About Studycation PH

What this site is, who writes it, and the standards we hold ourselves to.

What this site is

Studycation PH is an information site for people heading to the Philippines to study English or to travel. The name joins 'study' and 'vacation' — the distinctly Filipino rhythm of learning English on weekdays and heading out to an island at the weekend.

Who writes this

The site is run by Timothy Lee. He has lived in the Philippines for 27 years, six of them in Clark, Pampanga. The site is built on what he has seen and experienced on the ground over that time, together with official sources. An article written after a short trip to the Philippines and one assembled from years of living here are bound to be different.

Why we built it

There is no shortage of writing about the Philippines online, but much of it is years out of date or was published to promote a particular business. If it is your first time, telling fact from sales pitch is genuinely hard. So we decided to publish only what can be verified, with nothing written to order.

How we decide what to publish

First, we do not recommend particular language schools or agencies. We give you the criteria to judge for yourself instead. Second, we give costs and figures as ranges and state when they were checked, because exchange rates and seasons move them. Third, when something is unconfirmed, we say so plainly.

How the site is funded

There is no advertising on this site. There are also no articles written in exchange for payment from any business. This is where the person who runs it sets down what he has accumulated over many years of living in the Philippines.

The limits of this information

Rules and prices in the Philippines change often. Visa and SSP requirements, airfares and local prices in particular can look very different from one month to the next. If an important decision depends on it, always confirm the current details directly with the relevant authority or provider.