Phinma Education

What Phinma Education does

PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc. (PEHI) is the largest private higher education network in Southeast Asia by enrollment, operating 14 colleges and universities across the Philippines and Indonesia and serving approximately 178,000 students as of FY2024-2025. The company was founded in 2004 with the acquisition of PHINMA Araullo University and has grown almost entirely through acquiring underperforming schools and reinvigorating them under a "bare-bones, no-frills, brass knuckles" operating model. Its portfolio spans 12 Philippine institutions (PHINMA AU, COC, UPang, UI, SWU PHINMA, the Saint Jude College network in Manila/QC/Cavite, Rizal and Union Colleges of Laguna, and the newly acquired Southeastern College) and two Indonesian institutions under the Horizon Education brand (Horizon University Indonesia and Kalbis University).

The company's core pedagogical platform combines Active Learning methodology with the Student Success Program (SSP), an academic coaching, career mentoring, and life guidance system built around three mindsets: "I want, I can, I belong." Financial access is delivered through the Hawak Kamay Scholarship (PHP 5,500/semester at the lowest tier, no entrance exam, no grade maintenance), the Sahabat Horizon Scholarship (up to 50% tuition in Indonesia), and the Albarracin Scholarship Fund. Outcomes include an 89% first-time licensure exam pass rate, 80% employment within one year of graduation, 242 board topnotchers, and 43,000 licensed professionals since 2004. Revenue comes predominantly from tuition and fees across the network, supported by impact and development capital from investors including KKR (Global Impact Fund II), Kaizenvest, FMO, and the Asian Development Bank. PHINMA Corporation remains the majority shareholder, with Dr. Chito B. Salazar as President & CEO since 2004.

In FY2024-2025, PEHI reported PHP 6.5 billion in revenue (14% YoY growth), PHP 2.2 billion in EBITDA (15% YoY growth), and PHP 1.5 billion in net income. Recent strategic activity includes the PHP 690 million acquisition of Southeastern College (March 2026), a PHP 825 million Kaizenvest investment (August 2025), and capacity expansion via new campuses in Butuan, Roxas, San Pablo, and Bacolod, plus a new Indonesia campus and major facility builds (Horizon East, RVR Building, Aurora Building). The company's primary customer segments are first-generation college students from low-income Filipino and Indonesian families, with secondary segments including working students and 4Ps government-beneficiary families.

Name

Phinma Education

Legal name

PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc.

Website

https://phinma.edu.ph

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

PHINMA Education Holdings is the largest private higher education network in Southeast Asia, operating 14 colleges and universities in the Philippines and Indonesia serving ~178,000 underserved, first-generation students through affordable tuition, proprietary coaching programs, and acquired-school turnaround.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Makati

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition fees across 13+ schools in the Philippines and Indonesia. The company maintains affordable pricing through cost-efficient 'bare-bones' operations.
2. Investment Capital: Fresh capital from investors including KKR and Kaizenvest to fund expansion into new geographic markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Phinma Education operates a network of 13+ colleges and universities across the Philippines and Indonesia, delivering affordable tertiary and professional education to first-generation, low-income students. The company acquires underperforming private schools and applies a "bare-bones, no-frills, brass knuckles" cost model combined with Active Learning methods, the Student Success Program, and the Hawak Kamay scholarship to make higher education accessible.

Product overview

PHINMA Education is a network of 13 colleges and universities across the Philippines and Indonesia operating under a unified 'bare-bones, no-frills, brass knuckles' strategy. The portfolio includes nine institutions in the Philippines (PHINMA Araullo University, PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, PHINMA University of Pangasinan, PHINMA University of Iloilo, Southwestern University PHINMA, PHINMA Saint Jude College network with campuses in Manila, Quezon City, and Dasmariñas Cavite, PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna, and PHINMA Union College of Laguna) and two in Indonesia (Horizon University Indonesia and Kalbis University). The network is supported by scholarship programs (Hawak Kamay, Hawak Kamay 5.5, Sahabat Horizon, Albarracin Fund), pedagogical approaches (Active Learning, Student Success Program, Core Work Skills), and community initiatives (First 1,000 Days Program). The most recent addition is Southeastern College in Pasay (acquired March 2026), bringing the network to 14 institutions serving approximately 178,000 students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hawak Kamay Scholarship: PHINMA Education's flagship scholarship program reducing tuition fees to as low as PHP5,500 per semester with no entrance exam or grade requirements.
• Student Success Program (SSP)
• Horizon Education
• Sahabat Horizon Scholarship
• First 1,000 Days (F1KD) Program

Products and services

• PHINMA Araullo University (AU) Multi-campus university in Cabanatuan City and San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, offering basic, tertiary, and professional education programs. First PHINMA Education institution, acquired in 2004.
• PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (COC) The largest private college in Northern Mindanao, with campuses in Carmen, Puerto, and Iligan, serving more than 38,000 underserved students.
• PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang) University in Dagupan and Urdaneta offering comprehensive programs including top-performing nursing and accountancy courses.
• PHINMA University of Iloilo (UI) Historic university continuing its tradition of quality learning toward national development, recognized for criminology and nursing programs.
• Southwestern University (SWU) PHINMA University in Cebu City with affiliated Southwestern University Medical Center, offering diverse programs including business, health sciences, and engineering.
• PHINMA Saint Jude College Manila (SJCM) College in Sampaloc, Manila serving students in the National Capital Region with multiple degree programs.
• PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City (SJCQC) College in Quezon City serving students in Metro Manila's National Capital Region with multiple degree programs.
• PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (RCL) College in Calamba, Laguna offering programs in Criminology, Accountancy, Business Administration, Tourism Management, Psychology, Civil Engineering, and Secondary Education.
• PHINMA Union College of Laguna (UCL)

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% average first-time passing rate for licensure exams across the network
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Harvard Business SchoolflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026PHINMA Education was selected as FIELD Global Capstone Project Partner, hosting Harvard Business School students for immersive learning experiences. Students conduct field research and present recommendations for improving student success.
• Syntactics Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company partnered with PHINMA COC for thesis panel participation and hiring of graduating students. Active in skills development through webinars and student/faculty internships.
• Pioneer Life Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance company partnership with PHINMA COC for training and employing graduates. Trainees consistently exceed expectations demonstrating professional and ethical attributes.
• DNA MicrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology services provider partnered with SWU PHINMA for IT student internship programs, scholarships, and curriculum support on new technology and industry trends.
• Torres Technology Center Corporation (TTECH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company partnered with PHINMA Education for internship, employment, and immersion opportunities for students in STEM, ABM, HUMMs, and GAS courses. Flagship I-Leap program provides workplace learning.
• Asian Breast CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare organization provides world-class internship and employment opportunities for Allied Health students. Exposes students to state-of-the-art breast cancer technology including Molecular Breast Imaging and Thermalytix.
• ConcentrixminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal CX solutions provider exploring partnership plans with PHINMA Education for student placement and training.
• The Medical City IloilocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partnered with PHINMA University of Iloilo for Clinical Nurse Residency Program, providing career opportunities for nursing students.
• WTW (Willis Towers Watson)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm partnered with PHINMA Saint Jude College for Socio-economic Inclusion Program, helping college students finish education while working part-time.
• Asian Psychological Services and Assessment (APSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssessment organization partnered with PHINMA Education to conduct Standards-Based Assessment (SBA) testing for approximately 40,000 college freshmen annually, measuring proficiency against national and international standards.
• Triputra Persada Horizon Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndonesian foundation partnered with PHINMA Education for joint venture establishing IPM in 2019 to oversee Horizon University Indonesia and Kalbis University.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• STI Education Systems Holdings: Philippine-listed private higher education and K-12 network with multiple campuses, similar affordable tuition positioning and scale-driven model; directly comparable as another large PH private tertiary group serving middle- and lower-income students.
• Lyceum of the Philippines University: Large private university system in Metro Manila and Batangas offering similar undergraduate programs in business, IT, engineering, nursing, and hospitality; competes head-to-head with Phinma SJC Manila and other PHINMA NCR schools for the same student base.
• National University (Philippines): Private Philippine university with multiple campuses and a long-standing focus on accessible higher education for working students; competes with Phinma COC, UPang, and other PHINMA regional schools on affordability and board exam performance.
• Centro Escolar University: Private Manila-based university with a similarly long history of pharmacy, nursing, and education programs; comparable tier of tuition and student demographic to Phinma SJC Manila and PHINMA UI in Iloilo.
• Far Eastern University: Established private university in Manila with comparable tuition level and broad undergraduate offerings; competes with PHINMA Saint Jude College and other NCR Phinma schools for similar Manila-based students.
• University of the East: Large private Manila university network offering affordable programs in business, law, engineering, and medicine; directly competes with PHINMA SJC Manila and SJCQC on price-sensitive Metro Manila students.
• Universitas Bina Nusantara (BINUS): One of Indonesia's largest private higher education groups with multiple campuses and similar vocational/professional orientation; directly comparable to Horizon University and Kalbis within Phinma's Indonesia footprint.

Broad incumbents

• De La Salle University: Top-tier Philippine private university system serving a higher-income bracket; competes for talent and employer partnerships, but at a meaningfully higher price point than Phinma's bare-bones positioning.

Regional players

• Universitas Multimedia Nusantara: Private Indonesian university focused on IT, business, and design programs near Jakarta; competes with Kalbis University for Indonesian students in Greater Jakarta, the same metro Phinma entered in 2024.

Emerging players

• Navitas: Global private higher education provider operating in multiple emerging markets including parts of SEA; comparable as a scaled platform pursuing similar pathways (acquisitions, partnerships, pathway programs) into underserved tertiary markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/phinmaeducation
• Facebookfacebook.com/phinmaeducation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phinmaeducation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Phinma Education