Business Administration Schools and Programs in Colombia

Business Administration Studies in Colombia

Business administration (administración de empresas) is taught in Colombia as a university undergraduate degree, a pregrado, that leads to the professional title of Administrador de Empresas. It is a regulated profession: Ley 60 de 1981 recognised it and set the rules for practising it in the country. Our directory lists six institutions in Colombia with studies in this field, three of them in Bogotá and the others in Sincelejo, Villavicencio and San Juan de Pasto. Teaching is in Spanish.

How the degree is organised

Colombian higher education is governed by Ley 30 de 1992. Under that law, undergraduate programmes prepare students for an occupation, a profession or an academic discipline, and postgraduate study consists of specialisations (especializaciones), master's degrees (maestrías), doctorates and post-doctorates.

The undergraduate degree in business administration is a professional-level programme measured in Colombian academic credits, not ECTS. The programmes in our directory give a good idea of the usual length:

• Universidad Central (Bogotá): 8 semesters, 141 academic credits, in person
• Universidad de La Salle (Bogotá): 8 semesters, in person, afternoon and evening timetable
• Institución Universitaria CESMAG (San Juan de Pasto): 8 semesters, day and evening groups
• Universidad de Sucre (Sincelejo): 9 semesters, 155 academic credits
• Universidad de los Llanos (Villavicencio and Granada): 9 semesters; the title is Administrador

At the Universidad Central, for example, the study plan includes a work placement in semester 7 and courses such as business intelligence, project management and international business.

Each programme needs a registro calificado, the authorisation of the Ministerio de Educación Nacional, and has a code in the national register SNIES. Some also hold the voluntary high-quality accreditation (Acreditación de Alta Calidad): the Universidad de Sucre cites a ministry resolution of 28 September 2020 for its programme, and the Universidad de La Salle a six-year renewal dated 27 April 2026.

Where to study

Bogotá has the largest choice. The Universidad Central and the Universidad de La Salle both teach the undergraduate degree there; La Salle also offers a double degree option with the Université de Rennes (France) through a master's in International Management. The Universidad de América, also in Bogotá, does not list an undergraduate degree in business administration but has postgraduate programmes in its Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Administrativas, among them a Maestría en Administración MBA and a specialisation in business management.

Outside the capital, two public universities teach the degree: the Universidad de Sucre in Sincelejo, which also has a Maestría en Administración de Empresas, and the Universidad de los Llanos in Villavicencio. The Institución Universitaria CESMAG in San Juan de Pasto is a Catholic institution.

Admission and language

Ley 30 de 1992 sets the minimum requirement for every undergraduate programme: a secondary school leaving qualification (título de bachiller) or its foreign equivalent, and the state exam for entry to higher education, known as Saber 11. Each institution adds its own steps. The Universidad de La Salle, for instance, asks applicants to be a bachiller, complete the application, attach their Saber 11 results and attend an interview. Students who finished school abroad should ask the admissions office how the state exam requirement applies to them.

Foreign students who need a visa apply for the visitor visa (type V) for students. According to the Colombian foreign ministry (checked in October 2026), holders of passports from visa-exempt countries do not need it if they stay no more than 180 calendar days. The application requires a certificate of admission or enrolment and a health insurance policy that covers the whole stay, and the visa is valid for up to two years. It does not allow undergraduate students to work; postgraduate students may work up to 20 hours a week.

Costs

Fees differ sharply between public and private institutions. The Universidad de Sucre, a public university, charges between 1 and 4 legal monthly minimum wages per semester, depending on the student's socio-economic stratum. Among private institutions, CESMAG lists COP 3,842,000 for the first semester in 2026, and in October 2026 the programme pages of the Universidad Central and the Universidad de La Salle showed tuition of COP 6,285,091 and COP 6,775,000 respectively. Check the current figure with each school before applying.

Recognition and careers

To practise as an Administrador de Empresas in Colombia, the law requires a professional degree from a higher education institution approved by the national government and a professional registration (matrícula or tarjeta profesional) issued by the Consejo Profesional de Administración de Empresas (CPAE). The registration has no expiry date and does not need to be renewed. Graduates with a degree from another country must first have it recognised (convalidación) by the Ministerio de Educación Nacional; the CPAE asks for that resolution in place of the diploma.

Graduates work as managers, entrepreneurs and consultants in private companies and public bodies.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a business administration degree take in Colombia?

The undergraduate programmes in our directory last 8 or 9 semesters, which is four to four and a half years of full-time study.

Do I need a licence to work as a business administrator in Colombia?

Yes. Ley 60 de 1981 requires a professional degree and a matrícula or tarjeta profesional issued by the Consejo Profesional de Administración de Empresas.

Can I study business administration in Colombia in English?

The programmes listed here are taught in Spanish. Some include English courses or international options, such as the double degree with a French university at the Universidad de La Salle.

Can international students work while they study?

The student visa does not permit work during undergraduate studies. Postgraduate university students may work up to 20 hours a week, according to the Colombian foreign ministry.