St.Vincent Ferrer Seminary as we know it today was founded more than a century ago. The Seminario de San Vicente Ferrer is the fifth oldest and the last seminary to have been established during the Spanish Colonial era. With the elevation of Jaro to a diocese in 1865, its first bishop, Fray Mariano Cuartero decided to put up this seminary. He requested the Padres Paules of the Vincentian Fathers (Congregation of the Mission) to run this institution. Temporarily housed in the bishop's residence, the seminary began operations in1869. Meanwhile, the bishop thought of building an adequate edifice for his seminary. In 1871, cinstruction began in a new lot near the cathedral and in October of the following year classes were held for the first time in the new seminary.

Five years after it began operations (November 1874), its permanent building which actually stood on these grounds was finished. It Was reputedly the best seminary at the time.

During the Spanish times to the late 1920's, St.Vincent Ferrer was both a seminario and a colegio. As a seminario, it was tasked with training young men for the priesthood. As a colegio, it offered subjects leading to a high school degree (Bachelor of Arts).

Academic excellence at St. Vincent Ferrer made it popular that it was the next best alternative to studying in Manila. Even the great hero, Graciano Lopez Jaena earned his high school here. Enrolment in the colegio surpassed that in the seminario by folds.

In 1891, the Seminario-Colegio of San Vicente Ferrer became a first class college, making it an affiliate of the University of Santo Tomas. It offered a degree in Commerce. As more and more lay students entered the school, the seminarians decreased in number. This was to have an adverse affect on seminary life.