Thomasian Identity

July 24, 1605

Archbishop Miguel de Benavides, O.P. initiated the founding of UST by donating 1,500 and his personal library to establish a seminary-college for priestly formation.

April 28, 1611

Founding of the University of Santo Tomas, the oldest existing university in Asia and largest Catholic university in the world in a single campus.

Intramuros (walled city of manila)

Original campus of UST and was first named Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario and then later renamed to Colegio de Santo Tomas.

July 29, 1619

Authorized to confer academic degrees in theology and philosophy.

November 20, 1645

Pope Innocent X elevated the college to a university.

1680

The year UST received the Royal Decree granting it the title of "Royal University of Santo Tomas." Placed under the royal patronage of the Spanish monarchy.

King Charles II gave it royal patronage in…

1681

Pope Innocent XI declared it a Public University of General Studies allowing it to confer other degrees.

1734

Pope Clement XII authorized the University to confer degrees in all existing faculties as well as in all others that might be introduced in the future. The Pope also approved the curriculum in the entire field of jurisprudence.

1762

British invasion of the Philippines where four companies (400 men) of UST students and professors helped to recapture Manila.

1768

Expulsion of the Society of Jesus from the Philippines left the University of Santo Tomas as the only institution of higher learning in the islands and at the hands of Dominican administration.

May 20, 1865

Queen Isabella II granted the University authority to oversee all schools in the Philippines. The UST Rector became the ex-officio head of secondary and higher education, with all school diplomas requiring his approval and examinations supervised by Dominican professors of UST.

May 20, 1785

King Charles III of Spain officially bestowed the title Real on UST as recognition of its loyalty to Spain and the university’s help against British invasion in the Philippines.

1623

Philip IV granted royal approval to the university.

September 17, 1902

Pope Leo XIII, through Quae Mari Sinico, bestowed the title of Pontifical University. This is Asia's only remaining Pontifical University.

April 30, 1947

Pope Pius XII, through the decree Sacrae Congregationis de Seminariis et Studiorum Universitatibus, bestowed the title of "The Catholic University of the Philippines.”

Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas: The Catholic University of the Philippines

UST’s official name