Degree granting authority, accreditation, and certifications

Pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 569 (s. 1940), Republic Act No. 1068 (s. 1954), and Chapter 9, Subtitle II, Title VIII, Book IV of Executive Order No. 292 (s. 1987), the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) is vested with the authority to confer baccalaureate degrees upon cadets who have satisfactorily completed the prescribed course of study.

The Academy is recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as a Special Public Higher Educational Institution (SPHEI), as listed in the official registry of higher education institutions.

As defined by CHED, SPHEIs are public institutions established under special laws to fulfill the specific mandates of their parent agencies. They offer specialized academic, research, and technical assistance programs in fields such as public and business management, internal security, military science, and national defense.

CHED list of higher education institutions

The Academy has maintained ISO 9001:2015 certification since 2013 for its quality management system, covering the provision of academic instruction by the Headquarters Academic Group, from course design to posting of final grades in the PMA grades entry system. This certification remains valid until 16 December 2028.

The Academy became an Associate Member of the ASEAN University Network — Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) on 30 April 2025.

Currently, PMA is actively pursuing programme-level AUN-QA accreditation for its Bachelor of Science in Management major in Security Studies.

The AUN-QA Secretariat office is located at the 17th Floor, Chaloem Rajakumari 60 Building, Chulalongkorn University, Phayathai Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

AUN membership information | www.aunsec.org | AUN contact page

The Academy was granted Applicant Status by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) on 23 July 2026.

MSCHE is a recognized institutional accrediting body in the United States that accredits a diverse range of higher education institutions, including leading military academies, public and private universities, and specialized colleges.

Following the grant of Applicant Status, the Academy is currently undertaking the required preparations and institutional development activities to qualify for and pursue Candidate for Accreditation status, the next formal stage in the MSCHE accreditation pathway.

MSCHE applicant and candidate institutions | www.msche.org | MSCHE Contact Us page