Universities in Colombia

Colombia's higher-education system is governed by Ley 30 de 1992, the law that defines which institutions may teach at university level and what kind of degrees they award. Under this law there are three kinds of higher-education institution: technical professional institutions, university institutions or technological schools, and universities. Universities are the institutions that carry out research, academic training in professions or disciplines, and the production and transmission of knowledge and culture. By origin, institutions are classified as state (public), private or "economía solidaria" (cooperative) institutions.

The twelve universities listed on SpainExchange show the range: six are in Bogotá, among them the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, the Universidad de los Andes, the Universidad de La Salle, the Universidad Central and the Universidad de América. Others are regional universities such as the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín, the Universidad de Sucre in Sincelejo, the Universidad de Córdoba in Montería, the Universidad de los Llanos in Villavicencio, the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Palmira and the Institución Universitaria CESMAG in Pasto.

How Colombian university degrees work

Ley 30 distinguishes undergraduate (pregrado) and postgraduate (posgrado) programmes. Undergraduate programmes prepare students for an occupation or for a profession or discipline. Postgraduate programmes are specialisations (especializaciones), master's degrees (maestrías), doctorates and post-doctorates. A specialisation follows an undergraduate degree and deepens knowledge in the same occupation, profession or discipline; master's and doctoral programmes are based on research, and a doctorate ends with a thesis.

Many universities teach both in person and online. The Universidad Central, for example, offers professional degrees, specialisations, master's degrees and continuing education in classroom and virtual formats, and the Universidad de La Salle lists 116 academic programmes on three campuses. The Universidad de Antioquia states that it offers more than 90 undergraduate and more than 120 postgraduate programmes.

Quality and accreditation

New institutions need the approval of the Ministry of National Education (Ministerio de Educación Nacional), after a favourable opinion of the National Council for Higher Education (CESU). Above this basic authorisation, institutions and programmes can obtain a high-quality accreditation (acreditación de alta calidad) through the National Accreditation System. Several universities in the list, such as the Universidad Central, state that they hold it. If accreditation matters to you, check it on the ministry's official records rather than relying on a university's own description.

Admission for international students

By law, undergraduate applicants need a secondary-school diploma (título de bachiller) or its foreign equivalent and must have taken the State examination for entry to higher education, in addition to each institution's own requirements. The Universidad Nacional de Colombia runs its own admission test: for its 2027-01 intake, applicants paid the registration fee between 6 July and 24 August and sat the test on Sunday 20 September. The Universidad de Antioquia accepts foreign applicants as new students if they have completed the equivalent of Colombian secondary education, or as transfer students after at least two semesters at a recognised institution.

Exchange students follow a separate route. At the Universidad de Antioquia, students from partner or non-partner universities can spend up to two academic periods; they need a cumulative grade average of at least 3.5 on a scale of 0.0 to 5.0 and, if they come from a non-Spanish-speaking country, a Spanish certificate at level B1 or higher. Teaching is mostly in Spanish, so plan your language preparation early.

Visa

Colombia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Cancillería) issues a student visa (visa V, Estudiante) for in-person, virtual or distance studies, including higher education and academic exchanges between universities. Holders of passports from visa-exempt countries do not need it if their stay does not exceed 180 calendar days. The application includes a certificate of admission or enrolment stating the programme and its duration, proof of income and health insurance valid in Colombia. The visa is valid for up to two years, and it allows postgraduate students to work up to 20 hours a week (checked October 2026).

Costs and funding

Tuition fees are set by each university and vary by programme, so ask the university for its current fees. At the Universidad de Antioquia, exchange students from partner institutions may be exempt from tuition when the agreement says so, while others pay according to the number of credits they take. For living costs, the Universidad de Antioquia's guide for foreign students gives monthly estimates for Medellín of 350,000 to 850,000 Colombian pesos for accommodation and 250,000 to 350,000 pesos for food, and notes that Colombia has no system of student residences.

For funding, the ICETEX reciprocity programme offers foreign citizens financial support for specialisation, master's, doctoral or research studies in Colombia, and the OAS scholarship programme funds postgraduate studies in member states.

How to choose a university

• City: six of the universities listed are in Bogotá; the others are spread across the regions, from Medellín and Palmira to the Caribbean coast (Sincelejo, Montería) and the eastern plains (Villavicencio).
• Type of institution: public universities, private universities and university institutions differ in admission procedure, fees and the range of programmes.
• Level and format: check whether the programme is a pregrado, a specialisation or a master's, and whether it is taught in person or online.
• Accreditation: check the programme's official registration and any high-quality accreditation.

Frequently asked questions

Can foreign students study a full degree at a Colombian university?

Yes. Universities admit foreign applicants who hold the equivalent of a Colombian secondary-school diploma; the Universidad de Antioquia, for example, accepts them as new students or as transfer students after at least two semesters elsewhere.

What is a "especialización"?

It is a postgraduate programme taken after an undergraduate degree that deepens knowledge in the same occupation, profession or discipline. Master's and doctoral programmes, by contrast, are based on research.

Do I need a student visa?

Not if you hold a passport from a visa-exempt country and stay no more than 180 calendar days, according to the Cancillería. For a full degree you need the student visa, which is valid for up to two years.