Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) College of Medicine: Fees, Admission and FMGE Review for Indian Students

Our Lady of Fatima University at a glance

Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) is a private university in Metro Manila whose College of Medicine offers a Doctor of Medicine (MD), the Philippine equivalent of an MBBS. The MD is listed as a 4-year, 150-credit programme on the Valenzuela campus, where OLFU says a new building for the programme is being built. OLFU describes itself as an autonomous university with ISO 9001:2015 certification and a QS Stars rating of four stars.

For Indian students, OLFU stands out for one practical reason: it publishes an international fee schedule in US dollars, which most Philippine medical schools do not. It is also one of the colleges that markets a US connection, which matters if you are considering the USMLE.

How much does OLFU cost for Indian students?

OLFU's College of Medicine fee page for international students (Valenzuela campus) lists:

• 1st year, international student: US$3,500 as the "total assessment for the semester" — about $7,000 a year (≈ ₹6.6 lakh) if both semesters are charged at that rate.
• Foreign fee: US$6,000, "non-refundable; one time payment payable in one year".
• A note that fees may change without prior notice. The Doctor of Medicine page also mentions a ₱20,000 down payment.

Estimated MD cost. Four years of tuition at $7,000 plus the $6,000 foreign fee is about $34,000 (≈ ₹32 lakh). Add accommodation and living costs in Metro Manila: Numbeo puts a one-bedroom flat outside the centre at about ₱18,600 a month and other monthly costs for a single person at about $575 (November 2026). Over four years, a realistic total is $34,000–$48,000 (≈ ₹32–45 lakh) depending on how you live. This excludes the pre-medical bachelor's degree, the NMAT, visas and flights.

Only the first-year rate is published, so ask OLFU to confirm in writing whether the semester fee changes in later years.

Admission requirements and process

The MD is a graduate-entry programme. To be admitted you need:

1. A bachelor's degree. CEM, which runs the national admission test, states that MD applicants "must be a holder of any baccalaureate degree".
2. An NMAT score taken no more than two years before admission (CHED Memorandum Order No. 18, s. 2016). OLFU sets its own cut-off; ask for it.
3. A Certificate of Eligibility for Admission to a Medical Course issued by CHED.
4. NEET-UG qualification if you are an Indian citizen who wants to practise in India later. See NEET for MBBS abroad.

International applicants apply through OLFU's International Admissions Portal (create an account, fill in the form, upload documents and track progress). The university names admissions staff on its international students page for visa questions.

Is OLFU's MD recognised for practice in India?

Not automatically. NMC does not approve individual universities; it checks each graduate against FMGL 2021. For a Philippine college, the key issues are:

• The BS does not count. NMC de-recognised the Philippine BS course from 18 November 2021. The MD alone must provide at least 54 months of study.
• Internship at the same institution. FMGL requires a 12-month internship at the same foreign institution. Ask OLFU where its foreign graduates do their post-graduate internship.
• Licence on par with citizens. The Indian Embassy in Manila's June 2026 advisory says foreigners can sit the Physician Licensure Examination only under reciprocity, and that guidance from Indian authorities is still awaited.

CHED told the Indian Embassy in May 2025 that Philippine MDs comply with FMGL, but students disputed this in September 2025. Until NMC itself clarifies, treat any college in the Philippines as a case-by-case risk. The Philippines country hub has the full timeline.

FMGE performance of OLFU graduates

OLFU's results have been consistently below average in the latest NBEMS data:

For comparison, all Philippine graduates passed at about 18.8% in 2025 and all countries at about 21.5%. Most of these candidates began their studies before FMGL 2021, so the numbers describe older cohorts. Read the FMGE exam guide to plan your preparation.

The US angle: NYSED accreditation and New York clerkships

OLFU says its Doctor of Medicine is "fully accredited by the New York State Education Department" and that it is the first Philippine medical school to have an institution-to-institution clerkship programme, under which fourth-year students can train at accredited hospitals in New York. It also highlights top-10 finishes ("topnotchers") in the Philippine licensure exam.

This is attractive if you are aiming for the USMLE, but remember that USMLE eligibility is governed by ECFMG's own rules, and that it does nothing for Indian registration, which still needs FMGE and an Indian internship. See USMLE and PLAB after MBBS abroad and WDOMS, ECFMG and WFME recognition.

Life in Valenzuela and Metro Manila

Valenzuela is a city in the north of Metro Manila, so you have the capital's hospitals, airports and Indian groceries within reach, along with its traffic, heat and higher prices. English is widely spoken, which makes daily life and patient contact easier than in non-English-speaking destinations. The rainy season brings typhoons that can disrupt classes and travel.

Who should consider OLFU?

OLFU suits a student who already holds (or will complete) a bachelor's degree, is comfortable with the regulatory uncertainty around the Philippine MD, and values a Manila location and US clinical links. If your main goal is to practise in India with the lowest licensing risk, compare the Davao Medical School Foundation and other countries with clearer FMGL fit, such as Nepal, using our country finder.

Pros and cons of OLFU

Advantages

• Published international fee schedule in US dollars, which many Philippine colleges do not provide
• English-medium, US-style graduate-entry MD in Metro Manila
• US links: NYSED accreditation and New York clerkship options, as stated by OLFU
• Autonomous university status and ISO 9001:2015 certification, as stated by OLFU

Drawbacks

• FMGE pass rate of about 16–17% in 2024 and 2025, below the Philippine and all-country averages
• One-time $6,000 foreign fee on top of tuition
• Philippine MD compliance with NMC FMGL 2021 and licence reciprocity for Indians are unresolved
• Metro Manila living costs are the highest in the Philippines