Physics Schools and Programs in Colombia

Physics Studies in Colombia

Physics (Física) is studied in Colombia as a professional undergraduate degree that leads to the title of Físico, followed by research-based master's and doctoral programmes. Five universities listed on SpainExchange are linked to this subject: two in Bogotá and one each in Medellín, Montería and Villavicencio.

How the degree is organised

Colombian higher education is governed by Ley 30 de 1992. The law separates undergraduate programmes (pregrado) from postgraduate programmes, which are specialisations (especializaciones), master's degrees (maestrías), doctorates and post-doctorates. A master's degree is not a condition for entering a doctorate, and a doctorate ends with a thesis.

Workload is counted in academic credits. Under Decreto 1330 de 2019 one credit equals 48 hours of student work in an academic period, so Colombian credits are not the same unit as ECTS credits.

A physics pregrado takes eight to ten semesters, depending on the university. At the Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes) in Bogotá the programme, which started in 1978, lasts 8 semesters and has 128 credits; it is taught full-time on campus and awards the title of Físico. At the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín the Física degree is listed at 10 semesters. In the Uniandes plan, the first semesters cover basic science and mathematics, an intermediate cycle of core physics starts in the fourth semester, and in the final semesters students carry out a research project with a professor or develop a solution for an industry sector.

At Uniandes the Maestría en Ciencias Física takes 3 semesters and 35 credits, and the doctorate 10 semesters and 82 credits. The department's postgraduate admission exam has 25 multiple-choice questions and lasts up to 3 hours.

Where physics is taught

• Universidad Nacional de Colombia: Física at the Bogotá campus (SNIES 33) was in the list of programmes for the 2027-01 admission. The Manizales and Medellín campuses offer a separate engineering degree, Ingeniería Física.
• Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá: the Departamento de Física states that it has 8 research groups and 24 full-time professors, and an astronomical observatory founded in 1991.
• Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín: Física is taught on campus in the Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences.
• Universidad de Córdoba, Montería: Física appears in the undergraduate offer as a daytime, on-campus programme.
• Universidad de los Llanos, Villavicencio: the published undergraduate offer lists a teaching degree in mathematics (Licenciatura en Matemáticas) rather than a physics degree, so applicants should confirm the current offer with the university.

Admission and language

By law, applicants to any undergraduate programme need a secondary-school diploma (título de bachiller) or its foreign equivalent and must have taken the State examination for entry to higher education. Each institution adds its own requirements. The Universidad Nacional de Colombia selects through its own admission test; for the 2027-01 intake it was held on Sunday 20 September. Applicants who are abroad sit the test online at a Colombian consulate, and the registration fee paid from abroad was US$87.50 for the 2026-02 intake. At enrolment, admitted foreign students present their secondary-school diploma and the state exam result of their home country, validated by Colombia's Ministry of National Education. The university also notes that not every programme is offered every semester.

The Universidad de Antioquia accepts as a new applicant any foreigner who has completed the equivalent of Colombian secondary education. Teaching is in Spanish: for exchange stays, the Universidad de Antioquia asks students from non-Spanish-speaking countries for a Spanish certificate at CEFR level B1 or higher.

Recognition of the qualification

Under Ley 30, only higher-education institutions may award degree titles. Universities publish for each programme its code in the national register (SNIES) and the ministry resolution that authorises it (registro calificado); the Universidad de Antioquia, for example, lists SNIES 453 for Física. Some programmes also hold a voluntary national accreditation: the Uniandes physics pregrado has one granted by Resolución 18569 of 3 December 2018, valid for 10 years.

Careers

Physics graduates work in research and teaching, and increasingly outside the university. According to the Uniandes physics department, half of its graduates work in industry and start-ups and half in academia and research, in activities that range from data analytics to the production of technology.

Student visa

Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) issues a visitor visa for students (visa V, Estudiante) that covers higher education, student internships and academic exchange between universities. Holders of passports from visa-exempt countries do not need it when their stay in Colombia does not exceed 180 calendar days. Applicants submit a certificate of admission or enrolment that states the programme and its duration, and a health insurance policy valid in Colombia. The visa is valid for up to two years (Cancillería, checked 8 October 2026).

Frequently asked questions

How long does a physics degree take in Colombia?

Between eight and ten semesters. The Universidad de los Andes lists 8 semesters and 128 credits, and the Universidad de Antioquia lists 10 semesters.

Can a foreign student apply to a public university?

Yes. The Universidad Nacional de Colombia lets applicants abroad sit its admission test online at a Colombian consulate, and the Universidad de Antioquia accepts foreigners who have completed the equivalent of Colombian secondary education.

Is a master's degree required before a doctorate in physics?

No. Ley 30 de 1992 states that a master's degree is not a condition for entering a doctoral programme, although each university sets its own admission requirements.