<p>This study examined the role of social presence in shaping the tertiary level students’ satisfaction with Flexible Online Learning (FOL) courses in the Philippines. A convergent parallel mixed-method design was employed, combining a quantitative survey with qualitative analysis of students’ comments. A total of 607 respondents were selected through stratified random sampling with proportional allocation across three teacher education programs. Quantitative data were gathered using the Social Presence Questionnaire of Online Collaborative Learning (SPQOCL) and the Satisfaction Scale (SS), and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and ordinal regression, while qualitative responses were examined through thematic analysis to provide deeper insights. The findings indicated a significant relationship between students' year level and the level of social presence and satisfaction in FOL courses. Conversely, no significant relationships were identified between learning satisfaction and demographic characteristics, including gender (male and female), age, teacher education program, and internet access. These findings underscore the role of social presence in enhancing student satisfaction and highlight the contextual value of higher education institutions experiencing the ongoing shifts toward a more flexible online learning modality.</p>