Sacred Heart School – Hijas de Jesús vs St. Theresa's College of Cebu
Sacred Heart Hijas vs St. Theresa's College — Catholic all-girls in Cebu City
The two long-standing Catholic all-girls schools in downtown Cebu City. Sacred Heart School – Hijas de Jesús (D. Jakosalem Street) is run by the Hijas de Jesús congregation, preschool through Senior High. St. Theresa's College of Cebu (R. Palma Street) is run by the ICM (Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary), all-girls for basic education and coed for college.
Side-by-side
| Factor | Sacred Heart School – Hijas de Jesús | St. Theresa's College of Cebu |
|---|---|---|
| City | Cebu City · D. Jakosalem | Cebu City · R. Palma |
| Levels | preschool / elementary / JHS / SHS | preschool / elementary / JHS / SHS / college |
| Curriculum | national | national |
| Religion | catholic | catholic |
| Tuition | ₱75,000–₱120,000 /yr | ₱65,000–₱105,000 /yr |
| SPED | No / limited | No / limited |
| Scholarships | Yes | Yes |
Sacred Heart School – Hijas de Jesús notes
All-girls; Hijas de Jesús congregation.
St. Theresa's College of Cebu notes
All-girls basic education; coed college.
Frequently asked
Are Sacred Heart Hijas and St. Theresa's the same kind of school?
Both are Catholic all-girls schools in downtown Cebu City running the national DepEd curriculum from preschool through Senior High. The difference is the religious congregation behind each: Sacred Heart Hijas is run by the Hijas de Jesús sisters; St. Theresa's is run by the ICM (Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary). Each has its own Catholic charism — Hijas leans Ignatian / contemplative; ICM leans missionary / social-justice formation. St. Theresa's also runs a coed college, while Sacred Heart Hijas caps at Senior High.
How much do they cost?
Both are mid-tier Catholic. Sacred Heart Hijas runs roughly ₱75,000–₱120,000/year across the K-12 arc. St. Theresa's College of Cebu runs roughly ₱65,000–₱105,000/year for basic education; college tuition is a separate schedule per program. Both charge separate development / capital fees + books + uniform; budget 15–25% on top of headline tuition. Both accept the DepEd PEAC E-SF (JHS) and SHS Voucher Program for qualified students.
Which has stronger Senior High School strands?
Both run the four academic strands (ABM, STEM, HUMSS, GAS). Sacred Heart Hijas's STEM track is well-regarded for incoming college-bound students aiming at health sciences and engineering. St. Theresa's HUMSS and ABM strands lean stronger — fitting the school's longer humanities + social-formation tradition (and the in-house college pipeline if a student wants to continue at STC). Pick by your daughter's strand interest, not by perceived "ranking" — both place graduates well at USC, UP Cebu, and Manila universities.
Where are they and how is the commute?
Both are in downtown Cebu City within a short distance of each other. Sacred Heart Hijas is on D. Jakosalem Street near Cebu Cathedral and the Cathedral Museum. St. Theresa's is on R. Palma Street near the Cebu Provincial Capitol and Fuente Osmeña. Best fit for families in Capitol / downtown / Mango Avenue / Banawa corridors — peak-hour traffic adds 20–35 minutes if you're commuting from Banilad / Talamban or across Mandaue.
Class size and student-teacher ratio?
Both run roughly 35–40 students per section at elementary, dropping to 30–35 at Senior High (STEM strands trend smaller). Teacher-student ratio is around 1:30 at elementary and 1:25 at SHS — typical for established Cebu private Catholic schools. Both pull in additional subject specialists (Filipino, Religion, ICT, MAPEH) on top of the homeroom adviser, so most students see 6–8 different teachers per week.
Scholarship availability?
Both run academic, sibling, and need-based scholarship programs. Sacred Heart Hijas's Honor Society scholars (top of the class) qualify for 25–75% tuition coverage; sibling discount is roughly 5–10% off the 2nd child. St. Theresa's has a similar academic-scholar tier plus a limited need-based / financial-aid pool for families in financial difficulty. Both also accept PEAC E-SF and SHS Voucher Program funds — confirm voucher slot availability with the registrar early in the cycle.
Is the alumna network strong?
Both have multi-generation alumnae networks rooted in Cebu Catholic-school families. Sacred Heart Hijas alumnae cluster in education, communications, business, and the Cebu Catholic civic networks. St. Theresa's alumnae are heavily represented in NGOs, education, communications, and law — the ICM's social-justice formation tends to push graduates into service-oriented careers. Alumni weeks for both fall around the school feast days; both have active reunions and homecoming traditions.
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