Study English in the Philippines: what it really costs in 2026
Short answer: four weeks of English study in Clark, Philippines, costs from US$1,380 paid to the school (4 one-to-one classes a day, quad room). Add about US$212 in local government and dorm fees, plus your flight.
These are not "typical market rates". They are the prices Talk Academy (TALK), a licensed English school in Clark, currently has in its management system — the same source our quotes come from. Most cost articles give a range or leave out local fees, so the same four weeks look very different from one article to the next. Because the school is writing this one, every line has a real number.
Prices as of 9 October 2026. International students pay in US dollars. Promotions, exchange rates and school policy can change, so always confirm the final amount on your official quote before you enrol. Local fees are paid in Philippine pesos; we convert at US$1 ≈ ₱58, the rate the school uses.
The total at a glance: 1, 4 and 12 weeks
School fees (tuition + dorm + registration) plus local fees, per person, for TALK4 (4 one-to-one classes a day) — the most popular course. Flights are extra and depend on where you fly from.
| Length | Paid to the school (quad – single room) | Local fees | Total before flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 week | US$540 – 878 | ₱9,300 (≈ US$160) | ≈ US$700 – 1,040 |
| 4 weeks | US$1,380 – 2,130 | ₱12,300 (≈ US$212) | ≈ US$1,590 – 2,340 |
| 12 weeks | US$3,838 – 6,088 | ₱36,340 (≈ US$627) | ≈ US$4,470 – 6,720 |
School fees already include three weekday meals — they are part of the dorm fee (see "Meals" below).
Almost all of the spread comes from room type. For the same four weeks, a quad room and a single room differ by US$750 in school fees alone. After that come your flight season and the number of one-to-one classes per day.
Full price list by length (TALK4, paid to the school)
Tuition + dorm + registration fee (US$100).
| Length | Quad | 3+1 | Double | Single |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 week | US$540 | US$608 | US$720 | US$878 |
| 2 weeks | US$830 | US$928 | US$1,090 | US$1,318 |
| 4 weeks | US$1,380 | US$1,530 | US$1,780 | US$2,130 |
| 8 weeks | US$2,660 | US$2,960 | US$3,460 | US$4,160 |
| 12 weeks | US$3,838 | US$4,288 | US$5,038 | US$6,088 |
| 24 weeks | US$7,372 | US$8,272 | US$9,772 | US$11,872 |
How the numbers are built, so you can check them yourself:
- Tuition is pro-rated by week from the 4-week price (1 week = 25%, 8 weeks = 200%).
- Dorm is pro-rated from 4 weeks; 1–3 weeks carry a short-stay rate (1 week 45%, 2 weeks 65%, 3 weeks 85%).
- Long-stay discount: 5% off tuition from 12 weeks, 10% from 24 weeks (already applied above).
- Registration fee: US$100, paid once. Returning TALK students don't pay it.
Four-week prices by course and room
Changing the course only changes tuition; the dorm price stays the same.
| Course | Classes per day | 4-week tuition |
|---|---|---|
| TALK4 | 4 one-to-one | US$680 |
| TALK6 | 6 one-to-one | US$1,020 |
| TALK4 Hybrid | 4 one-to-one + 2 group | US$850 |
| TALK6 Hybrid | 6 one-to-one + 2 group | US$1,190 |
| SENIOR | 4 one-to-one | US$720 |
| BUSINESS | 6 one-to-one | US$1,020 |
| TOEIC | 6 one-to-one + 1 group | US$1,220 |
| IELTS | 6 one-to-one + 1 group | US$1,320 |
| TALK GOLF | 2 one-to-one + golf | US$340 |
| Dorm (4 weeks) | Price |
|---|---|
| Quad (Premium Quad) | US$600 |
| 3+1 (Premium 3+1) | US$750 |
| Double (Premium Double) | US$1,000 |
| Single (Premium Single) | US$1,350 |
Example: TALK6 + double room, 4 weeks = tuition 1,020 + dorm 1,000 + registration 100 = US$2,120.
Local fees: SSP, visa extension and dorm charges
These are required to study legally in the Philippines and are paid in pesos at the school office after you arrive. They are also the lines most often missing from other quotes.
| Item | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| SSP (Special Study Permit) | ₱7,800 | Every student · once per 26 weeks |
| Condo maintenance | ₱2,000 / 4 weeks | Dorm students · pro-rated by week |
| Electricity, water, internet | Single ₱3,500 · Double ₱3,000 · Triple ₱2,500 · Quad ₱2,000 / 4 weeks | Dorm students · per person · pro-rated by week |
| Student ID | ₱500 | Once |
| Visa extension | up to 4 weeks: 0 · 5–8 weeks: ₱5,130 · 9–15: ₱11,540 · 16–19: ₱16,080 · 20–23: ₱20,620 · 24: ₱26,600 | By length of stay |
| ACR I-Card (alien registration) | ₱4,500 | Stays of 9 weeks (59 days) or more |
| Deposit | ₱5,000 (family room ₱10,000) | Dorm students · refunded at check-out |
| Clark airport pick-up | ₱1,000 per group (up to 4) | Optional |
Added up by length (Quad room, excluding deposit and pick-up). Utilities are billed by room type, so add ₱500 for a Triple, ₱1,000 for a Double and ₱1,500 for a Single per 4 weeks:
| Length | Local fees | ≈ US$ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | ₱9,300 | 160 |
| 2 weeks | ₱10,300 | 178 |
| 4 weeks | ₱12,300 | 212 |
| 8 weeks | ₱21,430 | 369 |
| 12 weeks | ₱36,340 | 627 |
| 24 weeks | ₱63,400 | 1,093 |
The visa-extension column assumes a passport that can enter the Philippines visa-free for about 30 days, which covers many nationalities. Visa-free periods depend on your passport and can change — check with the Philippine embassy or consulate before you book. Only licensed schools can process the SSP; if another school's quote has no SSP line, ask why before you pay. The full process is in Do You Need a Visa to Study English in Philippines?, and the documents to bring are in SSP Philippines Student Permit: Documents to Bring.
Meals: included in the dorm fee
Every room type includes three weekday meals plus cleaning and laundry in the dorm fee — Single through Quad and family rooms alike, and the same for every nationality. There is nothing to choose and nothing extra to pay.
Meals are served on weekdays (Monday to Friday) only. They are not served at weekends or on public holidays, so you cook or eat out on those days. The dorm is condo-style with a kitchen, and there are supermarkets and restaurants within walking distance.
When you compare schools, compare "with meals" against "with meals". A quote that looks cheaper often looks that way because the food is not in it. TALK's number already includes it.
Flights and other costs
Clark International Airport (CRK) is a short drive from the school; you can also fly into Manila and transfer by road (about 1.5–2 hours). Fares depend entirely on your route and season, so price them before you set your budget. Also plan for travel insurance, textbooks (bought on site), weekend spending and a contingency — Clark is not a tourist-priced area, so eating out is relatively modest.
Current offers (October 2026)
- Holiday-week waiver: tuition and dorm are free for the week falling between 27 December 2026 and 2 January 2027 (minimum 2-week enrolment).
- Some countries have their own seasonal promotions. Your official quote shows whatever applies to you.
Five realistic ways to spend less
- Choose the room first. It moves the total more than anything else — US$750 between single and quad over four weeks.
- Budget for weekend food only. Weekday meals are included; weekends and public holidays are not. Every dorm room has a kitchen (induction hob, rice cooker, microwave), so cooking even one or two weekend meals keeps eating-out costs down.
- Watch the 4- and 8-week thresholds. Past 4 weeks a visa extension is added; from 9 weeks the ACR I-Card too.
- Stay 12 weeks or more for the long-stay discount (5% off tuition, 10% from 24 weeks) instead of extending in short blocks.
- Match one-to-one classes to your goal. You don't need TALK6 from day one — many students start with TALK4 and add classes later.
Checklist for comparing quotes
- Total classes per day — and how many are one-to-one
- Room type, meals included or not, and how many
- Every local fee (SSP, visa extension, ACR, condo, utilities) with amounts
- Registration fee, deposit and refund conditions
- Whether promotions apply to tuition only or the dorm too
- Flights — direct or not, round-trip total
FAQ
How much does it cost to study English in the Philippines for a month?
At TALK, from US$1,380 paid to the school (TALK4, quad room) plus about US$212 in local fees — roughly US$1,590–2,340 before flights, depending on the room. Three weekday meals are already inside that figure.
What about three months (12 weeks)?
US$3,838 (quad) to US$6,088 (single) in school fees, plus about US$627 in local fees including visa extension and ACR — about US$4,470–6,720 before flights. The 12-week long-stay discount is already included.
Why isn't one week a quarter of four?
Tuition is exactly a quarter, but the dorm has a short-stay rate and the SSP (₱7,800) is charged once whatever the length. The shorter the stay, the higher the weekly cost.
A quote has no SSP. Is that normal?
It may just be written differently — or it may be a warning sign. Only licensed schools can process the SSP, so ask for an itemised quote in writing.
Get an exact quote through a partner agency
The prices here are the school's current system values; your actual amount is confirmed by the promotion, room allocation and exchange rate at enrolment. Tell a TALK partner agency your start date, length, room and course, and they will prepare a free quote from this price list.