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Studying nursing in the Philippines offers a financially viable and high-quality alternative for Americans seeking to avoid crippling student debt and pursue a stable healthcare career.
The video explores the possibility of an American, Alex, pursuing a nursing degree at Silliman University in the Philippines at age 32. Facing questions about long-term financial stability beyond his YouTube career, Alex considers nursing as a practical option due to the Philippines' strong reputation in healthcare education and significantly lower costs compared to the U.S. He aims to graduate debt-free and potentially return to the U.S. to practice as a registered nurse, leveraging the high demand and earning potential in the American healthcare system.
Alex highlights the stark contrast between U.S. and Philippine educational expenses, noting that tuition at Silliman is approximately $900 per semester, with overall living costs around $600 per month. This makes the total cost for a two-year program substantially less than a fraction of U.S. tuition, avoiding the burden of student loans. He emphasizes that the quality of education is comparable to prestigious U.S. institutions, citing the success of international healthcare workers in countries like the U.S., Australia, and Canada.
The discussion also touches upon the advantages of studying abroad as a non-traditional student, suggesting a more mature and focused academic environment away from the typical distractions of American college campuses. Alex posits that educational tourism will become increasingly popular as Americans seek better return on investment for their education. He believes that institutions like Silliman offer a serious academic atmosphere, driven by the significant sacrifices families make for their children's education in Asia, contrasting it with the 'party school' culture sometimes found in the U.S.
Americans can study nursing in the Philippines to access high-quality education at a fraction of the cost compared to the U.S. This approach allows for a debt-free nursing degree, leveraging the country's global reputation in healthcare training.
Yes, studying nursing in the Philippines is significantly more affordable for Americans. Tuition at institutions like Silliman University is around $900 per semester, with living costs approximately $600 per month, making it a financially viable option.
Absolutely. The low tuition and living expenses in the Philippines make it possible for Americans to complete their nursing education without incurring substantial student loan debt. This allows graduates to enter the workforce with greater financial freedom.
The cost difference is substantial; U.S. nursing programs can cost tens of thousands of dollars annually, while a full nursing degree in the Philippines, including living expenses, can be obtained for a much lower total sum, often less than a single year in the U.S.
Silliman University is presented as a well-funded institution offering a serious academic environment for nursing education. It's highlighted as a place where students can receive a quality education comparable to prestigious U.S. programs.
Americans can study nursing abroad by researching reputable institutions in countries like the Philippines, which are known for healthcare education. This involves exploring program details, costs, and admission requirements to find the best fit for their career goals.
Nursing school in the Philippines is significantly more affordable than in the U.S. Tuition at Silliman University is approximately $900 per semester, with overall living costs around $600 per month. This makes the total cost for a two-year program substantially less than a fraction of U.S. tuition, allowing for debt-free graduation.
Nurses from the Philippines are highly regarded internationally for their skills and work ethic. Many healthcare professionals and administrators attest to their quality of training, with some preferring to hire them for contract positions. Their education is considered comparable to prestigious U.S. institutions and prepares them for international practice.
Yes, American citizens can study nursing in the Philippines. The video highlights the case of Alex, a 32-year-old American, considering nursing at Silliman University. The educational system is recognized internationally, and institutions like Silliman are US accredited and recognized by the US Veterans Administration.
Studying nursing in the Philippines can be challenging due to the competitive nature of medical education. However, the academic environment is described as serious and focused, especially for non-traditional students. The curriculum provides a strong theoretical and practical foundation, preparing students for demanding healthcare roles.
Yes, you can work as a nurse in the U.S. after studying in the Philippines, provided you pass the NCLEX exam. Graduates from reputable Philippine institutions are sought after internationally. The video suggests that this pathway can lead to a debt-free graduation and a successful career in the U.S. healthcare system.
0:01 Hey YouTube, Alex here. And in today's video, I'm on the campus of Siloam University. I have been getting a lot of questions: 'Alex, you're pretty young.' I'm 32 years old. 'You're too young to retire. You're too young to not be working. What are you going to do? How are you going to avoid going broke?' And I came up with some ideas besides just being an influencer, which has been fun, and I intend to continue doing it. But I also want to address some ideas that I have that are practical, right? Because being an influencer can end at any time. The platforms could decide to end the programs. I could get tired of getting recognized in public.
0:44 I have had a few ideas since I am looking like I washed out of the tech industry, where it's been a year and a half since I've worked in tech, and I don't know that I'm going to get back in without getting some education. Even a lot of fresh grads right now with tech skills can't get education. That's a whole basket of worms I'm not going to get into in this video. But my thought process was, my mom's first degree was in psychology, second was accounting, and then later she went back for a nursing degree. And I thought, what about nursing?
1:24 I've got a Bachelor's degree, and the Philippines is world-famous for exporting healthcare talent. You see this in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada. Many countries have Filipino healthcare workers. They tend to be very caring and warm-hearted people, for my observation. And so the country has a lot of infrastructure to train healthcare talent. You have a lot of great educational institutions here, and I thought, well, I'm in Dagupan. There are like four or five colleges here. Why don't I apply to Siloam?
2:01 So I thought I'd just put this out there, see what you guys think. What do you think about the idea of me applying to Siloam, where we are standing right now, for their nursing program? Their nursing school tuition is far less than the tuition in the US, and I wouldn't have to take out a bunch of debt. I could pay cash, not even really think about it, to be honest. Compared to US pricing, I wouldn't be accumulating a bunch of debt that I'd be worried about quickly paying off. I'd graduate without any debt, then I'd be responsible for taking the NCLEX exam, passing the NCLEX exam, which would allow me to practice in the United States.
2:43 And you know, I know a lot of people are saying, 'Why not come back to the US?' That seems to be some of the most useless advice I get on this channel is just, 'Come back to the US.' I guess they're thinking I'm going to move into their house and eat their food. You've got to make a lot of money to survive in the US these days. I think 100K minimum, unless you own your own house and a bunch of assets, you collect a pension, then you really got to have some dough. And so I thought, well, what about going back for nursing and coming out in California?
3:15 With an RN, you can make 100 to 140k per year, and I'm sure that number goes up with experience, and probably more toward the 140 as you get more experience. Then you probably get promoted to management roles later on and make even more money. Of course, you've got more headaches, more responsibility. But I think educational tourism is going to be more and more of a thing in the future. As Americans move on from this student loan debacle and they get tired of the sky-high tuition fees in the US that don't offer a great return on investment, some of them I think are going to think, 'Why can't they just study in a more budget-friendly location that's covering a lot of the same material?'
3:59 I mean, let's be real here. Siloam is an American university to some extent in the Philippines. At least it was founded by Americans and is considered one of the most prestigious universities in the country. To get this caliber of education while paying for a more modest cost of living, not being so hyper-stressed about how am I going to pay rent, how am I going to pay rent, oh, I've got to work full-time while I go to college, resulting in poorer grades and not being able to make connections and get internships, that kind of thing. With this method, I don't see why I couldn't, assuming I go through the application process, I'm accepted, I start, which the earliest admission date would be the fall. I go through the program for a couple of years, I finish, and I go back to the US with no debt.
4:51 With a quality nursing education, with connections, right? Because I specifically asked the counselor, and I should have recorded that, but I don't know if she would have been comfortable with that. Maybe I can interview her. Maybe I could come back here to Siloam and interview her about international students and how international students could apply to Siloam because it's such a great institution. Anyway, you know, come here, get the education, then go back. I'm sure they have connections to hospitals back in the US, anywhere where there's a large Filipino community, cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, like anywhere where there's a lot of Filipinos. I'm sure there are connections to hospitals in those areas. There's probably an alumni network that you have access to if you graduate from here.
5:40 The tuition is like 50k pesos per semester, about $900 per semester. My monthly expenses here run like $600 a month. So, you know, you're talking even if we round up, like we round up substantially, we're talking like under $30,000 for two years of living expenses, tuition, and incidentals, like, you know, having some extra for emergencies. It just seems like a no-brainer. So let me know what you think down in the comments. Is this something you thought about? I know Mark Walters from Walter's World, one of my favorite YouTube channels, he studied in Portugal. He also studied in Brazil and Argentina. He's taught in China. He's taught in Germany as well, I think so. He's really an international man, and I'm curious if anybody else has had this experience of studying abroad, whether it be for budget reasons. I happen to enjoy the Philippines. I think it's a beautiful country, but also there's a lot of great opportunities here for Americans looking to reskill or retrain.
6:44 And this campus is beautiful. If you've seen this video or some videos I've done recently where I show this campus, it's gorgeous. And I, you know, I see the reviews for it. People seem to really like studying here. I know some people have pointed out, 'Oh, how can you be sure the education is legit?' Well, I've worked with a lot of immigrants in the US who did not go to college in the US, at least not for undergrad, and their credentials were accepted because they often went to really high-quality universities overseas. Going to Siloam is not the same as going to Chattahoochee State. No offense to anybody from Georgia who went to Chattahoochee State. That's not a real college, by the way. But, um, you know, these institutions are well-funded. They want to see their students succeed. They know that students going abroad and earning a solid income helps their country. It also helps to encourage other students looking to study abroad to come here to study and then to be able to go abroad with the quality education.
7:53 The US can't have it both ways. You can't have all these people beholden in student loans, attract all these people from other countries to work there, and then simultaneously say, 'Oh no, you can't study abroad, Americans. You've got to study here, accrue a bunch of debt, and then not be able to get a job to pay the debt back.' It's one or the other. It's either universities overseas are acceptable and we'll hire students from over there, or they're not acceptable and we won't. You can't have it both ways.
8:26 I mean, you go anywhere in the US, it's an undesirable place to live in a good chunk of the places. And good chunk of the healthcare professionals, if not all, will be from other countries because many educated people don't want to live in Podunk Arkansas or Billy Bob West Virginia. They've got to recruit people from other countries. The appeal of a much higher wage is so strong, they'll live in these off-the-beaten-path places with no real connection to that place, may not have the food that they're used to eating. That's just the nature of the aging Western society is that they've got to recruit talent from abroad, and they're not going to just give these people free education at American institutions because it's super expensive to run an American college.
9:07 I think there's a reason why so many American universities are going out of business or consolidating programs, and that's because they simply because they're not a good deal anymore and they aren't sustainable. And what they charge versus the result that you're going to get coming out. I can attest to this from my own experience. I didn't get a great ROI. Now, some people will say, 'You got a useless degree.' Now, those same people are backpedaling, 'Why won't Elon hire my kid?' I'm not trying to get too political here, but I think there is a valid case to be made.
9:43 Do you know anyone who has studied medicine, nursing, anything really, overseas and then taking that education back to the states to earn the big bucks to justify the effort required to attain that education? I think this has a potential. It will be another one of those dirty secrets in the US, like medical tourism, where people no longer see a point in paying top dollar for results that aren't top dollar. And not and evaluating educational opportunities based on potential outcomes and not just because they feel good, but because, wow, I spent X amount and then I get this much back. And a potential nursing career, nursing is not the most glamorous profession, but it's solid in terms of necessity, right? With an aging population, I think demand for nurses is only going to go up, and salaries should stay pretty strong unless they totally drop the barrier to entry, unless they just totally open the floodgates, then nurses should be making good money for years to come. On the other hand, do you think it's a bad idea? I mean, I do think a lot of
10:54 I mean, I do think a lot of professors may not like it. American professors may feel like, wow, you're skipping over paying me basically because you can go do your education over there and then you don't have to pay the sky-high tuition prices. You don't have to pay all this administrative staff, you still get a quality education and then you come back, right? And there's a cultural component, you get exposure to a different culture, you get to see things from a different perspective.
11:26 If you're paying for room and board, room and board has gone up a lot in US college towns. Rents have doubled in the college town I lived in when I went to college the first time around, and I can't tell that they've made upgrades justifying the doubling of price. So to come here to the Philippines where I can live in a place I like, around friendly people, I can focus on my studies. I don't have as many distractions.
11:55 One of the advantages I could see to not studying in the US is not having to be around other students as a non-traditional student. I remember when I was in college the first time around, we had this guy come and live in our student house. It wasn't dorm-style housing, but it was like apartments right next to campus, and he would go down to the office every day complaining about all kinds of stuff. Eventually, they were like, 'Dude, you're 30-something, why are you coming down here and complaining about how 20-year-olds behave?' And I don't want to be that guy that can't adjust to life as a non-traditional student.
12:32 I get it, 30-something year olds are not typical for nursing education. To have to be around young American students, to have to live around them, that just sounds like a lot of headache and hassle. The attitude that they might have, the tendency to want to have a good time. I know that a lot of colleges in the US, the graduation rates are not spectacular, especially you get outside the top 10 or 20 universities. Especially the top 50, I think then you're talking like a third graduate. It's not the best environment to be around.
13:08 We're here in Dumaguete. I can live downtown, I don't have to live around other students. I don't have to live in a dorm or dorm-like setting. I have my own privacy, I have my own space, and I still get the education, right? I still live in proximity to the university, but I'm not dealing with some of those downsides that come with being around non-students or students who aren't very serious.
13:34 Because as a non-traditional student, you know, I'm taking time away. I could be presumably working, I could be saving money, I could be doing something else with my time. And I don't want to waste time dealing with people, 'Oh, hey man, I really, you know, I need to sleep tonight because I got an exam early.' 'Oh, who cares about your exam, man? It doesn't matter.' I've had that experience in the past, and I found it to be a colossal waste of time and money, and I don't want to repeat that experience.
13:59 Part of the reason that healthcare professionals in the US get paid so much is because the standard is so high. The reality of healthcare in the US is that the US is extremely litigious. So any little mistake that you make as a healthcare professional is going to be heavily scrutinized. It could potentially result in a lawsuit, potentially result in the loss of your license. So you need to be having all cylinders firing when you're studying.
14:26 You need to be paying attention every single step of the way. You need to be very, very careful about paying attention to your classes, your coursework, because there is less margin for error as a healthcare professional. If you make a major mistake because, 'Oh, I just wasn't paying attention during that lesson,' or 'I didn't sleep well the night before,' or 'I skipped that class because I just didn't feel like going,' that could result in very serious consequences for other people.
14:58 I tend to believe that being away from the chaos that is in the US, the chaos that the US seems to have descended into, could be beneficial for a student. When I'm in the US, it seems like there's this outrage culture that impacts students. Oh, campus protest this, and campus protest that. And I'm not saying people shouldn't care, but I find that people in the US these days are often wrapped up getting upset about things they have no control over.
15:25 And that's something I tend to really enjoy about here in the Philippines is that people seem to focus on what they have autonomy over or what they can control. It's part of why I find Filipinos to be so resilient is that they're not always worked up about random junk or garbage. They seem to be more focused in some ways.
15:52 The students here seem to be more focused than American students. I don't often hear about the students misusing the opportunity because college is so expensive, because families have to make so many sacrifices for a student to go to college, it's taken really seriously. At least here in DTI, from what I've noticed, a lot of students really try hard and work hard to understand the material, and they sacrifice a lot of other things to make sure they're succeeding in their classes.
16:24 And so being in Asia, I think would be really interesting because I think we're seeing Asia rising, and I think we're seeing a lot of these countries grow and improve. And I think some of that growth and improvement is a consequence of resource scarcity. The idea of a party college just doesn't really seem to make sense here.
16:39 Where I went to a party school in the US, most of the colleges in Tennessee or what I would call party schools, with the exception of a few universities, most people are going there to have a good time. I think that's why you see so many people drop out. I think that's why you see so many people get irrelevant degrees.
17:00 And uh, yeah, so let me know what you think down in the comments below. Do you think it's a good idea to study abroad and then come back to the US with the education but minus the debt, still be qualified, assuming you can pass the exam requirement, which I figure Simon is going to do a great job to prepare students to pass those exams?
17:20 Because it's expensive, right? I mean, by Philippine standards, it's a price to University, especially when you consider the opportunity cost and the time, the room and board costs. Then it's not a cheap university. When you look at the full package, everything I've heard about the university is fantastic. Maybe you know somebody in the US or Canada or Australia. If you're in one of those countries or you're from one of those countries that did their education abroad and it really turned out to be beneficial for them, their pocketbook and their future. Uh, maybe you disagree. Let me know if you disagree down in the comments. I'm always interested to get your perspective.
17:56 Next, give us a thumbs up, it helps with the YouTube algorithm. And finally, please subscribe to the channel down below if you want to see more content like this, and we'll see you soon. Bye-bye.
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