The school admits for the August academic year and runs an annual cycle for Grade 11 entry, the start of senior high school. Admission is competitive and typically involves an application and an assessment, with places shaped by the strand a student chooses. Because this is a Filipino national curriculum school, families relocating from abroad should check how a child's previous schooling maps onto the Philippine senior high school stage before applying. The university admissions pages carry the exact testing and application dates each year, and the office can confirm the documents required.

Location and who goes there

Ateneo Senior High School is on the Ateneo de Manila University campus on Katipunan Avenue in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, in the northern part of Metro Manila. The campus is large and green, shared with the university, and sits in an established academic district alongside other major universities, which gives the area a student centred character and good transport links across the north of the city. Families in Quezon City and the northern suburbs are closest, and the location suits households already settled in that part of Metro Manila.

The community is overwhelmingly Filipino, including many families with strong professional and academic ties to the Ateneo network, which is part of the appeal for returning Filipino expatriates who want a Jesuit education with a recognised national name. It is less likely to suit a short term foreign posting that needs an internationally portable qualification, and those families usually look to the IB and American internationals in the southern corridor instead. For a fuller picture of the alternatives, see our directory of international schools in Manila before booking visits.

Reviews

No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide collects first hand parent reviews so relocating families can judge schools on evidence rather than marketing. If your family has attended Ateneo de Manila Senior High School, you can add your experience through our school reviews page. We publish reviews unedited except for moderation.

Frequently asked questions

If Ateneo Senior High School is on your list, it helps to weigh it against the international options families also shortlist in the city. Our roundup of the cheapest international schools in Manila and the full directory of international schools in Manila are good next steps before you decide.