Study in Montevideo, Uruguay

About Montevideo

Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay and its largest city, on the northern shore of the Río de la Plata. The 2023 census counted 1,302,721 people in the department of Montevideo, more than a third of the country's 3,499,451 inhabitants, according to Uruguay's national statistics institute (INE).

For students, Montevideo concentrates most of Uruguay's universities, from the free public Universidad de la República to several private universities, as well as Spanish schools for foreigners. It is a Spanish-speaking capital of manageable size, with a long waterfront and a historic centre, the Ciudad Vieja.

Studying in Montevideo

This directory lists five universities, two Spanish language schools and one international school in Montevideo. University teaching is in Spanish.

• Universidad de la República (Udelar) was founded on 18 July 1849 in Montevideo and is the country's main institution for higher education and research. It is public, autonomous and co-governed by students, staff and graduates. It has more than 160,000 students and offers more than 140 undergraduate degrees, open to all and free of charge, plus more than 130 master's and doctoral programmes.
• Private universities: the Universidad Católica del Uruguay (campuses in Montevideo, Salto and Punta del Este), Universidad ORT Uruguay (faculties of business and social sciences, architecture, communication, design and engineering), the Universidad de Montevideo (which takes part in Erasmus+ programmes) and the Universidad de la Empresa (UDE), which also has campuses in Punta del Este, Colonia and La Paloma.
• Spanish for foreigners: La Herradura teaches Spanish in Montevideo and Punta del Este in small groups of up to six students; Academia Uruguay is in the historic centre.
• Uruguayan American School is a private school whose students can earn three diplomas: American, Uruguayan and the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Admission for international students

Since 2021, people who finished secondary school abroad can enter the first year of any Udelar undergraduate degree without first having their school studies validated by the national education administration. Each faculty decides whether the foreign studies are sufficient. Students who have already studied at university abroad can apply to have their courses recognised (reválida) and continue the degree.

All documents from abroad must carry an apostille or be legalised, and documents not issued in Spanish must be translated by a sworn public translator registered in Uruguay. Udelar runs an office for foreign and migrant students within its international relations service. Private universities have their own admission processes. Visa and residence rules depend on your nationality, so check them with the Uruguayan consulate before you travel.

Cost of living for students

Public university degrees at Udelar are free of charge, which keeps the cost of a degree low compared with most of the region; private universities charge tuition, set by each institution. City buses are run through the STM card system: in October 2026 a one-hour trip paid with the STM card cost 52 Uruguayan pesos, and 64 pesos paid in cash, according to the Intendencia de Montevideo.

Getting around and daily life

Montevideo's buses use the STM card, which allows transfers within one hour. The centre, the Ciudad Vieja and the waterfront promenade (the Rambla) can be explored on foot. Uruguay has a temperate climate with four seasons; according to the national weather institute INUMET, the mean annual temperature for the country as a whole is 17.5 °C.

Frequently asked questions

Is studying at the Universidad de la República free for foreigners?

Udelar describes its more than 140 undergraduate degrees as open and free of charge. Foreign students apply through the faculty that teaches the degree.

Can I enter Udelar with a foreign secondary school certificate?

Yes. Since 2021 you can enter the first year without validating your secondary studies beforehand; the faculty assesses whether they are sufficient. Your documents must be apostilled or legalised.

Is Montevideo a good place to learn Spanish?

Yes. The city has Spanish schools for foreigners, such as La Herradura, with groups of up to six students, and Academia Uruguay in the historic centre.

Which universities are in Montevideo?

This directory lists the Universidad de la República, the Universidad Católica del Uruguay, Universidad ORT Uruguay, the Universidad de Montevideo and the Universidad de la Empresa.