Language Immersion Courses in Chile

Chile is a Spanish-speaking country, and most of its Spanish schools for foreigners are in Santiago, the capital. Students come for short intensive courses, for longer stays combined with travel, or to prepare for an official Spanish exam. Chilean Spanish has its own pronunciation and everyday vocabulary, which takes some getting used to.

Our directory lists five language schools in Chile, all in the Santiago area, including the Providencia and Las Condes districts. Most teach Spanish to foreigners; some also teach English and other languages to Chileans, such as Executive English Solutions in Las Condes, which trains professionals in English with classes taught entirely in English.

How Spanish courses work

Language schools in Chile are private and set their own programmes. There is no state accreditation for them, but schools can join the Association of Chilean Language Schools Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language (ACHELE), founded in 2010 to set common standards. Tandem Santiago was a founding member, and Escuela Bellavista also states that it is accredited by ACHELE.

Courses usually start every Monday and are booked by the week. Two examples from our directory:

• Tandem Santiago, in Providencia, runs group courses of at most 8 students per level, at 20, 30 or 35 teaching hours a week, with private and two-to-one tuition as an alternative. Following the Tandem method, which it has used as a member of Tandem International since 1996, the school arranges a Chilean language exchange partner for each student. It also offers combined courses with partner schools in Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Córdoba, Montevideo and Cusco.
• Escuela Bellavista, which has taught Spanish since 1987 and reports 22,000 students, places students with a written and oral test, follows the levels of the Common European Framework (A1, A2, B1 and so on) and uses only Spanish in class.

Schools add social activities and weekend excursions, for example to Valparaíso, the wineries or the Andes. For accommodation they arrange homestays with Chilean families, shared apartments or furnished apartments.

Exams

The DELE diplomas are official qualifications in Spanish awarded by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Education; they have official validity, do not expire and are recognised internationally. Several schools in Santiago prepare students for them: Tandem Santiago, for example, runs a 10-week DELE group course with 40 classes for US$335 and publishes the exam fees for 2026, such as 164,300 Chilean pesos for level B2.

Costs

Course fees are usually quoted in US dollars. At Tandem Santiago an intensive group course of 20 lessons a week costs US$190 for one week, US$680 for four weeks and US$170 a week for 4 to 24 weeks, plus a US$55 enrolment fee (2026 prices). Escuela Bellavista lists one week of intensive group course at US$190. Accommodation and travel come on top. Note that there are no classes on Chilean public holidays.

Visas and length of stay

The student temporary residence permit of the National Migration Service (SERMIG) is for students at establishments recognised by the State, and it must be requested from abroad. For a shorter Spanish course, many visitors enter on a transitory stay (permanencia transitoria), which SERMIG grants to visitors for tourism, business or similar purposes for up to 90 days; it can be extended once by a further 90 days for US$100. Requirements depend on your nationality, so check them with SERMIG or the Chilean consulate before booking a long course.

How to choose

• Intensity: 20 hours a week if you have time to practise outside class, 30 or more for a short stay
• Group size and the option of private lessons
• Exam goal, such as DELE preparation
• Membership of ACHELE or an international network
• Accommodation: homestay for practice, or an apartment for independence
• Combined programmes if you want to study in several Latin American cities

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Spanish course in Santiago cost?

One week of intensive group course (20 lessons) costs about US$190 at the schools in our directory, and longer bookings are cheaper per week, for example US$170 a week at Tandem Santiago for 4 to 24 weeks in 2026.

Do I need a student visa for a Spanish course in Chile?

The student residence permit is for establishments recognised by the State. For a short course, a transitory stay of up to 90 days, extendable once, may be enough depending on your nationality; check with SERMIG before you travel.

Can I take the DELE exam in Santiago?

Yes. Some Santiago schools prepare students for the DELE and publish the exam fees; Tandem Santiago, for example, lists its 2026 fees by level.

Is Chilean Spanish hard to understand?

It has its own accent and colloquial vocabulary, which takes some getting used to, but schools teach standard Spanish and add local expressions as you progress.