The Asian Institute of Management (AIM) was established in 1968 in partnership with Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Harvard Business School, the Ford Foundation, as well as other visionaries of the Asian academic and business communities.

Until now, it remains to be one of the few business schools in Asia to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), one of the three major organizations responsible for the triple accreditation of business schools worldwide.

It’s also the only business school in the Philippines to be awarded four out of five Palmes of Excellence in the Palmes’ League, with the highest deans’ recommendation rate at 158%. The AIM also ranked 29th out of the 100 Most Popular Business Schools on find-mba.com.

What sets the AIM apart from other MBA schools is its emphasis on international business exposure. Students must take their learning to foreign AIM campuses in Asia to learn about different cultures and business practices.

For such an experience, you can already anticipate its high tuition fee. Its flagship MBA costs more or less Php 1.4M for a 12-month course — and although they offer a study-now-pay-later scheme and graduate study loans as payment options, a million pesos is still a hefty amount.

But if you find that the AIM’s MBA program is suited to your goals and financial capabilities, by all means, take the risk. After all, it’s a world-class business school that offers a competitive advantage and countless networking opportunities.

Next up on our list is the official MBA arm of De La Salle University, the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business. DLSU offers several specialization routes for its MBA program, including Financial Management, Human Resources, International Business, and others.

In addition to the general management training provided in the program, DLSU divides its MBA into subject majors as well. This allows students to develop specialized expertise in various disciplines of management if they wish to do so.

Ranking-wise, the school was given three out of five Palmes of Excellence and a 123% dean recommendation rate, placing second overall in the local Palmes’ League 2021. It was also able to rank among the 100 Most Popular Business Schools in 2020 by find-mba.com.

DLSU is also a great option for those who are looking to take their MBA studies while working, as its part-time program is among the top 20 in Asia. The duration lasts for one to two years depending on your chosen schedule, costing around P130,000 for a total of 36 units.

That said, it’s an elite program that will keep would-be and mid-level managers busy with quite a heavy workload. However, this rigorous training will help students learn the most essential foundational concepts, principles, and competencies in business administration.

The Ateneo Graduate School opened in Rockwell Center in Poblacion, Makati to house the separate schools of Business, Law, and Government in late 1998. Presently, its MBA program offers a flexible learning experience that’s more case- and workplace-oriented.

The MBA Standard program is a holistic leadership and development program designed for young adult practitioners, while the Middle Manager MBA program is geared towards professionals with supervisory and managerial positions.

In terms of rankings, the AGSB doesn’t fall short. With an average score of 4.6 out of 5.0, it placed first among the 199 local MBA programs reviewed by CHED and the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) back in 2005.

It also ranked 63rd out of the 100 Most Popular Business Schools in 2020 by find-mba.com. In 2021, it placed third overall in the Palmes’ League Philippines, with a score of three out of five Palmes of Excellence and a dean’s recommendation rate of 101%.

Tuition fees are quite expensive, averaging at Php 27,000 per course. Expect to have a tuition fee of no less than Php 300,000 per program — but this, of course, depends on the number of courses you wish to take per semester and other additional expenses.

However, those who prefer holistic learning will find that Ateneo provides a great environment for it. Students and educators are encouraged to follow a ‘Magis’ mindset, which entails ‘doing more’ in a qualitative sense – it’s a unique way to dive deeper into business learning.

The Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (VSB) of the University of the Philippines Diliman was established back in 1916. Their MBA program is ideal for all high-potential professionals, regardless of their affiliations with industrial, financial, government, or non-profit institutions.

All MBA students cover the functional areas in business, economics, applied mathematics, statistics, and behavioral science. Additionally, students can also pursue elective courses of their choosing on a trimestral basis to gain further expertise. 

It’s also important to note that the Graduate Program Admission Test (GPAT) of the VSB has extensive coverage of quantitative math, logic, and reading comprehension. Therefore, it’s advisable to prepare sufficiently for it. Of course, its high standards also reflect on its rankings.

According to the QS World University Ranking, the UP VSB remains to be the best university in the Philippines. It also placed fourth in the local Palmes’ League, with a score of three out of five Palmes of Excellence and a 76% dean’s recommendation rate.

Similar to DLSU’s MBA program, VSB offers an extensive part-time evening course that can be completed in three years, while its full-time day course can be completed in two years. Both its MBA and MSFin programs are only conducted on their BGC campus.

It is, however, one of the schools on this list with a more affordable tuition fee. UP VSB also doesn’t sacrifice education quality, striking a balance between technical training and problem-solving to help prepare students for a competitive business environment.

The University of Santo Tomas UST Graduate School has been granting masters and doctorals since the 17th century. Its full-time MBA program specifically is widely recognized by different organizations, so it’s a relevant entry on our list.

The school boasts a level IV accreditation status from the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA), making it almost on par with other MBA programs from excellent foreign universities.

Moreover, it has been granted two out of five Palmes of Excellence and a deans’ recommendation rate of 51%, placing fifth in the Philippines overall. The UST Grad School has also ranked 7th among all Philippine Business Schools in 2020 according to find-mba.com.

Future UST MBA students can choose between finance, human resources, production and operations, marketing, and strategy for their management track focus. Additionally, their communication, leadership, and ethical skills are polished during the program’s run.

Although non-business graduates are required to take nine units of foundational courses, all 45 units required will only take an average of two years to complete. It’s also the school offering the most affordable MBA program on this list, which gives it plus points.