Accounting Schools and Programs in Argentina

Accounting Studies in Argentina

River Plate Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina

In Argentina, accounting is studied as a university degree that leads to the professional title of Contador Público (public accountant). It is one of the core programmes of the faculties of economic sciences, and it is taught in Spanish. Our directory lists nine schools in Argentina for this subject: four in Buenos Aires, two in La Plata and one each in Santa Fe, Mendoza and Villa María.

How the degree is organised

Argentina's Higher Education Law (Ley 24.521) reserves the licenciado degree and equivalent professional titles, as well as the master's (magíster) and the doctorate, to university institutions. The national ministry grants official recognition to university degrees, and officially recognised degrees are valid throughout the country. Before enrolling, the ministry's office for the national validity of degrees advises checking that the qualification a school awards is official.

Contador Público is a first degree (carrera de grado) that students enter directly after secondary school. At the Universidad Champagnat in Mendoza, for example, it takes four years, and students receive an intermediate title, Analista Administrativo Contable, after three. The university describes the scope of the degree as designing accounting and information systems, preparing and auditing financial statements, tax, labour and social security advice, investment analysis, and expert work in court cases such as insolvency proceedings and the winding-up of companies. The degree also appears in the faculties of economic sciences of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and the Universidad Abierta Interamericana (UAI), among others in our list. Length and study plans differ between universities, so compare the plan of each one.

After the first degree, students can continue with a specialisation, a master's or a doctorate. Postgraduate programmes must be accredited by CONEAU, the national agency for university evaluation and accreditation.

Admission and language

Under the Higher Education Law, anyone who has passed secondary education has open and unrestricted access to undergraduate study, but each university runs its own enrolment procedure. At the Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), enrolment for the 2027 intake runs from 9 November to 11 December 2026. Applicants who finished secondary school abroad must present their certificate legalised by the education authority and the Argentine consulate, or apostilled, with a sworn translation if it is not in Spanish.

Students whose native language is not Spanish must prove an adequate level. UNLP accepts the CELU (Certificado de Español: Lengua y Uso), the only Spanish exam officially recognised by Argentina's ministries of education and foreign affairs. Students who completed secondary school in a country that has an education agreement with Argentina, including Spain, Italy, France, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Brazil, must validate the certificate (convalidación) to enter higher education; the procedure is free.

Visa and residence

Foreign students enrolled in a full degree of the official education system apply to the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones for temporary residence as a student. It is granted for one year and can be extended. The application starts online in the RaDEX system, requires the institution's electronic proof of enrolment, and can only be made from inside Argentina. Students who have not yet entered the country apply for a temporary entry permit as a student of official education; UNLP, for example, starts this process once the conditional enrolment is complete.

Costs

Undergraduate study at state universities is free for Argentine citizens and for foreigners with permanent residence. Since Decree 366/2025 of May 2025, state institutions may charge fees to other students, although scholarships remain possible under university statutes or agreements. Private universities, which make up most of the schools in our list, set their own fees. Ask each university what applies to your residence status before you apply.

Careers

Graduates work in auditing, tax advice, financial reporting and management accounting, in companies and in the public sector, and as experts in court proceedings. The profession is organised in provincial professional councils of economic sciences, grouped in the Federación Argentina de Consejos Profesionales de Ciencias Económicas (FACPCE). FACPCE issues the Argentine professional accounting standards and, in 2026, is consulting on a new circular on the adoption of IFRS.

Frequently asked questions

Is accounting taught in English in Argentina?

The Contador Público degrees at the schools in our list are taught in Spanish. Students whose native language is not Spanish must prove their level; UNLP, for example, accepts the CELU certificate.

How long does the Contador Público degree take?

It depends on the university. At the Universidad Champagnat it takes four years, with an intermediate title after three years.

Is studying accounting at a public university free for foreigners?

Undergraduate study at state universities is free for Argentine citizens and foreigners with permanent residence. Since 2025, state universities may charge other foreign students, so check the rules of each university.

Do I need a student residence permit?

Yes, for a full degree. Students apply to the Dirección Nacional de Migraciones for temporary residence as a student, granted for one year and renewable.