Universities in Argentina

Argentina's university system is defined by the Higher Education Law (Ley 24.521). University education is provided by national universities, provincial and private universities recognised by the state, and state or private university institutes (institutos universitarios). The law draws a clear line: an institution called a "Universidad" must teach in a range of unrelated fields organised in faculties or departments, while one that limits its offer to a single field is an Instituto Universitario.

Spanish is the language of teaching, and Argentine universities have long attracted students from the rest of Latin America. Our directory lists 18 universities in Argentina, half of them in Buenos Aires, with others in La Plata, Santa Fe, Córdoba, Mendoza, Bahía Blanca, San Luis and Sáenz Peña.

How Argentine universities work

Higher education is overseen by the Ministry of Human Capital through its Undersecretariat for University Policy. National universities and private universities each have their own coordinating council: the Consejo Interuniversitario Nacional and the Consejo de Rectores de Universidades Privadas. Degrees are organised in three levels, which the ministry's official degree guide lists for every institution:

• Pregrado: shorter programmes below the full degree
• Grado: the first full degree, such as a licenciatura, an engineering degree or a teaching degree (profesorado)
• Posgrado: specialisation, master's degree (maestría) and doctorate

Quality assurance is the job of CONEAU, the National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation. By law, every postgraduate programme must be accredited by CONEAU or by a recognised private agency, as must undergraduate degrees for professions regulated by the state where public health, safety or rights are at stake. CONEAU also carries out external evaluations of institutions; the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, for example, recently received a visit from CONEAU's peer review committee.

Before you enrol, check that the qualification is official. The ministry's directorate for the national validity of degrees advises students to ask the education authority of the province where an institution is based whether its degrees and certificates are official.

Admission for international students

The law states that anyone who has completed secondary school can enter undergraduate study freely and without restriction (de manera libre e irrestricta); each university then sets its own enrolment procedure. For postgraduate study, applicants need a university degree or a non-university higher qualification of at least four years.

Foreign school leavers who finished secondary school in a country with an education agreement with Argentina must have their diploma validated (convalidado) before starting higher education. The procedure is free and covers countries such as Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Degree students on recognised programmes apply for a temporary student residence (residencia temporaria), while exchange students follow a separate mobility route.

Exchange students apply through their home university. At the Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Santa Fe, the home institution nominates the student by e-mail, and more than 100 international undergraduates arrive each semester. Teaching is in Spanish: you can certify your level with the CELU, which its organisers describe as the only exam officially recognised by Argentina's Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and which now also certifies a basic level. The Universidad Nacional de Córdoba runs Spanish and culture courses (PECLA) for international students.

Costs and funding

Undergraduate study at national universities has traditionally been free. Since Decree 366/2025 of 28 May 2025, the law guarantees free undergraduate study for Argentine citizens and for foreigners with permanent residence, and allows national universities to charge foreigners without permanent residence for their teaching; those students may still hold scholarships. Each university decides whether and how much to charge, so ask before you apply.

Private universities set their own fees, and several run large scholarship programmes: according to the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, 62% of its students receive some kind of scholarship.

How to choose a university

• Public or private: national universities such as the Universidad Nacional de La Plata, founded in August 1905, or private universities with their own fees and scholarships
• Accreditation: whether your programme is accredited by CONEAU, which is required for postgraduate and regulated degrees
• Residence status: whether a national university charges students without permanent residence
• Exchange agreements: the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, for example, has agreements with more than 135 universities in over 30 countries
• City: Buenos Aires concentrates the largest choice; La Plata, Córdoba and Santa Fe are university cities with large national universities
• Recognition at home: universities such as the UNC also handle the revalidation of foreign degrees, and your home country may require the reverse procedure

Frequently asked questions

Is university free for foreign students in Argentina?

Undergraduate study at national universities is free for Argentine citizens and foreigners with permanent residence. Since Decree 366/2025, national universities may charge foreigners without permanent residence, and each university sets its own rules.

Is there an entrance exam for Argentine universities?

There is no national exam. The law guarantees free access to undergraduate study for anyone who has completed secondary school, and each university organises its own admission.

What is CONEAU?

CONEAU is the National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation. It evaluates universities and accredits all postgraduate programmes and undergraduate degrees for regulated professions.

Do I need to validate my secondary-school diploma?

Yes, if you want to start higher education. Diplomas from countries with an education agreement, such as Spain, Mexico, Colombia or Peru, are validated free of charge.