Study and find schools in Panama

Studying in Panama

Panama links Central and South America and is best known for the Panama Canal. For international students it offers two quite different things: Spanish-language universities, with the largest in the capital, and Spanish courses in places that many visitors already know, such as the Boquete highlands and the islands of Bocas del Toro.

Spanish is the language of teaching at Panamanian universities. The higher-education sector is small enough to survey: the national accreditation council CONEAUPA lists six official (public) universities, from the Universidad de Panamá, created by presidential decree on 29 May 1935, to the Universidad Autónoma de los Pueblos Indígenas, created by law in 2022, and 36 private universities.

The education system

Universities in Panama are either official (state) universities, created by law or decree, or private universities (universidades particulares), authorised by executive decree. Besides the Universidad de Panamá, the official universities include the Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá (UTP), created in 1981, which describes itself as the main state institution for higher education in science and technology. The oldest private university on CONEAUPA's list is the Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua (USMA), authorised in 1965.

Universities offer undergraduate (pregrado) and postgraduate (posgrado) programmes. The Universidad de Panamá is by far the largest institution. For the first semester of 2026 it reported 367 programmes (193 undergraduate and 174 postgraduate), 19 faculties and 10 regional university centres, with 84,089 undergraduate students enrolled in July 2026. The academic year is organised in semesters; the university's second semester of 2026 started in August.

Quality assurance is the job of CONEAUPA (Consejo Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria de Panamá), whose stated aim is to build a culture of evaluation that ensures the quality of university education. It publishes the status of each university: reaccredited, accredited, in the accreditation process, or not accredited.

Admission and recognition

Each university runs its own admission. At the Universidad de Panamá, the admissions office has a separate registration route and step-by-step instructions for foreign applicants, and each faculty has its own admissions contact. The documents required are published by each university, so check the list before travelling.

Before choosing a private university, check its status on CONEAUPA's published lists. A degree from an accredited university is easier to have recognised later, both in Panama and abroad. Classes are in Spanish, so a good command of the language is needed for a full degree.

Student visa and residence

Whether you need a visa to enter Panama depends on your nationality. Panama's Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains that a consul can stamp a visa when the traveller meets the entry requirements, and can issue an authorised visa after approval by the Servicio Nacional de Migración (SNM). Students who will stay longer than a tourist visit need a migration permit. The SNM publishes the options, requirements and forms for migration permits on its website, and these documents change; check them, and the Panamanian consulate in your country, before you apply (checked October 2026).

Costs

Fees in Panama are set by each university and are quoted in US dollars. As an example of a short course, the Universidad de Panamá's language centre charged the general public $200 for a semester of Spanish for foreigners in the second semester of 2026, paid in one instalment. The scholarship and student-loan institute IFARHU runs national and international scholarship programmes, mainly for Panamanian students; international students should look at their own government's programmes and at the university's international office.

Where to study

• Panama City: the capital, with the main campus of the Universidad de Panamá in Bella Vista and the UTP
• Bocas del Toro: the Caribbean island province, where El Paraiso Spanish School teaches on Isla Colón and both the Universidad de Panamá and the UTP have regional centres
• Boquete: a highland town in Chiriquí province, where Habla Ya Spanish School has a campus

The Universidad de Panamá also runs regional centres and extensions in Azuero, Coclé, Colón, Darién, Los Santos, Panamá Este, Panamá Oeste, San Miguelito and Veraguas.

Learning Spanish in Panama

Panama is a practical place to learn Spanish in a Spanish-speaking environment. Private language schools offer immersion courses, often combined with activities. The Universidad de Panamá's Centro de Lenguas runs semester courses in Spanish for foreigners at all levels from A1 to C2, with morning and evening groups; in the second semester of 2026 classes ran from 24 August to 28 November.

Practical life

Panama has a tropical climate, and the Instituto de Meteorología e Hidrología de Panamá (IMHPA) publishes forecasts and warnings for rain and storms. Life in Panama City is very different from life in small places such as Boquete or Bocas del Toro, so think about the setting as well as the course. Health insurance and permission to work are tied to your migration status: ask the SNM and your university before you count on either.

Frequently asked questions

Are university degrees in Panama taught in English?

Mostly not. Panamanian universities teach in Spanish, so a full degree requires a good level of Spanish. Short Spanish courses for foreigners are available at language schools and at the Universidad de Panamá's language centre.

How many universities does Panama have?

CONEAUPA lists six official universities and 36 private universities. Its accreditation lists show which of them are accredited or reaccredited.

Do I need a visa to study in Panama?

It depends on your nationality and the length of your stay. For a longer course you need a migration permit from the Servicio Nacional de Migración; check its requirements and the Panamanian consulate in your country before you apply.

How much does a Spanish course in Panama cost?

Prices vary by school. At the Universidad de Panamá's language centre, a semester course of Spanish for foreigners cost $200 for the general public in the second semester of 2026.

Which is the oldest university in Panama?

The Universidad de Panamá, created by presidential decree on 29 May 1935. It opened on 7 October 1935 and began teaching the next day with 175 students.