Universities in Panama

Panama has two kinds of universities: official (state) universities, created by law or presidential decree, and private universities (universidades particulares), authorised by the government. According to the national accreditation council CONEAUPA, there are six official universities and 36 private ones. Teaching is in Spanish, which makes Panama an option mainly for students who already speak the language or want a full degree in a Spanish-speaking country.

The oldest official university is the Universidad de Panamá, created by presidential decree on 29 May 1935. It opened on 7 October 1935 and began teaching the next day with 175 students. The newest is the Universidad Autónoma de los Pueblos Indígenas, created by law in 2022. Between them come institutions such as the Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP), created in 1981, which describes itself as the main state institution for higher education in science and technology. The oldest private university on CONEAUPA's list is the Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua (USMA), authorised in 1965.

How university study works

Universities offer undergraduate programmes (pregrado, usually leading to a licenciatura) and postgraduate programmes (posgrado). The academic year is organised in semesters. The Universidad de Panamá, by far the largest university, reported 367 programmes for the first semester of 2026 (193 undergraduate and 174 postgraduate), 19 faculties and 10 regional university centres, with 84,089 undergraduate students enrolled in July 2026.

Quality assurance is set by Law 52 of 26 June 2015, which created the national system for the evaluation and accreditation of university education. CONEAUPA (Consejo Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria de Panamá) runs it, with the stated aim of building a culture of evaluation that ensures the quality of university education. Its public lists group universities as reaccredited, accredited, in the accreditation process, or operating for less than six years. These lists are the first thing to check before choosing a private university.

Admission for international students

Each university runs its own admission. At the Universidad de Panamá, applicants register online, and the admissions office has a separate registration route and step-by-step instructions for foreign applicants. For the 2027 intake its admission tests are mostly held online, with some faculties, such as Medicine, Nursing and Dentistry, testing in a classroom. Some faculties only accept applicants who choose their programme as first option, among them Medicine.

Each university publishes its own list of documents. Before you travel, ask the university which documents it needs and whether they must be legalised or apostilled in your home country. A good command of Spanish is needed for a full degree.

Visa and residence

Whether you need a visa to enter Panama depends on your nationality. Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that a consul can stamp a visa when the traveller meets the entry requirements, or issue an authorised visa after approval by the Servicio Nacional de Migración (SNM). For a stay longer than a visit, students need a migration permit; the SNM publishes the options, requirements and forms on its website (checked October 2026). Check them, and the Panamanian consulate in your country, before you apply.

Costs and funding

Fees are set by each university and are quoted in US dollars, so compare the official fee information of each institution. As a reference for short study, the Universidad de Panamá's language centre charged the general public $200 for a semester course of Spanish for foreigners in the second semester of 2026. The national scholarship institute IFARHU runs national and international scholarship programmes, mainly for Panamanian students; foreign students should look at their own government's programmes and ask the university's international office.

How to choose a university

• Accreditation: check the university's status on CONEAUPA's lists, especially for private universities
• Official or private: state universities are the largest; private universities vary widely in size and offer
• Subject: the UTP specialises in science and technology, while the Universidad de Panamá covers most fields
• Location: both the Universidad de Panamá and the UTP have regional centres outside Panama City, for example in Azuero, Bocas del Toro, Coclé, Colón and Veraguas
• Recognition at home: ask the authorities in your country how a Panamanian degree is recognised before you enrol

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Panama?

CONEAUPA lists six official (state) universities and 36 private universities. Its accreditation lists show which of them are accredited or reaccredited.

Which is the oldest university in Panama?

The Universidad de Panamá, created by presidential decree on 29 May 1935. It began teaching on 8 October 1935 with 175 students.

Are university degrees in Panama taught in English?

Generally not. Panamanian universities teach in Spanish, so a full degree requires a good level of the language.

Do I need a visa to study at a university in Panama?

It depends on your nationality and the length of your stay. For a full degree you need a migration permit from the Servicio Nacional de Migración; check its requirements and the Panamanian consulate in your country.