University of San Carlos

University of San Carlos (USC) is a private, Catholic, research, coeducational basic and higher education institution administered by the Philippine Southern Province of the Society of the Divine Word missionaries in Cebu City, Philippines.

The University of San Carlos (USC) has a long and rich history, dating back to its founding in 1595 as the Colegio de San Ildefonso by Spanish Jesuit missionaries. The school was initially established to provide primary and secondary education to the children of Spanish settlers and Filipino converts to Christianity.

In 1769, the Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines by the Spanish government, and the Colegio de San Ildefonso was closed. However, the school was reopened in 1783 as the Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos, which offered both primary and secondary education, as well as a seminary program for the training of Catholic priests.

In 1930, the Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos was divided into two separate institutions: the Colegio de San Carlos (CSC) and the Seminario de San Carlos. The CSC continued to offer primary and secondary education, while the Seminario de San Carlos focused on the training of Catholic priests.

In 1935, the CSC was turned over to the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), a Catholic missionary order. The SVD missionaries continued to operate the CSC as a primary and secondary school, but they also began to expand the school's offerings to include tertiary education.

In 1948, the CSC was granted university status by the Philippine government, and it officially became the University of San Carlos (USC). USC continued to grow and expand in the following decades, and it is now one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the Philippines.

Today, USC offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. USC is a leading institution of higher education in the Philippines, and is committed to providing its students with a quality education that will help them to succeed in their careers and make a positive contribution to society.

University of San Carlos is ranked as the #5 top university in Philippines during 2025. This is the same rank as last year.

University Profile

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2025 Ranking	#5
University Name	University of San Carlos
Acronym	USC
Year Established	1595
Motto	Scientia, Virtus, Devotio
Motto in English	Knowledge, Virtue or Moral Character, Devotion
Governing Type	Private (Not for Profit)
Student Body	Co-education
Highest Degree	Doctorate
Religious Affiliation	Christianity
Campus Type	Urban
Colors	Green and golden yellow

Location

The university is located in Cebu City, Central Visayas. Find the address and map of the university below.

Address	P. del Rosario Street, Cebu City, Central Visayas, Philippines

Contact

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Phone	+63 (32) 253 1000
Fax	+63 (32) 255 4341
Website	Click here
Email	Click here to send email
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Admission Info

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Accepts International Students	Yes
Student Body	Men and Women
Admission Info	Click here

Scholarship and Financial Aids

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Programs and Courses

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	Bachelor's Degrees	Master's Degrees	Doctorate Degrees	Diplomas
Arts & Humanities				n/a
Business & Social Sciences				n/a
Engineering			n/a	n/a
Language & Cultural Studies			n/a	n/a
Medicine & Health			n/a	n/a
Science & Technology				n/a

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Ranking History

The following chart shows how the ranking of this university in Philippines has changed over the last 5 years.

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